The Classic Rock Legacy

Shocking Blue’s ‘Venus’: An Out-of-This-World Hit

When the Dutch rock band replaced its male lead vocalist with a striking 21-year-old female, they scored with a shock heard ’round the world.

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Tom Petty, American Rock Giant, 1950-2017

One of our country’s greatest rockers for more than 40 years, the Floridian never backed down, creating solid music that didn’t need to bow to trends.

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9 Signature Rock Songs That Weren’t U.S. Chart Hits

Many songs associated with classic rockers were never actually hits. Here are the surprising back stories to ones by ELO, Billy Joel, Van Halen, Queen & more

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1966: The Year in 40 Classic Rock Albums

From this moment on, the rock album became a statement in itself, a measure of significance. Artists began looking at their albums as unified works.

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Before They Were Stars: More Early Recordings From Rockers

In another installment of our series on pre-fame recordings by rock stars, we listen to early sides by Tom Petty, Creedence, Buckingham-Nicks, and more

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1969 in Rock Music: A Look Back

Looking back at the year 1969 now, we have to admit that we were all very lucky to have this music in our lives—and we still are!

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‘Mod Squad’ Star Peggy Lipton on the Monterey International Pop Festival 

“I loved Buffalo Springfield… and the Byrds. I dated the drummer, Michael Clarke. One of the reasons I went was because the Byrds were there.”

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Bob Dylan and The Band: Robbie Robertson on the 1974 Tour

“I feel bold enough to refer to it as a musical revolution, because the world came around.”–Robbie Robertson

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10 Classic 1967 Debut Albums by California Bands

What do the Dead, Janis, Captain Beefheart, Sly and Canned Heat have in common? They’re among classic rockers from California who first recorded in 1967.

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The Laughing Beatles: Innocence, ‘If I Fell,’ and a 1964 Night in Vancouver

‘When they hit the stage, the Beatles could make it appear that they were part of your group, but also apart in their own world.’

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