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Playlist reviews: 60s mixtapes

Monday, August 13th, 2012 at 8:31pm by Will Moreland | Comments

This week on the blog, it's a battle of the ages ... Is the 80s is the greatest decade ever? What about the 70s? Today, it's the turn of the 60s. Mods and rockers, Beatles and Stones ... Here's a quartet of our favourite swinging 60s mixtapes.

THE LOST SIXTIES

Our jaunt through time begins with a brilliant playlist of lost classics. Music by bands likes the 13th Floor Elevators, who influenced everyone from Primal Scream (they covered Slip Inside This House on Screamadelica) to Kasabian; bands like Love and their inimitable front man Arthur Lee; and bands like Count Five with their demented mod anthem Psychotic Reaction. Superb. 

NME's Best Songs Of The 60s

The good old NME is 60 this year! To mark the occasion, they're celebrating with the best music from each decade of their lifetime. On this playlist, they count down the best tracks from the 1960s – from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan, The Stooges to The Velvet Underground, Otis Redding to Aretha Franklin and beyond.

60s Summer

Next up, a personal playlist by James McInerney: "I loved the music and culture of the 60s ever since childhood. These songs I will always associate with those deliciously long summers in the countryside." Tunes by the Beach Boys, Del Shannon, the Doors, Cream and more. Great stuff. 

Da Doo Ron Ron - Girl Groups & Singers from the 60s

Last but by no means least, we have a great playlist created by Jon Watson, moving away from guitar bands and towards 60s girl groups: ... "motown, blue-eyed soul & pop ... Lulu, the Flirtations, the Marvelettes, Doris, Billie Davis ..." Smooth, sexy 60s music doesn't get much better than this. 

Long live the mixtape!