Hippies use music to express themselves emotionally, spiritually, and politically. Music can make a statement, give voice to a movement, even unite us. As hippies explore their inner world, music guides them along in their quest for meaning. Without drugs it can get you high.

          So the early sixties saw music becoming more than just entertainment. It was now music with a message. And the messages our poets sang helped us identify with important issues and events that concerned us all. They spurred us to action. These songs had an impact on the consciousness of not just hippies but all society. Some of these songs also broke new ground musically. One way or another they hit us deeply, made us think, made us dream, made us feel as one people.

      The following music artists became very popular during the 60s era due to their influential and catchy lyrics pertaining to the war and civil rights tensions:The Byrds ( psychedelic, blues band, England), Bob Dylan (rock and blues musician, New York), John Lennon (the vocalist The Beatles, England) ,Judy Collins (singer and songwriter), Grateful Dead (American rock band), Steppenwolf ( Canadian rock band) etc. They are all considered to be "proto-hippie".