Top Rock Albums 1960s

This is a series taking a look back at popular albums and popular singers from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. A link to each will be provided below. The 1960s were dominated by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. However, many other talented artists also came out with popular albums and songs during this time.

Album – Please Please Me was the debut album recorded by the English rock band The Beatles. It came out in 1963 and included 14 tracks that were a mix of cover songs and original material written by Lennon – McCartney.

Their debut single “Love Me Do” came from this album. The song featured John Lennon’s harmonica playing and duet vocals by Lennon and Paul McCartney. It was written by Lennon – McCartney.

Album – Rubber Soul was the 1965 album by the English rock band The Beatles. The North American release contains ten of fourteen songs and two tracks withheld from the band’s album Help! The album topped the sales charts in both the UK and the US.

A song from the album credited to Lennon – McCartney is “In My Life”. According to Lennon, it was the first time he wrote about his own life. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked it at number 23 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Album – The Rolling Stones, Now! is the 1965 album released by the English rock band The Rolling Stones. Band members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote four of the songs on the album. The album mostly consists of songs released earlier in the UK as well as the band’s recent single in the US “Heart of Stone”.

“Heart of Stone” is a song recorded by the English rock band The Rolling Stones. It is credited to the songwriting partnership of Jagger – Richards.

Album – The Animals is the American debut album recorded by the British rock band The Animals. The group was part of the British Invasion. The album released in 1964 introduced the US to the drawling, dirty R&B sound that typified the group. It includes several R&B standards written by American singer and songwriter Chuck Berry and John Lee Hooker. The album includes the band’s number one single “House of the Rising Sun”.

“The House of the Rising Sun” is a traditional folk song that tells of a person’s life gone wrong in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was recorded in 1964 by the British rock band The Animals. It became a number one hit on the UK Singles chart.

Album – Mr. Tambourine Man is the 1965 debut album recorded by the American rock band The Byrds. The album characterized the band’s signature sound of Jim McGuinn’s 12-string Rickenbacker guitar and the band’s harmonized singing. The album mostly consists of cover versions of folk songs mostly composed by American singer and songwriter Bob Dylan and originals written or co-written by American singer Gene Clark. The album charted on the Billboard Top LPs and UK Albums charts. The single “Mr. Tambourine Man” established the band as an internationally successful act.

“Mr. Tambourine Man” is a song that was written by American singer and songwriter Bob Dylan. It became the debut singles recorded by the American rock band The Byrds. The success of the single initiated the folk rock boom of 1965 and 1966. It was the “first folk rock smash hit”.

Album – Pet Sounds is the 1966 album recorded by the American rock band The Beach Boys. The album charted on the Billboard Top LPs chart. It was produced, arranged, and almost completely composed by band member Brian Wilson with guest lyricist Tony Asher.

“Sloop John B” is a folk rock adaptation recorded in 1966 by the American rock band The Beach Boys and released as the second single from their album Pet Sounds. The song is a Bahamian folk song from Nassau. A transcription was published in 1916 by Richard Le Gallienne and Carl Sandburg. The Beach Boys' version charted in both the US and the UK, It became one of the group’s biggest hits.

Album – Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme is the 1966 album recorded by the American folk/rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. The album includes acoustic pieces mostly written during Paul Simon’s time in England the previous year.

Among the notable songs from the album is “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” written by Paul Simon. The song is named after the Queensboro Bridge spanning the East River between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Queens.

Album – Sunshine Superman is the 1966 album recorded by the Scottish singer and songwriter Donovan. The album features Donovan’s titular hit single The album charted on the Billboard Top LPs chart.

From the album of the same name “Sunshine Superman” is a song that was written and recorded by the Scottish singer and songwriter Donovan. It was released as a single in 1966. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.