Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band from San Francisco, a pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement.

The Airplane was the 'flagship' act for the burgeoning psychedelic rock scene that developed in San Francisco in the mid-1960s . It was the first San Francisco group to perform at a dance concert — the 'happening' at the Longshoremen's Hall in October 1965 . They were the first to sign a contract with a major record label, the first to appear on American national television, the first to score hit records and the first to tour the US East Coast and Europe .

Throughout the late 1960s Jefferson Airplane was one of the most sought-after (and highly-paid) concert acts in the world. Its records sold in great quantities, it scored two US Top 10 hit singles and a string of Top 20 albums, and its 1967 LP Surrealistic Pillow is still widely regarded as one of the key recordings of the "Summer of Love."

Successive incarnations of the band have performed under different names, reflecting changing times and performers: Jefferson Starship, and later simply Starship before becoming Jefferson Starship: the Next Generation in 1991.

Jefferson Airplane was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Jefferson Airplane was the first of the San Francisco psychedelic rock groups of the 1960s to become internationally known. Founded by singer Marty Balin and guitarist Paul Kantner in 1965. With the addition of Signe Anderson their male-female singing style showed their folk music roots plus Balin’s love of r&b singing styles. In fact their duel-lead vocals were a hallmark of their sound throughout the Airplane’s career. After their first album Anderson left the band. Grace Slick , her repla