While the SDR&R era could really be stretched from the 60s well until the 90s, I think the true era of Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll is the mid to late 1960s, so I will be only focusing on songs from that time period. Expect a lot of protest songs, which were popular at the height of the Vietnam War.

This is a strange era of cutesy pop songs, mind-warping psychedelic songs and the beginnings of what became heavy metal.

10: “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane

This song is about the twisted “Alice in Wonderland” tale and takes the listener down a deep and disturbing rabbit hole. I always equate this song to somebody slowly losing their sanity and slowly going crazy.

It is a pretty haunting song, and Grace Slick’s vocal performance is pure perfection.

It is hard for me to believe that this band morphed throughout the 60s and 70s to be a band that would release “We Built This City,” which is such a cornball of a song.

9: “My Generation” by The Who

This is a classic coming-of-age song, where the youth are trying to find their footing and their way in society. There is not a whole lot of substance to this song, and the lyrics are not super unique or creative by any means, but “My Generation” delivers a powerful message of the importance of taking youth voices seriously.

8: “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye is arguably the king of Motown and R&B music. “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” is a widely popular song that has persevered over generations and maintains popularity.

7: “Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In” by Kenny Rogers

First of all, the name of the song is an absolute mouthful.

This song is pretty bizarre, it begins with a near ear piercing violin track that is being played in reverse. It seems to be one of the launching points of the 70s Southern California folk rock-sound.

6: “Revolution” by the Beatles

The first (but definitely not last) protest song on this list, this song by The Beatles talks about their desire to change the world, but in a non-violent manner. There are numerous political references, such as mentions of Chairman Mao and political donations for people who spread hate.

This song has a pretty distorted guitar and I personally feel it was revolutionary to the music scene.

5: “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys

This is one of the single most iconic songs of all time, it is a true masterpiece of songwriting and storytelling. It is about a man who is infatuated with a woman, and how he admires everything about her.

The instrumentals of “Good Vibrations” are fantastic: the bass line is really cool and the theremin delivers an ethereal feel that adds to the mystique of this song.

4: “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Whenever a movie about the Vietnam War is playing, “Fortunate Son” is not too far behind.

This song is another iconic one, but people might take this song out of context. It is used as a patriotic anthem but is actually a protest song through and through. This song fights back against the Vietnam War, saying that being overly patriotic might be detrimental.

3: “Light My Fire” by the Doors

“Light My Fire” is instantly recognizable, the organ intro is an iconic piece of music. This is one of the first songs that The Doors released, and is one of, if not their biggest, song of all time.

There is not a whole ton of substance behind this song, but it is cool to see the origins of one of the most decorated and infamous bands in American history.

2: “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix

“All Along the Watchtower” (Jimi’s Version) is one of the first songs that classic rock fans stumble upon; it was definitely one of the first songs from the 60s I remember being into.

The guitar sound is huge and rises above the mix, and the two solos in this song are some of the best that have ever been recorded. “All Along the Watchtower” is originally by Bob Dylan, but Hendrix’s version is widely regarded as the definitive version.

1: “Piece of my Heart” by Janis Joplin

This song encapsulates this era of music brilliantly. Joplin’s voice is one of the most recognizable and flat-out best in music history.

“Piece of my Heart” has an overdriven guitar and absolutely stunning vocals. It is about a woman who is so into a man that she is willing to keep giving him pieces of her heart.