Step back into 1969, a year when “heavy” became the word for music and musicians alike. The Beatles wrestled with Allen Klein and creative tension, the Rolling Stones lost Brian Jones and welcomed Mick Taylor, and Blind Faith briefly soared. Fleetwood Mac, The Who, and Led Zeppelin reshaped rock, while Dylan and Johnny Cash united in Nashville. From Janis Joplin’s raw London shows to Dusty Springfield’s soulful reinvention, this issue captures a pivotal year of upheaval and reinvention.