California has always been an incubator for new sounds. For Issue 34, we excavated the West Coast origins of eight seminal musical genres. These playlists, curated by Alta contributors, highlight the essential tracks of each genre. Enjoy listening as you thumb through our pages. •

Chicano Rock: 5 Essential Tracks

  1. “La Bamba”
    Ritchie Valens, 1958
  2. “Suavecito”
    Malo, 1972
  3. “Saint Behind the Glass”
    Los Lobos, 1992
  4. “Planta de los Pies”
    Quetzal, 2003
  5. “La Jura”
    Chicano Batman, 2017

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Pop Punk: 5 Essential Tracks

  1. Girl Band
    Kamala and the Karnivores, 1989
  2. S/T
    Operation Ivy
  3. 1991
    Kerplunk!
    Green Day, 1991
  4. The Sound of a New World Being Born
    Crimpshrine, 1998
  5. Lucky
    Fifteen, 1999

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Gangsta Rap: 5 Essential Tracks

  1. “Colors”
    Ice-T, 1988
  2. “Stranded on Death Row”
    Dr. Dre, featuring the Lady of Rage, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, RBX, and Bushwick Bill, 1992
  3. “Bullies of the Block”
    Freestyle Fellowship, 1992
  4. “Cartoon & Cereal”
    Kendrick Lamar, featuring Gunplay, 2012
  5. “Impatient Freestyle”
    Drakeo the Ruler, 2016

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Mystic Folk: 5 Essential Tracks

  1. “The Portland Cement Factory at Monolith California”
    John Fahey, 1967
  2. “Dance of the Inhabitants of the Invisible City of Bladensburg”
    John Fahey, 1969
  3. “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”
    John Fahey, 1980
  4. “Kensington Blues”
    Jack Rose, 2005
  5. “Cliffwalk”
    Yasmin Williams, 2024

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West Coast Jazz: 5 Essential Albums

  1. Horace
    Dwight Trible, 2001
  2. The Epic
    Kamasi Washington, 2015
  3. After the Rain: A Night for Coltrane
    Teodross Avery, 2019
  4. Jackie Robinson: Stealin Home
    Bobby Bradford, 2022
  5. 60 Years
    Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, 2023

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Bakersfield Sound: 5 Essential Tracks

  1. “A Dear John Letter”
    Charles “Fuzzy” Owen and Bonnie Owens, 1953
  2. “Love’s Gonna Live Here”
    Buck Owens and His Buckaroos, 1964
  3. “It’s Such a Pretty World Today”
    Wynn Stewart, 1967
  4. “Mama Tried”
    Merle Haggard and the Strangers, 1968
  5. “It Hurts to Know the Feeling’s Gone”
    Billy Mize, 1976

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Sunshine Pop: 5 Essential Tracks

  1. “God Only Knows”
    The Beach Boys, 1966
  2. “The Rain, the Park & Other Things”
    The Cowsills, 1967
  3. “Sun”
    Margo Guryan, 1968
  4. “Wedding Bell Blues”
    The 5th Dimension, 1969
  5. “(They Long to Be) Close to You”
    The Carpenters, 1970

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Psychedelic Jam: 5 Essential Tracks

  1. “Dark Star,” January 17, 1968
    Recorded live at the Carousel Ballroom
  2. “Sugaree,” August 12, 1972
    Recorded live at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium
  3. “Eyes of the World,” February 19, 1973
    Recorded live at the International Amphitheatre
  4. “Morning Dew,” March 23, 1974
    Recorded live at the Cow Palace
  5. “Jack Straw,” May 11, 1977
    Recorded live at the St. Paul Civic Center

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