In 1968, music underwent a radical transformation driven by technological breakthroughs in synthesis, the shift from mono to stereo as the standard, and the birth of genres like heavy metal and progressive rock. 

1. Mainstream Synthesis: The “Moog” Moment

The most significant technological milestone of 1968 was the popularization of the synthesizer. 

• Switched-On Bach: American composer Wendy Carlos released this landmark album in late 1968, featuring the music of J.S. Bach performed entirely on a Moog modular synthesizer. It became a bestseller and triggered a global craze for electronic music.
• The Bassline Generator: Inventor Raymond Scott developed a “bassline generator” in 1968, further pushing the boundaries of automated and sequenced electronic sounds.
• Shin-ei Uni-Vibe: This year saw the release of the Uni-Vibe pedal, designed by Fumio Mieda, which introduced phase shift and chorus effects that became synonymous with the era’s psychedelic guitar sound. 

2. Studio and Recording Innovations

Recording studios moved beyond the limitations of early 1960s tech, enabling more complex layers. 

• 8-Track Recording: By 1968, most professional studios had upgraded to 8-track recorders, allowing for unprecedented flexibility in overdubbing.
• Stereo as the Standard: Albums like Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland (1968) were specifically recorded for stereo reproduction, utilizing extreme panning and movement within the soundfield rather than just treating stereo as an afterthought.
• Solid-State Tech: Studios began replacing warm, “rounded” valve-based equipment with solid-state technology, such as the FET-based Urei 1176 compressor and EMI’s first transistorized mixing console, the TG12345, installed at Abbey Road. 

3. Emergence of New Genres

The “hard” sounds of the future began to take shape through experimental albums. 

• Heavy Metal Origins: The release of Blue Cheer’s Vincebus Eruptum and Cream’s Wheels of Fire (the first platinum-selling double record) provided the blueprint for heavy metal with their distorted, titanic riffs.
• Progressive and Electronic Rock: Groups like Pink Floyd, The Beatles (with the White Album), and The United States of America experimented with musique concrète, oscillators, and tape loops, laying the groundwork for progressive rock and electronica.
• Black Power in Pop: James Brown’s “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” (August 1968) was a cultural and musical innovation, turning the pop song into a direct tool for political protest and racial pride. 

4. Radical Compositional Techniques

The avant-garde and classical worlds introduced new ways of structuring sound. 

• Vocal Harmonics: Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Stimmung (1968) was the first major Western composition based entirely on vocal harmonics and overtones.
• Radical Minimalism: Terry Riley’s In C and Luciano Berio’s Sinfonia premiered in late 1968, permanently transforming modern musical thought through minimalism and extended vocal techniques. 

Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay” was recorded with the Stax house band Bokker T & the M.G’s. Redding die in a plane crash 3 days after the recording! The first time I heard Steepenwolf’s “Born To Be Wild” I was a fan. There is a line in the song that goes Heavy Metal Thunder whic is believed to be the first sone to you the phrase and Heavy Metal became synomous with the genre Hard Rock. The band got their name from Steppenwolf (originally Der Steppenwolf) which is the tenth novel by German-Swiss author Hermann Hesse. Originally published in Germany in 1927, it was first translated into English in 1929. The novel was named after the German name for the steppe wolf. (I have read the book and it is incredible)

Both Johnny Winter (1971) and Aretha Franklin (1986) covered the Stones “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”. The Rascals “People Got To Be Free” was written is response to Martin Luther King’s assassination (April 4th) and Robert E Kennedy’s same fate. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’s fiery nightmare “Fire” was a result of a bad trip, who would have thought that. Interesting that Cream’s “White Room” came from a period of drug and alcohol abuse.

Chicago mayor Richard Daley ordered local radio stations not to plat the Stones “Street Fighting Man” during the National Democratic Convention. Canned Heat’s “Going Up The Country” was deemed by some to be the unofficial Woodstock anthem. CCR’s “Suzie Q” was a remake of Dale Hawkins 1957 hit.

The MC’5’s “Kick Out The Jams” sure caused a ruckus. I wonder why? Maybe the first line of the song – “It’s time to … kick out the jam’s motherf**cker has something to do with it.

nineteen and sixty – eight

• 1,2,3 Red Light – 1910 Fruitgum Company
• 54-46 (Was My Number) – Toots &The Maytals
• 900 Miles – Terry Callier
• A Beautiful Morning – The Rascals
• A Man And The Blues – Buddy Guy*
• A Sailor’s Life – Fairport Convention
• Agent Double-O-Soul – Edwin Starr
•  Ain’t Gonna Sell It – Sleepy John Estes
• Ain’t Got No / I’ve Got Life – Nina Simone
• Albatross – Fleetwood Mac*
• Albert’s Shuffle – Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Steve Stills
• All Along The Watchtower – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• America – The Nice
• Astral Weeks – Van Morrison*
• Baby, Come Back – The Equals
• Baby, Come On Home – Solomon Burke*
• Ball and Chain – Big Brother and the Holding Company
• Ball And Chain – Big Mama Thornton
• Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – Terry Reid
• Bangarang – Stranger Cole* & Lester Sterling
• Be Proud to Be a Black Man – Bee Houston
• Beside You – Van Morrison*
• Big Bird – Eddie Floyd
• Black Magic Woman – Fleetwood Mac
• Blackberry Way – The Move
• Born On The Bayou – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf
• Build Me up Buttercup – The Foundation
• Cadillac Jack – Andre Williams
• Careful with That Axe, Eugene – Pink Floyd*
• Carolina In My Mind – James Taylor*
• Casey Jones – Furry Lewis
• Crimson & Clover – Tommy James and the Shondells
• Cry Like a Baby – The Box Tops
• Cyprus Avenue – Van Morrison
• Daddy, Where Did I Come From? – The Nice
• Delilah – Tom Jones*
• Dharma For One – Jethro Tull*
• Doctor Please – Blue Cheer
• Dough Roller Blues – Mississippi Joe Callicott
• Draft Morning – The Byrds
• Dream A Little Dream Of Me -The Mamas & The Papas
• Drum Song – Jackie Mittii
• Easy, Baby – Magic Sam Feat. Eddie Shaw
• Elenore – The Turtles
• Eloise – Barry Ryan
• Engagement Party – Nineteen Seventy Eight
• Everyday People – Sly & The Family Stone
• Fire – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
• Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) – Bobby Womack
• For the Sake of the Song – Towns Van Zandt
• Fried Hockey Boogie – Canned Heat*
• Gentle On My Mind – Glen Campbell
• Girl Watcher – The O’Kaysions
• God Rest his Soul – Duane and Gregg Allman
• Going Up The Country – Canned Heat
• Going Up To The Country/Paint My Mailbox Blue – Taj Mahal
• Goodbye Pork Pie Hat – Pentangle
• Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya – Dr. John*
• Groovin’ Is Easy – The Electric Flag
• Hear Me Calling – Ten Years After
• Hello, I Love You – The Doors
• Herbert Harper’s Free Press News – Muddy Waters
• Here Comes The Judge – Shorty Long
• Hey Jude – The Beatles
• Hey Little Bird – The Barbarians
• Hey, Western Union Man – Jerry Butler
• Hurdy Gurdy Man – Donovan*
• I Can’t Quit The Blues – Buddy Guy
• I Forgot To Be Your Lover – William Bell
• I Found a True Love – Wilson Pickett
• I Got A Line On You – Spirit
• I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
• I Think It’s Going to Rain Today – Randy Newman
• I Walk On Gilded Splinters – Dr. John
• I Want A Little Girl – T-Bone Walker
• I Want To Take You Higher – Sly & The Family Stone
• I Wish It Would Rain – The Temptations
• I’m a Midnight Mover – Wilson Pickett
• I’m Gonna Be A Country Girl Again – Buffy Sainte-Marie*
• I’m Not Like Everybody Else – The Chocolate Watchband
• I’m the Urban Spaceman – The Bonzo Dog  Band
• In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly
• Israelites – Desmone Dekkar & The Acces
• Jelly Jelly – Pacific Gas & Electric
• Jumpin’ Jack Flash – The Rolling Stones*
• Keep on Drinking – Johnny Young
• Kick Out the Jams – MC5
• Killing Floor – The Electric Flag
• Lady Madonna – The Beatles
• Lazy Sunday – Small Faces
• Long Walk To D.C. – The Staple Singers
• Love Land – Charles Wright
• Lovesick Man – Bee Houston
• Lovin’ Tree – The Groop
• Luxury Liner – The International Submarine Band
• Madame George – Van Morrison
• Magic Carpet Ride – Steppenwolf
• Mama Tried – Merle Haggard
• Mandrake Wine – The Groop
• Mary Mary – The Bay City Union
• Massachusetts – Bee Gees
• May – Bill Deal & The Rhondels
• Mighty Quinn – Manfred Mann
• Mind Flowers – Ultimate Spimach
• Monterey – Eric Burdon & The Animals
• Mony Mony – Tommy James and the Shondells
• Most Anything You Want – Iron Butterfly
• Mr. Bojangles – Jerry Jeff Walker*
• Mrs. Robinson – Simon & Garfunkel*
• My Baby Wants to Test Me – The Electric Flag
• My Sweet Potato – John Renbourn
• Never Give You Up – Jerry Butler
• No Regrets – Tom Rush
• No Room In The Church For Liars – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
• North Meadow – Giles, Giles & Gripp
• On The Road Again – Canned Heat
• Only The Strong Survive – Jerry Butler
• Parchman Farm – Blue Cheer
• People Got to Be Free – The Rascals
• Pictures of Matchstick Men – Status Quo*
• Piece of My Heart – Big Brother & The Holding Company
• Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer – Champion Jack Dupree
• Pilgrimage – Chain**
• Prayer Meeting – Willie Mitchell
• Pride of Man – Quicksilver Messenger Service
• Revolution – The Beatles
• Rock And Soul Music – Country Joe & The Fish
• Say It Loud – I’m Black And I’m Proud (Parts 1 & 2) – James Brown
• Simon Says – 1910 Fruitgum Company
• Sing A Song Of Summer – John Martyn
• Sky Pilot – Eric Burdon & The Animals
• Slim Slow Slider – Van Morrison
• Son Of A Preacher Man – Dusty Springfield
• Song For Jeffrey – Jethro Tull*
• Sophisticated Cissy – The Meters
• Stand By Your Man – Tammy Wynette
• Stay In My Corner – The Dells
• Street Fighting Man – The Rolling Stones*
• Stumble – Love Sculpture
• Sunshine Of Your Love – Cream
• Superbird – Country Joe & The Fish
• Suzie Q – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Sympathy For The Devil – The Rolling Stones
• The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde – Georgie Fame & The Blues Flames
• The Circle Game – Tom Rush
• The Legend Of Xanadu – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
• The Pusher – Steppenwolf
• The Race of the Jim Lee and the Katy Adam – Jazz Gillum, Arbee Stidham & Memphis Slim
• The Son of Hickory Holler’s Tramp – O.C.Smith
• The Weight – The Band
• There Was A Time – Gene Chandler
• This Is the Thanks I Get – Barbara Lynn
• This Train – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
• Those Were The Days – Mary Hopkins
• Time Has Come Today – The Chambers Brothers
• Time Of The Season – The Zombies
• Two Worlds – Sweetwater
• Waiting For A Train – Furry Lewis
• Waltz Of The New Moon – Incredible String Band
• War – Edwin Starr
• Wasn’t Born to Follow – The Byrds
• We Got Love – The Questions
• What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
• When She Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters) – Solomon Burke*
• When The Train Comes Back – Chickenshack
• While My Guitar Gently Weeps – The Beatles
• White Room – Cream
• Who’s Making Love – Johnnie Taylor
• Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell
• Wild, Wild Woman – Johnny Young
• Woman, Woman – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
• Yesterday’s Sunshine – Grapefruit
• Young Girl – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap

*Seen play live ** Played at http://www.wowrootsmusic.com