100 Greatest Albums of 1963

1963 record album covers for Live At The Apollo, Please Please Me, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, and With The Beatles
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.

Edited By:
Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'.
Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.
  1. Live At The Apollo - James Brown
  2. Please Please Me - The Beatles
  3. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
  4. With The Beatles - The Beatles
  5. A Christmas Gift For You - Phil Spector (Various Artists)
  6. Night Beat - Sam Cooke
  7. Surfin' USA. - The Beach Boys
  8. In Dreams - Roy Orbison
  9. The 12 Year Old Genius - Little Stevie Wonder
10. If You Need Me - Solomon Burke
11. The Impressions - The Impressions
12. Surfer Girl - The Beach Boys
13. Ingredients In A Recipe for Soul - Ray Charles
14. (The) Ventures in Space - The Ventures
15. Call on Me / That's the Way Love Is - Bobby Bland
16. Bo Diddley & Company - Bo Diddley
17. Little Deuce Coupe - The Beach Boys
18. So Much In Love: The Story of A Summer Love - The Tymes
19. Bo Diddley's Beach Party - Bo Diddley
20. Presenting Dionne Warwick - Dionne Warwick
21. Surfing - The Ventures
22. King of The Surf Guitar - Dick Dale
23. The Wham of That Memphis Man! - Lonnie Mack
24. He's A Rebel - The Crystals
25. Cry Baby - Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters
26. The Fabulous Miracles - The Miracles
27. Prisoner of Love - James Brown
28. That Stubborn Kinda' Fellow - Marvin Gaye
29. Walking the Dog - Rufus Thomas
30. Meet the Searchers - The Searchers
31. Jack The Ripper - Link Wray
32. Wipe Out and Surfer Joe - The Surfaris
33. Surf Rider! - The Lively Ones
34. Let's Go! - The Ventures
35. Pipeline - The Chantays
36. The Surfaris Play - The Surfaris
37. Surf City - The Lively Ones
38. I Feel The Spirit - Prince Buster
39. Mr. Soul - Sam Cooke
40. Little Town Flirt - Del Shannon
41. Surfin' With The Astronauts - The Astronauts
42. The Fabulous Ventures - The Ventures
43. Big Girls Don't Cry and Twelve Others - The Four Seasons
44. Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
45. Drag City - Jan & Dean
46. It's Gonna Work Out Fine - Ike & Tina Turner
47. Donna the Prima Donna - Dion
48. Right Now! - The Righteous Brothers
49. The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey - The Miracles
50. Doin' the Bird - The Rivingtons
51. Never Grow Old - Toots & The Maytals
52. Hello Stranger - Barbara Lewis
53. It's Too Late - Wilson Pickett
54. I'll Cry If I Want To - Lesley Gore
55. Sings of Mixed Up Hearts - Lesley Gore
56. Tell Him - The Exciters
57. Heat Wave - Martha and The Vandellas
58. He's So Fine - The Chiffons
59. Mind Over Matter - Nolan Strong and the Diablos
60. Marvelous Marvelettes - The Marvelettes
61. Baby Workout - Jackie Wilson
62. I Just Gotta Know - Jimmy McCracklin
63. Village of Love - Nathaniel Mayer
64. Lou Christie - Lou Christie
65. Surf City and Other Swingin' Cities - Jan & Dean
66. Surfbeat - The Challengers
67. Surfin' Hootenanny - Al Casey
68. Checkered Flag - Dick Dale and His Del-Tones
69. Come and Get These Memories - Martha and The Vandellas
70. How Do You Like It? - Gerry and The Pacemakers
71. Remember Me Baby - The Earls
72. Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
73. Zip-A-Dee Doo Dah - Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans
74. The Monkey Time - Major Lance
75. That's How Heartaches Are Made - Baby Washington
76. Dance With the Guitar Man - Duane Eddy
77. Here Comes ... Fats Domino - Fats Domino
78. Surfin' 'Round the World - Bruce Johnston
79. Blue Gene - Gene Pitney
80. Tribute To Uncle Ray - Little Stevie Wonder
81. The Wailers and Company - The Fabulous Wailers
82. Ain't That a Shame and 11 Others - The Four Seasons
83. Big Jay McNeely Recorded Live at Cisco's, Manhattan Beach, California - Big Jay McNeely
84. Need To Belong - Jerry Butler
85. The Raindrops - The Raindrops
86. Let Me In / Music, Music, Music - The Sensations
87. You're No Good - Betty Everett
88. Meet The Majors - The Majors
89. Dion Sings to Sandy (and All His Other Girls) - Dion
90. Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Johnny "Guitar" Watson
91. Wild Weekend - The Rockin' Rebels
92. Rhythm of the Rain - The Cascades
93. It Happened at the World's Fair - Elvis Presley
94. Bobby Vee Meets the Ventures  - Bobby Vee & the Ventures
95. Two Lovers and Other Great Hits - Mary Wells
96. Twangin' Up a Storm - Duane Eddy
97. My Boyfriend's Back - The Angels
98. You Can't Sit Down - The Dovells
99. Ruby Baby - Dion
100. Rick Nelson Sings "For You" - Rick Nelson


Live At The Apollo album cover - James Brown
Please Please Me album cover - The Beatles
The Freewheelin' album cover Bob Dylan
With The Beatles album cover
A Christmas Gift For You album cover - Phil Spector
Night Beat album cover - Sam Cooke
 DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1963
  Bruce's choice - An unheralded great album from 1963
 •  Walkin' To New Orleans - Fats Domino
  Adam's choice:
 •  Back Porch Bluegrass - Dillards
  Lew's choice:
 •  In the Wind - Peter, Paul and Mary


Top 100 Albums by Year: