The Grateful Dead Are More Important Than The Beatles

'The Dead weren’t just playing what was on the music sheets, they were playing what was in the air.' - Novelist Ken Kesey.

Did the Grateful Dead have any gold albums? No.
Did they win Grammys? They didn’t.
Could you hum one of their songs? Bet you can’t!
But is this Archive On 4 going to attempt to prove that the Dead are history’s most important rock band?! That’s a yes!!

60 years since the Grateful Dead's debut album, journalist Sean O'Hagan makes the case alongside a roster of Deadhead luminary contributors such as Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream), Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and Scott Devendorf (The National). This is a story about how a ragtag jam band tripping on acid built the 21st century music industry blueprint, while tilting the centre of creativity, technology, money and power to California.

Presenter: Sean O'Hagan
Producer: Rich Power
Executive Producer: Jack Howson
Mix Engineer: Will Fitzpatrick

A Peanut & Crumb production for BBC Radio 4