American Songwriter has marked the 60th anniversary of six landmark rock songs first released in 1966, celebrating a year widely regarded as pivotal for the genre's evolution towards experimentation and psychedelia. The selection highlights how artists were pushing musical boundaries at the time, from unconventional instrumentation to studio innovation, and demonstrates the lasting influence these tracks have had on rock music in the decades since.

The list includes The Rolling Stones' "Paint It, Black", which featured sitar and castanets; The Jimi Hendrix Experience's breakthrough single "Hey Joe"; The Beatles' "I'm Only Sleeping" from Revolver, notable for its reversed guitar technique; Cream's "I Feel Free"; The Troggs' chart-topping "Wild Thing"; and The Who's lighter, offbeat "Boris The Spider". Together, the songs illustrate the breadth of rock's creative output in 1966, ranging from chart-topping hits to more experimental or humorous tracks.