The Beach Boys certainly rate as one of the first rock and roll bands, but they did not immediately kick off a trend of like-minded musicians. It wasn’t until the Beatles hit our shores that every kid in North America suddenly wanted to learn an instrument and join a group.

The Byrds had a significant head start. They already knew how to play their instruments, some of them could write their own songs, and they had plenty of experience playing the folk circuit. When the Beatles released “A Hard Day’s Night” in 1964, the members of the Byrds stood up and took notice. They had seen the future, so they decided to form a like-minded American group. After the Byrds, a seemingly infinite number of other groups followed, rehearsing in garages, recording their best songs, and eventually learning the hard way that the music industry was hardly a reliable path to fame and fortune.

The Byrds were special, though, packed with great vocalists who could harmonize effortlessly. It didn’t hurt that they were on the West Coast, either, where session musicians and talented producers were readily available. The band’s first album proved to be a remarkable success, and The Byrds were quickly hailed as America’s answer to the Beatles. In truth, the bands did not have very much in common, but the spirit of the times sparked the youth movement to adopt this band that offered their own American spin on rock and roll. The Byrds second album enjoyed the same phenomenal success as their first. By the end of 1965, the Byrds ruled the roost in America.

Featured songs are;

1) Turn! Turn! Turn!

2) It Won’t Be Wrong

3) Set You Free This Time

4) Lay Down Your Weary Tune

5) He Was a Friend of Mine

6) The World Turns All Around Her

7) Satisfied Mind

8) If You’re Gone

9) The Times They Are a-Changin’

10) Wait and See

11) Oh! Susannah

December 1965 - Billboard Charted #17