The Beach Boys are not a superstar group. The music is the superstar of the group.
Dennis Wilson, The Beach Boys
A revolutionary decade for music, 60s American rock bands were at the forefront of a cultural and sonic shift that defined the time and influenced many future acts. Here are the top American rock bands of the 60s, but feel free to let us know any others we could have included in the comments.
| Band | Location | Founded | Biggest Single | Biggest Album | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cheer | San Francisco, CA | 1966 | Summertime Blues | Vincebus Eruptum | Psychedelic Rock / Heavy Rock |
| Buffalo Springfield | Los Angeles, CA | 1966 | For What It's Worth | Buffalo Springfield Again | Folk Rock / Country Rock |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | El Cerrito, CA | 1967 | Proud Mary | Cosmo's Factory | Swamp Rock / Roots Rock |
| Grateful Dead | Palo Alto, CA | 1965 | Truckin' | American Beauty | Psychedelic Rock / Jam Band |
| Iron Butterfly | San Diego, CA | 1966 | In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida | In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida | Psychedelic Rock / Acid Rock |
| Jefferson Airplane | San Francisco, CA | 1965 | Somebody to Love | Surrealistic Pillow | Psychedelic Rock |
| Love | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | 7 and 7 Is | Forever Changes | Psychedelic Rock / Folk Rock |
| MC5 | Lincoln Park, MI | 1964 | Kick Out the Jams | Kick Out the Jams | Proto-Punk / Garage Rock |
| Moby Grape | San Francisco, CA | 1966 | Omaha | Moby Grape | Psychedelic Rock / Folk Rock |
| Paul Revere & the Raiders | Boise, ID | 1958 | Kicks | Just Like Us! | Garage Rock / Pop Rock |
| Quicksilver Messenger Service | San Francisco, CA | 1965 | Fresh Air | Happy Trails | Psychedelic Rock / Acid Rock |
| Simon & Garfunkel | New York City, NY | 1957 | Bridge Over Troubled Water | Bridge Over Troubled Water | Folk Rock |
| The 13th Floor Elevators | Austin, TX | 1965 | You're Gonna Miss Me | The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators | Psychedelic Rock |
| The Association | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | Cherish | And Then... Along Comes the Association | Sunshine Pop / Folk Rock |
| The Beach Boys | Hawthorne, CA | 1961 | Good Vibrations | Pet Sounds | Surf Rock / Art Rock |
| The Buckinghams | Chicago, IL | 1966 | Kind of a Drag | Time & Charges | Sunshine Pop / Horn Rock |
| The Byrds | Los Angeles, CA | 1964 | Mr. Tambourine Man | The Notorious Byrd Brothers | Folk Rock / Psychedelic Rock |
| The Doors | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | Light My Fire | The Doors | Psychedelic Rock / Blues Rock |
| The Electric Prunes | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) | Underground | Psychedelic Rock |
| The Grass Roots | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | Midnight Confessions | Let's Live for Today | Pop Rock / Folk Rock |
| The Lovin' Spoonful | New York City, NY | 1965 | Summer in the City | Do You Believe in Magic | Folk Rock / Jug Band Rock |
| The Mamas & The Papas | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | California Dreamin' | If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears | Folk Rock / Sunshine Pop |
| The McCoys | Union City, IN | 1962 | Hang On Sloopy | Hang On Sloopy | Garage Rock / Pop Rock |
| The Monkees | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | I'm a Believer | Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. | Pop Rock / Folk Rock |
| The Rascals | Garfield, NJ | 1965 | Good Lovin' | Groovin' | Blue-eyed Soul / Rock |
| The Seeds | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | Pushin' Too Hard | The Seeds | Garage Rock / Psychedelic Rock |
| The Standells | Los Angeles, CA | 1962 | Dirty Water | Dirty Water | Garage Rock |
| The Turtles | Los Angeles, CA | 1965 | Happy Together | Happy Together | Pop Rock / Folk Rock |
| The Velvet Underground | New York City, NY | 1964 | I'm Waiting for the Man | The Velvet Underground & Nico | Art Rock / Proto-Punk |
| Tommy James & The Shondells | Niles, MI | 1964 | Crimson and Clover | Crimson & Clover | Psychedelic Rock / Pop Rock |
30. The McCoys
The McCoys are best known for the 1965 hit "Hang on Sloopy". With their raw rock appeal and catchy hooks, the band carved out a place for themselves in 60s music history, demonstrating that small-town groups could make it big.
29. Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly emerged from the late-60s California rock scene with their fusion of psychedelic and hard rock. Their 1968 album In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was a huge success.
Organs combined with bluesy guitar riffs helped define the darker, heavier edge of American rock bands of the 60s, which set the stage for later acts like Deep Purple and Blue Öyster Cult.
28. The Seeds
The Seeds captured the raw energy of the 1960s. This LA garage rock band found success with their 1966 single “Pushin' Too Hard”, which became a garage rock anthem.
While British bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones dominated the charts, American rock music developed its own distinct identity. It blended folk, blues, soul, psychedelia, and surf rock, with local flavors like West Coast harmonies and Southern grit.
Minimal chord progressions, snarling vocals, fuzz-drenched guitar, and lo-fi production helped influence some of the earliest punk and American alternative rock in the following decade.
27. Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer's breakthrough arrived with their cover of "Summertime Blues", which was a hit in 1968. They had a wild and feedback-heavy style, setting them apart from the psychedelic music going around at the time and influencing later metal and grunge artists.
26. MC5
Detroit's MC5 was a revolutionary and loud band, with their 1969 debut Kick Out the Jams fusing garage rock, proto-punk, and blues.
Politically charged lyrics with fuzzed-out guitars helped MC5 stand out against the flower-power crowd of the time, making them an inspiration for bands with something to say, particularly punk bands.
25. Moby Grape
A high-energy combination of blues, country, folk, and rock, Moby Grape produced one of the most underrated records of the era with their self-titled debut album. Ultimately, internal conflicts and poor management held the band back, but their songs, such as "Omaha" and "Hey Grandma", certainly influenced a few 1960s American rock songs.
24. Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service was part of the San Francisco psychedelic rock wave. Their 1969 album Happy Trails became a cult favorite and was full of extended jams, jazz-influenced improvisation, and electric guitar interplay.
23. Love
Love was a combination of folk, garage rock (which many great bands in 00s revived), and psychedelia, resulting in an experimental yet melodic sound. The 1967 album Forever Changes is one of the best of the decade.
Another band that struggled to achieve major commercial success, Love was a cult favorite, popular with critics and musicians, making them one of the most influential American rock bands of the 1960s while remaining largely unknown to the general public.
22. The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground broke all the rules at a time when there weren't that many for music. Lou Reed's gritty lyrics and John Cale's avant-garde influence explored urban life, addiction, and alienation.
Initially a flop, their 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico would later become one of the most influential albums in rock history.
21. The 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators are a Texan psychedelic rock band. With their 1966 debut album, The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators, they were part of the rebellious edge of 60s American rock bands. They would influence later artists like Patti Smith and R.E.M., some of the biggest bands of the 90s and 80s.
20. The Grass Roots
The Grass Roots had several radio-friendly hits thanks to their tight, soulful sound. Their songs, such as "Let's Live for Today" and "Midnight Confessions", blended folk rock, pop, and blue-eyed soul.
They became one of the most successful American rock bands of the 1960s, serving as a bridge between underground garage and out-and-out mainstream pop-rock.
19. The Buckinghams
The Buckinghams brought the Chicago sound of the late 60s to the fore. With their horn-driven, soulful rock, hits like "Kind of a Drag" and "Don't You Care" blended sunshine pop with a brassy edge, contrasting with the British Invasion acts that dominated the scene at the time.
1960s American Rock
- Rooted in blues and folk
- Local, regional themes
- Brass and harmonies
- Surf and garage rock
- Political and social lyrics
British Invasion
- Borrowed from American blues and R&B
- Catchy pop melodies
- Mod culture
- Slick studio production
- 1964 onwards
They had several Top 10 songs and helped pave the way for horn-heavy Chicago bands, making them a key part of 60s American rock history.
18. The Standells
The Standells came from Los Angeles with a guitar-driven American rock sound that combined riffs, sneering vocals, and rough-edged production.
Although this predated punk and grunge, you can hear why they were one of the most influential American rock bands of the 1960s that music fans still love.
17. Tommy James & The Shondells
Tommy James & The Shondells created plenty of memorable songs with a range of radio-friendly singles and experimental psychedelic numbers. They were both successful commercially and critically.
One of the most defining American rock bands of the 60s, their crossover appeal makes them particularly enduring.
16. Paul Revere & the Raiders
Paul Revere & the Raiders are one of the more out-there American rock bands from the 60s. With a mix of pop, garage, and proto-punk, they were a refreshing change that defined the American rock sound during a time when British bands dominated the charts.
15. The Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes were pioneers of psychedelic experimentation, creating a strange and captivating rock sound. The band was known for pushing the boundaries of sound and production and is a cult favorite to this day.
14. The Turtles
Most famous for their 1967 hit “Happy Together”, The Turtles had a bright melodic style with tight harmonies and catchy songwriting.
Sitting at the crossroads between sunshine pop and folk-rock, they were a refreshing alternative to the heavier sounds coming out of 60s American rock.
13. The Association
The Association was known for its breakout hits like "Cherish", "Windy", and "Never My Love". which featured smooth vocal blends and a sophisticated pop sensibility. The band helped shape the sunshine pop sound, blending healthy doses of optimism with layered vocals and rich orchestration.
12. The Monkees
The made-for-TV band The Monkees became one of the most popular and credible American rock bands of the 60s.
They had massive hits, and although they were criticized for not playing their own instruments, they went on to take creative control of their music and deliver some respectable albums.
11. The Rascals
The Rascals were a New Jersey band that fused R&B, soul, and rock music to produce hits like "Good Lovin'", "Groovin'", and "People Got to Be Free". Originally known as The Young Rascals, time got the better of them, like it does us all.
10. The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful combined folk, jug band roots, and upbeat pop and were famous for their radio-friendly hits like “Do You Believe in Magic”, “Summer in the City”, and “You Didn't Have to Be So Nice”.
9. Buffalo Springfield
Short-lived but massively influential, Buffalo Springfield combined folk, country, and rock into their genre-defining sounds. Members included Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, and Neil Young.
Their biggest hit was “For What It's Worth”, becoming the anthem of the era's unrest. Though the band only lasted two years, the influence on American rock bands from the 60s and beyond was immeasurable.
8. The Mamas & The Papas
Four-part harmonies and West Coast cool made The Mamas & The Papas one of the most iconic American groups. A combination of folk, pop, and light psychedelia, their idealistic music provided an interesting veneer over the complex personal story behind their albums.
7. Simon & Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel were rooted in folk music, but their arrangements and studio experimentation certainly make them worthy of inclusion within the broader rock landscape.
The combination of Paul Simon's songwriting and Art Garfunkel's soaring vocals made them a duo that fans still love.
6. Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead were the beating heart of the 1960s counterculture, with a sound that fused rock, folk, blues, and psychedelia. Their fandom still thrives decades later, making them one of the most beloved American rock bands from the 60s.
5. Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was one of the first American rock bands of the 60s to break into the mainstream. With songs like "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love", the bold, experimental sound and politically charged lyrics made them festival staples.
Like a musical Ship of Theseus, members of Jefferson Airplane would go on to become Jefferson Starship, with certain members continuing on as Starship, one of the best bands of the 80s.
4. Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)
Southern blues, swamp rock, and gritty Americana, Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) became one of the most successful American rock bands of the time and arguably one of the most authentic-sounding.
Their themes of war, class, and injustice made them the chosen soundtrack for some of the country's most turbulent years, and few other bands are as synonymous with the Vietnam era as CCR.
Enjoy this awesome live performance from CCR.
3. The Doors
The Doors were fronted by the enigmatic Jim Morrison and blended blues, jazz, psychedelia, and existential lyricism to create something incredibly unique.
Songs like "Light My Fire", "Break on Through", and "The End" explored themes of love, death, and rebellion, creating a sound that resonated with audiences in a way that many other music didn't.
- The Beach Boys had 36 U.S. Top 40 hits in the 60s alone.
- The Mamas & The Papas had 6 Top 10 hits in just 3 years.
- The Monkees had 4 #1 singles, despite initial criticism for being a "manufactured" band.
2. The Byrds
The Byrds were pioneers of folk rock and jangle pop. Featuring talented songwriters Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, and David Crosby, The Byrds branched out into psychedelia, country rock, and other genres. Their influence can be felt in many artists in the 60s and beyond, including Tom Petty.
1. The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys' album Pet Sounds redefined what rock music could be. The ambition and influence were comparable to those of The Beatles. While initially known for their surf-rock hits like "Surfin' U.S.A." and "California Girls", the band would go on to become one of the most sophisticated studio groups of the time.
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