Top Psychedelic Rock Songs of All Time
Contents
A list of the top psychedelic rock songs of all time, as voted on by music fans and experts.
The Psychedelic Movement
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “psychedelia”,is a style of rock music that was popularized in the 1960s. The genre is characterized by a distorted, “trippy” sound, as well as by its use of electronic effects such as echo, feedback, and flanging. Psychedelic rock often employs extended guitar solos, odd time signatures, and unconventional instrumentation.
Origins of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as acid rock or prog rock, is a style of rock music that was popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The term “psychedelic” refers to the use of psychedelic drugs such as LSD, and the style is characterized by a distorted or mind-expanding sound, extended jams, and unusual album artwork.
Psychedelic rock emerged in the mid-1960s as a subgenre of garage rock and surf music. Early psychedelic bands included the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, the Electric Prunes, and Love. The Beatles’ seminal album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) is considered to be one of the most prominent releases of the genre. Other well-known psychedelic rock bands include the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.
The Psychedelic Sound
The Psychedelic sound is a sub-genre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, characterized by songs with mind-altering montages of distorted guitars, feedback, sitars and extended instrumental solos often laced with effects such as delay, phasing and reverb.
Psychedelic rock reached its peak in popularity between 1967 and 1968, with hit songs such as “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum, “Light My Fire” by The Doors and “Happy together” by The Turtles. More experimental bands such as Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead also gained popularity during this time.
The Best Psychedelic Rock Songs of All Time
Psychedelic rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the 1960s. It is influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic rock songs often have trippy, dreamlike lyrics and sound effects. If you’re looking for some good psychedelic rock songs, you’ve come to the right place.
“A Whiter Shade of Pale” – Procol Harum
“A Whiter Shade of Pale” is a song by the British rock band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. It is credited with being the first pop song to use classical music elements, specifically Gregorian chants. One of the band’s most popular tracks, it was number 1 in the UK Singles Chart for six weeks from 13 May 1967 to 24 June 1967 and also in Australia for two weeks from 8 to 22 July 1967.
Although it was released in 1967, the song’s popularity persisted into 1968, when it reached number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on 19 May 1968 and number 3 on the Cash Box chart on 18 May 1968. In June 1968, it became a gold record in the US. It has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.
The song was written by Gary Brooker and Keith Reid and was inspired by a line from Pablo Picasso’s 1916 poem, “Le picador”. The band’s keyboard player Matthew Fisher claimed that he wrote the organ solo, but this claim is disputed.
“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” – Iron Butterfly
“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” is a song by the American rock band Iron Butterfly, originally released in 1968. The 17-minute track is widely considered to be one of the first and most influential psychedelic rock songs of all time. The unique, hypnotic sound and heavy use of distorted guitars, organ, and drums created a new sound that would go on to shape the sound of psychedelic rock for years to come.
“Somebody to Love” – Jefferson Airplane
“Somebody to Love” is a song written by Darby Slick and sung by Grace Slick for the American rock band Jefferson Airplane. The song was released as a single in 1967 and was later included on the album Surrealistic Pillow. On the Record retail version of the album, it appears as the fourth track, while on other versions it appears as the fifth track.
The song was inspired by and is a direct response to the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations”, which Grace Slick heard while she was tripping on acid. In an interview with Mojo magazine, she said: “‘Somebody to Love’ is what you cry for when you’re told there’s somebody up there taking care of everything and all you’ve got to do is be good.”
The song features complex verbal interplay between Grace Slick and co-lead singer Marty Balin. It is one of the first pop songs to feature extended use of call and response between a lead singer and a chorus.
“White Rabbit” – Jefferson Airplane
“White Rabbit” is a song written by Grace Slick and recorded by the American rock band Jefferson Airplane for their 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow. It became the band’s second chart-topping hit in the United States, peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was ranked No. 488 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list in 2004. The song was released as a single in 1967 and became one of the band’s signature songs. It was ranked No. 11 on VH1’s countdown of the 100 Greatest Songs of the 1960s and No. 13 on Rate Your Music’s Top Singles of All Time list. It was also ranked No. 26 on Pitchfork’s The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s list.
“Paint It, Black” – The Rolling Stones
“Paint It, Black” by the Rolling Stones is often considered one of the best psychedelic rock songs of all time. The song was released in 1966 and quickly became a hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The dark and ominous lyrics, combined with the slow and hypnotic melody, create a feeling of unease and foreboding that is perfect for any psychedelic rock playlist.
The Legacy of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also known as “acid rock”, is a style of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The music is intended to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It often uses new recording techniques and effects, and sometimes incorporates elements of other genres, such as improvisation, jazz, electronica, and funk.
The Influence of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelia, is a diverse style of rock music that was inspired, in part, by hallucinogenic drugs. The genre is characterized by extended jams, unusual sounds, and colourful visuals.
Psychedelic rock emerged in the mid-1960s and reached the height of its popularity in the early 1970s. The genre was pioneered by bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Byrds. Psychedelic rock was later popularized by acts such as Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, and the Doors.
The legacy of psychedelic rock can be seen in many later genres of music, including punk rock, new wave, and heavy metal. Some of the most popular bands of all time, such as Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead, were influenced by psychedelic rock.
The End of the Psychedelic Era
The late 60s and early 70s were a time of great change and upheaval in the United States. The country was embroiled in a costly and unpopular war, racial tensions were at an all-time high, and young people were beginning to challenge traditional values and authority figures. It was against this backdrop that the psychedelic rock genre emerged.
Psychedelic rock, also known as acid rock or simply psyrock, is a style of rock music that is characterized by heavy use of distortion, feedback, and Drugs. The genre is often associated with the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s as well as the subsequent punk rock movement. Psychedelic rock reached its peak of popularity in the mid-to-late 60s with bands such as The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and The Doors. However, by the early 70s, the genre had begun to fall out of favor with audiences as it became increasingly self-indulgent and unstructured. Additionally, many of the leading figures of psychedelic rock either died or retired from music altogether (Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin being two notable examples). As a result, the late 70s saw a sharp decline in the popularity of psychedelic rock.
While psychedelic rock is no longer as popular as it once was, its influence can still be heard in many modern styles of music including punk, metal, and indie rock.
