The Best Psychedelic Rock Albums of All Time

A list of the best psychedelic rock albums of all time, as determined by the experts at Paste Magazine.

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has been cited as the most important and influential rock album ever released, and it frequently appears in lists of the greatest albums of all time. The record was an instant commercial and critical success upon its release in 1967, and it topped the charts in the United Kingdom, the United States, and several other countries. It was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning four, including Album of the Year, making it the first rock album to receive that honor.

Recorded over a period of five months in 1967, Sgt. Pepper’s was an ambitious and experimental project that saw the Beatles pushing the boundaries of both their musical abilities and the technology available to them. The album features a wide range of genres, including psychedelia, avant-garde music, pop, and classical; it is also notable for its innovative sound effects and production techniques. In addition to its critical and commercial success, the album has had a lasting impact on popular culture; it is often cited as an influential work by artists in various genres.

The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds

Released in 1966, The Beach Boys’ eleventh studio album Pet Sounds is widely considered one of the most influential albums of all time. The record was created during a time of great turmoil for the band, with leader Brian Wilson struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse. Despite this, the album is often cited as one of the most beautiful and innovative works in popular music history, blending elements of pop, rock, and classical music to create a truly unique sound. Pet Sounds features some of the band’s most famous tracks, including “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “God Only Knows.”

The Doors – The Doors

The Doors’ self-titled debut is one of the most influential albums in rock history. Hailed as a turning point for the genre, it popularized a new sound that would come to be known as psychedelic rock. The Doors’ unique blend of blues, jazz, and eastern influences set them apart from their contemporaries and made them one of the most iconic bands of the 60s. Even 50 years later, The Doors’ debut album remains an essential part of any music collection.

Pink Floyd – The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

In 1967, Pink Floyd released their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. The album was highly influential in the development of psychedelic rock, and is often cited as one of the greatest debut albums of all time. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is a crucial document of the early psychedelic scene, and is essential listening for any fan of psychedelic rock.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced (1967)

Are You Experienced is the debut studio album by English-American rock band the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Released in May 1967, the LP was an immediate commercial and critical success, and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest debuts in the history of rock music. The album features Jimi Hendrix’s innovative approach to songwriting and electric guitar playing which soon established a new direction in psychedelic and hard rock music.

Cream – Disraeli Gears

Cream’s Disraeli Gears is one of the most influential psychedelic rock albums of all time. Released in 1967, it reached number 5 on the US Billboard 200 and number 1 on the UK charts. It is known for its unique blend of blues, pop, and psychedelic rock, as well as its use of innovative studio techniques. The album features such classic tracks as “Sunshine of Your Love”, “Strange Brew”, and “Tales of Brave Ulysses”.

The Grateful Dead – Anthem of the Sun

The Grateful Dead’s second studio album, ‘Anthem of the Sun’, was released in 1968 to critical acclaim. The album blends elements of folk, bluegrass, blues, jazz, and rock, and is noted for its use of Playboy bunnies on the cover. ‘Anthem of the Sun’ is considered one of the best psychedelic rock albums of all time.

Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow

There is no shortage ofPsychedelic Rock albums to choose from, but Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow is widely considered to be one of the best. Released in 1967, the album features some of the band’s most iconic tracks, including “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit”. With its mix of psychedelic lyrics, catchy melodies, and innovative production, Surrealistic Pillow is a timeless classic that remains as fresh and relevant today as it did over 50 years ago.

The Kinks – Something Else by the Kinks

The Kinks’ 1967 album Something Else by the Kinks is often cited as one of the best psychedelic rock albums of all time. The album is a mix of the band’s early R&B/rock sound with elements of psychedelia, and it includes some of the band’s most well-known tracks, such as “Waterloo Sunset” and “Death of a Clown.”

The Moody Blues – Days of Future Passed

The Moody Blues’ 1967 concept album, ‘Days of Future Passed’, is one of the most influential releases in psychedelic rock history. The album was an immediate success upon its release, reaching number 3 in the UK charts and number 2 in the US. ‘Days of Future Passed’ is widely considered to be a landmark achievement in the genre, with its use of classical instrumentation and innovative production techniques. The album has been hailed as a masterpiece by critics and fans alike, and its influence can still be heard in psychedelic rock music today.