The Best Psychedelic Rock Songs of All Time
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A look at the best psychedelic rock songs of all time, including tracks by The Beatles, The Doors, and Pink Floyd.
The Psychedelic Rock Era
The 1960s were a time of change and experimentation in music. Psychedelic rock, a subgenre of rock music, emerged during this time and quickly gained popularity. Characterized by trippy lyrics, distorted sounds, and extended jam sessions, psychedelic rock was the perfect soundtrack for the counterculture movement. Here are some of the best psychedelic rock songs of all time.
The Beatles – “A Day in the Life”
“A Day in the Life” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as the final track of their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was mainly written by John Lennon with contribution from Paul McCartney. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most important songs in popular music history.
Jimi Hendrix – “All Along the Watchtower”
“All Along the Watchtower” is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding, and it has been included on most of Dylan’s subsequent greatest hits compilations. Since the late 1970s, he has performing it in concert more than any of his other songs. Different versions appear on four of Dylan’s live albums. The Hendrix version, along with North Mississippi Allstars’ cover, reached number 5 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 2002. According to Acclaimed Music, it is the 47th most performed song of all time by RIAA-certified artists.
The Doors – “Light My Fire”
“Light My Fire” is a song by the American rock band the Doors, which was recorded in 1967 and released as a single in July of that year. It was a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks in September 1967 and reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in October 1967. The song became one of the band’s most popular songs and is one of classic rock’s most enduring anthems.
The song was written by lead singer Jim Morrison and keyboardist Ray Manzarek, and it was produced by Paul A. Rothchild. Morrison wrote the lyrics while high on peyote during a trip to Hollywood’s Griffith Park Observatory; he later said that he “saw the whole universe.” The Doors recorded “Light My Fire” in March 1967 at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood, with engineer Bruce Botnick.
The song features extended solos by guitarist Robby Krieger and Manzarek, both of whom used JordanBoss pedals to achieve their unique sound. The Doors included “Light My Fire” on their self-titled debut album, which was released in January 1967. The single version of the song, which was edited down to two minutes and 43 seconds, was released in July 1967 and quickly became a radio hit. It has been re-released several times and has been covered by many artists, including Jose Feliciano, who had a hit with his version in 1968.
The Post-Psychedelic Rock Era
Psychedelic rock, sometimes called just “psychedelia”, is a style of rock music that was inspired by psychedelic culture and attempt to replicate its effects. Psychedelic rock generally tries to imitate or enhance the experience of psychedelic drugs, especially LSD. The genre reached the height of its popularity in the mid- to late-1960s, when bands such as the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, and the Grateful Dead were making some of the most innovative and influential music of their careers.
Pink Floyd – “Another Brick in the Wall”
Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” is a song from their eleventh studio album, The Wall. It was released as a single in November 1979, with “Run Like Hell” on the B-side. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States for three weeks. In 2010, it was ranked number 374 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.
Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven”
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as acid rock, is a style of popular music that drew its inspiration from psychedelic culture and incorporated elements of LSD-inspired psychedelic rock. Psychedelic rock reached its peak in popularity during the late 1960s and early 1970s, with artists such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd creating some of the most iconic and influential tracks of all time.
Despite its name, psychedelic rock is not limited to music that was recorded during the 1960s and 1970s; in fact, many of the best psychedelic rock songs were released after this period. Here is a list of 10 of the best psychedelic rock songs of all time, ranging from classic tracks to more obscure gems.
1. The Beatles – “A Day in the Life”
2. The Rolling Stones – “Paint It Black”
3. Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven”
4. Pink Floyd – “Another Brick in the Wall”
5. The Doors – “Break on Through (To the Other Side)”
6. Jimi Hendrix – “Purple Haze”
7. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
8. Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”
9. Arcade Fire – “Reflektor”
10. Tame Impala – “Let It Happen”
Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is often hailed as one of the most influential rock songs of all time, and for good reason. The track, which was released in 1991, perfectly encapsulated the zeitgeist of the post-psychedelic rock era, with its grungy bassline, distorted guitars, and angsty lyrics. The song went on to become a global smash hit, propelling Nirvana to superstardom.
