Top 10 Groovy Artists & Bands from the 60s That Defined a Generation

The 60s were revolutionary for many different reasons. Change swept the nation and world, radically altering social norms, fashion choices, and even civil rights. Of course, the spirit of change also seeped into the music industry, giving rise to some of the decade’s most influential bands. If you were a teenager in the 1960s, you probably listened to some of these bands and maybe even attended their concerts! Here are the top 10 groovy musical acts from back then that defined your generation.

Aretha Franklin

Dubbed “The Queen of Soul”, Aretha Franklin had a whopping 112 singles chart on Billboard. Franklin is still number one on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the Greatest Singers of All Time, where her voice is described as “a work of genius” and “a gift from the heavens.” We couldn’t agree more! The “Respect” singer was actually the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And while her record label tried to make her fit neatly in the lounge singer box, Franklin resisted due in part to the influence of another entry on our list: Bob Dylan. “Neither of us was what you call—ah—mainstream,” the Queen of Soul once told music journalist Gerri Hirshey.

The Beach Boys

Formed in sunny Southern California in 1961, this American rock group was a fixture of the decade. Their songs are characterized by impeccable harmonies, unforgettable melodies, and lyrics that are a love letter to the West Coast and its beautiful beaches. While they broke onto the charts with “Surfin’ U.S.A”, 1966’s Pet Sounds proved the band’s versatility. Brian Wilson created Pet Sounds in response to his rival group, The Beatles, and their 1965 album Rubber Soul. Interestingly, Paul McCartney has cited “God Only Knows” as one of his personal favorite songs and even went so far as to label it “the greatest song ever written.” High praise from a Beatle!

The Beatles

Often regarded as the most influential band of all time, this English rock quartet needs no introduction. It took only four years for the Beatles to achieve international success, launching the British Invasion that took the United States by storm. The Beatles are still the best-selling musical act of all time, a testament to the strength of their discography. With so many timeless hits like “Hey Jude” and “In My Life”, it’s not difficult to see they continue to capture the hearts of new fans to this day.

Bob Dylan

When Bob Dylan dropped out of college and moved to New York in 1960, he probably didn’t expect to become one of the most influential and celebrated singer-songwriters of all time. By the autumn of 1961, he’d signed a contract with Columbia Records and adopted his stage name. While many people considered Dylan the voice of their generation—crafting songs full of anti-war themes—the man himself felt uncomfortable with the title. “I think of myself more as a song and dance man, y’know,” he once stated in 1965.

Elvis Presley

If Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul, then Elvis Presley is the undisputed King of Rock and Roll. Presley’s success from the late 1950s carried over into the new decade, spawning numerous film roles and the accompanying soundtrack albums. And while Presley’s burgeoning movie career took center stage over his music, the decade still saw the release of some of the crooner’s most beloved ballads. Namely, the timeless “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and unforgettable “Return to Sender.”

The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 didn’t have their breakout moment until the end of the decade, but the group was formed in 1964. Comprised of 5 brothers, this pop group captured the hearts of fans everywhere with their massively successful hit “I Want You Back.” They continued to be popular throughout the 70s, generating more hits like “ABC” and “I’ll Be There.” Of course, it goes without saying that the most successful member of the group was the youngest brother, Michael. But that’s a story for another article.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Described as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music” by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, American guitarist Jimi Hendrix continues to inspire musicians decades after his death. Though his life was short, his impact on the 1950s music scene was huge. Even Eric Clapton—a skilled guitarist in his own right—was blown away by Hendrix’s talent. “He played just about every style you could think of, and not in a flashy way,” Clapton later recounted. “I mean he did a few of his tricks, like playing with his teeth and behind his back, but it wasn’t in an upstaging sense at all, and that was it … He walked off, and my life was never the same again.”

The Monkees

Did you know that The Monkees were actually a fictional band created for the TV show of the same name? One magazine even reported that they outsold the Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined. While this claim was later debunked, The Monkees were popular in their own right. In fact, “Last Train to Clarksville” spent 13 weeks atop the Billboard 200 album chart until it was ousted by their next album More of the Monkees. With hitmakers like Carole King and Neil Diamond writing songs for the band, it’s not difficult to see why this fictional band enjoyed real-life success!

The Rolling Stones

We can thank the U.K. for yet another generation-defining rock band! Breaking away from their cover-band roots in record time, they released three songs that became international hits. Many consider “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” one of the greatest rock songs of all time. The British music press often pitted The Rolling Stones against The Beatles, a fact that neither side of the equation seemed to appreciate. In a 2015 interview with Esquire, Stones member Keith Richards even referred to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band as “a mishmash of rubbish.” Yikes!

Simon & Garfunkel

As one of the best-selling musical acts of the 1960s, this folk-rock duo is behind hits such as “Sounds of Silence” and the Grammy-winning “Mrs. Robinson.” Though the two friends met when they were both cast in their school’s production of Alice in Wonderland, their bond was hardly as harmonic as their music. In fact, the pair went their separate ways in 1957 after Simon recorded solo material without informing Garfunkel. Fortunately, they reunited long enough to record some of their most iconic hits before breaking up for good in 1970. “We were really best friends up until ‘Bridge over Troubled Water,” Simon stated in the MGM+ documentary series In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon. “[Afterwards], it didn’t have the harmony of the friendship…that was broken.”

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