5 American Bands Who Did British Invasion-Style Music as Well as the Brits

There’s no doubt that the British had a bit of an edge on the U.S. in the ‘60s when it came to producing standout rock bands. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, and on and on and on: You just can’t talk about that decade in music history without spending a lot of time on the impact of the British Invasion. 

But don’t think for a minute the Yanks were completely shut out of the picture. Here are five bands that picked up on the styles of the invaders from across the pond and churned out their own Americanized versions of the music, to great effect.

1. The Byrds

The Byrds were an American group that took some ideas from the Brits, who then in turn took a lot from this California-based group. The Beatles themselves heard Roger McGuinn’s 12-string guitar and utilized similar sounds on their mid-‘60s albums Rubber Soul and Revolver.

When you look at the talent that passed through this band throughout the years, it’s quite impressive. In addition to frontman McGuinn, you had David Crosby, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons, and many more. As the group lost and gained members, their sound constantly evolved. How many other outfits could claim to be major influences on folk rock, psychedelic rock, and country rock all at once? The Byrds could, and that puts them on the very short list of the best American bands of all time.

2. The Monkees

Well, this one makes sense, as The Monkees were envisioned by their Hollywood creators as an answer to Beatles films A Hard Day’s Night and Help! And to be fair, they did have a Brit out front as their chief lead singer in Davy Jones. In their earliest incarnation, The Monkees didn’t do much besides the singing, as their instrumentation was largely handled by Wrecking Crew pros on the West Coast.

As the years progressed, however, the band (also including Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Mickey Dolenz) began to put more of their own creative stamp on the proceedings. In any case, few American bands captured the whooshing energy of the first wave of the British Invasion as well as they did, as singles like “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” “Last Train to Clarksville,” and many others proved. 

3. The Turtles

This is another group that came from the musical hotbed of Los Angeles in the ‘60s. The main creative forces behind the band were the duo of Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan. They made their first mark by covering “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” which Bob Dylan had done as a somewhat somber ballad. The Turtles turbo-charged it with sneering choruses and turned it into a big smash.

[RELATED: The Top 8 British Invasion Bands of the ’60s]

Although they would benefit from the work of outside writers, they also occasionally penned their own hits (as on “Elenore”). Their biggest single, though, was “Happy Together,” an ebullient track that showed off the fantastic vocal interplay of Volman and Kayman and was tailor-made for the Summer of Love. Despite only being together for about a five-year span before the lead duo flew the coop at the end of the decade, The Turtles still left an indelible mark on the ‘60s rock scene.

4. The Lovin’ Spoonful

Not all the top American bands of the ‘60s were California-based. The Lovin’ Spoonful hailed from New York City, and carried a wider range of influences than just the British Invasion rockers. They loved the blues that also inspired the Brits, and hailed from the heart of the folk music scene, which certainly affected chief songwriter John Sebastian. They also put their own spin on more eclectic genres, such as jug band.

Sebastian had a knack for writing songs that featured undeniable pop smarts but also hit deeper on an emotional level. The Spoonful could get as gritty as their British peers on tracks like “Summer in the City,” but they could also pull off delicate gems like “Darling Be Home Soon,” displaying a versatility that made the band one of the era’s most resilient hitmakers.

5. The Rascals

If you’re looking for underrated American bands of the ‘60s, look no further than this New Jersey-based group that was initially known as the Young Rascals before simply shortening it to The Rascals. Like many bands of the era, they broke it big via a cover version: a wildly energetic take on an R&B track called “Good Lovin’.” But it wasn’t long before chief singers Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati started churning out very impressive originals. These tracks tended toward the more contemplative, as songs like “Groovin’,” “A Beautiful Morning,” and “How Can I Be Sure” enchanted audiences. But this was also a band that could churn out great rhythmic rock and roll, as on their 1968 track “People Got to Be Free.”

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