Surrealistic Pillow

While Jefferson Airplane Takes Off may have been the group’s first album, Surrealistic Pillow is what really helped to define Jefferson Airplane’s sound and solidify their spot as one of the most influential groups during the 60’s counterculture movement. This is the group’s sophomore album, and the first to be released with their most stable, best-known lineup.

Several of Jefferson Airplane’s most famous songs, including “Somebody To Love,” “Today,” and “White Rabbit,” can be found on this LP.

This album is widely regarded as one of the most important albums during the mid 1960s, and especially during 1967’s Summer of Love. The first nationwide hit album from a San Francisco band, Surrealistic Pillow was able to carry over the psychedelic and free-spirited Haight-Ashbury counterculture to the rest of the country. Its original psychedelic rock sound has cemented its status as a quintessential album of that genre.

Surrealistic Pillow peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 upon its release, and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of 2021, it is ranked at number 471 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.