Hard rock was born out of the mid-1960s, and by 1968, it was still a fairly small subgenre, but many baby boomer rock fans were helping to propel it to the mainstream. In 1968, specifically, a ton of fantastic hard rock tunes hit the airwaves and the charts with a bang. Let’s look at just a few examples, shall we?
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones
This bluesy hard rock number was one of The Rolling Stones’ biggest hits at the time. It was a welcome change for fans of the band that missed their bluesier origins, as the band had gone on a bit of a baroque pop, psychedelic journey just a couple of years prior. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” made it to No. the Top 40 across the globe, topping the UK charts and reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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“Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf from ‘Steppenwolf’
It’s impossible to read the title of this song without that excitable wail of it, à la John Kay, immediately coming to mind. This hard rock jam from Steppenwolf was one of the biggest songs of the year in 1968. And it’s a catchy number that still sounds so good after all these years. “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and topped the charts in Canada.
“White Room” by Cream from ‘Wheels Of Fire’
Cream dished out quite a few bluesy, psychedelic jams in 1968. But “White Room” has a notable hard rock edge that just can’t be ignored. Written by Pete Brown and Jack Bruce, “White Room” remains a standout single from the supergroup’s record Wheels Of Fire. Listeners loved it, too. The track peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100 and topped several international charts.
“Hush” by Deep Purple from ‘Shades Of Deep Purple’
Deep Purple is best known for their blues and prog stylings. But “Hush” has more of a psychedelic, hard rock vibe to it. And it’s not a Deep Purple original. “Hush” was originally written by Joe South and recorded by the swamp rock crooner Billy Joe Royal back in 1967. Deep Purple’s version became a hard rock hit the following year in 1968, and baby boomer listeners propelled the song to No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart.
Photo by Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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