The Yardbirds pose for a picture in England in 1966

Music

The 5 Best Rock Bands During the British Invasion

While one bad dominated the charts during the British Invasion, there were still many other U.K. artists who impacted American audiences

by Ross Tanenbaum

Published on March 20, 2023

2 min read

During the 1960s, American music was taken over by artists from the U.K. This era became known as the British Invasion, with U.K. pop and rock artists dominating the American charts. Many of these artists came and went, but others were wildly successful and remain in the pop culture zeitgeist today.

Here are the 5 best rock bands during the British Invasion

1. The Yardbirds

The Yardbirds are arguably more famous for who was in the band than their music. The band started with Eric Clapton as its lead guitarist. Once Clapton departed, the band was joined by Jeff Beck and future Led Zeppelin member Jimmy Page. The Yardbirds had three legendary guitarists on their roster, and their songs always had impeccable instrumentals.

While The Yardbirds only lasted for five years, they did have a few hit songs, including “For Your Love”, “Heart Full of Soul”, and “Over Under Sideways Down.” However, the band’s main claim to fame is launching the careers of Clapton, Beck, and Page, three guitarists who impacted rock n’ roll forever.

2. The Who

The Who emerged in the 1960s with lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, drummer Keith Moon, and bassist John Entwistle. The Who were influential for being one of the first hard rock bands with an edgier sound. They were also one of the first bands to incorporate synthesizer and create concept albums known as rock operas.

The band never had a No. 1 in the U.S. but did have one top 10 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with “I Can See For Miles”. Still, many of their songs have remained popular, including “My Generation”, “Pinball Wizard”, and “Baba O’Riley”.

3. The Kinks

Like The Who, The Kinks influenced future punk and metal acts. Formed by Ray and Dave Davies, The Kinks cruised to fame quickly with several hit songs like “You Really Got Me”, “Lola”, and “Come Dancing”. The band had five top 10 hits on the Billboard charts and had nine albums that charted within the top 40 of the Billboard 200.

4. The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones started in the early 1960s as a blues and rock n’ roll band that mostly did covers. However, in the mid-1960s, they began releasing their own material, and their popularity skyrocketed. Easily one of the most popular bands in the U.K., The Rolling Stones also had plenty of success in the U.S. with eight No. 1 songs and nine No. 1 albums.

With songs like “Paint it Black”, “Sympathy for the Devil”, and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction)”, The Rolling Stones were one of the most successful bands of the British Invasion and continue to influence the modern generation.

5. The Beatles

Is there anything else that needs to be said about The Beatles’ impact on music? The Beatles were so popular during the British Invasion that they spawned their own movement, Beatlemania. The Beatles had 20 No. 1 hit songs in the U.S. and 19 No. 1 albums. Their music is influential, and their distinct fashion and imagery became infused with pop culture.

The Beatles did split up in 1970, but each member had successful solo careers after. However, nothing could top their immense success together, and it’s hard to imagine what could have happened if they never broke up.