What would have happened if Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison had lived? Would they be jamming an unplugged version of "Light My Fire" or "Crosstown Traffic" on MTV or PBS? Well, many Baby Boomers still feel energized by 60s rock bands, after all these years, even if some of the best songs have been subverted by ad campaigns.
Top Hippie Music Albums From the 1960s
Wow, just putting the word "hippie" into writing is interesting. Most "hippies" didn't call themselves "hippies" back in the day, but that awful label will have to do, even though most of those rebellious Boomers went mainstream and are now enjoying those deep pockets that advertisers and internet stores hope to grasp. (The word is spelled "hippy" in the UK.)
It's difficult to say which musical groups were the best, but Rolling Stone Magazine gave it a shot in "The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". (2003, RollingStone.com) Here are the Rolling Stone rankings for great hippie/psychedelic albums, and the number of albums sold, if over one million, according to riaa.com.
- 1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles, 11.7million albums. My favorite tracks from this album are probably Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and "A Day in the Life". My fave Beatle was John, not Paul, so I was probably a deep thinker at the age of nine.
- 15. Are You Experienced? - The Jimi Hendrix Experience, 4 million. My vote goes to Purple Haze. I have requested that this song be played (loudly) at my funeral. (54. Electric Ladyland, 2 million, 82. Axis Bold as Love, 1 million)
- 29. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin, 8 million albums. Oh, finding the best cut on this album is a trip. For today, I'm going with How Many More Times. Tomorrow may bring a different fave. (75. Led Zeppelin II, 12 million)
- 42. The Doors - The Doors, 3.4 million. Of course, I love "Light my Fire", but it's been overplayed, and you can sometimes hear it ping and plink as scary elevator music. So, I think Break on Through may be the best of the bunch. Morrison was such a sexy psychopath. A real hunk, sixties style. (362. LA Woman 2.7million, 407. Strange Days 1.4million )
- 101. Fresh Cream - Cream/Eric Clapton. Whenever I think of Cream, the first song that pops into my head is "I Feel Free". But, it's impossible to pick the best song when Clapton is involved. (110. Disraeli Gears, 1 million, 203. Wheels of Fire)
- 146. Surrealistic Pillow - Jefferson Airplane. The compelling force behind this album was absolutely Somebody to Love. I almost blew out the speakers on my mother's stereo when I was a kid.
- 189. Happy Trails - Quicksilver Messenger Service ( Just like being at the Fillmore in SF with that surround-sound echo.)
- 244. Live Dead - The Grateful Dead (287. Anthem of the Sun)
- 338. Cheap Thrills - Big Brother and the Holding Company. Piece of My Heart, sung by Janis Joplin, is one of the defining songs of the era. She could sing the phonebook and make it sound good. Oh, wow. You people may not even know what a phonebook is.
- 349. Roger the Engineer - The Yardbirds
Top Ten Hippie Music Groups From the 60s
While not all of the music, from The Beatles, Eric Clapton and others, was of the hippie genre, their influence has been absorbed by all Baby Boomers in one form or another. (Top Selling Artists RIAA.com)
- The Beatles: 170 million units (records, etc.)
- Led Zeppelin: 111.5 million
- Eric Clapton: 42.5 million (Cream was pure sixties.)
- The Doors: 32.5 million
- Jimi Hendrix: 22.5 million (Mitch Mitchell kickin' it on drums.)
- The Who: 21 million
- Grateful Dead: 17.5 million
- Big Brother and the Holding Company / Janis Joplin: 15.5
- Jefferson Airplane/Starship: 13.5 million
Hippie Hit Songs From the Late 60s
Here are the high-placing songs from groups and singers of the hippie era. These rankings are from a list of most requested songs in "Annual Music Charts" PopCultureMadness.com.
1966: Music was just starting to leave Motown and California surfers behind. The only psychedelic hit of note was after the 52nd most-requested "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys.
- 53. 8 Miles High by The Byrds. Can you listen to this song and not think of coffee houses in Amsterdam?
1967: These requests were vying for air time with The Monkees' "I'm a Believer". Oy.
- 11. Light My Fire – Doors (also 43. "People Are Strange")
- 19. Strawberry Fields Forever – Beatles
- 20. "Purple Haze" - Jimi Hendrix Experience
- 22. "I Can See For Miles" - The Who
- 45. Incense and Peppermints - Strawberry Alarm Clock (The winner is the person who can explain this song.)
- 65. "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane
1968: Not all hippies were drugged out, but all the musicians may have been.
- 10. Magic Carpet Ride – Steppenwolf. Watch out or you may get a contact high from this song.
- 12. "All Along The Watchtower" - Jimi Hendrix Experience (Also, 50. "Foxy Lady" and 64. Crosstown Traffic)
- 13. "Magic Bus" - The Who
- 14. "Love Me Two Times" – Doors (Also, 16. "Hello I Love You")
- 28. Sunshine Of Your Love – Cream (Also, 41. "White Room")
- 37. "Piece of my Heart" - Big Brother and Holding Company / Janis Joplin (Also, 58. Down on Me)
- 69. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" - Iron Butterfly. I swear that when you saw them, they played this song for 45 minutes...but that might have been my brain playing tricks on me.
1969: Requests for hippie rock went down as most urban gypsies retreated from Top 40 AM and slid over to the hot new thing: FM radio.
- 12. Touch Me – Doors
- 17. "Come Together" - the Beatles
- 58. "Kozmic Blues" - Janis Joplin
So, if grandma starts to act a little strange, just play one of these songs; then see if she perks up and decides to buy two tickets to Marrakesh or San Francisco, one for herself and one her grandchild.
Who were the top 60s hippie bands? There is no definitive answer, but music lovers know that The Beatles (1967-era), Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Morrison, and Clapton were the energy behind this hypnotic movement. For more info about top-selling records, check out Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) at riaa.com.
Miss the Sixties, Yet? Boho Fashion:
- How to Dress Like a Hippie Girl - Boho Chic Gypsy Fashion Styles
- Bohemian Vintage Wedding Dresses - Low Cost Marriage Hippie Style
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- Boho Chic Hippie Clothes - Maxi Dresses for Large Plus Size Women
More Party Music:
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- Best Dance Party Songs From the 70s: Rock and Roll & Disco Music
- Best Top 60s Music Hit Songs for a Dance Party
Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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