The music that made 1969 a shape-shifting year for rock 'n' roll
n many ways, the records that came out in 1969 defined our idea of what rock ’n’ roll would sound like over the next five decades. It was the year when all the wild ideas of the hippie era came into focus, birthing a variety of subgenres including heavy metal, prog and jam. Here is a small sampling of the shape-shifting albums that come out at the tail end of the ’60s.
The Beatles’ “Abbey Road”
The album the Fab Four made as they were falling apart, this stands as the group’s most approachable set, filled with timeless gems such as Paul McCartney’s “You Never Give Me Your Money,” John Lennon’s “Because” and George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun.” An exquisite goodbye to the band and the ’60s in general.
Source: Joshua Kosman/datebook.sfchronicle.com
