1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything

End of the Acid Dream

Sly Stone, The Rolling Stones, and Jim Morrison retreat from the world—but there's no escape from the growing epidemic of hard drugs.

Changes

New sounds and styles emerge following The Beatles' breakup, with Marc Bolan and Alice Cooper bringing glam to the world.

Our Time Is Now

Carole King and Joni Mitchell smash sexist boundaries and record iconic albums. Elton John and Lou Reed explore queer music and culture.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

America is convulsed by deep racial unrest. Curtis Mayfield, The Last Poets, and Gil Scott-Heron write about a revolution that feels imminent.

Exile

Drugs, drink, and debauchery reach a devastating peak—yet Sly Stone, The Rolling Stones, and Jim Morrison produce some of their best music.

Respect

James Brown, Ike and Tina Turner, and the artists at Stax Records make music on their own terms despite working in an industry rife with racism.

Starman

With reggae and synthesizers on the rise, a range of artists—from Iggy Pop and Lou Reed to Alice Cooper—inspire a creative triumph.