1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
The following lists and examples show how popular music evolved during the 1960s. More artists began to write and sing their own songs and, of course, the style and content of popular music changed.
Having said that, notice the lack of Grammy awards for the new voices, the new perspectives, particularly of those who would go on to play at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. They are seldom seen on top lists and rarely recognized with a Grammy.
To view a list, click the green link and a new page will appear. An asterisk (*) next to a song writer indicates the performer wrote the song as well.
1960
List of 1960 #1 songs: 3 of 20 [15%] were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year and top selling single of the year. | The Theme From A Summer Place | Percy Faith |
Grammy Song of the Year | Theme From Exodus | Ernest Gold, songwriter. |
Grammy Album of the Year | The Button-Down Mind Of Bob Newhart | Bob Newhart |
Billboard #1 album of 1960: Original Cast, The Sound of Music
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1961
List of 1961 #1 songs: 4 of 22 (18%) were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year & Grammy Song of the Year | Moon River | Henry Mancini |
Top selling single of 1961: Tossin’ and Turnin’ by Bobby Lewis
List of 1961 #1 albums
Grammy Album of the Year | Judy At Carnegie Hall | Judy Garland |
Billboard #1 album of 1961: Original Cast, Camelot
1961 other important albums
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1962
List of 1962 #1 songs: 5 of 21 (24%) were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year | I Left My Heart In San Francisco | Tony Bennett |
Grammy Song of the Year | What Kind Of Fool Am I | Anthony Newley & Leslie Bricusse, songwriters. |
Top-selling single of 1962: Acker Bilk, Stranger on the Shore
Grammy Album of the Year | The First Family | Vaughn Meader |
Billboard #1 album of 1962: Soundtrack, West Side Story
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1963
List of 1963 #1 songs: 1 of 21(4%) were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year & Grammy Song of the Year | Days Of Wine And Roses | Henry Mancini |
Top-selling single of 1963: Jimmy Gillmer and the Fireballs, Sugar Shack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzjfGF6MiU
Grammy Album of the Year | The Barbra Streisand Album | Barbra Streisand |
Billboard #1 album of 1963: Soundtrack, West Side Story
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1964
List of 1964 #1 songs: 9 of 24 (37.5 %) were written/co-written by the artist
Grammy Record of the Year | The Girl From Ipanema | Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz |
Grammy Song of the Year | Hello, Dolly! | Jerry Herman, songwriter. |
Top-selling single of 1964: The Beatles, I Want to Hold Your Hand
List of Billboard #1 albums 1964
Grammy Album of the Year | Getz/Gilberto | João Gilberto & Stan Getz |
Billboard #1 album of 1964: Original Cast, Hello Dolly
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1965
List of 1965 #1 songs: 9 of 27 (33.3 %) were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year | A Taste Of Honey | Herb Alpert |
Grammy Song of the Year | The Shadow Of Your Smile (Love Theme From “The Sandpiper”) | Johnny Mandel & Paul Francis Webster, songwriters. |
Top-selling single of 1965 (even though it never reached #1): Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, Wooly Bully
Grammy Album of the Year | September Of My Years | Frank Sinatra |
Billboard #1 album of 1965: Soundtrack, Mary Poppins
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1966
List of 1966 #1 songs: 10 of 26 (38%) were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year | Strangers In The Night | Frank Sinatra |
Grammy Song of the Year | Michelle | John Lennon & Paul McCartney |
Top-selling single of 1966: Barry Sadler, Balled of the Green Berets
Grammy Album of the Year | A Man And His Music | Frank Sinatra |
Billboard #1 album of 1966: Herb Albert & the Tijuana Brass, Whipped Cream and Other Delights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VGSzdftTI4
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1967
List of 1967 #1 songs: 8 of 19 (44%) were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year & Grammy Song of the Year | Up, Up And Away | 5th Dimension |
Top-selling single of 1967: Lulu, To Sir With Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTapoA5RQyo
Grammy Album of the Year | Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band | Beatles |
Billboard #1 album of 1967: The Monkees, More of the Monkees
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1968
List of 1968 #1 songs: 8 of 16 (50%) were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year | Mrs. Robinson | Simon And Garfunkel |
Grammy Song of the Year | Little Green Apples | Bobby Russell, songwriter. |
Top-selling single of 1968: The Beatles, Hey Jude
Grammy Album of the Year | By The Time I Get To Phoenix | Glen Campbell |
Billboard #1 album of 1968: Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced?
1960s #1 Singles #1 Albums
1969
List of 1969 #1 songs: 8 of 17 (47%) were written/co-written by the artist.
Grammy Record of the Year | Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (the Flesh Failures) | 5th Dimension |
Grammy Song of the Year | Games People Play | Joe South |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5znh58WITU8
Top-selling single of 1969: The Archies, Sugar, Sugar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRenOZQMbHo
Grammy Album of the Year | Blood, Sweat And Tears | Blood, Sweat And Tears |
Billboard #1 album of 1969: Iron Butterfly, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida