10 Best Hard Rock Albums Of The 1960's

Once the Summer of Love was in full swing, New York was a mecca for the psychedelic movement. With the legendary Woodstock festival being held just outside the city limits, it felt like everyone was looking to get high and spread the love of existence across the land. Even amid the hippie idealism, something much different was happening once you entered the city.

Coming from the seedy underbelly of Manhattan, the debut from the Velvet Underground was unlike anything rock had ever heard. The lyrics from Lou Reed were poetic like Bob Dylan, but the topics were much more menacing, as he dealt with everything from drug dealing to S&M. The music was also incredibly trippy, with composer John Cale creating broad soundscapes that made the listener feel both at ease and unsettled at the same time.

On the other hand, the album runs the gamut of song tones, with beautiful tracks like "Sunday Morning" put alongside grimy diatribes like "I'm Waiting for the Man." This record also features one of the most visceral songs in rock with "Heroin," whose minimalist music is made up for with truly maniacal energy. This record may not have gotten its proper recognition at the time, but the rock world is still intrigued by its gorgeous atrocities.