The Hollies are an English rock and roll band formed in the early 1960s. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style (which influenced many other groups) they became one of the leading British bands of the era, and they enjoyed considerable popularity in many other countries (including Australia) although they did not achieve major US chart success until the early 1970s. Like The Rolling Stones they are also notable as one of the only British pop bands of the Sixties that has not broken up and which continues to record and perform to the present.

The Hollies had a squeaky-clean image, and were known for their bright vocal harmonies. They scored their first British hit in early 1964 with a cover of Maurice Williams and The Zodiac's "Stay" which hit #8 in the UK charts. They followed up with a cover of Doris Troy's "Just One Look". Frequent releases during the mid-60s included many cover versions of popular songs, as well as a few group-penned hits and many songs written by professional songwriters.

The Hollies was one of the most successful British 'singles' bands of the 1960s, scoring twenty-two UK Top 40 placings between 1964 and 1970[1]. Their hits include "Here I Go Again" (#4, 1964), "Look Through Any Window" (#4, 1965, U.S. #32), "Yes I Will" (#9, 1965), their only British #1 single "I'm Alive" (U.S. #103) (1965), three UK #2 hits during 1966 -- "Bus Stop" (U.S. #5) (written by future 10CC member Graham Gouldman), "I Can't Let Go" (U.S. #42) and "Stop Stop Stop" (U.S. #7) -- "Carrie Anne" (#3, 1967, U.S. #9, from which actress Carrie-Anne Moss got her name, having been born when the song was on the charts), "On a Carousel" (#4, 1967, U.S. #11) and "Jennifer Eccles" (#7, 1968, U.S. #40), their last single with Graham Nash.

The rhythm section included drummer Bobby Elliot and bass guitarist Eric Haydock. Bernie Calvert replaced Eric Haydock in 1966. Producer Ron Richards criticized Calvert's bass playing in the liner notes to Epic Records' 20 Song Anthology.

Some of their songs had folk rock elements (e.g., Would You Believe?), and psychedelic influences (For Certain Because, Evolution and Butterfly). "If I Needed Someone" (No. 20, 1965), was a George Harrison composition, recorded by The Beatles on Rubber Soul. "King Midas in Reverse" (No. 18, 1967), an original Hollies song, was influenced by prevailing trends in psychedelia, with a strings, brass and flute arrangement.