Albums of 1967
The records from 1967 that made our lists.
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1Born Under a Bad SignAlbert King
Born Under a Bad Sign
Stax-backed electric blues of enormous influence, King's string-bending guitar setting a template for rock players. Tough and tuneful. Essential.
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2I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love YouAretha Franklin
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
The album where Aretha found her voice at Atlantic, fusing gospel fire with secular soul on 'Respect' and the title track. Raw, commanding and historic. The Queen of Soul announces herself.
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3John Wesley HardingBob Dylan
John Wesley Harding
A spare, parable-like retreat from psychedelia toward acoustic mystery. Quiet and influential. A pivotal record.
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4Buffalo Springfield AgainBuffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield Again
A peak of folk-rock songcraft from a star-laden band. Tuneful and acclaimed. A high point.
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5Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at 'The Club'Cannonball Adderley
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at 'The Club'
A soulful, funky live peak, home to its gospel-tinged title hit. Joyful and beloved. A crossover classic.
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6Disraeli GearsCream
Disraeli Gears
A psychedelic blues-rock landmark, home to 'Sunshine of Your Love' and Clapton's heavy riffing. Colourful and influential. A 60s classic.
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7Surrealistic PillowJefferson Airplane
Surrealistic Pillow
A defining record of the San Francisco sound, home to 'Somebody to Love' and 'White Rabbit'. Psychedelic and tuneful. A 60s classic.
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8CornbreadLee Morgan
Cornbread
A soulful hard-bop peak, home to 'Ceora'. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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9Songs of Leonard CohenLeonard Cohen
Songs of Leonard Cohen
A debut of literary, world-weary folk that introduced 'Suzanne' and 'So Long, Marianne'. Spare and poetic. The foundation of a long, great career.
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10West Side SoulMagic Sam
West Side Soul
A landmark of the West Side Chicago-blues sound. Soulful and acclaimed. A genre classic.
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11The Real McCoyMcCoy Tyner
The Real McCoy
A powerful post-Coltrane peak of muscular modal piano. Dynamic and acclaimed. A Blue Note classic.
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12Branded ManMerle Haggard
Branded Man
An early peak of plain-spoken Bakersfield country. Warm and beloved. A high point.
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13Miles SmilesMiles Davis
Miles Smiles
A peak of the second quintet's elastic, exploratory post-bop. Sophisticated and acclaimed. A landmark.
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14The Piper at the Gates of DawnPink Floyd
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
A whimsical, psychedelic debut led by Syd Barrett. Inventive and strange. A 60s landmark.
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15Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandThe Beatles
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The album that reframed the LP as a complete artistic statement rather than a singles vehicle, dressed in orchestral flourishes, music-hall whimsy and studio trickery. Its influence on production and album-as-concept thinking is hard to overstate. Best heard start to finish, the way it was designed.
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16Magical Mystery TourThe Beatles
Magical Mystery Tour
A patchy but rich psychedelic set gathering film songs and singles, including 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'I Am the Walrus'. Colourful and inventive. A trippy snapshot.
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17Younger Than YesterdayThe Byrds
Younger Than Yesterday
A peak of jangly, psychedelic folk-rock invention. Tuneful and acclaimed. A high point.
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18The DoorsThe Doors
The Doors
A dark, hypnotic debut balancing pop singles with the sprawling 'The End'. Morrison's poetry and Manzarek's organ define it. A definitive 60s record.
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19Strange DaysThe Doors
Strange Days
A darker, more assured follow-up to the debut. Atmospheric and beloved. A strong second record.
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20Are You ExperiencedThe Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are You Experienced
A debut that rewrote the rules of electric guitar, full of fuzz, feedback and psychedelic invention. Revolutionary and thrilling. Where modern rock guitar begins.
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21Something Else by the KinksThe Kinks
Something Else by the Kinks
A witty, melodic peak, home to 'Waterloo Sunset'. Beautiful and beloved. A high point.
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22The Velvet Underground & NicoThe Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground & Nico
Commercially ignored on release and quietly one of the most influential records ever made, pairing pop melody with feedback, drone and unflinching lyrics. Nico's icy vocals and Reed's street poetry still feel startling. Countless bands started after hearing it.
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23The Who Sell OutThe Who
The Who Sell Out
A playful concept album framed as pirate radio, complete with jingles, home to 'I Can See for Miles'. Inventive and fun. A pop-art gem.
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24Adam's AppleWayne Shorter
Adam's Apple
A warm, melodic post-bop peak, home to 'Footprints'. Beautiful and beloved. A high point.