Psychedelic Rock Bands to Check Out If You Like Pink Floyd

Here are four psychedelic rock bands that are definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of Pink Floyd!

Intro to Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “psychedelia,” is a subgenre of rock music that began in the 1960s. The style is characterized by a trippy sound and themes of drug use and social change. If you’re a fan of Pink Floyd, here are some similar bands that you might enjoy.

Defining Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelia, is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the 1960s and peaked in popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Psychedelic music is intended to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs, most notably LSD.

Psychedelic rock often employs distorted electric guitars, electronic effects, sitars, and Western pop and folk influences. The songwriting is often characterized by gibberish lyrics, recurrent themes of drug use and impaired mental states, musings on the nature of reality, and spiritual quests for truth. The live show often featured light shows designed to reproduce visual hallucinations induced by LSD.

In 1967, the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, an album that would go on to become one of the most influential records in the history of pop music. The album made extensive use of studio effects to create a sonic landscape that was unlike anything that had been heard before. The album’s watershed moment came with the final track, “A Day in the Life”, which included a powerful orchestral crescendo that many believe was an attempt to recreate the experience of an LSD trip.

Origins of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelia, is a diverse style of music that originated in the mid-1960s. Its sound is characterized by distorted guitars, trippy sound effects, and drug-inspired lyrics.

Psychedelic rock began to emerge in the mid-1960s, when artists like the Beatles and the Beach Boys started incorporating elements of Eastern music and philosophy into their work. These new influences expanded the sonic palette of rock music, and inspired musicians to experiment with mind-altering drugs like LSD.

In the late 1960s, psychedelic rock reached its commercial peak with albums like The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon. These records used cutting-edge recording techniques to create a series of soundscapes that could replicate the experience of taking drugs.

While psychedelic rock was initially popular with young people, it soon lost favor with the mainstream audience. In the 1970s, punk rock became the dominant style of underground music, and many psychedelia bands either disbanded or reinvented themselves as punk acts.

Despite its relatively short lifespan, psychedelic rock had a profound impact on popular music. It paved the way for subsequent styles like progressive rock and heavy metal, and its influence can still be heard in contemporary music.

Psychedelic Rock Bands

If you’re a fan of Pink Floyd, then you’ll love these psychedelic rock bands. From the trippy sounds of The Grateful Dead to the experimental jams of Funkadelic, these bands will take you on a musical journey.

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later utilised several genres, ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical elements in innovative ways during the development of their sound. In 1963, their enormous popularity first emerged as “Beatlemania”; as the group’s music grew in sophistication, led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, the band were integral to pop music’s evolution into an art form and to the development of the counterculture of the 1960s.

The Doors

The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were unique and among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison’s lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona. After initially cementing their reputation in clubs in Los Angeles, they signed to Elektra Records in 1966. The band spent two years recording their first album, The Doors (1967), which contained their breakthrough single “Light My Fire” and launched the band’s career.

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd is one of the most iconic psychedelic rock bands of all time. Formed in 1965, the band is best known for their groundbreaking album, The Dark Side of the Moon. The album explores themes of mental illness, despair, and loss, and was a commercial and critical success. It remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. Pink Floyd’s other albums include Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. The band has been cited as an influence by numerous other artists, and they continue to be one of the most popular and influential rock bands today.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is often cited as the greatest rock guitarist of all time. His pioneering work in psychedelic rock celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and his influence can still be felt today. If you like Pink Floyd, you’ll love Hendrix’s mind-bending guitar solos andunique approach to songwriting. Here are some of our favorite Jimi Hendrix songs to get you started.

Led Zeppelin

Formed in 1968, Led Zeppelin is often considered one of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time. The band’s unique blend of blues, folk, and eastern influences with a hard rock sound made them one of the first truly psychedelic rock bands. Led Zeppelin’s innovation and experimentation continued throughout their career, culminating in their later albums like “Physical Graffiti” and “In Through the Out Door.” If you’re a fan of Pink Floyd, you’re sure to enjoy Led Zeppelin’s music.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these are great bands to check out if you’re a fan of Pink Floyd’s psychedelic sound. Each band has their own unique take on the genre, and they’re all worth a listen. So, put on your headphones, turn up the volume, and enjoy some of the best psychedelic rock around.