The Rolling Stones

The British Invasion remains one of the most relevant music movements of the sixties. British pop and rock ‘n’ roll bands, already sensations in their home country, rose to take the US music scene by storm. This movement was led in 1964 by the prominent migration of ‘Beatlemania’ across the pond. The Beatles were first played on American radio on December 17, 1963, and were duly received with vast amounts of praise and curiosity. Capitol Records was forced to release the single I Want To Hold Your Hand three weeks early. This became a precursor to their immense and immediate popularity, a phenomenon that would continue until the band’s end in 1970.

The Beatles – I Wanna Hold Your Hand

But The Beatles weren’t alone in spreading Britain’s unique musical talent, others followed; The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who and The Animals became ubiquitous in the US, spreading the reach of their influence across the globe. Bands such as these firmly established the genre of music they represented, primarily rock and roll, along with the legitimacy of the British music industry. Bands of the British Invasion inspired American performers, some of whom began to mimic the style, and periodically stifled other emerging genres. This wave of ‘Britishness’ occupied the US music scene in its entirety, up until 1967.

The Rolling Stones – Not Fade Away

The Ministry of Sound at Elephant & Castle, London UK

Just like The Beatles headed the British Invasion, Ministry of Sound has remained at the forefront of club music for eighteen years. The nightclub, founded in South London in 1991, was originally dedicated to the promotion of US house music in the UK. It opened in a disused bus garage and was fast to gain popularity. Now, Ministry of Sound presents the very best of genres such as house, electronic and dance, attracting international DJs and a diverse crowd that all share a common love of music. Not only was it successful in heralding the arrival of US house music, but it has cultivated that success by always presenting the freshest new beats.

However, unlike The Beatles and the British Invasion movement, Ministry of Sound has extended its popularity through more than one medium of influence. Over the years, Ministry has evolved from a venue to a global brand; this includes the regular release of CDs, a TV station, a radio show, and various paraphernalia such as clothing and other merchandise. Additionally, a second club has opened in Egypt. Also dissimilar is Ministry’s ability to adapt to the times. It is widely thought that the British Invasion lasted for a mere three years. Comparatively, Ministry celebrated its eighteenth birthday two months ago and has thrived for nearly two decades. The Ministry of Sound label began as a key component of the internationalization of US house music; it now stands as a movement in itself, one that celebrates a broader genre of electronic music on a global scale. Here’s to another eighteen years of prosperity.

Plumb – In My Arms (Bimbo Jones Extended Remix)

Anna Christofferson

From this decade, a new kind of music blossomed and the hippie counterculture was born.  While the majority of Americans still blindly pledged allegiance to the deceitful government and held true to their conservative ways, a minority of people told Uncle Sam to go to hell.  They grew out their hair, dropped acid, and rocked out to the jams of the 1960s.

Jimi Hendrix “Voodoo Chile” live at Woodstock

Rock historians and the future generations of America will forever glorify the weekend of August 15th to 18th in the year of 1969.  It was the weekend the Woodstock Music Festival was held in Bethel, New York.  It was “three days of peace love and music” where half a million people, whose tents blew over from the wind and heavy rains, stayed in the mud, got high, and listened to the music of Jimi Hendrix and the Experience, Jefferson Airplane, and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Jefferson Airplane “White Rabbit” live at Woodstock

This music is considered art because of its poetic lyrics and the meanings behind those lyrics.  People today would do anything to travel back in time so they could witness these musical geniuses perform their art live onstage.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son

A folk culture has developed naturally from this music because of what it stood for.  The hippies and young adults of the baby boomer generation worshiped the artists’ talents and music of the 1960’s.  They passed their love for rock music on to their children in order to keep the culture alive.

The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”  on the Ed Sullivan Show

The rock music of the 1960’s mainstreamed into society by the music industry and its heavy marketing of catchy songs like the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction and the Doors’ “Light My Fire”.  These bands would appear on the Ed Sullivan show and were required to censor their lyrics as to not offend the live and TV audiences.  The Doors were banned from the Ed Sullivan show after Jim Morrison refused to say “girl we couldn’t get much better” instead of “girl we couldn’t get much higher” during the performance of “Light My Fire.” 1960s rock also became a part of mass culture by the commercialization of it. The establishment of the Hard Rock Café chain, the making of Hollywood movies, and the manufacturing of merchandise with 1960’s artists screened onto the front of sneakers, t-shirts, hats are just a few examples of this.

Rock music of the 1960’s will live on forever because of its everlasting impact on society through its appreciation as an art form, its folk culture, and its acceptance as part of mass culture.  Bands formed in the 1970’s to the present are inspired by the work of the artists of the 1960’s because of their innovative performances, sounds, and lyrics.

Taylor Collins