60s Guitar Rock Bands You Remember

This page celebrates the memorable one-hit wonders and chart-topping groups that filled radios, jukeboxes, and dance halls with timeless melodies.

Whether you remember these bands from your youth or you’re just discovering them, each song here includes a guitar-friendly tutorial to help you play along and keep the music alive.

Count Me In appears on the 1965 album A Session with Gary Lewis and the Playboys.

Released as a single, the track performed exceptionally well, climbing to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, held out of the top spot only by Herman's Hermits.

The song was written by Glen D. Hardin, who would later become a member of Elvis Presley’s TCB Band. Interestingly, despite the "Playboys" name on the cover, much of the instrumentation on this track and the album was actually provided by the legendary session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew.

This Diamond Ring serves as the title track for the group’s debut album, released in 1965. It skyrocketed to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, launching Gary Lewis into instant stardom.

A persistent piece of rock trivia surrounds this hit: while Gary Lewis sang the lead, there have been long-standing rumors, often confirmed by session players, that the actual "Playboys" did not play on the record. Instead, the heavy lifting was done by studio pros like drummer Hal Blaine and keyboardist Leon Russell, creating that polished, radio-ready sound.

Indian Reservation was the title track of the 1971 album Indian Reservation. By this point, the band had shortened their name simply to "The Raiders" in an attempt to update their image.

The gamble worked, and the single hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the group’s biggest-selling hit. Produced by lead singer Mark Lindsay, the song features a distinctive organ riff and lyrics by John D. Loudermilk.

To ensure its success, keyboardist Paul Revere famously rode a motorcycle across the country to personally promote the record at various radio stations.

Kicks became the signature anthem for Paul Revere & The Raiders, landing on their 1966 album Midnight Ride.

The single climbed to #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Written by the legendary team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, the song is historically significant as one of rock's first major anti-drug songs, penned as a warning to a songwriter friend about addiction.

While originally offered to The Animals, lead singer Eric Burdon rejected it, allowing the Raiders to turn the garage-rock track into a smash hit that remains a staple of the 60s era.

Never My Love  is a standout track from The Association’s 1967 album Insight Out.

It was a massive success as a single, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has a remarkable legacy; according to BMI, it is one of the most performed songs of the 20th century, surpassing even "Yesterday" by The Beatles in terms of airplay and performances.

The smooth harmonies and romantic lyrics made it a wedding staple for decades, cementing the band's reputation as masters of sunshine pop. s song thru the years.

The song can be found on their album "Inside Out". 

Windy also hails from the 1967 album Insight Out, showcasing The Association's dominance during that year.

This upbeat anthem went straight to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Unusually for the time, the song was written by a female folk singer, Ruthann Friedman, who was a friend of the band.

The lead vocals were shared by Russ Giguere and Larry Ramos, capturing a breezy California vibe that defined the Summer of Love. Trivia hunters might note that the "Windy" in the song was not a woman, but a generic counter-culture figure.

Don't Talk to Strangers appears on The Beau Brummels, Vol. 2 in 1965, The song reached #33 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The band was unique for being an American group from San Francisco that successfully mimicked the British Invasion sound so well that many fans assumed they were English. The track was notably produced by a young Sylvester Stewart, who would soon become world-famous as Sly Stone.

Written by guitarist Ron Elliott, the song features complex folk-rock chords and moody harmonies that predated the psychedelic explosion of the Haight-Ashbury scene.

Laugh Laugh is one of the standout tracks by The Beau Brummels, featured on their 1965 debut album, "Introducing... The Beau Brummels." This song played a pivotal role in launching the band's career and capturing the essence of the mid-60s pop and folk-rock sound.

"Laugh, Laugh" was a massive success for the band, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

A notable piece of trivia about the song is that it was the first hit single for The Beau Brummels. It helped pave the way for their future success and established them as one of the prominent bands of the mid-60s.

Turn Around is a significant song by The Beau Brummels, featured on their 1968 album, "Bradley's Barn." This track represented a departure from their earlier folk-rock sound, reflecting the evolving musical landscape of the late 60s.

"Turn Around" didn't chart as highly as some of their earlier hits, but it showcased the band's willingness to experiment with new styles.

An interesting piece of trivia about the song is that it was written by Ron Elliott, one of the band's core members.Some Nashville musicians performed on this track including Jerry Reed. The Everly Brothers also covered the song in 1968.

Greenfields is the opening track on The Brothers Four’s debut self-titled album, released in 1960. It reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 20 weeks on the chart and becoming a folk music standard.

The song’s melancholic lyrics and acoustic arrangement were actually penned much earlier in 1956 by members of the group The Easy Riders.

It remains a definitive example of the "pop-folk" boom of the early 1960s, paving the way for similar acoustic acts that would follow in the decade.

The Green Leaves Of Summer was included on The Brothers Four's album "BMOC/Best Music On/Off Campus," which was released in 1960. This album was one of their early successful releases and helped establish their reputation in the folk music scene.

As for chart performance, "The Green Leaves of Summer" reached number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. While not a top 10 hit, it still made a respectable showing on the charts and contributed to The Brothers Four's popularity.

It's worth noting that the song itself was originally written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster for the 1960 film "The Alamo." The Brothers Four's version helped popularize the song beyond its original movie context.

Spooky serves as the title track for The Classics IV's 1968 debut album.

Released as a single in late 1967, it became a massive hit, reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charting even higher in Canada.

Interestingly, the song began its life as a jazz instrumental performed by saxophonist Mike Sharpe; band members James Cobb and Buddy Buie later added the lyrics about the "spooky little girl." The track is famous for its eerie whistling sound effect, which has made it a perennial favorite during the Halloween season.

Traces  is the centerpiece of the 1969 album Traces by The Classics IV. This soulful ballad reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Easy Listening chart.

Written by the band’s guitarist James Cobb and producer Buddy Buie, the song is often cited as one of the finest "soft rock" tracks of its era.

It marked a shift toward a more sophisticated sound for the group, featuring a prominent oboe intro that gives the track its distinctive, melancholic atmosphere.

Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again is featured on the 1971 album of the same name. It represented a significant comeback for The Fortunes, reaching number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

After their initial success in the mid-60s faded, this track revitalized their career in the United States. The song is a prime example of the early 70s transition from pure pop to a more polished, AM-radio friendly soft rock sound, and it remains a staple of "oldies" playlists to this day.

Here It Comes Again appears on The Fortunes' 1965 debut album, simply titled The Fortunes in the US. The single was a transatlantic hit, reaching number 4 in the UK and number 27 in the US.

Produced by the legendary Shel Talmy, who also worked with The Kinks and The Who, the song features the group's trademark tight harmonies.

It was written by the prolific songwriting duo Barry Mason and Les Reed, who were responsible for penning numerous hits for British artists during the mid-1960s. Canada and the UK in 1965 and peaked at #27 in the US.

You've Got Your Troubles is a song by The Fortunes that was released in 1965 as a single by The Fortunes, a British pop rock band.

"You've Got Your Troubles" was written by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway, who were a prolific songwriting duo known for their contributions to the British pop music scene. The song became a major hit for The Fortunes, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

The Fortunes' version of the song remains the most well-known and successful rendition.

Only One Woman was a  1968 single, penned by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees, appeared on the duo’s self‑titled album The Marbles.

The record climbed to No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and reached No. 3 in the Netherlands, becoming the group’s only major chart hit.

The Walls Fell Down   was released as a single in 1969 and appears on the duo's self-titled album The Marbles.

While it didn't crack the US charts, it was a success in Europe, reaching number 28 in the UK and hitting the top 3 in the Netherlands.

The song was written by the Bee Gees (Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb), who also provided backing vocals. The Marbles, consisting of Graham Bonnet and Trevor Gordon, were essentially protégés of the Gibb brothers, which explains the song's distinctively dramatic, orchestral pop sound.

Unchained Melody was a song in a 1955 film of the same name. The Righteous Brothers recorded their version in 1965. Of course these two lads were not actually brothers at all. Bobby Hatfield won a coin toss with his duet partner Bill Medley and took the lead vocals on this song as both wanted to sing the lead.

Phil Spector put this "throw away" song on a B-side assuming it would not get played but the DJ's proved him wrong and the song went to #4. It can be found on the album "Just One In My life.

You've Lost That Lovin Feeling anchors the 1965 album You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'.

It is widely considered one of the greatest songs ever recorded, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Produced by Phil Spector, it is the ultimate example of his "Wall of Sound" technique.

A famous bit of trivia is that the record label listed the song's runtime as 3:05 rather than its actual length of 3:45, fearing that radio DJs would refuse to play such a long track if they knew the truth.

Be My Baby opens The Ronettes' 1964 album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica.

Peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, it is another Phil Spector masterpiece. The song is famous for its thunderous opening drum beat, played by Hal Blaine, which has been copied by countless artists since.

Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys was so obsessed with this song that he wrote "Don't Worry Baby" as a tribute to it and has famously stated it is his favorite song of all time.

Happy Together is the title track of The Turtles' 1967 album. It knocked The Beatles' "Penny Lane" off the top spot to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song had been rejected by several other groups before The Turtles picked it up.

Written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon, the demo was originally much slower and moodier, but The Turtles transformed it into the sunny, up-tempo pop anthem that became their signature song and a defining track of the 1960s.

You Baby is a song by The Turtles that was released in 1966. It was written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, who were renowned songwriters and producers during the 1960s. The song became one of The Turtles' notable hits, reaching number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Turtles' rendition of "You Baby" became a radio favorite and contributed to their growing popularity during the mid-1960s.

It's worth noting that "You Baby" has also been recorded by other artists, including The Lovin' Spoonful and Cher, further showcasing its appeal and versatility as a well-loved song from the era.