Rhino's nine-volume British Invasion: The History of British Rock is the most exhaustive and essential overview of '60s British pop/rock available. Although the collection doesn't include tracks from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Herman's Hermits, the Dave Clark Five, and the early Animals, their absence doesn't hurt the series, since it spotlights several artists who never had more than a handful of hits, plus many forgotten gems. And there are plenty of major acts here, as well: The Kinks, the Small Faces, the Yardbirds, Donovan, the Hollies, the Zombies, the Spencer Davis Group, the Searchers, Manfred Mann, and Them are all represented by their best-known tracks. The collection runs from the beginnings of Merseybeat to the aftermath of psychedelia, meaning that it chronicles the evolution of British pop/rock quite effectively. But The History of British Rock shouldn't be thought of as simply an educational overview of one of the most vital eras of pop; each volume is fun and exciting, and sounds more like a good time than a history lesson. The series is one of the cornerstones of any comprehensive pop/rock collection.
CD 1
01 - You Really Got Me - Kinks
02 - How Do You Do It - Gerry and the Pacemakers
03 - Nobody I Know - Peter and Gorden
04 - I'm Telling You Now - Freddie and the Dreamers
05 - I'm Gonna Love You Too - Hullaballoos
06 - She's Not There - Zombies
07 - Little Children - Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas
08 - Hello Little Girl - Fourmost
09 - Funny How Love Can Be - Ivy League
10 - Don't Let The Sun - Gerry and the Pacemakers
11 - Hippy Hippy Shake - Swinging Blue Jeans
12 - It's All Right - Adam Faith
13 - Bad to Me - Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas
14 - Tip of My Tongue - Tommy Quickly
15 - Yesterday's Gone - Chad and Jeremy
16 - For Your Love - Yardbirds
17 - Have I the Right - Honeycombs
18 - Needles and Pins - Searchers
19 - A World Without Love - Peter and Gordon
20 - He's in Town - Rockin Berries
CD 2
01 - All Day And All Of The Night - The Kinks
02 - Do Wah Diddy Diddy - Manfred Mann
03 - To Know You Is To Love You - Peter & Gordon
04 - I'll Keep You Satisfied - Billy J Kramer And Dakotos
05 - I Like It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
06 - A Summer Song - Chad & Jeremy
07 - Good Golly Miss Molly - Swinging Blue Jeans
08 - Bad Time - The Roulettes
09 - Don't Throw Your Love Away - The Searchers
10 - Catch The Wind - Donovan
11 - Poor Man's Son - The Rockin Berries
12 - Heart Full Of Soul - The Yardbirds
13 - You're My World - Cilla Black
14 - I Don't Want To See You Again - Peter & Gordon
15 - That's Why I'm Crying - The Ivy League
16 - I'm Alive - The Hollies
17 - You Were Made For Me - Freddie & The Dreamers
18 - Tell Her No - The Zombies
19 - I'll Be There - Gerry & The Pacemakers
20 - I Love You - The Zombies
CD 3
01 - Love Potion Number Nine - Searchers
02 - It's Gonna Be Alright - Gerry & The Pacemakers
03 - From A Window - Billy J. Kramer With The Dakotas
04 - Willow Weep For Me - Chad & Jeremy
05 - Tossing & Turning - Ivy League
06 - Sha La La - Manfred Mann
07 - Tired Of Waiting For You - Kinks
08 - In The Hall Of The Mountain King-Sounds Incorporated
09 - I'll Never Find Another You - Seekers
10 - I'll Keep Holding On - Action
11 - Bus Stop - Hollies
12 - She's Coming Home - Zombies
13 - Wild Thing - Troggs
14 - I'm A Man - Yardbirds
15 - True Love Ways - Peter & Gordon
16 - Making Time - Creation
17 - Do The Freddie - Freddie & The Dreamers
18 - I Go To Pieces - Peter & Gordon
19 - Colours - Donovan
20 - I Remember When I Loved Her - Zombies
CD 4
01 - Shapes Of Things - The Yardbirds
02 - A Well Respected Man - The Kinks
03 - Stop Stop Stop - The Hollies
04 - Trains And Boats And Planes - Billy J. Kramer
05 - Whenever You're Ready - The Zombies
06 - Keep On Running - The Spencer Davis Group
07 - Universal Soldier - Donovan
08 - You Turn Me On - Ian Whitcomb
09 - Ferry Across The Mersey - Gerry & The Pacemakers
10 - Gimme Some Lovin' - The Spencer Davis Group
11 - Pay You Back With Interest - The Hollies
12 - Pretty Flamingo - Manfred Mann
13 - All Night Stand - The Thoughts
14 - Lady Godiva - Peter & Gordon
15 - Just Out Of Reach - The Zombies
16 - Painter Man - The Creation
17 - Georgy Girl - The Seekers
18 - Take A Heart - The Sorrows
19 - With A Girl Like You - The Troggs
20 - Woman - Peter & Gordon
CD 5
01 - Ain't She Sweet - Beatles
02 - Telstar - Tornados
03 - Shout - Lulu and the Luvers
04 - Some Other Guy - Big Three
05 - Yeh, Yeh - Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames
06 - My Bonnie - Beatles
07 - Everything's All Right - Mojos
08 - Downtown - Petula Clark
09 - Game of Love - Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders
10 - Baby, Please Don't Go - Them
11 - Road Runner - Pretty Things
12 - Diane - Bachelors
13 - It's Not Unusual - Tom Jones
14 - Gloria - Them
15 - Go Now! - Moody Blues
16 - I Think of You - Merseybeats
17 - I Only Want to Be with You - Dusty Springfield
18 - You've Got Your Troubles - Fortunes
19 - Sunshine Superman - Donovan
20 - Before and After - Chad and Jeremy
CD 6
01 - Concrete and Clay - Unit 4+2
02 - Look Through Any Window - Hollies
03 - Here Comes the Night - Them
04 - Wishin' and Hopin' - Dusty Springfield
05 - Make It Easy on Yourself - Walker Brothers
06 - It's Just a Little Bit - Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders
07 - Sha-La-La-La-Lee - Small Faces
08 - I Know a Place - Petula Clark
09 - Marie - Bachelors
10 - Come Tomorrow - Manfred Mann
11 - Mystic Eyes - Them
12 - Here Comes My Baby - Tremeloes
13 - Baby, Now That I Found You - Foundations
14 - You've Got to Hide Your Love Away - Silkie
15 - This Strange Effect - Dave Berry
16 - My Mind's Eye - Small Faces
17 - To Sir with Love - Lulu
18 - On a Carousel - Hollies
19 - When the Night Falls - Eyes
20 - A Groovy Kind of Love - Mindbenders
CD 7
01 - Friday On My Mind - Easybeats
02 - Black Is Black - Los Bravos
03 - Mellow Yellow - Donavan
04 - Smashed! Blocked - John's Children
05 - Pamela Pamela - Wayne Fontana
06 - You Don't Have to Say You Love Me - Dusty Springfield
07 - Everyone's Gone to the Moon - Jonathan King
08 - My Love - Petula Clark
09 - Girl On A Swing - Gerry & The Pacemakers
10 - My Friend Jack - Smoke
11 - All Or Nothing - Small Faces
12 - See See Rider - Eric Burdon & The Animals
13 - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine - Walker Brothers
14 - Carrie Anne - Hollies
15 - A Man With Money - Wild Uncertainty
16 - To Love Somebody - Bee Gees
17 - Silence Is Golden - Tremeloes
18 - Sorrow - Merseys
19 - Teenage Failure - Chad & Jeremy
20 - Winchester Cathedral - New Vaudeville Band
CD 8
01 - I'm A Man - Spencer Davis Group
02 - Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream
03 - Kites - Simon Dupree & The Big Sound
04 - Dear Eloise - Hollies
05 - Love Is All Around - Troggs
06 - Matthew And Son - Cat Stevens
07 - Hurdy Gurdy Man - Donovan
08 - When I Was Young - Eric Burdon & The Animals
09 - A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum
10 - Desdemona - John's Children
11 - My White Bicycle - Tomorrow
12 - Conquistador - Procol Harum
13 - Flowers In The Rain - Move
14 - New York Mining Disaster 1941 - Bee Gees
15 - Pictures Of Matchstick Man - Status Quo
16 - San Franciscan Nights - Eric Burdon & The Animals
17 - We Are The Moles - Moles
18 - The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde - Georgie Fame
19 - Knights In Rusty Armour - Peter & Gordon
20 - Nights In White Satin - Moody Blues
CD 9
01 - Fire - Crazy World Of Arthur Brown
02 - White Room - Cream
03 - I've Gotta Get a Message To You - Bee Gees
04 - Sky Pilot - Pt 1 - Eric Burdon & The Animals
05 - Reflections Of My Life - Marmalade
06 - Something In The Air - Thunderclap Newman
07 - Zabadak - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
08 - I Don't Want Our Loving To Die - Herd
09 - Rainbow Chaser - Nirvana
10 - Atlantis - Donovan
11 - Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) - Hollies
12 - Hush - Deep Purple
13 - With A Little Help Frm My Friends - Joe Cocker
14 - Words - Bee Gees
15 - Dance in the Smoke - Argent
16 - Lalena - Donovan
17 - (I Know) I'm Losing You - Rod Stewart with Faces
18 - Build Me Up Buttercup - Foundations
19 - Smile a Little Smile For Me - Flying Machine
20 - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - Hollies
