Could 1965 be labeled as one of the key years in rock music? Taking a look at what transpired exactly six decades ago, these days, that conclusion sinks in quite firmly.
You can look at the full spectrum of events that had their influence on rock music, from the social setting (civil rights movement, counterculture spreading, gender and sexual revolution, through new genres like psych and garage rock shaping up to the seemingly less important developments connected to music itself - from album format and stereo recording becoming dominant to multitrack recording.
Some old habits still linger, though, like the music industry’s singles thinking applied to albums with some great artists releasing two brilliant albums in the same year, with their creativity at a high and the recording processes still in bloom.
These albums from 60 years ago still have an impact
In any case, the following 16 albums released in 1965 remain (and probably will remain) on the lists of absolute rock classics of all time.
Beatles - Help
Making an album that is at the same time a soundtrack and a set of practically perfect pop-rock songs doesn’t just happen by chance. It takes great talent and capability, and the Beatles show that in abundance here.
Beatles - Rubber Soul
While the habit of the U.S. music industry of limiting the number of album tracks was still intact, leaving off a few tracks from the initial American version of this one, by the end of the same year, The Beatles actually came up with one of their and rock masterpieces in general, with so many musical innovations that it took some other bands countless albums to reach.
Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home
With all the shouts of "Judas" by pure folk fans, the future Nobel prize winner goes electric, but still comes up with some folk (rock) classics like “Love Minus Zero” or “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.”
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
From March to August, in only a few months, Dylan not only goes fully electric but comes up with some of the best songs of his career, defining what a singer-songwriter music will sound like in decades to come.
Beach Boys - Today!
Brian Wilson was closely following what the Beatles were doing, with harmony vocals being his and the band’s strongest forte at the time, and here he starts developing them further, with classics like “Help Me, Rhonda” carrying this often under-appreciated album.
Beach Boys - Summer Days (And Summer Nights)
Brian Wilson was growing up, so were The Beach Boys and their perfect vocal sound, and this album is leaps and bounds better than what has come before it as far as perfect pop is concerned.
The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man
How do you combine your folk roots with the British Invasion? McGuinn, Clarke, Crosby and Co. show everybody how to perfectly combine genres, at the same time showing how to make somebody else’s song(s) your own.
The Byrds - Turn, Turn, Turn
From June to December, the Byrds seemingly only perfected their sound. Yet, by this album, they were becoming great songwriters and musicians, as McGuinn was the sole member who played his instrument on their debut.
Rolling Stones - Out Of Our Heads
How many albums did the Rolling Stones have in 1965? Well, if you look at the UK releases, it was two, while in the U.S., it was four, all due to the number of songs per album limitation that was still applied. Still with their blues roots intact, the band showed the great things that were yet to come.
Rolling Stones - December's Children (And Everybody's)
This American edition could only be confusing track-wise, as it includes quite a few tracks for Out Of Our Heads, yet the inclusion of some of the band's great singles makes it sing. Truly.
The Who - The Who Sings My Generation
There is still an open debate when and where garage rock started, and this collection of the first songs recorded by the band, more than an album proper, can possibly point in the right direction, with the future greatness fully in sight.
Sonics - Here Are The Sonics
Speaking of garage rock, this one can carry that label with pride, and it makes no difference that there is a hefty number of covers here, as the energy this band was renowned for live is fully revived in the studio, in glorious mono at that.
Kinks - The Kink Kontroversy
How do you transfer all the great singles into a fully formed album? Well, you write some more great songs and include some of your best, like “Till The End of The Day” with them, exactly what Ray Davies and The Kinks did here.
Zombies - Begin Here
Another rock sub-genre was slowly taking shape and form - baroque pop and this possibly underappreciated band was taking the lead, with their sound taking its intricate shape on this, their second formal album.
Lovin’ Spoonful - Do You Believe In Magic
Another folkie band turning to rock, with songwriter and main vocalist John Sebastian leading the way. The album itself strikes quite a good balance between originals and covers that fit quite snugly here.
Yardbirds - For Your Love
A band that brought us Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page at some point in its career was fully operating by this, its third official album. And while Clapton already left the band, along with Beck, it is all over this, one of the band's best albums.
Paul Butterfield Blues Band - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
This is where the inclusion of blues within rock spearheaded by numerous British bands returns home to the U.S. While the late Paul Butterfield remains somewhat under appreciated, this album is a prime example of blues-infused rock, or roc-infused blues if you will.