1969 was a watershed year in music. It was the summer of Woodstock, one of the most iconic live concerts ever, three days of peace and music held in Bethel, New York.
David Bowie released “Space Oddity” nine days before Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Frank Sinatra released My Way, James Brown seized the cultural and political moment with Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud, and the MC5 took to the rock and roll streets with their anthemic Kick Out The Jams. It was a year of some of the greatest debut albums ever including Janis Joplin, The Stooges, Led Zeppelin, Chicago Transit Authority, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Santana, Joe Cocker, and the influential prog-rock classic In The Court Of The Crimson King by King Crimson. The Who released Tommy. Even as the “Paul Is Dead” rumors were sweeping the world, The Beatles released Yellow Submarine and Abbey Road. Other highlights of the year including Dusty Springfield’s soul classic, Dusty In Memphis, and Dylan released his country flavored Nashville Skyline.
What do you think? Was 1969 the greatest year in music? Check out some videos below, and a list of some the key records that came out that year. Let us know in the comments below and across social media with #XPNGreatestYear.
Albums
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin
Yellow Submarine – The Beatles
Kick Out the Jams – MC5
The Gilded Palace of Sin – The Flying Burrito Brothers
Mutantes – Os Mutantes
Sound of Sexy Soul – The Delfonics
Dusty in Memphis – Dusty Springfield
My Way – Frank Sinatra
Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud – James Brown
The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground
The Age of Aquarius – The 5th Dimension
Songs From a Room – Leonard Cohen
Nashville Skyline – Bob Dylan
With a Little Help from My Friends – Joe Cocker
The Chicago Transit Authority – Chicago
Clouds – Joni Mitchell
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere – Neil Young and Crazy Horse
Tommy – The Who
Crosby, Stills & Nash – Crosby, Stills & Nash
At San Quentin – Johnny Cash
Trout Mask Replica – Captain Beefheart
Aoxomoxoa – The Grateful Dead
Happy Sad – Tim Buckley
The Soft Parade – The Doors
Santana – Santana
Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Stooges – The Stooges
Five Leaves Left – Nick Drake
The Band – The Band
Abbey Road – The Beatles
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) – The Kinks
In the Court of the Crimson King – King Crimson
Led Zeppelin II – Led Zeppelin
Ummagumma – Pink Floyd
Space Oddity – David Bowie
Live / Dead – The Grateful Dead
Let It Bleed – The Rolling Stones
Liege & Leaf – Fairport Convention
