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| 1968 in music | |
|---|---|
| Year | 1968 |
| Overview | A pivotal year marked by landmark albums, transformative singles, avant-garde compositions, and major industry events across rock, pop, jazz, classical, and musical theatre. |
1968 in music
1968 was a watershed year that saw revolutionary releases from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, and The Velvet Underground intersect with landmark performances by The Beatles at Apple Corps events, tumultuous concerts involving The Rolling Stones, and politically charged appearances tied to Paris and Prague Spring. The year combined studio innovation from George Martin, Brian Wilson, Glyn Johns, and Phil Spector with avant-garde work from Karlheinz Stockhausen, John Cage, Steve Reich, and Luciano Berio and influential festivals such as Isle of Wight Festival precursors and performances at Wembley Stadium.
A major event was the informal release of the White Album sessions culminating in the self-titled double album issued by Apple Records, involving producers George Martin and engineers like Geoff Emerick; concurrently Paul McCartney and John Lennon engaged in disputes that presaged the breakup of The Beatles. The Rolling Stones released Beggars Banquet produced by Jimmy Miller and managed by Andrew Loog Oldham, while Brian Jones faced legal and health crises leading to his departure and later death associated with locations such as Sussex. Jimi Hendrix performed at events connected with Monterey Pop Festival legacies and studio collaborations with Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell. Soul milestones included Aretha Franklin recording for Atlantic Records with producers Jerry Wexler and engineers from Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section; contemporaneous acts such as Otis Redding and Sam Cooke shaped R&B trajectories. In folk and protest arenas, figures like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Joan Baez's association with Newport Folk Festival continued to reverberate amid political upheavals like Tet Offensive and demonstrations in Paris and Chicago affecting concert security. The year also saw expansion of Motown Records tours featuring Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, and Smokey Robinson.
Landmark albums included The Beatles (the "White Album") on Apple Records, Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones, Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Aretha Now by Aretha Franklin, and White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground. Other notable albums were Burt Bacharach productions, Simon & Garfunkel's evolving catalog around Paul Simon, Waiting for the Sun by The Doors, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention oeuvres, Fleetwood Mac's early blues era, and Crosby, Stills & Nash precursors. Jazz-influenced releases featured Miles Davis sessions that anticipated later fusion, while soul LPs by Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett appeared on labels like Stax Records and Atlantic Records. Country artists such as Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton continued prolific recording, and progressive composers like Frank Zappa and Van Morrison released boundary-pushing work.
Chart-topping singles included hits by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Monkees, Aretha Franklin, and Marvin Gaye. Pop charts reflected acts such as The Supremes, Jim Croce beginnings, Petula Clark's continued success, and British Invasion carryovers like The Kinks and The Who. R&B and soul singles by Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Al Green, and James Brown influenced dance charts, while psychedelic singles by Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, and Cream impacted FM radio playlists curated by figures like Alan Freed's successors. Country charts showed singles from Glen Campbell and Tammy Wynette, and novelty or crossover hits involved artists such as Herb Alpert.
Contemporary classical premieres included works by Karlheinz Stockhausen, Luciano Berio, Igor Stravinsky posthumous performances, and new operatic pieces by composers such as Benjamin Britten and György Ligeti performed at venues like Royal Opera House, La Scala, and Carnegie Hall. Conductors such as Herbert von Karajan, Leonard Bernstein, George Szell, and Pierre Boulez led premieres and celebrated recordings with orchestras including Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and London Symphony Orchestra. Avant-garde ensembles performed pieces by John Cage and Iannis Xenakis, and electronic studios like BBC Radiophonic Workshop and Cologne Electronic Music Studio advanced tape and synthesis techniques.
In jazz, innovators such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane associates, Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, and Sun Ra pushed forms toward free jazz and fusion. Miles Davis's sessions foreshadowed Bitches Brew connections with musicians like Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams. Experimental circles saw premieres by Steve Reich, Philip Glass beginnings, La Monte Young, and collaborations in ensembles tied to Tanglewood and Juilliard School. European improvised music involved figures such as Peter Brötzmann and Karl Berger.
Notable musical theatre productions included premieres and revivals on Broadway and the West End featuring works by Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber precursors, and scores by Leonard Bernstein. Film scores from composers like Ennio Morricone, John Barry, Bernard Herrmann, and Nino Rota accompanied films by directors Francis Ford Coppola, Stanley Kubrick, Federico Fellini, and Jean-Luc Godard. Soundtracks blended pop and orchestral elements, with notable contributions from Henry Mancini and contemporary arrangements by Quincy Jones.
1968 saw births of future influential artists and industry figures across genres, including pop, rock, hip hop, and classical performers (notable names across global scenes). The year also recorded deaths that impacted music: the loss of Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, longstanding contributors across jazz and classical spheres, and unexpected passings that resonated through communities including Rhythm and Blues and Folk circles; institutions like BBC and Motown Records memorialized these losses.
Major award recognitions were given by institutions such as the Grammy Awards, Ivor Novello Awards, and national academies, celebrating recordings by The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix. Milestones included the growth of independent labels like Island Records and Sire Records, expansion of music publishing hubs in New York City and London, and technological advancements from studios such as Abbey Road Studios and equipment by EMS (company) and Moog Music that shaped recording practices.