The Defining Artists of the 1960s

The following artists released some of the best music of the 1960s. Hall of Famers are highlighted in orange.

Of the 185 artists listed above, 62% have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Defining Albums of the 1960s

Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain (1960)

Muddy Waters - At Newport 1960 (1960)

John Coltrane - Giant Steps (1960)

Etta James - At Last! (1961)

Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961)

Bobby "Blue" Bland - Two Steps From The Blues (1961)

Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf (The Rockin' Chair Album) (1962)

Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962)

The Beatles - Please Please Me (1963)

James Brown - Live At The Apollo (1963)

Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)

The Ronettes - Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica (1964)

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (1964)

Muddy Waters - Folk Singer (1964)

The Beatles - Meet The Beatles! (1964)

Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto (1964)

The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (1965)

The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today! (1965)

The Beatles - Help! (1965)

Nina Simone - I Put a Spell on You (1965)

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1965)

Otis Redding - Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965)

The Beatles - Rubber Soul (1965)

The Rolling Stones - Out of Our Heads (1965)

The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man (1965)

The Who - My Generation (1965)

B.B. King - Live at the Regal (1965)

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme (1965)

The Yardbirds - Having A Rave Up (1965)

Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (1965)

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Going to a Go-Go (1965)

The Rolling Stones - Aftermath (1966)

Otis Redding - Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul (1966)

The Mamas And The Papas - If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears (1966)

The Who - A Quick One (1966)

Nina Simone - Wild Is the Wind (1966)

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966)

Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde (1966)

The Small Faces - Small Faces (1966)

Cream - Fresh Cream (1966)

Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966)

The Beatles - Revolver (1966)

The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out! (1966)

John Mayall - Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966)

Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967)

The Beach Boys - Wild Honey (1967)

Love - Forever Changes (1967)

Moby Grape - Moby Grape (1967)

The Doors - Strange Days (1967)

Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield Again (1967)

The Four Tops - Reach Out (1967)

The Rolling Stones - Between The Buttons (1967)

The Byrds - Younger Than Yesterday (1967)

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love (1967)

Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow (1967)

Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign (1967)

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

Leonard Cohen - Songs Of Leonard Cohen (1967)

The Who - The Who Sell Out (1967)

Cream - Disraeli Gears (1967)

Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You (1967)

Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding (1967)

The Doors - The Doors (1967)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced (1967)

The Kinks - Something Else By The Kinks (1967)

The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet (1968)

The Byrds - Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (1968)

Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends (1968)

Otis Redding - The Dock Of The Bay (1968)

The Zombies - Odessey And Oracle (1968)

The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)

Cream - Wheels Of Fire (1968)

The Grateful Dead - Anthem Of The Sun (1968)

Dr. John - Gris-Gris (1968)

The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat (1968)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland (1968)

Laura Nyro - Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968)

The Band - Music From Big Pink (1968)

Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills (1968)

The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)

The Mothers Of Invention - We're Only In It For The Money (1968)

Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul (1968)

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks (1968)

The Beatles - The Beatles (The White Album) (1968)

Blood, Sweat & Tears - Child Is Father to the Man (1968)

Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (1968)

The Stooges - The Stooges (1969)

Sly & The Family Stone - Stand! (1969)

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969)

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I (1969)

The Band - The Band (1969)

Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul (1969)

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica (1969)

Roberta Flack - First Take (1969)

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails (1969)

B.B. King - Live in Cook County Jail (1969)

The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)

The Grateful Dead - Live/Dead (1969)

Santana - Santana (1969)

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II (1969)

Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers (1969)

The Who - Tommy (1969)

MC5 - Kick Out The Jams (1969)

The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace Of Sin (1969)

Boz Scaggs - Boz Scaggs (1969)

Crosby Stills and Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash (1969)

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)

The Rolling Stones - Let it Bleed (1969)

The Meters - Look-Ka Py Py (1969)

Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis (1969)

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (1969)

Elvis Presley - From Elvis In Memphis (1969)

The Defining Songs of the 1960s

The Shirelles - Will You Love Me Tomorrow (1960)

Chubby Checker - The Twist (1960)

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Shop Around (1960)

Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind (1960)

Howlin' Wolf - Spoonful (1960)

Bernard Herrmann - Psycho (1960)

Pete Seeger - Where Have All the Flowers Gone? (1960)

John Coltrane - My Favorite Things (1960)

Etta James - At Last (1960)

Chris Kenner - I Like it Like That (1961)

Jimmy Reed - Big Boss Man (1961)

Patsy Cline - Crazy (1961)

Ben E. King - Spanish Harlem (1961)

Elmore James - Shake Your Moneymaker (1961)

The Beach Boys - Barbara Ann (1961)

Jimmy Reed - Bright Lights, Big City (1961)

The Marcels - Blue Moon (1961)

The Shirelles - Dedicated to the One I Love (1961)

Patsy Cline - I Fall To Pieces (1961)

The Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman (1961)

Rita Moreno & George Chakiris - America (1961)

Dion - Runaround Sue (1961)

Bobby "Blue" Bland - Turn On Your Love Light (1961)

Dick Dale and the Del-Tones - Let's Go Trippin' (1961)

Roy Orbison - Crying (1961)

Ben E. King - Stand By Me (1961)

Andy Williams - Moon River (1961)

Ricky Nelson - Hello Mary Lou (1961)

Del Shannon - Runaway (1961)

Gary U.S. Bonds - Quarter to Three (1961)

The Chantays - Pipeline (1962)

The Surfaris - Wipe Out (1962)

The Contours - Do You Love Me (1962)

Gene Chandler - Duke of Earl (1962)

The Drifters - Up On The Roof (1962)

Booker T. & The M.G.'s - Green Onions (1962)

Sam Cooke - Bring It on Home to Me (1962)

The Crystals - He's a Rebel (1962)

The Four Seasons - Big Girls Don't Cry (1962)

Little Eva - The Loco-Motion (1962)

The Beatles - Twist and Shout (1962)

John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom (1962)

The Drifters - On Broadway (1963)

The Four Seasons - Walk Like A Man (1963)

Jan & Dean - Surf City (1963)

Tommy James and the Shondells - Hanky Panky (1963)

The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand (1963)

The Kingsmen - Louie Louie (1963)

The Beatles - She Loves You (1963)

Swinging Blue Jeans - Hippy Hippy Shake (1963)

Bob Dylan - Blowin' In The Wind (1963)

The Ronettes - Be My Baby (1963)

Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire (1963)

The Searchers - Needles and Pins (1963)

Martha and the Vandellas - (Love Is Like a) Heat Wave (1963)

The Beach Boys - Surfin' USA (1963)

Dave Clark Five - Glad All Over (1963)

The Shadows Of Knight - Gloria (1964)

The Beatles - Because (1964)

Nina Simone - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (1964)

Solomon Burke - Everybody Needs Somebody to Love (1964)

Bob Dylan - The Times They Are a-Changin' (1964)

Dusty Springfield - Wishin' And Hopin' (1964)

The Kinks - You Really Got Me (1964)

Nina Simone - Mississippi Goddam (1964)

The Temptations - My Girl (1964)

The Animals - The House of the Rising Sun (1964)

Simon & Garfunkel - The Sounds of Silence (1964)

Roy Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman (1964)

Irma Thomas - Time Is On My Side (1964)

Bob Dylan - It Ain't Me Babe (1964)

Dionne Warwick - Walk On By (1964)

Don Covay - Mercy Mercy (1964)

Martha & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street (1964)

Peter and Gordon - A World Without Love (1964)

Buffy Sainte-Marie - Universal Soldier (1964)

Mary Wells - My Guy (1964)

The Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving (1964)

The Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby (1964)

Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come (1964)

The Shangri-Las - Leader Of The Pack (1964)

The Dixie Cups - Chapel of Love (1964)

The Supremes - Baby Love (1964)

The Beatles - Yesterday (1965)

Aretha Franklin - Respect (1965)

Sir Douglas Quintet - She's About a Mover (1965)

Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody (1965)

Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (1965)

James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good) (1965)

Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's Alright) (1965)

The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (1965)

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Going to a Go-Go (1965)

The Beach Boys - California Girls (1965)

The Animals - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (1965)

The Beatles - Help! (1965)

Jr. Walker and the All Stars - Shotgun (1965)

Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs - Wooly Bully (1965)

Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man (1965)

Count Five - Psychotic Reaction (1965)

Junior Walker and the All-Stars - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (1965)

The Beatles - In My Life (1965)

Barry McGuire - Eve of Destruction (1965)

The Impressions - People Get Ready (1965)

The Beatles - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (1965)

Bob Dylan - Desolation Row (1965)

Paul Revere & The Raiders - Just Like Me (1965)

The Mamas & The Papas - California Dreamin' (1965)

Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour (1965)

Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone (1965)

The Kinks - A Well Respected Man (1965)

The Supremes - Stop! In the Name of Love (1965)

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears (1965)

The Who - My Generation (1965)

Aaron Neville - Tell It Like It Is (1966)

The Byrds - Eight Miles High (1966)

The Troggs - Wild Thing (1966)

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows (1966)

Otis Redding - Try a Little Tenderness (1966)

The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black (1966)

The Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There (1966)

The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg (1966)

The Standells - Dirty Water (1966)

The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (1966)

Bob Dylan - Visions of Johanna (1966)

Paul Revere & The Raiders - (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone (1966)

The Left Banke - Walk Away Renee (1966)

The Yardbirds - Shapes of Things (1966)

Donovan - Sunshine Superman (1966)

The Hollies - Bus Stop (1966)

Donovan - Season Of the Witch (1966)

Laura Nyro - Wedding Bell Blues (1966)

The Monkees - Last Train To Clarksville (1966)

The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby (1966)

Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin' (1966)

The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love (1966)

Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman (1966)

The Monkees - I'm A Believer (1966)

? & The Mysterians - 96 Tears (1966)

The Beatles - The End (1967)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Little Wing (1967)

The Box Tops - The Letter (1967)

Pink Floyd - See Emily Play (1967)

Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale (1967)

The Who - I Can See For Miles (1967)

The Velvet Underground - Heroin (1967)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze (1967)

Leonard Cohen - Suzanne (1967)

Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth (1967)

Gladys Knight & The Pips - I Heard It Through The Grapevine (1967)

The Turtles - Happy Together (1967)

Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World (1967)

The Young Rascals - Groovin' (1967)

Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love (1967)

Cream - Sunshine Of Your Love (1967)

Jackie Wilson - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher (1967)

Bobbie Gentry - Ode To Billie Joe (1967)

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tears of a Clown (1967)

Cat Stevens - The First Cut Is The Deepest (1967)

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit (1967)

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Fire (1967)

Glen Campbell - By The Time I Get To Phoenix (1967)

Led Zeppelin - Dazed And Confused (1967)

The Beatles - A Day In The Life (1967)

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now (1967)

Moby Grape - Omaha (1967)

José Feliciano - Light My Fire (1967)

Albert King - Born Under A Bad Sign (1967)

The Beatles - Penny Lane (1967)

Traffic - Dear Mr. Fantasy (1967)

The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset (1967)

Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools (1967)

Bob Dylan - All Along The Watchtower (1967)

The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever (1967)

Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) (1967)

Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer (1967)

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl (1967)

Etta James - Tell Mama (1967)

Sam & Dave - Soul Man (1967)

Cream - Crossroads (1968)

Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man (1968)

Laura Nyro - Stoned Soul Picnic (1968)

Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman (1968)

Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild (1968)

Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968)

Van Morrison - Madame George (1968)

Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten Up (1968)

Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man (1968)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (1968)

The Band - The Weight (1968)

The Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash (1968)

The Zombies - Time Of The Season (1968)

Laura Nyro - Eli's Coming (1968)

Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay (1968)

The Beatles - Hey Jude (1968)

The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil (1968)

The Grateful Dead - Dark Star (1968)

Sly & The Family Stone - Everyday People (1968)

Friends of Distinction - Grazing In the Grass (1968)

Desmond Dekker & the Aces - Israelites (1968)

Merle Haggard - Mama Tried (1968)

The Velvet Underground - White Light / White Heat (1968)

Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends (1968)

Big Brother & The Holding Co. - Piece Of My Heart (1968)

Sly & The Family Stone - Dance To The Music (1968)

John Lennon - Give Peace A Chance (1969)

B. B. King - The Thrill Is Gone (1969)

The Allman Brothers Band - Whipping Post (1969)

The Beatles - Something (1969)

David Bowie - Space Oddity (1969)

Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love (1969)

King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King (1969)

Jimmy Cliff - Many Rivers To Cross (1969)

Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (1969)

The Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing (1969)

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River (1969)

The Meters - Cissy Strut (1969)

The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Women (1969)

Sly & The Family Stone - Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (1969)

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son (1969)

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary (1969)

Crosby, Stills & Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (1969)

The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog (1969)

Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds (1969)

Neil Young - Down by the River (1969)

The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (1969)

The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter (1969)

Jackson 5 - I Want You Back (1969)