100 Greatest Songs From 1966
Criteria: These songs were chosen and ranked based on their initial and lasting popularity, and on their impact on the overall scope of musical history.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
1. Good Vibrations
Beach Boys
2. When A Man Loves A Woman
Percy Sledge
3. Reach Out, I'll Be There
Four Tops
4. Gimme Some Lovin'
Spencer Davis Group
5. Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Temptations
6. Eight Miles High
Byrds
7. For What It's Worth
Buffalo Springfield
8. Paint It Black
Rolling Stones
9. You Keep Me Hangin' On
Supremes
10. Wild Thing
Troggs
11. Psychotic Reaction
Count Five
12. I'm A Believer
Monkees
13. God Only Knows
Beach Boys
14. 96 Tears
? & the Mysterians
15. Hold On, I'm A'Comin'
Sam & Dave
16. Kicks
Paul Revere & the Raiders
17. Good Lovin'
Young Rascals
18. River Deep, Mountain High
Ike & Tina Turner
19. Mustang Sally
Wilson Pickett
20. You Can't Hurry Love
Supremes
21. Devil With A Blue Dress On (medley)
Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
22. Wouldn't It Be Nice
Beach Boys
23. Knock On Wood
Eddie Floyd
24. Summer In The City
Lovin' Spoonful
25. Eleanor Rigby
Beatles
Beach Boys
2. When A Man Loves A Woman
Percy Sledge
3. Reach Out, I'll Be There
Four Tops
4. Gimme Some Lovin'
Spencer Davis Group
5. Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Temptations
6. Eight Miles High
Byrds
7. For What It's Worth
Buffalo Springfield
8. Paint It Black
Rolling Stones
9. You Keep Me Hangin' On
Supremes
10. Wild Thing
Troggs
11. Psychotic Reaction
Count Five
12. I'm A Believer
Monkees
13. God Only Knows
Beach Boys
14. 96 Tears
? & the Mysterians
15. Hold On, I'm A'Comin'
Sam & Dave
16. Kicks
Paul Revere & the Raiders
17. Good Lovin'
Young Rascals
18. River Deep, Mountain High
Ike & Tina Turner
19. Mustang Sally
Wilson Pickett
20. You Can't Hurry Love
Supremes
21. Devil With A Blue Dress On (medley)
Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
22. Wouldn't It Be Nice
Beach Boys
23. Knock On Wood
Eddie Floyd
24. Summer In The City
Lovin' Spoonful
25. Eleanor Rigby
Beatles
26. Sunshine Superman
Donovan
27. Try A Little Tenderness
Otis Redding
28. (You're My) Soul And Inspiration
Righteous Brothers
29. The Dark End Of The Street
James Carr
30. Sunny Afternoon
Kinks
31. Along Comes Mary
Association
32. Under My Thumb
Rolling Stones
33. I Am A Rock
Simon & Garfunkel
34. Just Like A Woman
Bob Dylan
35. Here, There And Everywhere
Beatles
36. Got To Get You Into My Life
Beatles
37. Friday On My Mind
Easybeats
38. Shapes Of Things
Yardbirds
39. Pushin' Too Hard
Seeds
40. You're Gonna Miss Me
13th Floor Elevators
41. Black Is Black
Los Bravos
42. Tell It Like It Is
Aaron Neville
43. Homeward Bound
Simon & Garfunkel
44. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
Jimmy Ruffin
45. (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet
Blues Magoos
46. Bus Stop
Hollies
47. This Old Heart Of Mine
Isley Brothers
48. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep
Temptations
49. Solitary Man
Neil Diamond
50. Monday, Monday
Mamas & Papas
51. Walk Away Renée
Left Banke
52. Paperback Writer
Beatles
53. Land Of 1,000 Dances
Wilson Pickett
54. Gloria
Shadows Of Knight
55. I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
Electric Prunes
56. 19th Nervous Breakdown
Rolling Stones
57. Daydream
Lovin' Spoonful
58. Summertime
Billy Stewart
59. Secret Agent Man
Johnny Rivers
60. Substitute
The Who
61. Mellow Yellow
Donovan
62. Hungry
Paul Revere & the Raiders
63. Hey Joe
Jimi Hendrix / Leaves
64. Rain
Beatles
65. Tomorrow Never Knows
Beatles
66. 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)
Wilson Pickett
67. Talk Talk
Music Machine
68. But It's Alright
J.J. Jackson
69. Sloop John B
Beach Boys
70. A Hazy Shade Of Winter
Simon & Garfunkel
71. Society's Child
Janis Ian
72. Working In A Coal Mine
Lee Dorsey
73. Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me)
Four Seasons
74. Last Train To Clarksville
Monkees
75. Rainy Day Women #12 and 35
Bob Dylan
Donovan
27. Try A Little Tenderness
Otis Redding
28. (You're My) Soul And Inspiration
Righteous Brothers
29. The Dark End Of The Street
James Carr
30. Sunny Afternoon
Kinks
31. Along Comes Mary
Association
32. Under My Thumb
Rolling Stones
33. I Am A Rock
Simon & Garfunkel
34. Just Like A Woman
Bob Dylan
35. Here, There And Everywhere
Beatles
36. Got To Get You Into My Life
Beatles
37. Friday On My Mind
Easybeats
38. Shapes Of Things
Yardbirds
39. Pushin' Too Hard
Seeds
40. You're Gonna Miss Me
13th Floor Elevators
41. Black Is Black
Los Bravos
42. Tell It Like It Is
Aaron Neville
43. Homeward Bound
Simon & Garfunkel
44. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
Jimmy Ruffin
45. (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet
Blues Magoos
46. Bus Stop
Hollies
47. This Old Heart Of Mine
Isley Brothers
48. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep
Temptations
49. Solitary Man
Neil Diamond
50. Monday, Monday
Mamas & Papas
51. Walk Away Renée
Left Banke
52. Paperback Writer
Beatles
53. Land Of 1,000 Dances
Wilson Pickett
54. Gloria
Shadows Of Knight
55. I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
Electric Prunes
56. 19th Nervous Breakdown
Rolling Stones
57. Daydream
Lovin' Spoonful
58. Summertime
Billy Stewart
59. Secret Agent Man
Johnny Rivers
60. Substitute
The Who
61. Mellow Yellow
Donovan
62. Hungry
Paul Revere & the Raiders
63. Hey Joe
Jimi Hendrix / Leaves
64. Rain
Beatles
65. Tomorrow Never Knows
Beatles
66. 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)
Wilson Pickett
67. Talk Talk
Music Machine
68. But It's Alright
J.J. Jackson
69. Sloop John B
Beach Boys
70. A Hazy Shade Of Winter
Simon & Garfunkel
71. Society's Child
Janis Ian
72. Working In A Coal Mine
Lee Dorsey
73. Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me)
Four Seasons
74. Last Train To Clarksville
Monkees
75. Rainy Day Women #12 and 35
Bob Dylan
76. Working My Way Back To You
Four Seasons
77. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
Dusty Springfield
78. (I Know) I'm Losing You
Temptations
79. Wang Dang Doodle
Koko Taylor
80. Standing In The Shadows Of Love
Four Tops
81. I Saw Her Again
Mamas & Papas
82. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
Monkees
83. Over Under Sideways Down
Yardbirds
84. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby...
Rolling Stones
85. Kind Of A Drag
Buckinghams
86. I'm Your Puppet
James & Bobby Purify
87. It's A Man's Man's Man's World
James Brown
88. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)
Walker Brothers
89. Little Girl
Syndicate Of Sound
90. Cherry Cherry
Neil Diamond
91. Cherish
Association
92. Go Where You Wanna Go
5th Dimension / Mamas & Papas
93. Happy Jack
The Who
94. Get Ready
Temptations
95. Good Day Sunshine
Beatles
96. Red Rubber Ball
Cyrkle
97. Good Thing
Paul Revere & the Raiders
98. Mother's Little Helper
Rolling Stones
99. Don't Bring Me Down
Animals
100. Visions Of Johanna
Bob Dylan
Four Seasons
77. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
Dusty Springfield
78. (I Know) I'm Losing You
Temptations
79. Wang Dang Doodle
Koko Taylor
80. Standing In The Shadows Of Love
Four Tops
81. I Saw Her Again
Mamas & Papas
82. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
Monkees
83. Over Under Sideways Down
Yardbirds
84. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby...
Rolling Stones
85. Kind Of A Drag
Buckinghams
86. I'm Your Puppet
James & Bobby Purify
87. It's A Man's Man's Man's World
James Brown
88. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)
Walker Brothers
89. Little Girl
Syndicate Of Sound
90. Cherry Cherry
Neil Diamond
91. Cherish
Association
92. Go Where You Wanna Go
5th Dimension / Mamas & Papas
93. Happy Jack
The Who
94. Get Ready
Temptations
95. Good Day Sunshine
Beatles
96. Red Rubber Ball
Cyrkle
97. Good Thing
Paul Revere & the Raiders
98. Mother's Little Helper
Rolling Stones
99. Don't Bring Me Down
Animals
100. Visions Of Johanna
Bob Dylan
20 more worth mentioning.
101. Out Of Time
Rolling Stones / Chris Farlowe 102. Whispers (Getting Louder)
Jackie Wilson
103. The Beat Goes On
Sonny & Cher
104. Time Won't Let Me
Outsiders
105. Poor Side Of Town
Johnny Rivers
106. I Want You
Bob Dylan
107. My Little Red Book
Love
108. Cool Jerk
Capitols
109. Pretty Flamingo
Manfred Mann
110. For No One
Beatles
111. Sweet Talkin' Guy
Chiffons
112. Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart
Supremes
113. Yellow Submarine
Beatles
114. I Feel Free
Cream
115. A Place In The Sun
Stevie Wonder
116. That's Life
Frank Sinatra
117. B-A-B-Y
Carla Thomas
118. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Cher
119. Barefootin'
Robert Parker
120. Bring It Up
James Brown
Rolling Stones / Chris Farlowe 102. Whispers (Getting Louder)
Jackie Wilson
103. The Beat Goes On
Sonny & Cher
104. Time Won't Let Me
Outsiders
105. Poor Side Of Town
Johnny Rivers
106. I Want You
Bob Dylan
107. My Little Red Book
Love
108. Cool Jerk
Capitols
109. Pretty Flamingo
Manfred Mann
110. For No One
Beatles
111. Sweet Talkin' Guy
Chiffons
112. Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart
Supremes
113. Yellow Submarine
Beatles
114. I Feel Free
Cream
115. A Place In The Sun
Stevie Wonder
116. That's Life
Frank Sinatra
117. B-A-B-Y
Carla Thomas
118. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Cher
119. Barefootin'
Robert Parker
120. Bring It Up
James Brown
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1966
An unheralded great record from 1966
Bruce's choice:
* Harmonica Man (From London Town)
Torquays
Lew's choice:
* 5D (Fifth Dimension)
Byrds
Adam's choice:
* I Found You
Gene Clark
Brett's choice:
* Painter Man
Creation
Bruce's choice:
* Harmonica Man (From London Town)
Torquays
Lew's choice:
* 5D (Fifth Dimension)
Byrds
Adam's choice:
* I Found You
Gene Clark
Brett's choice:
* Painter Man
Creation
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Edited By: Bruce
Last Updated: 2023-07-26
Last Updated: 2023-07-26