I've always been aware of a lot of 1969 events and records/albums/songs but I've never really seen it quantified in one place. So about a month ago I started down a rabbit hole finding every major thing I could find about 1969 in rock history.

For the record I was born in 1966 so no this is not a case of the music of my time. I discovered all of this music after 1977 basically when I first started drumming and got into rock and roll. But I certainly came to be aware of a lot of greatness from 1969.

The number of monumental events, album releases by nearly every great established band, and the debut of so many bands (and genres) would leave a lasting impact on rock. Of course it was also the year of the moon landing and widespread protesting in the US about the Viet Nam War and social causes.

If you tell me I can only have rock music from one year to listen to for the rest of my life, it's 1969. And it's not even close. There is no other year that compares. Especially if you include the live performances recorded that year which were released later in most cases.


THE BIG THREE:


1969 is the only year in which The Beatles (Abbey Road), The Rolling Stones (Let it Bleed) and Led Zeppelin (I and II) all released studio albums.

Led Zeppelin I and Led Zeppelin II
Zeppelin burst on the scene with their hard rock blues edged signature rock sound with "Good Times Bad Times", "Communication Breakdown" and "Dazed and Confused". Their second release in 1969 established them as rock gods. "Whole Lotta Love" "Heartbreaker" and "Ramble On" among others. They would complete 4 US tours and 4 UK tours in 1969. They refused to edit songs down for radio airplay and relied on their powerhouse concerts and album sales, not singles, to build their fanbase and reputation. This at least in part led to album oriented rock (AOR) stations.

The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed
From "Gimme Shelter" to "You Can't Always Get What You Want" this was a huge Stones release. Also had the original version of "Country Honk" later redone as "Honky Tonk Woman" for the single. The Rolling Stones had 2 huge landmark shows that year at Hyde Park and Altamont. See later sections on festivals and concerts for more.

The Beatles Abbey Road
The final album the Beatles recorded included "Come Together", "Something", and "Here Comes the Sun". Not to mention Let it Be was recorded in early 1969 but not released until 1970. And of course their infamous rooftop concert at the end of the Let it Be recordings. See rooftop concert in later section.



Landmark studio albums by established bands:
Nearly every band of that era either formed, was in their heyday, or delivered their final album. the one exception being Hendrix but he still had a major impact in another way.

Cream Goodbye
The last Cream album was half live (with a great version of "I'm So Glad") and half new material including the hit "Badge".

The Who - Tommy
The Who's ambitious double album rock opera includes "I'm Free", "See Me, Feel Me" and "Pinball Wizard".

Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Young's first album with Crazy Horse, he loses his country/folk sound for an edgier rock sound and delivers the classic "Cinnamon Girl" and "Cowgirl in the Sand" which define his new sound.

Bob Dylan - Nashville Skyline
Dylan reveals a new country crooner sound; includes a duet with Johnny Cash and "Lay Lady Lay". One of Dylan's finest.

Credence Clearwater Revival released 3 albums each great in their own right:
(1) Bayou Country "Born on the Bayou" and "Proud Mary"
(2) Green River "Bad Moon Rising" and "Green River"
(3) Willy and the Poor Boys - "Fortunate Son" "Down on the Corner" "Midnight Special"

The Doors - The Soft Parade
Their 4th album spawned only one hit with "Touch Me". Still their new sound ended up being loved by fans for its melodic tone and intricate pieces. After Jim Morrison was arrested for exposing himself on stage in Miami and with his ongoing drug issues Robby Kreiger wrote more than half of the material and the added string and brass instruments fused well with Morrisons poetic lyrics.

Pink Floyd Ummagumma
The live half is amazing and the studio half is a nearly inexplicable cosmic album of experimental weird sounds.

Jethro Tull - Stand Up
Trippie hippie early alternative sound - Included "Living In The Past"

Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis
Contains her biggest hit "Son of a Preacher Man"

Joni Mitchell - Clouds
Her second album features the classic "Both Sides Now" and "Chelsea Morning"

Sly & the Family Stone - Stand!
The peak album of this band with "Everyday People"

Janis Joplin - I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!
Her only solo studio album released before she died in 1970.

Johnny Cash The Holy Land
One of his gospel albums

The Grateful Dead - Aoxomoxoa
Their third album includes "St. Stephen", "Cosmic Charlie", "China Cat Sunflower"

The Band The Band
Their second album features "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"

David Bowie David Bowie (Space Oddity in the US)
His second album with the iconic title track.

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground
With the departure of John Cale this became Lou Reed's band and introduced the stripped down sound that would define them.

Jefferson Airplane Volunteers
A political rallying cry encapsulating late 60s peace movement

Moody Blues - On The Threshold Of A Dream
Moving away from the R&B sounds into what they would become known for.

Joe Cocker (1) With a Little Help from My Friends and (2) Joe Cocker.
1 Included the title track and 2 included "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" and "Something" covers.

The Kinks - Arthur
Not a big hit but paved the way for their comeback album in 1970 (Lola)

Iron Butterfly Ball
Sophomore album was a decent follow-up.

Johnny Winter 1. Johnny Winter and 2. Second Winter
Two albums by the Texas blues guitarist.

Traffic Last Exit
Sort of a contractual obligation thrown together and not their best.

Jeff Beck Group Beck-Ola
A mostly forgettable release that also had Rod Stewart on it as well as Ronnie Wood on bass, and featured some Elvis covers. It did demonstrate Jeff Becks hard rock guitar leanings.

The Beach Boys 20/20
Not their best but a decent album signaling a new direction.


Debut Albums

Crosby Stills and Nash - while some cite Cream as the first supergroup neither Ginger Baker nor Jack Bruce had the level of fame of David Crosby (The Byrds), Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield) and Graham Nash (The Hollies). To me this is the first true supergroup and they were wildly successful defining a signature folk/rock harmonized sound with their massive self-titled debut album.

Blind Faith - the second of the major supergroups to form in 1969 with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker (both from Cream), Steve Winwood (Spencer Davis Group, and Traffic), and Ric Grech (Family). Their debut included Winwood's "Can't Find My Way Home" and Clapton's "Presence of the Lord". They would barely tour and break up the same year with Clapton feeling it was too much like Cream.

Allman Brothers - their debut featuring "It's Not My Cross To Bear", "Dreams" and "Whipping Post" is widely considered the defining sound and perhaps pinnacle of Southern rock.

Neil Young - Another former Buffalo Springfield alum, Young would go solo and although this first album was not a huge success, he had a second album (see above) in the same year in which he teamed up with Crazy Horse his famous backing band for the first time.

Rod Stewart The Rod Stewart Album
This album which predated the Faces band did include Ronnie Wood on guitar. Although it failed to chart any singles it included some interesting covers like "Street Fighting Man" (Stones) and "A Man Of Constant Sorrow" (traditional, later covered by Union Station in the movie O' Brother Where Art Thou).

Santana - Carlos Santana's rhythmic melting pot sound was evident from this first album which fused Latin, African, jazz, blues, funk and rock. Includes "Evil Ways".

Jackson 5 - Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5
Michael Jackson an instant star at the age of 11 "I Want You Back" and "Who's Lovin' You,"

Genesis - From Genesis to Revelation
A commercial and critical flop it was more straight forward pop. The failure would lead them to develop their more complex and dramatic style.

Bob Seger - Ramblin' Gamblin' Man
The Detroit rocker first burst on the scene with this album and hit.

Grand Funk Railroad - 1. On Time and 2. Grand Funk
The arena rock originators first 2 albums went Gold and Platinum


Not 1969 but basically is:

Blood, Sweat and Tears - Spinning Wheel (album released in Dec 1968 but all singles released in 1969). Their third album produces several hits including the title track, "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and "And When I Die"


Birth of Punk rock with 2 bands out of Detroit:
Stooges widely considered the original punk band out of Detroit with Iggy Pop. "I think our greatest influence was we put an end to the 60s," Iggy Pop said.

MC5 Kick Out the Jams (a rare live debut album) was a hugely influential album in punk rock including elements of garage rock, psychedelic rock and hard rock in a loud brash style.

Birth of Prog rock with 2 influenetial band debuts:
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King combined gothic lyrics painting dark and gloomy visuals with some psychedelic, jazz, classical and symphonic styles to produce a new genre called prog rock.

Yes - The debut album by prog rock legends was hit or miss but included "Looking Around" and "Yesterday and Today". It predated King Crimson who in turn influenced them heavily on their subsequent albums.


Birth of Heavy Metal The "unholy trinity of British heavy metal" is born:
Led Zeppelin I and II and first US tours
Black Sabbath formed in 1969, recorded first album in October (in a single 12 hour session) and released first single in Jan 1970
Deep Purple's third album showed a more hard rock and guitar-oriented Ritchie Blackmore sound, dropping the previous fusion of classical elements.


Soundtracks:

Easy Rider - Including previously released Steppenwolf and The Byrds songs. But the new material like a cover of The Band's "the Weight" by Smith and Roger McGuinn tunes "Balled of Easy Rider" and a cover of Dylan's "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" are gems. This album was accompanying commentary to the iconic film.

Yellow Submarine The Beatles
More or less a contractual obligation, it includes 4 new tracks and previously released tracks "Yellow Submarine" and "All You Need Is Love". The remainder of the album is a re-recording of the film's orchestral soundtrack by the band's producer, George Martin. Accompanies the animated zany comedy movie.

Other big singles of 1969 some from albums released later or earlier, or non-album singles
-Get Back/Don't Let Me Down would appear on The Beatles Let it Be album in 1970
-The Ballad of John and Yoko/Old Brown Shoe The Beatles a non album single
-Sympathy for the Devil The Rolling Stones from 1968 album Beggar's Banquet
-Honky Tonk Women The Rolling Stones rock version of Country Honk from Let it Bleed
-Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head #1 hit by BJ Thomas written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid movie wins the Oscar for Best Song.
-In The Ghetto Elvis returns with his first Top 10 song since 1965
-Suspicious Minds Elvis first #1 song in 7 years
-Fire Jimi Hendrix was released in the UK as a single
-A Boy Named Sue from Johnny Cash's San Quentin live performance
-Spinning Wheel Blood Sweat and Tears from their 1968 album
-The Boxer Simon and Garfunkel 5th consecutive top 10 from Bridge Over Troubled Water
-Sweet Caroline Neil Diamond classic
-Witch's Promise Jethro Tull
-Crimson and Clover Tommy James and Shondells is a #1 hit later covered by Joan Jett
-Crystal Blue Persuasion also Tommy James and Shondells and immortalized in Breaking Bad
-Time of the Season Zombies classic was re-released
-Sugar, Sugar Archies infectious hit
-Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In - The Fifth Dimension from Hair musical
-I Can Hear Music the Beach Boys
-Break Away the Beach Boys


Major Concert Events 1969 was the year of major music festivals and other landmark Live shows.

January 30 The Beatles after a month in the studio perform a rooftop concert at Apple Studios playing all new material that would later be released on Let it Be including "Get Back".

July 5 Rolling Stones in Hyde Park free concert. Their first concert in 2 years just prior to the release of Let it Bleed. It was the debut of new member Mick Taylor and served as a tribute concert of sorts to former founding member Brian Jones who had died 2 days before. The Stones debuted several songs here that they had never done live and several new songs. It was attended by 250k-450k depending who you ask.

July 28 - Elvis debuts to sellout crowds nightly in Vegas where he would hold residency for most of the next 7 years at The International (later called the Las Vegas Hilton). It followed his triumphant return in a December 1968 televised special ('68 Comeback special) that had huge ratings, after 7 years spent making cheesy movies in Hollywood.

August 15-18 Woodstock included the landmark closing set by Jimi Hendrix. A mostly peaceful event marred by rain and mud featured Joan Baez, Santana, Canned Heat, Mountain, Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone, The Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker, The Band, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Johnny Winter, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and Jimi Hendrix among others. Hendrix version of the Star Spangled Banner was an iconic moment for the counter culture revolution.

August 29-31 The second (and much larger) Isle of Wright Festival included the return of Bob Dylan to live performing backed by The Band, The Who, Free, Joe Cocker, the Moody Blues, Family, Ritchie Havens, and Free. While Dylan rehearsed with The Band, George Harrison showed up and then fellow Beatles John Lennon and Ringo Starr arrived on the island, along with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton. It quickly became a star fest and their wives Pattie Harrison, Yoko Ono and Maureen Starkey, together with celebrities such as Jane Fonda, Franoise Hardy, Syd Barrett, Donald Cammell, Elton John and others showed up.

December 6 - Altamont Speedway Free Festival (sometimes referred to as Woodstock West) marked the end of the 60s free love and peace movement with an ugly bookend. One death by stabbing and three other deaths by hit and run and LSD overdose made headlines more than any band did and there was other violence with fights and numerous car thefts. Bands included Santana, Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY), with the Rolling Stones taking the stage as the final act. The Grateful Dead were also scheduled to perform, but declined to play shortly before their scheduled appearance due to the increasing violence at the venue.



Many bands that were at Woodstock released their Live set at some point:
The Who Woodstock 1969
CCR Live at Woodstock
Joe Cocker Live At Woodstock
Jimi Hendrix Live At Woodstock
Santana The Woodstock Experience
Janis Joplin The Woodstock Experience
Jefferson Airplane The Woodstock Experience
Sly & The Family Stone The Woodstock Experience
Johnny Winter The Woodstock Experience
Various Artists Woodstock: Music From The Original Soundtrack And More


Other Live albums recorded in 1969 but released later:
Alice Cooper Live at the Whisky A Go-Go
Alice Cooper Ladies Man or Science Fiction or Freak Out
The Byrds Live At Fillmore February 1969
Johnny Cash At San Quentin
Deep Purple Live in Montreux
Grateful Dead Live/Dead
Grateful Dead Fillmore West 1969 The Complete Recordings
Grateful Dead Live at the Fillmore East 2-11-69
Humble Pie Live At The Whisky A-Go-Go '69
Iron Butterfly Live 1969
Jimi Hendrix, 'Band of Gypsys'
Jimi Hendrix Live At The Royal Albert Hall
Jimi Hendrix In The West
Joni Mitchell Newport Folk Festival 19 July 1969
King Crimson Epitaph Volumes 1 & 2
King Crimson Live At The Marquee
Led Zeppelin 'The BBC Sessions' (select tracks)
Led Zeppelin Live In Paris
Neil Young Live at the Riverboat
The Moody Blues Caught Live + 5
The Rolling Stones, 'Get Yer Ya-Yas Out'
Simon And Garfunkel Live 1969
Three Dog Night Captured Live At The Forum
Velvet Underground, 'Live 1969'
Yes Something's Coming The BBC Recordings 1969 to 1970





I've seen others talk or write about 1964, 1967 and 1971, but I can list several acts that did not contribute in those years and even the landmark moments (Ed Sullivan appearances or other festivals or just the "summer of love") I don't think measure up to 1969. 1969 was a political and social mess which often results in great rock music. It also felt like the end of an era to those that were there. The 70s were just never as good as the 60s.




Here is a collage of album covers I made










If you don't care and don't appreciate it thats ok. I did it for me. Just sharing.

I appreciate the time and effort that you put into this post. I was born in 1980, but the "oldies" station was the first radio station that I listened to, so I loved all the music of my parents' era.

Personally, I've never seen a concise summary of that year (the year dad graduated A&M), so this was pretty cool, and informative.

Fantastic post and I greatly appreciate it. I agree with just about everything you said. I grew up in the sixties, turning 14 in January of 1969, so the vast majority of that music is right in my wheelhouse and carries great meaning for me. It was a fantastic time for rock music.

Col. Steve Austin said:

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Fantastic post and I greatly appreciate it. I agree with just about everything you said. I grew up in the sixties, turning 14 in January of 1969, so the vast majority of that music is right in my wheelhouse and carries great meaning for me. It was a fantastic time for rock music.

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Thanks and a Happy 68th birthday for you as well then if you were born in 1955!! Next year will fittingly be #69 for someone that appreciates 1969.

Ok, boomer.

I can't disagree with 1969

But 1991 has to be runner up

Decent stuff but not even remotely comparable. There is no denying op, even though i was barely alive.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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One of my favorite performances from Woodstock. I've listened to it hundreds of times and watched the video dozens of times. I bought the movie soundtrack album set when it came out and saw the movie at our local drive-in (our walk-in theater had closed forever by then). We sat in chairs in front of the snack bar where they had better speakers than the little boxes you hung on the window in your car.

I just brushed my teeth for six minutes watching that

1984 was also a pretty incredible year. A lot of iconic, era-defining releases that year.

Prince - Purple Rain
Madonna - Like a Virgin
Van Halen - 1984
Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA
The Smiths - The Smiths
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Run DMC - Run DMC
U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
Bryan Adams - Reckless
Tina Turner - Private Dancer

A ton of hair metal classics (no surprise) -
Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry
Ratt - Out of the Cellar
Whitesnake - Slide It In
Dio - Last in Line (maybe not hair metal but I'll list it here)
Scorpions - Love at First Sting
Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi
Dokken - Tooth and Nail

ZJS - Dude, that is a fantastic rundown of rock from 1969. Thanks for pulling it together and also for the collage of album covers. Very well done.
I turned 15 that year and as Steve Austin said, that music was in my wheelhouse also. One of my friends was an only child and his parents both worked. Needless to say, he got a LOT of albums for Christmas and birthdays and he was a rock and roll fan too. All the kids that ran together would gather at his house in the summer and listen to music for hours at a time. He introduced us to so much new music it was crazy. Before that, my three older sisters and I joined the Columbia House record club and would take turns picking albums for the low, low price of whatever they charged back then; maybe $2 or so. I wish I had some of those albums now.
One final note, I get to tell people that the entire world celebrated my birthday in 1969. It is a coincidence that Neil Armstrong took one small step that day.

Only issue is there is no mention of Motown (or other similar soul groups) who put out a lot of good music in 1969. Maybe they are not listed cause it's not "rock", but it's just another example of all the good music that year. First omissions that come to mind is Stevie Wonder - My Cherie Amore and Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude. In particular, Pickett's cover of Hey Jude shows the blending between Soul/R&B and the burgeoning southern rock, with Duane Allman playing the legendary guitar solo at the end.

Got to love I Ron Butterfly.