Music of the 60s

By Tim Flanagan

 

The 1960s were an exciting time for music. The Beatles were rising in popularity, Bob Dylan was becoming a household name, and Motown Records started a revolution. But there was more to the 60s than just rock 'n' roll. From Motown to folk music, here's a look at some of the most popular artists from this decade.

 

The Beatles were a British rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. They are also the best-selling band of all time with estimated sales of over 1 billion records worldwide.

They had 17 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as well as 20 number one albums on the UK Albums Chart and American Record Guide's Top 100 Albums of All Time list. In addition to their musical achievements, they made several contributions to popular culture including film scores such as The “Yellow Submarine” (1968) and “Magical Mystery Tour” (1967). They also had radio broadcasts such as World War II veterans' radio show "The Goon Show", and they filmed television programs such as You Know Who You Are? (1969), All You Need Is Cash (1978) which featured John Lennon's parody song "Hello Hello Hello" about his former bandmate Paul McCartney, books written by members including John Lennon's “In His Own Write” (1964), George Harrison's “I Me Mine” (1980), and “A Hard Day's Write the Stories Behind Every Beatles Song Ever Written”. The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2000, "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked them as the best artists of all time.

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The Rolling Stones were a rock and roll band that formed in London, England in 1962. They were one of the most influential bands of their time, with hits like "Satisfaction" and "Paint It Black." Their bluesy sound was unlike anything else at the time, but they still managed to be one of the biggest names in music history and their legacy continues today! Having seen the “Stones” in concert back during their “Steel Wheels” tour, I can only imagine the energy of Mick Jagger in his prime.

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Bob Dylan is a singer, songwriter and musician who became famous during the 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of folk music and his hit songs "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'". Dylan influenced many musicians with his distinctive voice and harmonica playing. He is often called a poet for his lyrics about social issues such as racism, war and poverty. However, time was not kind to Dylan! His fan based was short lived, and his social perspective became to radical to sustain his career.