100 Greatest Albums of 1965

1965 record album covers for Highway 61 Revisited, Rubber Soul, Bringing It All Back Home, and Otis Blue
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. 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 Concert - Ray Charles
67. Marianne Faithfull - Marianne 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
More Lists


Highway 61 Revisited album cover - Bob Dylan
Rubber Soul album cover - The Beatles
Bringing It All Back Home album cover - Bob Dylan
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul album cover
Mr. Tambourine Man album coverm - The Byrds
Help! album cover - The Beatles
 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 Hhe Highway - Eric Andersen
  Lew's choice:
 •  Catch Us if You Can - The Dave Clark Five


Top 100 Albums by Year: