3 Grammy-Winning Classic Rock Icons From 1967 We Still Stan

In 1967, the world of rock music was just taking off in a mainstream way. Not only were rock records flying off the shelves, thanks to the contributions of British Invasion bands and local heroes like Bob Dylan, but the Grammy Awards were recognizing some of the biggest names in the genre.

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Here below, we wanted to highlight the classic rock artists that the 1967 Grammys honored in glitzy ways. Indeed, these are three Grammy-winning classic rock icons from 1967 that we still adore (and stan) today.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney

In 1967, the songwriting duo of John Lennon and Paul McCartney took home the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. The honor was bestowed upon the former Mop Tops for the track “Michelle” from their band The Beatles 1965 LP, Rubber Soul. The Beatles could have received any number of awards in the 1960s for their music—indeed, some trophies could even be named after them today. Later in the night, McCartney won the award for Best Contemporary (R&R) Solo Vocal Performance – Male or Female for “Eleanor Rigby”.

Neal Hefti

While you might not consider Neal Hefti to be a classic rock artist—it’s true, you may not even know his name—he is and you certainly know his work. Hefti composed the surf-rock-like theme song for the incredibly popular television show, Batman, in the 1960s. It’s a 12-bar blues progression and it’s as memorable as any TV theme or, really, any song ever. As a result, Hefti garnered a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Theme for his hip-shaking efforts.

The Mamas & The Papas

Few groups could create vocal harmonies both as blissful and as eerie as The Mamas & The Papas. And that talent was on full display on the band’s 1966 song, “Monday, Monday”. Like other famous songs from the group, including “California Dreamin’”, the award-winning track gets into your gut. You welcome it, but then with every note, you wonder, “Is this song as lovely as it sounds? Or is there something more creatively sinister happening?” It’s a wonderful question, an interesting dissection, it’s why we listen to music—to get deeper in it.

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