Few years were more important in musical history than 1967. Best known for the Summer of Love, the year also saw debut albums from Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Grateful Dead, and the Velvet Underground as well as memorable releases by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, and Aretha Franklin. Also Gavin Rossdale was born on October 30, which I guess is important to Gwen Stefani and maybe someone else… So anyway, in honor of this most historic year in music, I present you with my thoroughly researched Top 10 Albums of 1967:

10. The Moody Blues – Days of Future Passed
An oft-forgotten, concept album, Days of Future Passed traces a day in the life an average working man. The songs range from poppy and carefree (“The Morning: Another Morning”), to orchestral film-noir (“Nights in White Satin”) to minimalist prog-rock (“Evening”). The band used the London Festival Orchestra for a majority of the album, making them pioneers in the fusion of the classical and rock genres. This is truly one of the most ambitious albums on the list.

9. Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced?
A milestone album of the psychedelic era, and Hendrix’s debut, Are You Experienced? contains some of the most memorable and celebrated songs of the decade, let alone the year. Tracks like “Foxey Lady” and “Purple Haze” are raw attacks on one’s aural senses, while simultaneously being immensely listenable. Hendrix & Crew weren’t afraid to turn it up to 11, as the majority of the album can attest. And though most of this 11-track set is mind-blowing, distortion-infused R&B psychedelia, the band also had the ability to be soft and introspective like on “The Wind Cries Mary”… This was the start of a era-defining, if short, career for Hendrix.

8. Love – Forever Changes
A fun, yet haunting, psychedelic folk-rock album from the West Coast, Forever Changes is steeped in eccentric lyricism, sociocultural consciousness, rich sonics, and a good sense of humor. Though the group failed to match the masterful artistry of their third album, and they broke apart by the end of the decade, they should take pride in the fact that they were responsible for one of the most beautiful albums of the 60s.

7. Nico – Chelsea Girl
A haunting album of minimalist-orchestral folk odes to New York counter-culture, the German-born Nico is most usually cited for her work with the Velvet Underground. However her own solo album is brilliant in and of itself. The music is evocative and the lyrics introspective, both of which couple well with Nico’s perfectly somber delivery. While most of the tracks are a cross between folk and chamber pop, she does show a flair for the avant-garde, such as on “It Was a Pleasure Then”, an 8-minute long song set against a background of droning guitar noise and screeching.

6. The Rolling Stones – Their Satanic Majesties Request
Dismissed upon release as a failed attempt at replicate The Beatles’ success with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, this album finds the Stones at their most whimsical and experimental. Though the label “pretentious” has haunted Their Satanic Majesties Request for decades, I for one find it to be an incredibly entertaining listen that took innumerable risks on the part of the Stones. Moving away from the R&B-based rock of their early years, this album finds the experimenting with several different genre influences and instrumentation. My favorite track would have to be “She’s a Rainbow”, a lush piece of baroque-pop that finds the band at their giddiest.

5. Arlo Guthrie – Alice’s Restaurant
Opening with the 18-minute rambling folk masterpiece “Alice’s Restaurant Massacre”, this debut album courtesy of Woody’s son offers up witty satire and socially-conscious protest songs against a pastiche of twee pop, vaudevillian ragtime, and bluesy folk. This was not the first album to tackle timely issues like the Vietnam War and the draft, nor was it the most popular. It was, however, certainly one of the most humorous and lyrically clever of the decade.

4. The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour
Conceived as the soundtrack to their poorly-received television movie of the same name, Magical Mystery Tour never gained the popularity or critical respect that other albums by the band did. That doesn’t make it any less of a joy to listen to, and songs like the sentimental but never cloyingly so “All You Need Is Love”, the baroque pop “Penny Lane”, and the super-catchy “Hello, Goodbye” are among the best The Beatles produced. They also delve deeper into spacey psychedelia with “I Am the Walrus”, “Blue Jay Way”, and “Strawberry Fields Forever”, and the juxtaposition of these with their more poppier fare ensures that the album is never boring.

3. The Beach Boys – Smiley Smile
One of the more idiosyncratic albums of the decade and of the band’s career, Smiley Smile is often seen as the forerunner of modern-day buzz bands like Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective. It was the Beach Boys’ follow-up album to their wildly successful album Pet Sounds, and upon release was met with both critical and commercial confusion and was seen as a failure on both fronts. However the album, which has been afforded a sort of cult hit status now, is truly a beautiful masterpiece full of gorgeous pop melodies, innovative song structures, and vocal harmonies every bit as impressive as those found on Pet Sounds. I doubt that the ‘60s produced a more sonically breathtaking song than album-opener “Heroes & Villains”.

2. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico
Considered to be both a critical and commercial failure at the time of it’s release, most now recognize this album as a highly influential predecessor to the art rock, punk, noise rock, and minimalism. At the time there really was no one doing what The Velvet Underground was; the Lou Reed-led foursome (plus the German-born Nico) were essentially trailblazers in their field, as they didn’t build upon R&B and rockabilly roots like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and others were. Produced by Andy Warhol, the album addressed several risque topics which resulted in its general ban from radio, media publications, and several record stores; these include drug use, prostitution, and other forms of sexual “deviancy”. Thankfully the album (and songs like “I’m Waiting for the Man” and “Venus in Furs”) are now being given their proper due. After all, were it not for The Velvet Underground today’s rock scene could hardly have been existent.

1. The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Is there really any other way I can end this list? I wish I could be all non-conformist and pick some random, obscure jazz artist or something but alas, the genius and cultural impact of this able can not be ignored. The album art alone has become iconic, and inspired it’s fair share of imitators (like this one). Rolling Stone went so far as to proclaim it the Greatest Album of All-Time, though they did name U2’s No Lines on the Horizon as the best album of last year so take that as you will. Still, all exultant accolades and cries of cultural significance aside, it is the brilliance and wit of the songwriting here that ensures that this album earns the top spot. Song’s like “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”, the sprawling and distinct “A Day in the Life”, and (my personal favorite) “Lovely Rita” are just some of the testaments to the sheer talent and artistry of both the album and the band itself.

Other Notable Albums:
Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow
The Who – The Who Sell Out
Donovan – Mellow Yellow
Bobbie Gentry – Ode to Billie Joe
Bob Dylan – John Wesley Harding