When people talk about the British Invasion, you hear the same names every time: The Beatles. The Stones. The Kinks. The Who.
And somewhere, way down the list—if at all—you might hear someone casually mention The Hollies.
This is unfortunate.
Because The Hollies weren’t just good—they were consistently good. And in the strange mathematics of music history, that may be precisely why they’re overlooked today.
The Graham Nash Myth
Ask the average music fan who remembers the Hollies when The Hollies “ended,” and they’ll probably say: When Graham Nash left to form Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Close but not exactly
Yes, Nash’s departure in late 1968 was huge. He’d been a core creative force, and the band famously passed on recording “Marrakesh Express“—a song that helped make Crosby, Stills & Nash legends. But The Hollies didn’t fold. They didn’t even slow down.
Post-Nash and Still Climbing
After Nash left, The Hollies cranked out some of their biggest songs:
- He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother (1969)
- Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress (1972)
- The Air That I Breathe (1974)
These weren’t minor chart entries; they were global hits. In the UK, they stayed relevant for well over a decade. They worked on adapting their sound without losing their signature harmonies.
Why They Faded From the Conversation
Why aren’t they mentioned in the same breath as many of the other great bands you are probably thinking of?
Three reasons:
- They were too clean. In the gritty ’70s rock landscape, they weren’t burning hotels or giving scandalous interviews.
- They never became an “album band.” Their dominance was in singles, and the modern classic rock canon worships albums.
- They lacked mythology. No dramatic implosion, no “27 Club” tragedy—just a band that showed up, played brilliantly, and went home.
The Underplayed Truth
The Hollies were too good for too long, no dizzying rise-and-fall story, just decades of expertly crafted songs and airtight harmonies.
I’ve been a Hollies fan for decades. I still own most of their vinyl, and I’m telling you—spin Bus Stop, Carrie Anne, or King Midas in Reverse today and they sound as fresh as ever.
The hollies delivered tight harmonies, original melodies, and a much broader spectrum of musical styles than most people realize.
Because in the end, not all legends burn out. Some just quietly keep shining just outside of the spotlight.
And those are the ones worth digging up.
Your turn: What’s your favourite Hollies track? And do you think they deserve a place in the rock pantheon—or are they destined to remain one of music’s best-kept secrets?