The music of the 1960s captured the essence of a decade that saw many great social, economic and political convulsions. The Beach Boys sang of pretty girls and fast cars; Bob Dylan spoke of poverty, pain and corruption; and Pink Floyd discovered their own surrealistic world. This book is a fact-filled guide to the 100 best albums made during the most creative period in 20th-century music. The albums reflect the various musical styles of the period: including rhythm and blues, soul folk, heavy rock, psychedelic and protest. The origins of these styles and the circumstances that pushed each artist in their own particular direction are pinpointed, as is their influence on rock music from the 1960s until now.