1966 in music

List of years in music (table)

List of notable events in music that took place in the year 1966.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Bands formed

Bands disbanded

Albums released

January

Day Album Artist Notes
1 I Got You (I Feel Good) James Brown
3 Just Like Us! Paul Revere & the Raiders
7 The Second Album The Spencer Davis Group
14 A-tom-ic Jones Tom Jones
17 Four & More Miles Davis Live
Sounds of Silence Simon & Garfunkel
20 Ballads of the Green Berets Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler featuring hit title track
21 Them Again Them UK
Lesley Gore Sings All About Love Lesley Gore
31 The Movie Song Album Tony Bennett
Bobby Vinton Sings Satin Pillows and Careless Bobby Vinton
Five O'Clock World The Vogues
Jealous Heart Connie Francis
Lightfoot! Gordon Lightfoot
That Nashville Sound Jimmie Rodgers
The Orbison Way Roy Orbison
Where the Action Is The Ventures

February

Day Album Artist Notes
7 Roll Out the Red Carpet Buck Owens
18 I Hear a Symphony The Supremes
Ascension John Coltrane
The Best of The Animals The Animals Compilation
Crying Time Ray Charles
Doctor Zhivago Maurice Jarre Soundtrack to 1965 film
The Sammy Davis Jr. Show Sammy Davis Jr.
Somewhere There's a Someone Dean Martin
Take a Ride Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels

March

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Frankie and Johnny Elvis Presley Soundtrack
4 Yesterday The Beatles EP
11 Love Love
14 Folk-Country Waylon Jennings
24 It's 2 Easy The Easybeats
28 Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) The Rolling Stones Compilation
The Young Rascals The Young Rascals
Black Monk Time The Monks
Boots Nancy Sinatra
Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles Chet Atkins
Color Me Barbra Barbra Streisand
Daydream The Lovin' Spoonful
For the 'In' Crowd Jack Jones
The Fugs The Fugs
Hold On! Herman's Hermits US
If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears The Mamas & the Papas
Moonlight Sinatra Frank Sinatra
Phil Ochs in Concert Phil Ochs Live
Woman Peter and Gordon

April

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Hold On, I'm Comin' Sam and Dave
The Soul Album Otis Redding
15 Aftermath The Rolling Stones UK
18 Cilla Sings a Rainbow Cilla Black
Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile Bobby Darin
Live! Lou Rawls Live
The Seeds The Seeds
The Sonny Side of Chér Chér
Soul & Inspiration The Righteous Brothers

May

Day Album Artist Notes
2 Dust on Mother's Bible Buck Owens
4 Up-Tight Stevie Wonder
6 Midnight Ride Paul Revere & the Raiders
9 What Now My Love Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
11 Small Faces Small Faces
16 Pet Sounds The Beach Boys
23 Moods of Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye
Everybody Loves a Nut Johnny Cash
Go with the Ventures! The Ventures
Strangers in the Night Frank Sinatra
Wayne Newton – Now! Wayne Newton

June

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Would You Believe? The Hollies
10 Paradise, Hawaiian Style Elvis Presley Soundtrack
13 Soul Sister Aretha Franklin
15 Gettin' Ready The Temptations
20 Yesterday and Today The Beatles Compilation; early pressings feature the controversial "Butcher" cover
Blonde on Blonde Bob Dylan
27 Freak Out! The Mothers of Invention
Animalisms The Animals UK
The Impossible Dream Jack Jones
In a Broadway Bag (Mame) Bobby Darin
The Incredible String Band The Incredible String Band

July

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Animalization The Animals
5 Best of The Beach Boys The Beach Boys Greatest Hits
8 Nowhere Man The Beatles EP
15 Roger the Engineer The Yardbirds aka The Yardbirds and Over Under Sideways Down
18 Fifth Dimension The Byrds
22 Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
25 From Nowhere The Troggs
And Then... Along Comes the Association The Association
Beau Brummels '66 The Beau Brummels
The Classic Roy Orbison Roy Orbison
Movie Greatest of the Sixties Connie Francis
On Top Four Tops
Sinatra at the Sands Frank Sinatra Live; with Count Basie and his orchestra
Tim Hardin 1 Tim Hardin
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me Dusty Springfield

August

Day Album Artist Notes
1 The Exciting Wilson Pickett Wilson Pickett
4 Tages 2 Tages
5 Revolver The Beatles
15 Jefferson Airplane Takes Off Jefferson Airplane
25 The Supremes A' Go-Go The Supremes
26 Portrait The Walker Brothers
Sunshine Superman Donovan
Autumn '66 The Spencer Davis Group
29 A Time for Love Tony Bennett
30 The Mamas & the Papas The Mamas & the Papas
East-West The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
It's a Man's Man's Man's World James Brown
Nancy in London Nancy Sinatra

September

Day Album Artist Notes
From the Heart Tom Jones
Jack Orion Bert Jansch
The Lovin' Machine Johnny Paycheck
Meditations John Coltrane
The Real Donovan Donovan Compilation
River Deep – Mountain High Ike & Tina Turner UK release
What's Up, Tiger Lily? (soundtrack) The Lovin' Spoonful
Wild Things! The Ventures

October

Day Album Artist Notes
3 The Best of Dean Martin Dean Martin Greatest Hits
10 The Monkees The Monkees
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Simon & Garfunkel
15 Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul Otis Redding
17 The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators The 13th Floor Elevators Debut
28 Face to Face The Kinks
31 Spinout Elvis Presley Soundtrack
Bus Stop The Hollies
Chér Chér
Happiness Is You Johnny Cash
Je m'appelle Barbra Barbra Streisand
Leavin' Town Waylon Jennings
Live at The Sahara in Las Vegas Connie Francis Live
Psychedelic Moods The Deep
Tim Buckley Tim Buckley
A Web of Sound The Seeds

November

Day Album Artist Notes
3 Volume 3 The Easybeats
11 Ready Steady Who The Who EP
16 Away We a Go-Go Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Down to Earth Stevie Wonder
Greatest Hits The Temptations Greatest Hits
Watchout! Martha and the Vandellas
18 That's Life Frank Sinatra
21 Animalism The Animals
Noël Joan Baez Christmas
25 The Art of Chris Farlowe Chris Farlowe
28 Extra Extra Tages
96 Tears Question Mark & the Mysterians
And Now! Booker T & the M.G.'s
Da Capo Love
Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful The Lovin' Spoonful
Handful of Soul James Brown
James Brown Sings Christmas Songs James Brown
Projections The Blues Project
Psychedelic Lollipop Blues Magoos Debut
Songs for a Merry Christmas Wayne Newton
Spicks and Specks Bee Gees
The Spirit of '67 Paul Revere & the Raiders
S.R.O. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass

December

Day Album Artist Notes
3 Got Live If You Want It! The Rolling Stones Live
5 Buffalo Springfield Buffalo Springfield
9 For Certain Because The Hollies
Fresh Cream Cream
A Quick One The Who
10 A Collection of Beatles Oldies The Beatles Greatest Hits
19 In the Arms of Love Andy Williams
Fred Neil Fred Neil
If I Were a Carpenter Bobby Darin
Live at the Village Vanguard Again! John Coltrane
The Hep Stars Hep Stars

Release date unknown

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1966.

# Artist Title Year Country Chart Entries
1 Frank Sinatra "Strangers in the Night" 1966 US UK 1 – May 1966, US BB 1 – May 1966, Italy 1 of 1966, Germany 1 – Jul 1966, Éire 1 – Jun 1966, Australia 1 for 5 weeks May 1966, Grammy in 1966, Canada 2 – May 1966, Netherlands 2 – Jun 1966, South Africa 3 of 1966, US CashBox 4 of 1966, Norway 5 – Jul 1966, Scrobulate 6 of swing, Australia 9 of 1966, US BB 29 of 1966, POP 29 of 1966, RYM 42 of 1966, Germany 48 of the 1960s, RIAA 275, Acclaimed 2132
2 The Beatles "We Can Work It Out" / "Day Tripper" 1965 UK CAN CHUM Chart 1 – UK Singles Chart 1 – Dec 1965, US Billboard Hot 100 1 – Jan 1966, Acclaimed 1151/1155
3 The Beatles "Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby" 1966 UK UK 1 – Aug 1966, Canada 1 – Aug 1966, Netherlands 1 – Aug 1966, Norway 1 – Aug 1966, Germany 1 – Sep 1966, Éire 1 – Aug 1966, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks Sep 1966, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Aug 1966, Australia Goset 1 – Oct 1966, US BB 2 – Aug 1966, US BB 7 of 1966, POP 7 of 1966, RYM 22 of 1966, Italy 29 of 1966, Scrobulate 47 of classic rock, US CashBox 83 of 1966, Germany 141 of the 1960s, Acclaimed 4309/186
4 The Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" 1966 US UK 1 – Nov 1966, US BB 1 – Oct 1966, France 1 – Jul 1976, DDD 1 of 1966, Canada 2 – Oct 1966, Norway 2 – Dec 1966, Australia Goset 2 – Dec 1966, RYM 3 of 1966, Acclaimed 4, Netherlands 4 – Nov 1966, Rolling Stone 6, Germany 8 – Jan 1967, Scrobulate 8 of oldies, Europe 12 of the 1960s, US BB 14 of 1966, POP 14 of 1966, Australia 15 of 1966, RIAA 24, 31 in 2FM list, WXPN 57, OzNet 58, Italy 69 of 1967
5 The Beatles "Paperback Writer" 1966 UK UK 1 – Jun 1966, US BB 1 – Jun 1966, Canada 1 – May 1966, Netherlands 1 – Jun 1966, Norway 1 – Jun 1966, Éire 1 – Jun 1966, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks Jul 1966, Germany 2 – Jul 1966, RYM 2 of 1966, France 9 – Mar 1976, US BB 12 of 1966, POP 12 of 1966, Scrobulate 22 of British, US CashBox 43 of 1966, Italy 45 of 1966, DDD 53 of 1966, Germany 181 of the 1960s, Acclaimed 630, WXPN 765

Top American hits on record

Single – Artist Composer
Winter
"The Sound of Silence" – Simon & Garfunkel w.m. Paul Simon
"Shapes of Things"—The Yardbirds w. Keith Relf m. Jim McCarty, Paul Samwell-Smith; guitar solo by Jeff Beck
"We Can Work It Out" – The Beatles w.m. John Lennon and Paul McCartney
"I Got You (I Feel Good)" – James Brown w.m. James Brown
"Over and Over" – The Dave Clark Five w.m. Robert James Byrd
"Let's Hang On!" – The Four Seasons w.m. Bob Crewe, Sandy Linzer, Denny Randell
"Fever" – The McCoys w.m. Eddie Cooley and John Davenport (a pseudonym for Otis Blackwell)
"Ebb Tide" – The Righteous Brothers w. Carl Sigman, m. Robert Maxwell
"England Swings" – Roger Miller w.m. Roger Miller
"Make the World Go Away" – Eddy Arnold w.m. Hank Cochran
"She's Just My Style" – Gary Lewis and the Playboys w.m. Gary Lewis, Leon Russell, Snuff Garrett, Al Capps
"Flowers on the Wall" – The Statler Brothers w.m. Lew DeWitt
"Help Me Girl" – Eric Burdon
"Five O'Clock World" – The Vogues w.m. Allen Reynolds
"Day Tripper" – The Beatles w.m. John Lennon and Paul McCartney
"The Men in My Little Girl's Life" – Mike Douglas w.m. Gloria Shayne, Eddie Dean and Mary Candy
"No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)" – The T-Bones m. Granville Burland
"A Must to Avoid" – Herman's Hermits w.m. Steve Barri and P. F. Sloan
"You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" – The Lovin' Spoonful w.m. John Sebastian and Steve Boone
"Barbara Ann" – The Beach Boys w.m. Fred Fassert
"My Love" – Petula Clark w.m. Tony Hatch
"Jenny Take a Ride" – Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels w.m. Richard Penniman, Enotris Johnson and Bob Crewe
"Lightnin' Strikes" – Lou Christie w.m. Lou Christie and Twyla Herbert
"Crying Time" – Ray Charles w.m. Buck Owens
"Uptight (Everything's Alright)" – Stevie Wonder w.m. Henry Cosby, Stevie Wonder and Sylvia May
"My World Is Empty without You" – The Supremes w.m. Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland
"Don't Mess with Bill" – The Marvelettes w.m. Smokey Robinson
"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" – Nancy Sinatra w.m. Lee Hazlewood
"The Ballad of the Green Berets" – Sgt. Barry Sadler w.m. Robin Moore and Barry Sadler
"California Dreamin'" – The Mamas & the Papas w.m. John Phillips and Michelle Phillips
"Elusive Butterfly" – Bob Lind w.m. Bob Lind
"Working My Way Back to You" – The Four Seasons w.m. Sandy Linzer, Denny Randell
"Listen People" – Herman's Hermits w.m. Graham Gouldman
"Nowhere Man"The Beatles w.m. John Lennon and Paul McCartney
"I Fought the Law" – Bobby Fuller Four w.m. Sonny Curtis
"Homeward Bound" – Simon & Garfunkel w.m. Paul Simon
"Daydream" – The Lovin' Spoonful w.m. John Sebastian
"(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" – The Righteous Brothers w.m. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
.
Spring
"Sure Gonna Miss Her" – Gary Lewis and the Playboys w.m. Bobby Russell
"Secret Agent Man" – Johnny Rivers w.m. P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" – B. J. Thomas w.m. Hank Williams
"Don't Bring Me Down" – The Animals
"Inside-Looking Out" – The Animals w.m. Eric Burdon
"Time Won't Let Me" – The Outsiders w.m. Tom King and Chet Kelley
"Good Lovin'" – The Young Rascals
"Kicks" – Paul Revere & the Raiders w.m. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
"Sloop John B" – The Beach Boys w.m. Traditional
"Monday, Monday" – The Mamas & the Papas w.m. John Phillips
"Leaning on the Lamp Post" – Herman's Hermits w. L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber, m. Noel Gay
"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" – Bob Dylan w.m. Bob Dylan
"Over Under Sideways Down" – The Yardbirds w. Keith Relf m. Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith, guitar solo Jeff Beck
"Gloria" – Shadows of Knight w.m. Van Morrison
"How Does That Grab You, Darlin'" – Nancy Sinatra
"Message to Michael" – Dionne Warwick w. Hal David, m. Burt Bacharach
"When a Man Loves a Woman" – Percy Sledge w.m. Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright
"A Groovy Kind of Love" – The Mindbenders w.m. Carole Bayer Sager and Toni Wine
"Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" – The Supremes w.m. Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland
"Paint It Black" – The Rolling Stones w.m. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
"I Am a Rock" – Simon & Garfunkel w.m. Paul Simon
"Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" – The Lovin' Spoonful w.m. John Sebastian
"It's a Man's Man's Man's World" – James Brown w.m. James Brown and Betty Jean Newsome
"Green Grass" – Gary Lewis and the Playboys
"Strangers in the Night" – Frank Sinatra w.m. Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder, Bert Kaempfert
"Barefootin'" – Robert Parker
"Cool Jerk" – The Capitols
"Red Rubber Ball" – The Cyrkle
"Paperback Writer" – The Beatles w.m. John Lennon, Paul McCartney
"You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" – Dusty Springfield
"Sweet Talkin' Guy" – The Chiffons
.
Summer
"Hanky Panky" – Tommy James and the Shondells
"Wild Thing" – The Troggs Chip Taylor
"Little Girl" – Syndicate of Sound
"Along Comes Mary" – The Association
"Lil' Red Riding Hood" – Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
"Hungry" – Paul Revere & the Raiders
"The Pied Piper" – Crispian St. Peters
"I Saw Her Again" – The Mamas & the Papas
"Sweet Pea" – Tommy Roe
"Summer in the City" – The Lovin' Spoonful w. John Sebastian and Mark Sebastian, m. John Sebastian and Steve Boone
"Somewhere, My Love" – Ray Conniff and the Singers w. Paul Francis Webster, m. Maurice Jarre
"They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!" – Napoleon XIV
"Sunny" – Bobby Hebb
"See You in September" – The Happenings
"Sunshine Superman" – Donovan w.m. Donovan
"You Can't Hurry Love" – The Supremes w.m. Holland-Dozier-Holland
"Yellow Submarine" – The Beatles w.m. Lennon–McCartney
"Summertime" – Billy Stewart
"The Land of 1000 Dances" – Wilson Pickett w.m. Chris Kenner
"Working in the Coal Mine" – Lee Dorsey w.m. Allen Toussaint
"Blowin' in the Wind" – Stevie Wonder w.m. Bob Dylan
"Bus Stop" – The Hollies w.m. Graham Gouldman
"Guantanamera" – The Sandpipers
"Cherish" – The Association
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" – The Beach Boys w.m. Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, Mike Love
"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" – The Temptations
"Black Is Black" – Los Bravos w.m. Michelle Grainger, Tony Hayes, Steve Wadey
"96 Tears" – Question Mark & the Mysterians
"Reach Out I'll Be There" – Four Tops w.m. Holland-Dozier-Holland
"Cherry Cherry" – Neil Diamond
.
Autumn
"Born Free" – Roger Williams w.m. John Barry, Don Black
"Dandy" – Herman's Hermits
"Devil With A Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly" – Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
"Good Thing" – Paul Revere & the Raiders
"Good Vibrations" – The Beach Boys w.m. Brian Wilson, Mike Love
"Hooray for Hazel" – Tommy Roe
"I'm a Believer" – The Monkees w.m. Neil Diamond
"I'm Ready for Love" – Martha and the Vandellas
"I'm Your Puppet" – James & Bobby Purify
"I've Got You Under My Skin" – The Four Seasons
"(I Know) I'm Losing You" – The Temptations
"If I Were a Carpenter" – Bobby Darin w.m. Tim Hardin
"Lady Godiva" – Peter and Gordon
"Last Train to Clarksville" – The Monkees w.m. Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
"Mellow Yellow" – Donovan w.m. Donovan
"A Place in the Sun" – Stevie Wonder w.m. Ronald Miller, Bryan Wells
"Poor Side of Town" – Johnny Rivers
"Psychotic Reaction" – Count Five
"Rain on the Roof" – The Lovin' Spoonful
"See See Rider" – Eric Burdon and the Animals
"Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" – The Royal Guardsmen
"Sugar Town" – Nancy Sinatra
"Tell It Like It Is" – Aaron Neville w.m. George Davis and Lee Diamond
"That's Life" – Frank Sinatra w.m. Dean Kay, Kelly Gordon
"Walk Away Renee" – The Left Banke
"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" – Jimmy Ruffin w.m. William Witherspoon, Paul Riser, James Dean
"Winchester Cathedral" – The New Vaudeville Band w.m. Geoff Stephens
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" – The Supremes w.m. Holland-Dozier-Holland

British number one hits not included above

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Other significant recordings

(Not all of these were necessarily released as singles.)

Published popular music

Other notable songs

Classical music

Premieres

Composer Composition Date Location Performers
Stockhausen, Karlheinz Solo, Nr. 19 (2 versions, for trombone and for flute) 24 April NHK Studios, Tokyo Yasusuke Hirata; Ryū Noguchi
Stockhausen, Karlheinz Telemusik, Nr. 20 24 April NHK Studios, Tokyo Stockhausen
Villa-Lobos, Heitor Symphony No. 9 16 May Caracas Philadelphia OrchestraOrmandy
Barraqué, Jean Chant après chant 23 June Palais des Fêtes, Strasbourg Berthe Kal / André Krust / Les Percussions de StrasbourgBruck

Compositions

Opera

Jazz

Musical theater

Musical films

Musical television

Births

Deaths

Awards

Grammy Awards

Eurovision Song Contest

Leeds International Piano Competition

Van Cliburn International Piano Competition

See also


This page was last updated at 2022-02-28 16:15 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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