Psychedelic Rock Facts

Origins and early development

Psychedelic rock originated in the mid 1960s among British and American musicians and was inspired by psychedelic culture and the influence of psychoactive and hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound effects and recording techniques, extended instrumental solos, and improvisation. Some early performers drew on folk jazz and blues backgrounds while others showed explicit Indian classical influence described as raga rock.

Evolution or diversification

During the 1960s two main variants emerged: whimsical surrealist British psychedelia and the harder American West Coast acid rock. The peak years of the genre were between 1967 and 1969, associated with events such as the 1967 Summer of Love and the 1969 Woodstock Festival. Psychedelic rock bridged the transition from early blues and folk based rock to progressive rock and hard rock and contributed to the development of subgenres such as heavy metal. Since the late 1970s it has been revived in various forms of neo psychedelic music.

Cultural or musical significance

Psychedelic rock spearheaded an international phenomenon that birthed a widespread counterculture and the hippie movement before declining as changing attitudes and the loss of some key individuals led surviving performers to move into new musical areas. The term psychedelic was coined in 1956 in the context of psychedelic psychotherapy and the genre's lyrics and sounds often referenced hallucinogenic experiences and non western musical elements.