Best 150 Albums of the 1960’s!

[AdamG]

Obviously a Subjective list and I have zero expectations that we can all agree on the list. However, if you are new to the genre and looking for suggestions, this is a good start and nice reference. Something about the 60’s sound captured my attention and it never let go. Enjoy the list for what it is and feel free to drop your own suggestions if they are not represented here. Gentleman start your amplifiers…

The Best Albums of the 1960s | Treble

We take a look back at the decade that essentially changed everything, with our list of the best albums of the 1960s.

www.treblezine.com

 

[Timcognito]

Wow thanks. Surprising I think I have one out of every three. Maybe because I've been in the hobby since then.
That is because that I'm old. Led Zeppelin's first at 129?

 

[JayGilb]

Of course, the most overrated album from the 60s is at #1.

Good list for the most part. Thanks.

 

[AdamG]

Led Zeppelin's first at 129?

I read the first Zep album listed at 9. ? The value of this list is not necessarily the ranking order. But the totality of Albums released in the 1960’s. But I’m not naive enough to think that we won’t fill pages and pages of arguments about order and whatnot. It’s ASR after all

 

[mhardy6647]

What flavor of albums? I am afraid to look!
Hugo Winterhalter? Leslie Gore? Mitch Miller and The Gang? Wayne Newton?
Bert Kaempfert?

 

[mhardy6647]

I peeked

OK, "they" get credit for a truly eclectic list.
I am not necessarily proud to note that I have copies of an awful lot of those albums.

I was amused to see Frank Zappa described as a "Baltimorean". It's not strictly inaccurate, but his family moved west when he was very young.
Charm City is proud of his roots there, though -- that I can vouch for.

 

[rubinken]

"The Best" based on what criteria? And what are the backgrounds of the selecting group? Seems like important, unaddressed questions

 

[mhardy6647]

"The Best" based on what criteria? And what are the backgrounds of the selecting group? Seems like important, unaddressed questions

signal to noise ratio and dynamic range.

 

[TimF]

I don't mean to be patronizing or 'liberal', but I lived through that period and owned many of those albumsm and it sure proves that the diverse population of the USA has led to a very rich musical culture(s).

 

[beeface]

"The Best" based on what criteria? And what are the backgrounds of the selecting group? Seems like important, unaddressed questions

Really? It’s a subjective list by music journalists. The same as the countless other lists published by other publications in previous decades. What more is there to say at this point?

 

[beeface]

Obviously people are never going to 100% agree with lists like these.

I don’t see any glaring omissions. I thought I did, then did a Google search and discovered I was thinking of albums from the early 70s.

Figured Byrds, Who and Kinks would be higher up the list, but there’s a lot of good albums to choose from.

 

[pseudoid]

I'll spoil it without using an Inline-spoiler.

1. Beach Boys – Pet Sounds (1966)

I don't think so... Not in any my universe!

 

[Blumlein 88]

I started looking at it. I know its is subjective and I would not agree with all of it. However, starting at the bottom when I got to the soundtrack from Goldfinger, well no way especially considering some of the albums ranked below it. When I got to the soundtrack from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly from Ennio Morricone, I stopped looking. Such a list at that point had absolutely zero credibility.

I skipped to number one. Pet Sounds???? Really Pet Sounds? I could accept that a little more than those soundtracks. It might belong on the list somewhere, but not #1. If I made a list of most over-rated albums from the 1960's then Pet Sounds would be my #1 with a bullet.

I don't know what other crimes against good taste are between Morricone and #1 as I didn't look at the list. As it was compiled by Treble's staff, it convinced me not to look at their other lists or any of their articles.

 

[tmtomh]

There are some glaringly bad choices and rankings (agree RE putting Pet Sounds at #1 was a bad/annoying choice, although at least they didn't put Sgt Peppers there; plus Nancy and Lee Hazlewood 48 slots above Led Zeppelin I?!?). But overall I think it's a good list and it's incredibly refreshing to have such a list cover so many genres so competently.

 

[Timcognito]

Everyone has there own No. 1, mine maybe Are You Experienced or Let It Bleed, have to think about it. I have so much from those years. But as far Pet Sounds goes don't miss these.

A good documentary about Brian Wilson now and how he is coping with his schizophrenia

American Masters | Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road | Season 36

Explore the life and career of the legendary singer and co-founder of The Beach Boys.

www.pbs.org

And this flick, a well done and acted docudrama about the BB leading up to Pet Sounds on Amazon Prime. My wife liked it too.

 

[MCH]

I enjoy having a look at these lists, they always tell much more about when and where they were made, than about what they were made

Where? A Christmas album in the top 50 and Pet Sounds #1, any guess??

And yes, seems that we live the time of diversity, that is a very good thing, even though America (the continent) is by far over represented. Happy to see a fair amount of Brazil stuff though.

 

[Salt]

There are some good ones, and some less good ones, depending on perception of everyone of us.
So let's enjoy the good ones (whatever they are), and let aside the not so good (whatever they are) for everyone of individual perception.
We all keep in memory the better or not that good times, all associated to music listened to.
Not?

 

[radix]

Really, who would pick the beach boys (at #1) vs the Doors (#30)?

 

[Salt]

American vs. Englishman?

Duck and cover

 

[Blumlein 88]

I enjoy having a look at these lists, they always tell much more about when and where they were made, than about what they were made

Where? A Christmas album in the top 50 and Pet Sounds #1, any guess??

And yes, seems that we live the time of diversity, that is a very good thing, even though America (the continent) is by far over represented. Happy to see a fair amount of Brazil stuff though.

This made me look. A Charlie Brown Christmas at 33#????? Above ElectricLadyLand, the Supremes, Otis Redding, Etta James, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis Sketches of Spain. Also way above Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man, and the Stones Begger's Banquet?

Tell me how a group with this selection has any credibility? Ridiculous. I might believe a single odd person, but this was from something like a dozen people.