The 25 best albums of 1968

8 October 2023, 07:00

Pop becomes rock in the year of the"White Album", Waiting For The Sun, Beggars Banquet, A Saucerful Of Secrets and The Village Green Preservation Society.

By Radio X

@RadioX

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1. The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers: release date 15th January 1968

   The fifth album from the American band saw a number of personnel issues, including the departure of founding member David Crosby. The album includes Goin' Back, Wasn't Born To Follow and Old John Robertson, before Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman took the band in a country music direction.

   

2. The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat: release date 30th January 1968

   The VU's second album is the last to feature John Cale and is more art-rock than the first, with the narrative tale of The Gift and the 17-minute ramble of Sister Ray, while maintaining their hugely influential sound on the title track and Here She Comes Now.

   

3. Fleetwood Mac - Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac: release date February 1968

   Then under the leadership of guitarist Peter Green and the only Fleetwood Mac album not to feature the late Christine McVie, this debut album includes covers of blues classics like Hellhound On My Trail and Shake Your Moneymaker, plus a few original songs.

   

4. Otis Redding - Dock Of The Bay: release date 23rd February 1968

   The soul singer from Georgia had died in a plane crash in December 1967, so this was the first of many collections to appear posthumously and included his signature song (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay, recorded just three days before his death.

   

5. The Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter: release date March 1968

   The psychedelic folk band, centred around Robin Williamson and Mike Heron, were hugely influential in the late 60s. This was their third album and included A Very Cellular Song and The Minotaur's Song.

   

6. Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends: release date 3rd April 1968

   The fourth album from the duo included the hits Mrs Robinson, Hazy Shade Of Winter and America.

   

7. The Zombies - Odyssey And Oracle: release date 19th April 1968

   The British rock band's second studio album included one of their finest moments, Time Of The Season, plus Care Of Cell 44 and Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)

   

8. The Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake: release date 24th May 1968

   The British rock band - fronted by Steve Marriott - took on a psychedelic concept album about Happiness Stan's attempt to find the "missing half" of the moon. Tracks included Afterglow Of Your Love and the hit Lazy Sunday.

   

9. Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida: release date 14th June 1968

   The title track of this classic rock and/or roll album takes up the whole of side 2 of the Californian band's second album - the title is a strung out way of saying "in the garden of Eden".

   

10. Aretha Franklin - Aretha Now: release date 14th June 1968

    The soul legend's finest collection of songs, including Think, I Say A Little Prayer and I Can't See Myself Leaving You.

    

11. Pink Floyd - A Saucerful Of Secrets: release date 28th June 1968

    The Floyd's second album saw decreasing input from their frontman Syd Barrett, whose mental health deteriorated during recording. The finished album includes only one of his songs, while new guitarist David Gilmour makes his first appearance. Highlights include the four part title track and Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun.

    

12. The Band - Music From Big Pink: release date 1st July 1968

    A hugely influential album of Americana, recorded by the band that had been backing Bob Dylan for some time, most notably on the heavily bootlegged tracks known as The Basement Tapes. Tracks included the Dylan songs This Wheel's On Fire and I Shall Be Released, and Robbie Robertson's The Weight.

    

13. The Doors - Waiting For The Sun: release date 3rd July 1968

    The band's third album included the hit Hello I Love You, the controversial anti-war song The Unknown Soldier and the revolutionary Five To One. The song called Waiting For The Sun wouldn't appear until 1970's Morrison Hotel album.

    

14. The Moody Blues - In Search Of The Lost Chord: release date 26th July 1968

    The third album from the Birmingham R&B band saw them head into more psychedelic territory with this series of far-out songs about the universal chord (it turns out to be "Om"). Singles included Voices In The Sky and Ride My See-Saw.

    

15. Jeff Beck - Truth: release date 29th July 1968

    The guitar legend left the Yardbirds and issued this first solo outing, which included Shapes Of Things, You Shook Me and Beck's Bolero.

    

16. Cream - Wheels Of Fire: release date 9th August 1968 (UK)

    Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce's blues rock trio issued their third album, which included The White Room and a cover of Albert King's Born Under A Bad Sign.

    

17. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland: release date 17th October 1968

    The final Experience album and the final studio album to be issued before Hendrix died in 1970, this double set summarises the musician's genius: from the apocalyptic Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) and All Along The Watchtower to the more chilled sounds of Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) and Burning of the Midnight Lamp. The UK edition featured a cover depicting a number of naked women, while the US edition was a little more restrained and showcased the man himself.

    

18. The Monkees - Head: release date November 1968

    The soundtrack to The Monkees' film was a kiss off to their manufactured "boy band" image and included snatches of speech from the movie. Songs included the beautiful Porpoise Song and the lovely As We Go Along. The cover came with a mirrored foil effect so you could see your own "head" reflected back at you.

    

19. George Harrison - Wonderwall Music: release date 1st November 1968

    Beating John's experimental Two Virgins LP by a couple of weeks, George bagged the place of the first Beatle to issue a solo album (Macca's soundtrack to The Family Way was recorded by The George Martin Orchestra you see). Wonderwall was a piece of psychedelic whimsy from director Joe Massot and starring Jane Birkin, while the album is a series of Harrison instrumentals that alternate between music hall and mystical Indian pieces.

    

20. The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society: release date 22nd November 1968

    Ray Davies' tribute to the mythical golden age of Britain was the band's sixth album and their best collection of songs. Tracks included Big Sky, Picture Book, Johnny Thunder, and - on copies in Europe - the single Days.

    

21. The Beatles - The Beatles: release date 22nd November 1968

    The Fab Four's only studio double album was an eclectic selection of songs written while out in India studying meditation with the Maharishi. Ranging from the rock of Back In The USSR, Helter Skelter and While My Guitar Gently Weeps, the balladry of Dear Prudence, Blackbird to the avant garde noise of Revolution 9, it's their most diverse album, with songs written by all four members. The self-titled record earned its nickname by having a completely blank cover - apart from the band's name subtly embossed on the sleeve.

    

22. Van Morrison - Astral Weeks: release date 29th November 1968

    Morrison's second solo album is perhaps his most famous, with the Northern Irish singer-songwriter penning songs like Sweet Thing, Cyprus Avenue and The Way Young Lovers Do.

    

23. The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet: release date 6th December 1968

    After a messy year of legal problems and their underwhelming take on psychedelia with Their Satanic Majesties Request, the Stones were back on fiery form in '68 with a revolutionary attitude that can be found in songs like Sympathy For The Devil and Street Fighting Man. This toilet cover was the original design, nixed by thir label Decca for many years.

    

24. Elvis Presley - Elvis: release date December 1968

    The "'68 Comeback Special" was a TV show that saw the King of Rock 'N' Roll return from years of cloying movie roles. Looking back at some of his classic 50s numbers, the show climaxed with the gospel-influenced I Can Dream, the show and accompanying album was a huge surprise and delight for fans who'd thought Presley had lost his touch.

    

25. The Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow: release date 20th December 1968

    The fourth album from the Kent-based rock band stakes a claim as being one of the first rock opera album, following the life of the title character.