The 60s are considered a watershed decade in the history of music due to the many classic songs that appeared in this era that changed the sound and direction of music forever. The changes that took place in just 10 short years were simply enormous and its effects are still being felt and are still influencing today’s musicians. The following article has been written to give you a concise rundown of the major songs and artists from this decade whose legacy is still being felt today.

At the beginning of the 1960s, Elvis was still the King and even more so when he released his first songs after returning from military service in Germany. Many of his songs such as “It’s Now or Never” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” all became number 1 hits during this period. The early 1960s also saw the emergence of teen artists who for the first time achieved significant success on the charts. Brenda Lee made her debut with the classic song “I’m Sorry” at just 15 years of age and had a long career through the 60s and 70s. Matt Dinning’s song “Teen Angel” also became a smash hit and continued with the theme of a lost teen love. All these young artists had a clean-cut image which would not last much longer in the 60s.

However, 1964 would be the year that changed music forever. The arrival of the Beatles in America and along with it The British Invasion would completely transform the entire industry, especially in North America. The Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964 has been pinpointed as possibly the most important musical moment of the 20th century. It is their appearances on the show that kick-started Beatlemania in America and the rest of the world. No other band had ever caused so much hysteria and no other band has done since. The Beatles became mega superstars with their ridiculous chords, beautiful melodies, accumulating incredible commercial and critical success and 20 number 1 hits in the United States in just 6 years. No other singer or group has been able to match their success since and it’s unlikely anybody ever will.

The Beatles’ success also led to the British Invasion with artists such as The Rolling Stones and The Animals also becoming commercial successful in their own right during this period. Bands such as the Troggs and the Kinks emerged as pioneers of heavy metal which would emerge in its more well-known form in the early 70s but you can’t help but recognize the influence of these early bands. “Wild Thing” and “You Really Got Me” are much listen songs from the 60s if you are a heavy metal or hard rock fan.