1968: “Are You Experienced?” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

1968%3A+Are+You+Experienced%3F+by+The+Jimi+Hendrix+Experience

The Jimi Hendrix Experience unleashed “Are You Experienced?” in 1967 and inarguably changed music forever. Garnering inspiration from a slew of genres, the album features hit songs like “Purple Haze” and “Hey Joe,” which remain as vital today as they did more than a half-century ago. And while those two songs didn’t necessarily soar up the U.S. charts, they did receive steady airplay on underground radio, helping fuel the album’s success. Along similar lines, “Are You Experienced?” never reached #1 on the Billboard charts, despite being the best-selling album of 1968.