The Birth of Progressive Rock Music: 1965

1965

The most important music events of the year--ones that contributed to the birth of Progressive Rock Music.

January/February - Impulse! Records releases JOHN COLTRANE's genre-changing album, A Love Supreme.

January - Parrot Records release THE ZOMBIES' debut album, called The Zombies. The album contains two mega hits that were released in late 1964, "She's Not There" and "Tell Her No" as well as "You've Really Got a Hold on Me." The album is also remarkable for containing seven original songs penned by band members Rod Argent or Chris White.

April 13 - at the Grammy Awards the big winners are Joao Gilberto and Stan Getz and "The Girl from Ipanema," celebrating the rising popularity and impact of Brazilian bassa nova.

May - July - Simon & Garfunkle's "Sounds of Silence," The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction," and The Beatles' "Yesterday" are all penned and recorded.

July 5 - Epic Records releases THE YARDBIRDS' first US album, For Your Love on which Jeff Beck's electric guitar play on three tracks receives major notice for representing "the future sound" and "true direction of" the band, while Eric Clapton's guitar work on the remainder of the songs is touted as "some of the best blues-based rock & roll of its era."

August 30 - Columbia/CBS Records releases BOB DYLAN's genre-creating ("Folk Rock") album, Highway 61 Revisited, oft-considered one of the greatest and most influential records of all-time.

1. "Like A Rolling Stone" (5:59)
2. "Tombstone Blues" (5:53)
3. "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry" (3:25)
4. "From A Buick 6" (3:06)
5. "Ballad Of A Thin Man" (5:48)
6. "Queen Jane Approximately" (4:57)
7. "Highway 61 Revisited" (3:15)
8. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" (5:08)
9. "Desolation Row" (11:18)

September - MGM Records releases THE ANIMALS' Animal Tracks. The album is most notable for accumulating the band's recent singles using their very successful "dirty rhythm and blues sound" with songs that were mostly written by the band themselves instead of covers. 

November 5 - Brunswick Records releases The Who's single, "My Generation."

November 15 - THE YARDBIRDS Having a Rave Up, an album which notes the replacement of dissatisfied blues-oriented guitarist Eric Clapton with adventurous/experimental electric guitarist, Jeff Beck. Side One contains six studio recordings with Jeff Beck providing the guitar playing while Side Two contains recordings from live performances in which Eric Clapton was the band's guitarist.  

December 5 - Parlophone Records releases THE BEATLES' Rubber Soul, in the UK (in mono, of course).

My Favorite Albums of 1965:

1. JOHN COLTRANE A Love Supreme

2. THE ZOMBIES The Zombies

3. BOB DYLAN Highway 61 Revisited
4. THE YARDBIRDS For Your Love

5. THE YARDBIRDS Having a Rave Up

6. THE ANIMALS Animal Tracks