Some view the ‘60s as a golden age of music. The American folk music revival was reaching its height. The Motown label had a string of hit singles, and Nashville Sound — a specific style of country music — was in vogue. A variety of different genres of rock also emerged, such as surf rock and “the British Invasion.” Of course, some of the music from this decade was better than others, so to make things easier, here are the most iconic albums of the 1960s.
“At Last!” by Etta James, 1960
There’s no single genre that can describe Etta James. She was jazz, pop and soul all rolled into one neat, fabulously voiced package. The song that lent the album its name is so full of heart that it’s impossible not to get lost in the music. “At Last!” is a classic song that embodies happiness and romance and undoubtedly inspired many rom-coms. Every song on the album is sung with that same power, though some are more heartbreaking.
“Bob Dylan” by Bob Dylan, 1962
Bob Dylan’s debut album set the stage for his long and successful career as a rock star. His is one of the most iconic names of the 1960s. The harmonica elements featured on several tracks give the album a folksy sound, something present in his later albums as well.
“Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)” by the Beach Boys, 1965
I couldn’t leave an album that has a song called “Salt Lake City” off this list. Fun fact: One song on the album, “I’m Bugged at My Ol’ Man,” was a dig at leader Brian Wilson’s father, who had been fired as the band’s manager the previous year.
“If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears” by The Mamas & The Papas, 1966
Probably their most classic album, “If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears” features “California Dreamin” and “Monday, Monday.” The original album cover featured all four members of The Mamas and The Papas crammed into a bathtub. The picture was taken inside an actual bathroom, so there was a toilet in the picture. For whatever reason, toilets were considered inappropriate at the time, so a text box originally covered it before it was cropped out entirely.
“Pet Sounds” by the Beach Boys, 1966
This album has an interesting backstory that few albums share: It came about after member Brian Wilson had a heart attack on a plane right before starting a tour. Then and there he decided he needed to stop touring, so he took to writing music while the other members toured. This left us with songs like “Wouldn’t it be Nice.”
“Magic Mystery Tour” by The Beatles, 1967
Obviously, no list of 1960s music would be complete without including The Beatles. The Magical Mystery Tour album is one of their best, with hits such as “The Fool on the Hill” and “Hello, Goodbye.” This album is, however, unique among The Beatles’ albums. In 1967, The Beatles wrote and directed a movie for BBC Television’s Christmas program called “The Magical Mystery Tour.” The soundtrack to this movie was released as an album of the same name.
@CarolineMoreton