Classic Rock was a 31-volume series issued by Time Life during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The series spotlighted popular music played on Top 40 radio stations of the mid-to-late-1960s.
Much like Time-Life's other series chronicling popular music, volumes in the "Classic Rock" series covered a specific time period, including single years in some volumes and stylistic trends in others. Each volume was issued on a compact disc, cassette or (on volumes issued through 1990) 2-LP vinyl record set. Individual volumes generally contained 22 tracks, and represented the highlighted time period's most popular and noteworthy tracks. Also included was a booklet, containing liner notes written by some of the most respected historians of the genre, photographs of the artists, and information on the songs (writers, performers and peak position on Billboard magazine'''s Hot 100 chart).
History "Classic Rock" was first issued in the winter of 1988, with the first volume in the series titled Classic Rock: 1965. Like most compilation albums, songs by two of the era's most successful groups – The Beatles and The Rolling Stones – were not included due to licensing issues; however, several albums had cover art with drawings of male rock singers resembling The Beatles.
As was the case with Time-Life's other series, "Classic Rock" was advertised in television and magazine advertisements. The series was available by subscription (by calling a 1-800 number); those who purchased the series in that fashion received a new volume roughly every other month (on the format of their choice), and had the option of keeping the volumes they wanted.
Each volume was also offered for individual sale. When the series was fully issued, a customer could purchase the entire series at once (or a group of albums, as packaged by Time-Life as part of a promotion), often at a discounted price.
New volumes continued to be issued through 1991, the final one being a volume titled Classic Rock: Rock Renaissance IV (an album of hard rock from the mid- to late-1960s). An additional volume, titled Totally Fantastic '60s, was released in 1996.
Time-Life continued to offer "Classic Rock" through the early-2000s (decade), after which it was replaced by other series.
In 1999, Time-Life issued a "budget" box set, "Classic '60s: Greatest Hits", containing three CDs or cassettes of 12 songs each, for retail sale.
The series
Album listing As with many of Time-Life Records' multi-volume releases, the volumes were not issued in a logical, sequential order by date or era of the subject; that is, issuing volumes covering 1964 before progressing to 1965. In the track information section, the volumes will be listed sequentially by era; the following list is the order in which the volumes were released.
1988 Classic Rock: 1965 Classic Rock: 1966 Classic Rock: 1964 Classic Rock: 1968 Classic Rock: 1967 Classic Rock: 1969 Classic Rock: 1966: The Beat Goes On Classic Rock: 1965: The Beat Goes On Classic Rock: 1964: The Beat Goes On Classic Rock: 1967: The Beat Goes On1989 Classic Rock: 1968: The Beat Goes On Classic Rock: 1969: The Beat Goes On Classic Rock: 1966: Shakin' All Over Classic Rock: 1965: Shakin' All Over Classic Rock: 1967: Shakin' All Over Classic Rock: 1964: Shakin' All Over Classic Rock: Rock Renaissance Classic Rock: Creedence Clearwater Revival Classic Rock: 1968: Shakin' All Over1990 Classic Rock: 1969: Shakin' All Over Classic Rock: Rock Renaissance II Classic Rock: 1966: Blowin' Your Mind Classic Rock: 1965: Blowin' Your Mind Classic Rock: 1967: Blowin' Your Mind Classic Rock: On the Soul Side Classic Rock: Rock Renaissance III Classic Rock: 1968: Blowin' Your Mind Classic Rock: On the Soul Side II1991 Classic Rock: Bubblegum, Garage and Pop Nuggets Classic Rock: Rock Renaissance IV1996 Classic Rock: Totally Fantastic '60s''
Track listing
1964 (1989 re-issue 25 tracks) "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" - Manfred Mann "She's Not There" - The Zombies "What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)" - The Tams "You Never Can Tell" - Chuck Berry "Bread and Butter" - The Newbeats "Come See About Me" - Diana Ross & The Supremes "Needles and Pins" - Searchers "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys "How Do You Do It" - Gerry and the Pacemakers "Farmer John" - The Premiers "Out of Limits" - The Marketts "Nobody I Know" - Peter & Gordon "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - The Shangri-Las "Hippy Hippy Shake" - The Swinging Blue Jeans "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks "Dead Man's Curve" - Jan & Dean "Bad to Me" - Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas "The Way You Do the Things You Do" - The Temptations "A Summer Song" - Chad and Jeremy "Fun, Fun, Fun" - The Beach Boys "I Like It" - Gerry and the Pacemakers "Come a Little Bit Closer" - Jay & The Americans "A World Without Love" - Peter & Gordon "Stop and Think It Over" - Dale & Grace "I'm So Proud" - The Impressions
1964: The Beat Goes On "Have I the Right?" - The Honeycombs "Where Did Our Love Go" - Diana Ross & The Supremes "People Say" - The Dixie Cups "Mercy Mercy" - Don Covay "Popsicles and Icicles" - The Murmaids "It's Over" - Roy Orbison "Louie Louie" - The Kingsmen "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" - The Shangri-Las "Keep On Pushing" - The Impressions "Oh No Not My Baby" - Maxine Brown "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" - The Beach Boys "Love Potion No. 9" - The Searchers "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet" - The Reflections "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" - Marvin Gaye "I Wanna Love Him So Bad" - The Jelly Beans "Baby I Need Your Loving" - Four Tops "I'm Gonna Be Strong" - Gene Pitney "Hey Little Cobra" - Rip Chords "Penetration" - The Pyramids "The Name Game" - Shirley Ellis "You're a Wonderful One" - Marvin Gaye "Amen" - The Impressions
1964: Shakin' All Over "Oh, Pretty Woman" - Roy Orbison "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" – Major Lance "I Don't Want to See You Again" – Peter & Gordon "Nadine (Is It You?)" – Chuck Berry "Every Little Bit Hurts" – Brenda Holloway "Don't Worry Baby" – The Beach Boys "Little Honda" – The Hondells "Haunted House" – Jumpin' Gene Simmons "Needle In a Haystack" – The Velvelettes "Walk On By" – Dionne Warwick "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" – Gerry and the Pacemakers "Baby Love" – The Supremes "Don't Throw Your Love Away" – The Searchers "Walk, Don't Run '64" – The Ventures "Too Many Fish in the Sea" – The Marvelettes "I'm on the Outside (Looking In)" – Little Anthony & the Imperials "Saturday Night at the Movies (song)" - The Drifters "Steal Away" – Jimmy Hughes "Ain't Nothing You Can Do" – Bobby Bland "Drag City" – Jan & Dean "Quicksand" – Martha and the Vandellas "Talking About My Baby" – The Impressions "Mr. Lonely" – Bobby Vinton
1965 "Mr. Tambourine Man" - The Byrds "For Your Love" - The Yardbirds "In the Midnight Hour" - Wilson Pickett "The Tracks of My Tears" - The Miracles "Just a Little" - The Beau Brummels "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - The Righteous Brothers "My Girl" - The Temptations "Wooly Bully" - Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs "Down in the Boondocks" - Billy Joe Royal "Help Me, Rhonda" - The Beach Boys "Baby I'm Yours" - Barbara Lewis "Do You Believe in Magic" - The Lovin' Spoonful "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" - Four Tops "Tired of Waiting for You" - The Kinks "Hang On Sloopy" - The McCoys "Heart Full of Soul" - The Yardbirds "Shotgun" - Junior Walker & the All-Stars "I Got You Babe" - Sonny & Cher "Liar, Liar" - The Castaways "Back in My Arms Again" - Diana Ross & The Supremes "This Diamond Ring" - Gary Lewis & the Playboys "A Lover's Concerto" - The Toys
1965: The Beat Goes On "Eve of Destruction" - Barry McGuire "Rescue Me" - Fontella Bass "1-2-3" - Len Barry "California Girls" - The Beach Boys "Laugh, Laugh" - The Beau Brummels "Ooo Baby Baby" - The Miracles "All Day and All of the Night" - The Kinks "Nowhere to Run" - Martha and the Vandellas "Treat Her Right" - Roy Head "The Boy from New York City" - The Ad Libs "I've Been Loving You Too Long" - Otis Redding "Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There is a Season) - The Byrds "It's the Same Old Song" - Four Tops "Jenny Take a Ride" - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels "She's About a Mover" - Sir Douglas Quintet "I Hear a Symphony" - The Supremes "I Can Never Go Home Anymore" - The Shangri-Las "Keep on Dancing" - The Gentrys "I'll Be Doggone" - Marvin Gaye "It Ain't Me Babe" - The Turtles "Hold What You've Got" - Joe Tex "I'm a Man" - The Yardbirds
1965: Shakin' All Over "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" - James Brown "Tell Her No" - The Zombies "Ride Your Pony" - Lee Dorsey "All I Really Want to Do" - Cher "I Go to Pieces" - Peter and Gordon "What the World Needs Now Is Love" - Jackie DeShannon "Land of a Thousand Dances" - Cannibal & the Headhunters "Count Me In" - Gary Lewis & the Playboys "The Jerk" - The Larks "You're the One" - The Vogues "Set Me Free" - The Kinks "Unchained Melody" - The Righteous Brothers "Stop! In the Name of Love" - The Supremes "Ain't That Peculiar" - Marvin Gaye "I Want Candy" - The Strangeloves "I'm Telling You Now" - Freddie and the Dreamers "Make Me Your Baby" - Barbara Lewis "People Get Ready" - The Impressions "Downtown" - Petula Clark "Shakin' All Over" - The Guess Who "You Were on My Mind" - We Five "It's Growing" - The Temptations "Yes, I'm Ready" - Barbara Mason
1965: Blowin' Your Mind "Here Comes the Night" - Them "Game of Love" - Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders "Since I Lost My Baby" - The Temptations "The 'In' Crowd" - Dobie Gray "Respect" - Otis Redding "Baby Don't Go" - Sonny & Cher "The Birds and the Bees" - Jewel Akens "I'm a Fool" - Dino, Desi & Billy "Who'll Be the Next in Line" - The Kinks "You Tell Me Why" - The Beau Brummels "Ferry Cross the Mersey" - Gerry and the Pacemakers "Iko Iko" - The Dixie Cups "Save Your Heart for Me" - Gary Lewis & the Playboys "Run, Baby Run (Back Into My Arms)" - The Newbeats "Don't Fight It" - Wilson Pickett "Ask the Lonely" - Four Tops "Laugh at Me" - Sonny "Agent Double-O Soul" - Edwin Starr "You Turn Me On" - Ian Whitcomb "Nothing but Heartaches" - The Supremes "Go Now" - The Moody Blues "Hurt So Bad" - Little Anthony & the Imperials
1966 "Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys "(I Know) I'm Losing You" - The Temptations "Good Lovin'" - The Young Rascals "Dirty Water" - The Standells "Sunshine Superman" - Donovan "Tell It Like It Is" - Aaron Neville "Summer in the City" - The Lovin' Spoonful "Standing in the Shadows of Love" - Four Tops "I Fought the Law" - The Bobby Fuller Four "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" - The Temptations "When a Man Loves a Woman" - Percy Sledge "Reach Out I'll Be There" - Four Tops "Gloria" - The Shadows of Knight "Barbara Ann" - The Beach Boys "Shapes of Things" - The Yardbirds "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" - The Lovin' Spoonful "Monday, Monday" - The Mamas & the Papas "You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes "Wild Thing" - The Troggs "I'm a Believer" - The Monkees "Kicks" - Paul Revere & the Raiders "Psychotic Reaction" - Count Five
1966: The Beat Goes On "Eight Miles High" - The Byrds "California Dreamin'" - The Mamas & the Papas "Walk Away Renée" - The Left Banke "Hold On, I'm Comin'" - Sam & Dave "Mellow Yellow" - Donovan "Wouldn't It Be Nice" - The Beach Boys "Hanky Panky" - Tommy James and the Shondells "Lies" - The Knickerbockers "My World Is Empty Without You" - The Supremes "Lightnin' Strikes" - Lou Christie "Daydream" - The Lovin' Spoonful "Hungry" - Paul Revere & the Raiders "Cool Jerk" - The Capitols "Devil with the Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly" - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels "Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees "Going to a Go-Go" - The Miracles "Time Won't Let Me" - The Outsiders "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" - Stevie Wonder "Black Is Black" - Los Bravos "Land of 1000 Dances" - Wilson Pickett "Along Comes Mary" - The Association