When thinking back on music history, the question may quickly arise in your mind, “When did rock really start?” And while there are certainly essential early heroes to praise—people like Little Richard and Sister Rosetta Tharpe—the genre really got itself going in the mid-60s, around 1966.
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That’s when rock became rock, for all intents and purposes. And here below, we wanted to dive into that very year. We wanted to highlight three classic rock albums from 1966 that have stood the test of time. Indeed, these are three one-word classic rock albums from 1966 we still stan.
‘Revolver’ by The Beatles (1966)
When trying to pin down the greatest album released by The Beatles, it can feel like an impossible task. In the end, why even try, there are so many to choose from? But one of the records that would certainly make the shortlist is Revolver, which the former Mop Tops released in 1966. That LP included great tracks like “Taxman”, “Eleanor Rigby”, and “Doctor Robert”, among many others. Sometimes an album needs a long title to make its mark and others, as in the case of Revolver, it just needs one word.
‘Aftermath’ by The Rolling Stones (1966)
This record from The Rolling Stones includes several of the band’s most famous hit songs, including “Paint It Black” and “Under My Thumb”. The Rolling Stones have always known how to attract eyes and ears and Aftermath was no different. Released in 1966, it was an album that helped solidify the group in the minds of fans living on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. Mick Jagger and company stood out in an important rock year with this record.
‘Animalism’ by The Animals (1966)
The 1966 LP Animalism from the British-born rock band The Animals included a number of covers—songs from artists like Sam Cooke and B.B. King. But the album also included original writing and bass playing from iconic rocker Frank Zappa. While The Animals today are known for songs like “House Of The Rising Sun”, to get deeper into their catalog is a way to appreciate both them and rock music, in general.
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