Timeline of progressive rock (1960–1969)

This is a timeline of artists, albums, and events in progressive rock and its subgenres. This article contains the timeline for the period 1960–1969.

1962–1967: Background and roots

The roots of progressive rock developed from pop groups in the 1960s, like the Beatles and the Yardbirds, who "progressed" rock and roll by exploiting new recording techniques, and by merging electric blues with various other music styles such as Indian ragas, oriental melodies and Gregorian chants. Hegarty and Halliwell identify the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Doors, the Pretty Things, the Zombies, the Byrds, the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd as "not merely as precursors of prog" but "essential developments of progressiveness in its early days". According to musicologist Walter Everett, the Beatles' "experimental timbres, rhythms, tonal structures, and poetic texts" on their albums Rubber Soul (1965) and Revolver (1966) "encouraged a legion of young bands that were to create progressive rock in the early 1970s". Dylan's poetry, the Mothers of Invention's album Freak Out! (1966) and the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) were all important in progressive rock's development. The productions of Phil Spector were key influences, as they introduced the possibility of using the recording studio to create music that otherwise could never be achieved. The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966), which Brian Wilson intended as an answer to Rubber Soul influenced the Beatles when they made Sgt. Pepper.

Folk rock groups such as the Byrds, based their initial sound on that of the Beatles. In turn, the Byrds' vocal harmonies inspired those of Yes, and British folk rock bands like Fairport Convention, who emphasised instrumental virtuosity. Some of these artists, such as the Incredible String Band and Shirley and Dolly Collins, would prove influential on progressive rock through their use of instruments borrowed from world music and early music.

Recordings influential on later progressive rock bands Release dateArtistRecordingCountry16 May 1966The Beach BoysPet SoundsUS27 June 1966The Mothers of InventionFreak Out!US5 August 1966The BeatlesRevolverEngland10 October 1966The Beach Boys"Good Vibrations"USNovember 1966LoveDa CapoUSJanuary 1967The Left BankeWalk Away Renée/Pretty BallerinaUS1 February 1967Jefferson AirplaneSurrealistic PillowUSMarch 1967The Velvet Underground and NicoThe Velvet Underground & NicoUS26 May 1967The BeatlesSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandEngland26 May 1967The Mothers of InventionAbsolutely FreeUSJuly 1967The Incredible String BandThe 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the OnionScotland24 July 1967The Beach Boys"Heroes and Villains"USAugust 1967Vanilla FudgeVanilla FudgeUS4 August 1967Pink FloydThe Piper at the Gates of DawnEnglandSeptember 1967Procol HarumProcol HarumEnglandOctober 1967NirvanaThe Story of Simon SimopathEnglandNovember 1967LoveForever ChangesUS17 November 1967The Moody BluesDays of Future PassedEngland27 November 1967Jefferson AirplaneAfter Bathing at Baxter'sUS8 December 1967TrafficMr. FantasyEngland

Date of formation of bands who are later identified as progressive

Disbandments The Syn (1967–1969) The Wilde Flowers (1967–1968)

Events

David Gilmour joins Pink Floyd in December 1967.

1968 Newly formed bands

Albums Release dateArtistAlbumCountry22 January 1968SpiritSpiritUSFebruary 1968Vanilla FudgeThe Beat Goes OnUS21 February 1968Blood, Sweat & TearsChild Is Father to the ManUS1 March 1968Edward Macan, Endless Enigma: A Musical Biography of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, pp. 19, 657; Richard Morton Jack, Galactic RambleThe NiceThe Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack England4 March 1968The Mothers of InventionWe're Only in It for the MoneyUS6 March 1968The United States of AmericaThe United States of AmericaUSMarch 1968The Incredible String BandThe Hangman's Beautiful DaughterScotlandMarch 1968The MoveMoveEngland13 May 1968Frank ZappaLumpy Gravy – An original rare release appeared in late 1967 on Capitol, but was pulled quickly because of threatened legal action by MGM. This MGM/Verve release was the first popularly available version. USJune 1968The Crazy World of Arthur BrownThe Crazy World of Arthur BrownEngland28 June 1968Pink FloydA Saucerful of SecretsEnglandJune 1968Fairport ConventionFairport ConventionEnglandJune 1968Vanilla FudgeRenaissanceUS5 July 1968Tyrannosaurus RexMy People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their BrowsEngland17 July 1968Deep PurpleShades of Deep PurpleUK19 July 1968FamilyMusic in a Doll's HouseEngland26 July 1968The Moody BluesIn Search of the Lost ChordEngland29 July 1968The Jeff Beck GroupTruthUK13 September 1968Giles, Giles and FrippThe Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and FrippEnglandSeptember 1968Procol HarumShine on BrightlyEnglandSeptember 1968Jefferson AirplaneCrown of CreationUSOctober 1968Aphrodite's ChildEnd of the WorldGreeceOctober 1968TrafficTrafficEnglandOctober 1968Deep PurpleThe Book of TaliesynUK14 October 1968Tyrannosaurus RexProphets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the AgesEngland25 October 1968Jethro TullThis WasEngland1 November 1968George HarrisonWonderwall MusicEnglandNovember 1968The NiceArs Longa Vita BrevisEnglandNovember 1968The Left BankeThe Left Banke TooUSNovember 1968The Incredible String BandWee Tam and the Big HugeScotland11 December 1968Blood, Sweat & TearsBlood, Sweat & TearsUSDecember 1968The Pretty ThingsS.F. SorrowEnglandDecember 1968Soft MachineThe Soft Machine – the original album was only available in the US, an import in the UK; later re-issued as Volume One.EnglandDecember 1968Spirit The Family Plays Together US1968International Harvester – originally called Pärson Sound (recordings from Pärson Sound weren't released until 2001)Sov gott Rose-MarieSweden1968TouchTouchUS

Disbandments The United States of America

Events Syd Barrett leaves Pink Floyd in April 1968.

1969 Newly formed bands

Albums Release dateArtistAlbumCountryJanuary 1969CaravanCaravanEnglandJanuary 1969Sam GopalEscalatorEngland February 1969Jefferson AirplaneBless Its Pointed Little HeadUSFebruary 1969Vanilla FudgeNear the BeginningUS5 March 1969The ByrdsDr. Byrds & Mr. HydeUSMarch 1969ColosseumThose Who Are About to Die Salute YouEnglandMarch 1969FamilyFamily EntertainmentEngland28 March 1969GenesisFrom Genesis to RevelationEngland21 April 1969The Mothers of InventionUncle MeatUS25 April 1969The Moody BluesOn the Threshold of a DreamEngland28 April 1969ChicagoChicago Transit AuthorityUS9 May 1969George HarrisonElectronic SoundEngland16 May 1969Tyrannosaurus RexUnicornEngland19 May 1969The WhoTommyEnglandMay 1969TrafficLast ExitEngland13 June 1969Pink FloydMoreEngland16 June 1969Captain Beefheart & His Magic BandTrout Mask ReplicaUSJune 1969Deep PurpleDeep PurpleUKJune 1969It's a Beautiful DayIt's a Beautiful DayUSJune 1969Procol HarumA Salty DogEngland25 July 1969YesYesEngland25 July 1969Jethro TullStand UpEngland30 July 1969Miles DavisIn a Silent WayUSAugust 1969SantanaSantanaUSAugust 1969The NiceThe NiceEnglandSeptember 1969Soft MachineVolume TwoEnglandSeptember 1969Van der Graaf GeneratorThe Aerosol Grey MachineEngland, however album was originally released only in the USSeptember 1969Vanilla FudgeRock & RollUS26 September 1969The BeatlesAbbey RoadEngland10 October 1969King CrimsonIn the Court of the Crimson King England10 October 1969Frank ZappaHot RatsUSOctober 1969SpiritClearUS7 November 1969Pink FloydUmmagummaEngland7 November 1969Manfred Mann Chapter ThreeManfred Mann Chapter ThreeUK21 November 1969The Moody BluesTo Our Children's Children's ChildrenEnglandNovember 1969QuintessenceIn Blissful CompanyUKNovember 1969Kevin AyersJoy of a ToyUKNovember 1969The Incredible String BandChanging HorsesScotlandNovember 1969RenaissanceRenaissanceEnglandDecember 1969Fairport ConventionLiege & Lief England1969Amon DüülPsychedelic UndergroundGermany1969Amon DüülCollapsing / Singvögel Rückwärts & CoGermany1969Amon Düül IIPhallus DeiGermany1969BrainboxBrainboxNetherlands1969CromagnonOrgasmUS1969East of EdenMercator ProjectedEngland1969Catherine Ribeiro + 2BisCatherine Ribeiro + 2BisFrance1969Rare BirdRare BirdUK1969WigwamHard 'n' HornyFinland1969The Tony Williams LifetimeEmergency!US

Disbandments Dinamiti

See also Timeline of progressive rock: other decades: 1970s – 1980s – 1990s – 2000s – 2010s – 2020s Timeline of progressive rock (Parent article) Progressive rock Canterbury scene Symphonic rock Avant-rock Rock in Opposition Neo-prog Progressive metal Jazz fusion

References

Sources

Further reading Snider, Charles. The Strawberry Bricks Guide To Progressive Rock. Chicago, Ill.: Lulu Publishing (2008) 364 pages, (paperback). A veritable record guide to progressive rock, with band histories, musical synopses and critical commentary, all presented in the historical context of a timeline. Lucky, Jerry. The Progressive Rock Files Burlington, Ontario: Collector's Guide Publishing, Inc (1998), 304 pages, (paperback). Gives an overview of progressive rock's history as well as histories of the major and underground bands in the genre. Macan, Edward. Rocking the Classics: English Progressive Rock and the Counterculture. Oxford: Oxford University Press (1997), 290 pages, (hardcover), (paperback). Analyzes progressive rock using classical musicology and also sociology.