20 of The Best Rock Anthems Of The 60s

Credit: Flickr

The best rock anthems of the 60s are always up for debate among fans since a lot of people enjoyed a wide variety of music back then, just like now. But there are a select few that touched a lot of people in very meaningful ways.

Credit: Wikipedia

The Rolling Stones-(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

As one of the tracks that had people hooked on the Rolling Stones, this single easily differentiated them from everyone else. The song demands your attention early on and doesn’t let go until the end, which is what many fans love.

Credit: Wikipedia

Jimi Hendrix-Purple Haze

This man was not human, as many would have thought after hearing his insane guitar riffs. The Seattle-born musician was able, especially with this song, to create tracks that inspired full-body dance moves anytime his fingers touched a guitar.

Credit: Wikipedia

Led Zeppelin-Whole Lotta Love

The opening to this song is worthy of merit on its own since it starts things off and doesn’t end until it’s good and ready. How the song came to be differs depending on who’s telling the story, but most fans don’t worry too much about it.

Credit: Wikipedia

Creedence Clearwater Revival-Proud Mary

CCR had too many big hits to pick one of them out with ease. However, the stories that make up the lyrics to this song created a jam that people could and wanted to identify with.

Credit: Flickr

Steppenwolf-Born To Be Wild

Some songs hit the public ear and fall flat, others do the same thing and create a vibe that stirs something deep within. That feeling is easy to follow when the song in question hits at the right time and carries the right message.

Credit: Flickr

The Beatles-A Hard Day’s Night

It’s fair to say that The Beatles kind of owned the 60s in a big way, at least for a while. Ringo was a big part of this song since his malapropisms helped the track come to life.

Credit: Flickr

The Zombies-She’s Not There

The jazzy vocals and the intro have a lot to do with the initial attraction to this track. Despite being slightly different from the rest of the 60s vibe, it was something that people were able to enjoy and fall into.

Credit: Flickr

Them-Gloria

It wasn’t exactly garage rock, but this track did have an impact on the genre all the same. The song could go on and on at times, but most fans didn’t complain.

Credit: Flickr

The Doors Light My Fire

There are a lot of different ways to describe The Doors, and most of them are overwhelmingly positive. Their sound was a little odd to some people, but they were iconic without any doubt.

Credit: Flickr

Cream-Sunshine Of Your Love

This band didn’t last long, but this track is still one of their greatest achievements when it comes to psychedelic rock. The fact that it came from a random riff performed one night when they were looking for something special makes them stand out even more in the history of rock.

Credit: Flickr

Janis Joplin-Piece Of My Heart

The best rock anthems of any decade are those that are sung by those who experienced the decade, and the generations that come after them. To this day people still sing and listen to Janis Joplin songs. That’s epic.

Credit: Flickr

Joe Cocker-With A Little Help From My Friends

So yes, The Beatles were behind this song creation, but Joe Cocker knocked it out of the park. Whether it’s watching The Wonder Years or just enjoying this performance, Cocker made a great contribution to the decade with this track.

Credit: Flickr

The Ventures-Walk, Don’t Run

They look more like a band from the 50s, don’t they? But The Ventures helped to perfect surf rock beyond what people had thought possible back in their day.

Credit: Flickr

The Chambers Brothers-Time Has Come Today

As one of the most recognized songs of the 60s, this track is still heard in pop culture today. The fact that it stirs the soul and gets a person thinking profound thoughts makes it one of the more valuable tunes in music history.

Credit: Flickr

Santana-Evil Ways

To many people, Santana is more than a rock guitarist, he’s a god in the form of a rock guitarist. His combinations of rock, jazz, and esoteric grooves give his music the feel of something that penetrates and permeates the soul all at once.

Credit: Flickr

The Animals-Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

Initially, The Animals didn’t see this song as something they would ever record. But once they found the rhythm they fell in love with it, which is great since it’s one of the more popular songs of the decade.

Credit: Flickr

The Beatles-Come Together

The Beatles evolved along with the 60s since they could be fun and silly to deep and thoughtful. This song marked another stage in their evolution, perhaps the last one, as their iconic status had already been achieved.

Credit: Flickr

The Who-My Generation

Today a lot of people have allowed the memory of The Who to slip. But back in the 60s, they were a blast of energy that wasn’t about to be resisted or overlooked. This song is one reason why they were so loved since even today it’s considered great.

Credit: Flickr

The Stooges-1969

They only had one album released in the 60s, but it was their mark in music history as one of the best rock anthems around. Setting other classics on their head was the goal, and they did just that.

Credit: Flickr

The Monkees-(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone

The Monkees are one of the bands known for being credited with creating the best rock anthems of the 60s. This song isn’t what a lot of fans think about when this band comes up, but it’s one of the most epic of their career.