The Festival That Invented Woodstock Happened 59 Years Ago Today
Before Woodstock became the defining music festival of a generation, there was Monterey Pop.
On June 18, 1967, the Monterey International Pop Festival came to a close after three days that helped change rock music forever. Held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in California, the event brought together an extraordinary mix of established stars and emerging artists, many of whom would soon become some of the biggest names in music history.
Today, Monterey Pop is often remembered as the festival that created the blueprint for Woodstock and virtually every major rock festival that followed. It was widely promoted, heavily attended and documented in filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker's acclaimed concert film Monterey Pop, helping transform the event into a cultural touchstone.
What makes the lineup remarkable in hindsight is how many future legends were still on the verge of superstardom. The festival featured early career-defining performances byJimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, The Mamas and the PapasandThe Grateful Dead, while also introducing artists such as Otis Reddingand Ravi Shankar to new audiences.
Joplin's electrifying performance of "Ball and Chain" is widely considered her breakout moment. Columbia Records reportedly signed Big Brother and the Holding Company after seeing the response she generated at Monterey. Otis Redding delivered a show-stopping set that included "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness," helping expand his audience beyond the R&B world.
The festival's final night became the stuff of rock legend. The Who stunned the crowd when Pete Townshend smashed his guitar and drummer Keith Moon destroyed his drum kit at the end of their set. Not long afterward, Hendrix took the stage and responded with one of the most famous moments in rock history, setting his guitar on fire during a performance of "Wild Thing" before smashing it to pieces.
Monterey Pop was more than a showcase for future stars. It also brought together artists from different musical worlds, including rock, folk, soul, blues and Indian classical music, creating a model that festivals still follow today. Organizers even pioneered many of the logistical practices later adopted by other large-scale music events.
Two years later, Woodstock would become a global phenomenon. But many of the artists who defined Woodstock, including Hendrix, Joplin, the Who and the Grateful Dead, had already made history on a California stage during the Summer of Love.
Fifty-nine years after its final day, Monterey Pop remains one of the most influential weekends in rock history.
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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 5:07 PM.