The late 60s and 70s introduced a new era, the antiwar movement and the rise of counterculture in the U.S. As the Vietnam War escalated, the creation of a left leaning, antiwar group began forming, now known as the stereotypical “hippy.” This group changed the norms of society which can be encapsulated in the phrase, “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll.” Genres like psychedelic rock and hard rock, in conjunction with protest tones and lyrics defined this era. While the previous eras of music slowly introduced these concepts, it was this era that fully integrated this into their music and society.
Popular artists that dominated this era were The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Mamas and the Papas, and Grateful Dead. These artists defined an entire generation by rebelling against censorship and protesting political actions of the government, specifically the Vietnam War, violence on college campuses (specifically Kent State), and the Civil Rights Movement. While not all hippy bands’ sounds were defined by these events, but more so the drug culture, as marijuana and psychedelics became popular during this time. Many of these bands infused both of these concepts into their music, therefore creating a distinguishing tone of rebellion and insubordination of parents, society, and even the government.
From August 15th-August 18th, an entire generation was defined by a peaceful protest in the form of a festival, Woodstock. Popular artists that iconically played during that weekend were Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young to highlight a few (The Woodstock ’69 Lineup”). The festival was not initially free to anyone, but eventually became so due to the amount of people who attended, which was around half a million, and was in organized in protest of the Vietnam War (“The Protest”).
Due to the drug culture during this era, an infamous connotation follows this generation with the popularization of the term “the 27 club,” with many artists dying due to drug and alcohol reason at the age of 27. This “club” includes the Doors lead singer Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin all dying within 10 months of each other. These deaths stunned the music industry and left this era with a black stain.
As the mid-70s approached, bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin emphasized the turn into a heavier, more experimental type of rock. The 1973 release “The Dark Side of the Moon” reinvented the dizzying, stoner sound that the 70s are known for. Additionally, in 1975 Led Zeppelin released “Physical Graffiti” which was a massive hit in the United States and other countries. Other popular albums that defined the 70s were “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac, “Hotel California” by the Eagles, and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel.
These songs and albums not only defined the era of the late 60s and early 70s, but contributed to the societal undertones of rebelling against authority through their music. These types of genres that began during this time are still popular today through mainly indie music with bands like Tame Impala, MGMT, The Flaming Lips, Vampire Weekend, alt-J, and many others.
Morgan, you never cease to amaze me with your incredible ability to weave together entertaining dialogue and education. You are flawless with your grammar, your tone is consistent and interesting to read, and I even learned something new while reading your blog (I had never heard of the 27 Club!). You have taken a subject that has been well-documented and somewhat sensationalized and stripped it back to the core truths of protest, experimentation, and unity among dissenters in one of the best factual pieces on this era I have ever seen. Bravo!
I enjoy the setup as the passion blog series for this semester. I think the timeline of going in order by the decades really allows me to understand it better. Overall, this was a well written post, and it shines this is something you are interested in, which translates well from the perspective of a reader to intrigue me. Well done!