Unlike the generation before , the late sixties American and British counterculture and hippie movements had diverted rock towards psychedelic rock , heavy metal , progressive rock and many other styles , most dominated by socially and politically incisive lyrics . The music was an attempt to reflect upon the events of the time --- civil rights , the growing unrest in America over the war in Vietnam , and the rise of feminism . In many instances , the " message " within the song was simplistic or banal . Although only two of the five original members of Steppenwolf were born in Canada ( Jerry Edmonton and Goldy McJohn ) , the band was among the biggest in Canadian music in the 1960s and 1970s . German born frontman , John Kay , would later become a Canadian citizen and was the only member of Steppenwolf to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada 's Walk of Fame . Steppenwolf is most famous for the songs " Born to Be Wild " , " Magic Carpet Ride " and " The Pusher " . " Born to be Wild " is the group 's biggest hit , making it to No . 2 on the '' Billboard '' Hot 100 in 1968 , becoming one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and becoming one of Rolling Stone 's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time . In 1969 , drummer Corky Laing , from Montreal , joined pioneering American hard rock band Mountain . Another one of the most prominent players of the late 1960s and early 1970s rock scene was Neil Young , who was a member of the folk rock band Buffalo Springfield , before joining Crosby , Stills , Nash & Young . Young also recorded music with Crazy Horse throughout his solo career . The song " Ohio " , written by Neil Young and recorded with CSNY , was in response to political events of the time and has since become an America social icon of the period . " Ohio " was written about the death of four students at Kent State University . The students were shot by Ohio National Guardsmen during an anti-war protest on the campus in May 1970
death of four students
Kent State shootings
Rock music of Canada