100 Greatest Albums of 1965

Criteria: These albums were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
2. Rubber Soul
The Beatles
3. Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
4. Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
5. Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
6. Help!
The Beatles
7. My Generation
The Who
8. The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
9. Temptations Sing Smokey
The Temptations
10. Going To A Go-Go
Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
11. Out Of Our Heads
The Rolling Stones
12. Having A Rave Up With The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
13. Turn! Turn! Turn!
The Byrds
14. Do You Believe in Magic
The Lovin' Spoonful
15. The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things
16. People Get Ready
The Impressions
17. The Kink Kontroversy
The Kinks
18. Shotgun
Jr. Walker & the All Stars
19. The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads
Otis Redding
20. The Angry Young Them/Them (Featuring Here Comes The Night)
Them
21. Here Are The Sonics!!!
The Sonics
22. December's Children (And Everybody's)
The Rolling Stones
23. Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
The Beach Boys
24. The Rolling Stones Now!
The Rolling Stones
25. The Temptin' Temptations
The Temptations
26. Kinks-Size
The Kinks
27. The Four Tops Second Album
The Four Tops
28. Animal Tracks
The Animals
29. For Your Love
The Yardbirds
30. Kinda Kinks
The Kinks
31. Take A Heart
The Sorrows
32. In The Midnight Hour
Wilson Pickett
33. Get The Picture?
The Pretty Things
34. The Animals On Tour
The Animals
35. The Zombies
The Zombies
36. Mercy!
Don Covay
37. Leader of the Pack
The Shangri-Las
38. Kinkdom
The Kinks
39. Four Tops
The Four Tops
40. We're Gonna Make It
Little Milton
41. Goin' Out of My Head
Little Anthony & The Imperials
42. I Do Love You
Billy Stewart
43. It Ain't Me Babe
The Turtles
44. The Village Fugs/The Fugs First Album
The Fugs
45. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
The Righteous Brothers
46. The Sensitive Sound of Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
47. Soul Dressing
Booker T. & The MG's
48. More Hits by The Supremes
The Supremes
49. Dance Party
Martha and The Vandellas
50. What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid/Catch The Wind
Donovan

51. Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
James Brown
52. I Want Candy
The Strangeloves
53. Take It Easy With The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers
54. Hold What You've Got
Joe Tex
55. Shake
Sam Cooke
56. Just Once In My Life
The Righteous Brothers
57. Fairytale/Colours
Donovan
58. The Missing Links
The Missing Links
59. I Got You (I Feel Good)
James Brown
60. Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty
Dusty Springfield
61. The Ventures on Stage
The Ventures
62. The Shangri-Las-65!
The Shangri-Las
63. The Five Faces of Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
64. One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty-One Seconds With Del Shannon
Del Shannon
65. Queen of Soul
Etta James
66. Ray Charles Live in Concer
tRay Charles
67. Marianne Faithful
lMarianne Faithfull
68. Here They Come!
Paul Revere & The Raiders
69. How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You
Marvin Gaye
70. Fresh Berry's
Chuck Berry
71. Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show
Ike & Tina Turner
72. Baby, I'm Yours
Barbara Lewis
73. Introducing the Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels
74. Eve of Destruction
Barry McGuire
75. Soul Time
Jackie Wilson
76. Look at Us
Sonny & Cher
77. Live On Stage In '65
Gene Chandler
78. The Ventures Knock Me Out!
The Ventures
79. Hear! Here!
The Hollies
80. Hang On Sloopy
The McCoys
81. Get It - Get It!
Ike & Tina Turner
82. The New Boss
Joe Tex
83. Songs Of Our Times
P.F. Sloan
84. Ooooooweeee!!!
Dusty Springfield
85. The Wailing Wailers
The Wailers
86. The Beau Brummels, Volume 2
The Beau Brummels
87. Wooly Bully
Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs
88. Take Me for What I'm Worth/The Searchers No. 4
The Searchers
89. Yes, I'm Ready
Barbara Mason
90. KRLA King of the Wheels
Bobby Fuller Four
91. There Is Only One Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
92. The Magnificent Moodies/Go Now: The Moody Blues #1
The Moody Blues
93. Elvis for Everyone!
Elvis Presley
94. Herman's Hermits On Tour
Herman's Hermits
95. Mann Made
Manfred Mann
96. Land of 1000 Dances
Cannibal & The Headhunters
97. Back To Back
The Righteous Brothers
98. (If It Is) Only for Tonight
O.V. Wright
99. 500% More Man
Bo Diddley
100. Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders/The Game of Love
Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1965
Bruce's choice - An unheralded great album from 1965
* Seven Letters
Ben E. King

Brett's choice:
* Sir Henry & His Butlers
Sir Henry & His Butlers

Adam's choice:
* Today is the Highway
Eric Andersen

Lew's choice:
* Catch Us if You Can
The Dave Clark Five
1964   |   1966