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6 days ago · The 80+ Best Surf Rock Bands, Ranked. During the 1960s, there were fewer musical genres more popular in the U.S. than surf rock. The glossy pop soundings encapsulated the carefree nature and glistening Americana that California symbolize.
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Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was especially popular from 1961 to 1966, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music. [1]
- The Beach Boys
- The Surfaris
- Jan and Dean
- Dick Dale & His Del-Tones
- The Astronauts
- The Trashmen
- The Chantays
- The Challengers
- Man Or Astro-Man?
- La Luz
It’s only right to start our list with The Beach Boys. While they didn’t invent surf rock, they were responsible for popularizing it. They were such a big deal that they were one of the few American bands to survive the onslaught of the British Invasion. The Beach Boys formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. They’ve recorded 29 albums throughout ...
Our next band, The Surfaris, is an influential instrumental surf rock band formed in Glendora, California, in 1962. They released 11 albums during their career, but their hit “Wipe Out” made them famous and created a legacy. The members of the band themselves wrote the song. “Surfer Joe” and “Wipe Out” were the A-side and B-side of the band’s 45 rp...
The vocal surf rock duo Jan and Deanconsists of William Jan Berry and Dean Ormsby Torrence. The two met in high school in Los Angeles, where they were both football players, and ended up harmonizing in the locker room. If the Beach Boys made surf rock famous, it was Jan and Dean who cut the trail. One of their biggest hits is “Surf City,” the very ...
Up next is Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, considered the true pioneers of instrumental surf rock music. Dale’s “Let’s Go Trippin’” was one of the first surf rock songs, and he was highly influential in the genre. Dale used Middle Eastern music scales in his playing along with reverb. His tremolo picking and his quest to get the most out of amplifiers m...
Our next band, The Astronauts, formed in Boulder, Colorado, in 1961 and was active until 1968. They assumed their band name in tribute to astronaut Scott Carpenter who was also born in Boulder. Though The Astronauts were local celebrities, they weren’t as successful as the other bands on this list. Their first single under RCA Records, “Baja,” came...
Up next is The Trashmen, a rock band with its roots in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They took their name from the Kai Ray-penned song “Trashman’s Blues.” The Trashmen became interested in surf rock after listening to Dick Dale. They then conceptualized “Surfin’ Bird,” which their audience liked when they performed it. The song was a mix-up of The Riving...
What made The Chantaysdifferent from other surf rock bands is their use of electronic keyboards and surf guitar. They were able to create ghostly sounds, unlike the other bands. The Chantays were formed in Orange County, California, by high school friends. Just a year later, they recorded their hit instrumental song “Pipeline.” It reached #4 on the...
Coming up is another instrumental surf rock band, The Challengers. The band formed out of Bel-Airs, a surf rock band that broke up following a disagreement over artistic decisions. The Challengers used to play in high school dances and local clubs. Eventually, they had enough money to record their debut album, Surfbeat. The album contained songs th...
While surf rock had a very short time in the sun in the 60s, bands like Man or Astro-Man?drew heavily from its waters and kept it alive. The band formed in Auburn, Alabama, in 1992. This primarily instrumental band performed under the guise of being aliens sent to Earth to play surf rock. The members have personas, which include Star Crunch (Brian ...
Last on the list is the contemporary surf-rock band La Luz. They are a Seattle band formed in 2012 whose members were inspired by surf and rock and roll personalities such as Dick Dale. They’ve released four albums on Hardly Art Records, all of which brought them acclaim. Their sound is often called surf noir and is heavily influenced by surf rock,...
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- repeat repeat. *repeat repeat keep things light and vibrant with their usage of keys and upbeat tempos. The duo mix contemporary pop and heavy chords to form a unique sound, revamping the surf genre and making it their own.
- SadGirl. Drenched in reverb, SadGirl take elements from early ’50s rock ’n’ roll and mix them with a light swing influence from the ’60s.
- Babewatch. Babewatch are high in energy and just plain fun. Smooth vocals and classic surf riffs are enough to have anybody dancing on the beach or even soaking in the sunlight on the sand.
- The Frights. Like any genre of music, there’s plenty of subgenres to go with it. The Frights are definitely more punk-leaning, as the band combines garage rock and surf seamlessly.
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- April 10, 1992
- Babewatch. Babewatch are an American surf rock band that formed in 2013 in Oakland, California. They are part of the revival of surf rock that occurred in the late 2000s and early 2010s, along with other bands such as Wavves, Dum Dum Girls, and Surfer Blood.
- The Mermen. The Mermen are an American instrumental surf rock band that formed in 1989 in San Francisco, California. They are one of the most original and experimental surf rock bands of all time, by incorporating elements of psychedelic, progressive, and ambient music into their sound.
- Best Coast. Best Coast are an American indie rock band that formed in 2009 in Los Angeles, California. They are part of the revival of surf rock that occurred in the late 2000s and early 2010s, along with other bands such as Wavves, Dum Dum Girls, and Surfer Blood.
- The Beach Boys. The Beach Boys are an American band that formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. They are one of the most influential and acclaimed surf rock bands of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide.
Surf music (also known as surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms.
5 days ago · The best surf bands, at their peak, topped the charts and their catchy tunes remain popular today. The sound remains highly influential on genres like punk, rock and even rockabilly. Surfer music may have seemed light and fun when it came out, but the surf bands' influence can't be understated.
