Top 10 Best Psychedelic Rock Bands

Psychedelic rock doesn't ask you to listen. It dares you to get lost. Swirling guitars, kaleidoscopic soundscapes, lyrics that sound like they were written during a dream or possibly a chemical experiment gone right. This is music built to twist your reality, not just your volume knob.

This list exists to figure out which bands took that wild, psychedelic spirit and did something unforgettable with it. The ones whose albums make your third eye twitch just from the first chord. Do you prefer lush studio wizardry or raw, unpredictable energy? Dreamy vocals or wild-eyed screams into the void? Whatever your flavor, your votes help decide who truly owned the trip.

The Top Ten

  1. Pink Floyd

    Pink Floyd are an English progressive rock band formed in 1965 in London, England. They gained international acclaim with their innovative, conceptual music blending progressive rock and psychedelia. The classic lineup included Syd Barrett (vocals and guitar), David Gilmour (vocals and guitar), Nick... read more

    For all you non-Floyd listeners out there thinking, "What, another brick in the whatsit isn't psychedelic?" Just so you know, there are more albums than this. Listen to The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, an album fronted by my dear friend Syd Barrett. And those of you who want to talk to me about him, please don't try to contact me. Yes, I knew him, but so did a lot of people.

    Man, I owe this band my life. I have tried to commit suicide multiple times, and when I started listening to Pink Floyd, I felt a natural high in my whole body. This made me realize if I can feel high from a song, then why can't I feel high about life? This feeling gave me hope.

  2. The Doors

    The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and occasionally controversial rock acts of the 1960s, largely due to Morrison's poetic... read more

    The only band to combine blues, psychedelic, and acid rock to create a one-of-a-kind psychedelic feel.

    If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite.

    Nobody does it like The Doors. Nearly every song they have is great. Thank you, Jim Morrison.

  3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience

    The Jimi Hendrix Experience was an English-American rock band formed in Westminster, London, in September 1966. The group featured Jimi Hendrix on vocals and guitar, Noel Redding on bass and backing vocals, and Mitch Mitchell on drums.... read more

    Some of the greatest musical talents to have ever lived. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was something else.

    The Jimi Hendrix Experience is probably the coolest band and, in my opinion, the most psychedelic. The sounds and the way Jimi plays the guitar are surreal.

    The Jimi Hendrix Experience should be higher than Tame Impala.

  4. The Beatles

    The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the development of the 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular... read more

    The Beatles are not only the most influential band of all time, but also the most influential in psychedelic rock. A Day in the Life, which is psychedelic, is one of the best songs of all time, if not the best. Pink Floyd and The Doors only have a small amount of good material, while The Beatles have better and more material.

    Tomorrow Never Knows, A Day in the Life, Strawberry Fields Forever, I Am the Walrus, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, that should say it all.

    Revolver and Sgt. Pepper. Enough said.

  5. Cream

    Cream was a 1960s British rock supergroup power trio consisting of bassist and vocalist Jack Bruce, drummer Ginger Baker, and guitarist and vocalist Eric Clapton. The band was known for its blend of blues, psychedelic rock, and hard rock. Cream is often regarded as one of the first supergroups and was... read more

    I'm not going to say Cream is the best rock band of the '60s, but I will say it's the best band of all time.

    Why are The Beatles ahead of Cream? And why are The Beatles even on this list? This is total nonsense. Cream is the ultimate psychedelic band, equal to Hendrix, I'd say.

  6. Tame Impala

    Tame Impala is an Australian psychedelic rock project founded by Kevin Parker in 2007. It began as a home recording project for Parker, who writes, records, performs, and produces all of the music. Tame Impala is known for its genre-blending sound and albums like Lonerism and Currents.

    Don't knock this band unless you've really listened to them. Seriously, great music does not only lie in the past bands of our generation. Tame Impala is amazing. I don't know if they're the best, but they're certainly up there.

    Hands down, the only band in modern times that can be called one of the best of all time!

    Notice how they're probably the only modern band on this list? They're that talented.

  7. King Crimson

    King Crimson was a British progressive rock band formed in 1969. The group underwent numerous lineup changes, but guitarist Robert Fripp remained the consistent driving force. Their most notable lineup from 1972 to 1975 included Fripp, John Wetton, Bill Bruford, and David Cross. The band is best known... read more

  8. Grateful Dead

    The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band became known for its eclectic style, blending rock, folk, country, bluegrass, blues, reggae, jazz, and psychedelia. Their music often featured long, improvisational instrumental jams.... read more

    None of these top bands, other than Pink Floyd's early years, would play long, 20-minute-plus songs, and none of these bands would stay out and play two sets. These guys deserve to be number one.

    I'm a Deadhead, so Grateful Dead is in the top 5.

  9. Jefferson Airplane

    Jefferson Airplane was a San Francisco, California-based band that pioneered the American counterculture movement and psychedelic rock. The group played a prominent role in the music scene of the 1960s and gained fame for their performances at major festivals like Woodstock and Monterey Pop.

    Members:... read more

    Honestly, how can they not be first? Jefferson Airplane put psychedelic music on the map, and there isn't one member that plays poorly. Jack Cassady is hands down the best American bassist ever. Jorma Kaukonen's fingerpicking goodness with his signature weird noisy guitar psychedelicness is unparalleled. Skip Spence was on drums for their first album, and Spencer Dryden took over afterward. Marty Balin's incredible folk voice on the debut album and Grace Slick's powerful voice are both exceptional. Paul Kantner played rhythm guitar and wrote some incredible songs.

    Grace Slick wrote "White Rabbit" in 1965 when she was still with The Great Society, but it went mainstream in 1967 with Jefferson Airplane.

  10. The Beach Boys

    The Beach Boys are an American pop rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The original lineup included brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. They are widely recognized for their vocal harmonies and innovative studio work, especially... read more

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Infected Mushroom

    Infected Mushroom is an Israeli electronic music duo formed in Haifa in 1996 by Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani. They are best known for pioneering psychedelic trance and for blending this genre with elements of experimental bass music, rock, and Middle Eastern influences. Their 2003 album Converting... read more

  12. ?

    Melody's Echo Chamber

    13. The Contenders

  13. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

    This band, in my opinion, is the most diverse band I have ever heard. They experiment so much with different sounds and instruments, and it never seems to go bad. Stu Mackenzie, the lead singer/guitarist/clarinet player/flute player/keyboard player/bassist, and much more, is such a musical genius. He writes songs in 7/4 time like it was a normal time signature. The way Stu experiments with different instruments is amazing to me. He can make anything go together.

    The amount of diversity these guys bring to the table is unparalleled, with so many great albums in such a short span of time, each a wonder on its own, but some forming a loosely cohesive "Gizzaverse." If you want a psych rock experience for the ages, throw on Nonagon Infinity and open the door. Just make sure you put it on repeat.

  14. The Who

    The Who is an English rock band formed in London, England, in 1964. The most recognizable lineup consisted of Roger Daltrey (lead vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar), John Entwistle (bass guitar), and Keith Moon (drums). They are best known for their live performances and hit songs "Baba O'Riley," "My Generation... read more

  15. The Yardbirds

    The Yardbirds are an English rock band formed in London in 1963. The band launched the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963-1965), Jeff Beck (1965-1966), and Jimmy Page (1966-1968), all of whom ranked in the top five of Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest... read more

    The Yardbirds pre-dated everyone else by over a year with what would become "the psychedelic sound."

  16. The Byrds

    The Byrds were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. They achieved early commercial success and played a significant role in popularizing folk rock. While they did not maintain the same level of popularity as the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, their influence on 1960s rock... read more

  17. MGMT

    MGMT is an American rock band formed in 2002 by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their debut album, additional members Matthew Asti, James Richardson, and Will Berman joined the band for live performances and later contributed in the studio. The group gained widespread... read more

  18. The Arcana

    The Arcana are a British rock band formed in 2016 in London, England. The band consists of Peter Lennodo on vocals, guitars, and keyboards, Jack Aquiziac on vocals, bass guitar, and keyboards, and Joey Silverheel on drums and percussion.... read more

    Some people consider that The Arcana's second album, Lemon Freddy Phantom of the Sky, is a psychedelic album, but there are only a few songs on the album that could be considered properly psychedelic: "Yellow Plastic Tiling," "When The Feeling's Gone," and "We In The Moonlight." But I'm sure other people will debate this. The band is still probably more psychedelic than most other contemporary bands linked to this genre.

    Whatever the genre, seriously, they're amazing to listen to.

  19. The Moody Blues

    The Moody Blues were an English rock band known for their influence on art rock and progressive rock. They began by playing rhythm and blues, but their second album, Days of Future Passed, released in 1967, merged rock with orchestral music. The band remained active for many years and was inducted into... read more

  20. Strawberry Alarm Clock

    Strawberry Alarm Clock is a psychedelic rock band formed in 1967 in Los Angeles, best known for their 1967 hit single "Incense and Peppermints." The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The band was known for its vibrant sound and is considered emblematic of 1960s psychedelic music... read more

    How is this not at least in the top 3? You people know nothing about psychedelic music. Go listen to Curse of the Witches and Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow and come back and tell me this doesn't deserve to be in the top 3.

  21. Porcupine Tree

    Porcupine Tree are an English progressive rock band formed by musician Steven Wilson in 1987. The band began as a solo project for Wilson, who created all of the band's music in its early years. They later evolved into a full band, gaining critical acclaim for albums like In Absentia and Fear of a Blank... read more

    They are psychedelic. Have you listened to "It Will Rain for a Million Years" or "Untitled"?

  22. 13th Floor Elevators

  23. Quicksilver Messenger Service

    Listen to "Cavalry" or "Gold and Silver," and you'll know why Quicksilver is the best of psychedelic rock.

    Why is this behind a bunch of non-psychedelic bands? Also, no offense to The Seeds, but it is better than The Seeds.

  24. Big Brother and the Holding Company

    Big Brother and the Holding Company is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1965 as part of the psychedelic music scene. They are best known for launching the career of Janis Joplin, who joined the band in 1966. The band achieved significant fame with the release of their 1968 album... read more

    Should be higher. With Janis Joplin (the best singer of all time) and the rest of the band, they made great songs like Summertime, Piece of My Heart, and Ball and Chain.

  25. Led Zeppelin

    Led Zeppelin was an English hard rock band formed in London in 1968 as the New Yardbirds. The group consisted of Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboard), and John Bonham (drums). The band was largely the brainchild of Jimmy Page, who even financed their first tour... read more

  26. Graveyard

    Graveyard is a Swedish hard rock band from Gothenburg, Sweden, formed in 2006. The band is known for its blend of classic rock, blues, and psychedelic influences. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2007.

  27. Animal Collective

    Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland in 2003. Its founding members are Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin, and Geologist. The band is known for its eclectic sound, blending elements of psychedelic, folk, electronic, and noise music.

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