Top 10 Bands/Artists Of The 60s
To follow up my list of my favorite 10 Bands/Artists of the 90s I'm moving back in time to the 60s. Again this list will not be in any specific order and only represents my favorites not an argument that these are the 10 most important or the 10 most influential.
The Beatles - My favorite band of all time by quite some margin. I'm one of those Beatles freaks. I don't really feel I need to explain their inclusion on this list. It'd be a ridiculous list without them.
The Who - I think The Who are sometimes overlooked or under appreciated although many of their songs are staples of the classic rock radio stations. Possibly these songs are overplayed and it becomes harder to appreciate them? The Who had some great albums and songs but I think it's live where they really set themselves apart.
The Rolling Stones - I think the fact that they've been constantly in the media for 40+ years has actually hurt the appreciation of their really great music in the 60s (and 70s.) Not to say I'm one of those people who thinks they should have retired 30 years ago. I think it's fantastic that they are doing what they love at age 60+. I think we all should be. But I do think that the younger generations have a harder time getting into them than say the aforementioned Beatles because of the fact that they see The Stones still around looking like their grandfather. Sure you see the same thing with Paul McCartney but somehow that doesn't effect the Beatles legacy because of him being solo and not using the name. Anyway The Stones had many classic songs in the 60s that one cannot imagine rock n roll without.
The Pink Floyd - I love Syd Barrett's Floyd and Pipers at the Gates of Dawn is one of my favorite albums. A totally different Pink Floyd from the one that became huge in the 70s (and I'm a big fan of that Pink Floyd too.)
The Beach Boys - A ton of excellent pop songs and the masterpiece Pet Sounds. Good enough to get on this list. Hell just Pet Sounds alone would probably get them on the list!
Bob Dylan - Essential. You can't have a list of the best of the 60s without Bob Dylan obviously. I was just making you sweat a bit by having him lower in the list. See it's in no specific order. The order of a mad man, perhaps. Anyway Dylan was on fire in the 60s as I'm sure you know. He was releasing album after album of great material. If I had to choose just one it'd probably be Highway 61 Revisited or Blonde On Blonde.
Van Morrison - Unlike most music critic types I prefer Moondance to Astral Weeks. Perhaps thats partly nostalgia as Moondance was constantly being played by my parents when I was growing up but I think Moondance is a pretty perfect album. So many amazing songs. Astral Weeks is very cool but in comparison I have to be in the mood to listen to it. Although I just checked to make sure and Moondance was actually released in 1970. Well you know what, to hell with you. He's going on this list anyway. Astral Weeks came out in '68.
Jimi Hendrix - I think it's a bit hard to truly appreciate Hendrix because he's become so deified. That being said I've got a lot of joy out of listening to his music. I must admit I haven't been able to listen to him for quite some time having been thoroughly burnt out on most of his well known stuff. I do think I may be able to open my ears up to him again soon though.
Frank Zappa - The 60s are definitely my favorite Zappa period. While I enjoy some of his later stuff in smaller doses, it's the really freaky stuff with the Mothers that I really get into.
The Band - Music From The Big Pink and the self titled The Band are both really great albums.
I know I've left off some really great bands and artists but I can't find it in my heart to bump any of these to make way for The Velvet Underground. But I'm considering it. Where are The Kinks? As good as The Kinks are I've never been as into them as any of these bands/artists. Led Zeppelin? I and II were released in 1969 but I think of them as a 70s band. They're also a band I have a hard time listening to lately due to over exposure.
Well hopefully this list will start off some good debate with plenty of people calling me an ignorant knob head. Who's going to start it off?
The Beatles - My favorite band of all time by quite some margin. I'm one of those Beatles freaks. I don't really feel I need to explain their inclusion on this list. It'd be a ridiculous list without them.
The Who - I think The Who are sometimes overlooked or under appreciated although many of their songs are staples of the classic rock radio stations. Possibly these songs are overplayed and it becomes harder to appreciate them? The Who had some great albums and songs but I think it's live where they really set themselves apart.
The Rolling Stones - I think the fact that they've been constantly in the media for 40+ years has actually hurt the appreciation of their really great music in the 60s (and 70s.) Not to say I'm one of those people who thinks they should have retired 30 years ago. I think it's fantastic that they are doing what they love at age 60+. I think we all should be. But I do think that the younger generations have a harder time getting into them than say the aforementioned Beatles because of the fact that they see The Stones still around looking like their grandfather. Sure you see the same thing with Paul McCartney but somehow that doesn't effect the Beatles legacy because of him being solo and not using the name. Anyway The Stones had many classic songs in the 60s that one cannot imagine rock n roll without.
The Pink Floyd - I love Syd Barrett's Floyd and Pipers at the Gates of Dawn is one of my favorite albums. A totally different Pink Floyd from the one that became huge in the 70s (and I'm a big fan of that Pink Floyd too.)
The Beach Boys - A ton of excellent pop songs and the masterpiece Pet Sounds. Good enough to get on this list. Hell just Pet Sounds alone would probably get them on the list!
Bob Dylan - Essential. You can't have a list of the best of the 60s without Bob Dylan obviously. I was just making you sweat a bit by having him lower in the list. See it's in no specific order. The order of a mad man, perhaps. Anyway Dylan was on fire in the 60s as I'm sure you know. He was releasing album after album of great material. If I had to choose just one it'd probably be Highway 61 Revisited or Blonde On Blonde.
Van Morrison - Unlike most music critic types I prefer Moondance to Astral Weeks. Perhaps thats partly nostalgia as Moondance was constantly being played by my parents when I was growing up but I think Moondance is a pretty perfect album. So many amazing songs. Astral Weeks is very cool but in comparison I have to be in the mood to listen to it. Although I just checked to make sure and Moondance was actually released in 1970. Well you know what, to hell with you. He's going on this list anyway. Astral Weeks came out in '68.
Jimi Hendrix - I think it's a bit hard to truly appreciate Hendrix because he's become so deified. That being said I've got a lot of joy out of listening to his music. I must admit I haven't been able to listen to him for quite some time having been thoroughly burnt out on most of his well known stuff. I do think I may be able to open my ears up to him again soon though.
Frank Zappa - The 60s are definitely my favorite Zappa period. While I enjoy some of his later stuff in smaller doses, it's the really freaky stuff with the Mothers that I really get into.
The Band - Music From The Big Pink and the self titled The Band are both really great albums.
I know I've left off some really great bands and artists but I can't find it in my heart to bump any of these to make way for The Velvet Underground. But I'm considering it. Where are The Kinks? As good as The Kinks are I've never been as into them as any of these bands/artists. Led Zeppelin? I and II were released in 1969 but I think of them as a 70s band. They're also a band I have a hard time listening to lately due to over exposure.
Well hopefully this list will start off some good debate with plenty of people calling me an ignorant knob head. Who's going to start it off?
Labels: 1960s, bob dylan, frank zappa, jimi hendrix, pink floyd, the band, the beach boys, the beatles, the rolling stones, the velvet underground, the who, van morrison
5 Comments:
You totally forgot about Captain Beefheart and The Doors, man.
I came close to including the Doors. I go a bit back and forth on how much of a Doors fan I am. I like them... but I'm not sure if I *love* them. Dig?
To be honest Beefheart just doesn't do it for me.
And by *IT* I mean you know, without the panties.
My list is pretty much the same.
But make room for some jazz - Miles + Coltrane, to be painfully obvious. Oh, and for Christ Sake, Neil Young/Buffalo Springfield!
But yeah, it's a pretty obvious list...for a reason.
it is a bit obvious isnt it. i tried to mix it up a bit but then i realized i'd just be doing it for that reason and it'd be the non facts. some people will have the kinks and the doors and whatnot.. there are places of disagreement. i do dig some jazz stuff ... but i have to be honest and say i dont listen to it as much as any of these chickens.
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