3 Blues Rock Songs From 1965 That Still Sound Edgy Today

American Songwriter has revisited three blues rock tracks from 1965, arguing that despite emerging during a period leaning into psychedelia and experimental rock, they retain their original blues grit and still sound edgy by today's standards. The feature highlights how these songs address themes of frustration, escapism and hardship in ways that remain resonant six decades on, avoiding the dated or clichéd feel that often afflicts music of the era.

The list includes The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," praised for Mick Jagger's still-powerful pushback against consumerism and media; a second unnamed Stones-style track about escapism and forging one's own path, with lyrics touching on a father's hard labour and mortality; and The Yardbirds' cover of Bo Diddley's 1955 classic "I'm a Man," noted for its provocative, sexually charged lyrics blending 1960s swagger with a surprisingly modern edge.