3 Supergroups From the 1960s That Really Should Have Kept Charting

Who doesn’t love a good supergroup? No matter the era, a supergroup typically brings together the talents of multiple big-name artists for a larger-than-life project. That was the case for the following three supergroups from the 1960s. And while none of them survived the 1960s, I can’t help but think they would have continued to chart if they had stayed together instead of breaking up. Let’s take a look!

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Cream

Well, I couldn’t just leave this one off the list. Cream might just be the most famous rock supergroup of the 1960s. And while the union of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce only lasted from 1966 to 1968, I can’t help but think they could have continued their upward charting trajectory if they had stayed together. Sadly, the band was basically over it during their final tour, and Cream just wasn’t meant to last forever. At least we got four amazing albums out of their time together.

Steampacket

Steampacket was less of a band and more of a musical collective, in a way. But, no matter how you define this British blues band, there’s no way around the fact that it was packed with talent. Rod Stewart was famously part of this band, as was Long John Baldry, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger, Vic Briggs, Ricky Fenson, and Micky Waller. You might just recognize a few of those names.

Sadly, Steampacket only lasted from 1965 to 1966 before coming to an end. They never released an official album, as they were unable to record due to contractual issues. Their demos are still floating around the internet, but this band was really a “you had to be there” kind of musical experience.

The Soul Clan

I couldn’t leave this group out of the mix. The Soul Clan was quite the R&B soul collective in the mid-to-late 1960s. And the names in this entry on our list of 1960s supergroups were quite big at the time. Think Ben E. King, Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, Arthur Conley, Don Cobay, Wilson Pickett, and Joe Tex.

This group only lasted from 1966 to 1969, plus a quick reunion in 1981. All the members have sadly since passed on, but I know they would have dominated the charts if they had kept going after scoring a minor hit with “Soul Meeting” in 1968.

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