1966 in music

Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1966

Events

January 3 - Hullabaloo shows promotional videos of The Beatles songs "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out".
January 8 - Shindig! airs for the last time on ABC, with musical guests the Kinks and the Who
January 14 - Young singer David Jones changes his last name to Bowie to avoid being confused with Davy Jones of the Monkees
January 17 - Simon and Garfunkel release Sounds of Silence, which hits #1 on Billboard charts
January 21 - Beatle George Harrison marries fashion model Pattie Boyd. The couple met on the set of the Beatles' first movie, A Hard Day's Night.
February 19 - Jefferson Airplane and Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin perform at the Fillmore
March 3 - Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay form Buffalo Springfield in Los Angeles, California.
March 4 - The Beatles' John Lennon is quoted in the London newspaper, The Evening Standard as saying that the band was now more popular than Jesus. Beatles protests and record burnings follow in the Southern US's "Bible Belt".
March 6 - In the UK, 5,000 fans of the Beatles sign a petition urging British Prime minister Harold Wilson to reopen Liverpool's legendary Cavern Club.
April - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass place 4 albums in Billboard's Top 10. A world record.
April 12 - In Los Angeles, California, Jan Berry, of Jan and Dean, crashes his Corvette into a truck that is parked on Whittier Boulevard. Berry suffers total physical paralysis for over a year as well as extensive brain damage.
May 1 - The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and the Who perform at the New Musical Express' poll winners' show in London. The show is televised, except for The Beatles' and The Stones' segments, thanks to union conflicts.
May 16 - Legendary album Pet Sounds by Beach Boys released
May 17 - Bob Dylan and the Hawks (later The Band) play their legendary show at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England, during which Dylan is booed by the audience due to his decision to tour with an electric band; the booing culminates in the famous "Judas" shout.
June 6 – At Gallatin, Tennessee, 25-year-old Claudette Frady-Orbison, while motorcycycle riding with her husband Roy Orbison, was killed when her motorcycle was struck by a pickup truck.
July 2 - The Beatles become the first musical group to perform at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo. The performance ignited a lot of protest from local citizens who felt that it was inappropriate for a rock and roll band to play at Budokan.
July 29 - Bob Dylan is involved in a motorcycle accident
August 11 - John Lennon holds a press conference in Chicago, Illinois to apologize for his remarks the previous March. "I suppose if I had said television was more popular than Jesus, I would have gotten away with it. I'm sorry I opened my mouth. I'm not anti-God, anti-Christ, or anti-religion. I was not knocking it. I was not saying we are greater or better."
August 29 - The Beatles perform their last official concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California
September - George Harrison travels to India for 6 weeks to study sitar with Ravi Shankar
September 12 - First episode of The Monkees is broadcast on NBC Television
October 7 - Johnny Kidd, writer or 'Shakin All Over' dies in a car accident.
October 8 - WOR-FM in New York City becomes the first FM rock music station, under the leadership of legendary DJ Murray The K.
October 10 - Simon and Garfunkel release Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, which hits #4 on Billboard charts
The Crystals, of 'Da Do Ron Ron' fame disband

Guinness Book of World Records recognize that Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass set a world record for placing five albums simultaneously on Billboard's Pop Album Chart. Their music outsells The Beatles by a margin of two-to-one... over 13 million recordings. They win 4 Grammy's this year.
Dalida receives for a second time the Music Hall Bravos.
Gram Parsons' musical career begins
Charley Pride's musical career begins
Neil Young's musical career begins
Robert Plant's musical career begins
Wishbone Ash form
The Move form
The Crystals break up
Gerry & the Pacemakers break up

Albums released

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators - The 13th Floor Elevators
Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys
Revolver - The Beatles
Buffalo Springfield Again - Buffalo Springfield
Fifth Dimension - The Byrds
Fresh Cream - Cream
Dion & The Belmonts Together Again - Dion DiMucci & the Belmonts
Sunshine Superman - Donovan
Blonde on Blonde - Bob Dylan
Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur - Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington
The Stockholm Concert, 1966 - Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington
Whisper Not - Ella Fitzgerald
Lightfoot! - Gordon Lightfoot
Magic Box - The Loved Ones Australia
If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas and the Papas - The Mamas & the Papas
The Monkees - The Monkees
Black Monk Time - The Monks
Freak Out! - The Mothers of Invention
The Orbison Way - Roy Orbison
The Classic Roy Orbison - Roy Orbison
East-West - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Aftermath - The Rolling Stones
Got Live If You Want It! - The Rolling Stones
Sounds of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme - Simon and Garfunkel
Moonlight Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra
Sinatra at the Sands - Frank Sinatra
That's Life - Frank Sinatra
Boots - Nancy Sinatra
A Quick One - The Who
The Yardbirds USA-title: "Over, Under Sideways, Down" - The Yardbirds

Top hits on record

"The Sound of Silence" - Simon and Garfunkel
"We Can Work It Out" - The Beatles
"My Love" - Petula Clark
"Lightnin' Strikes" - Lou Christie
"Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35" - Bob Dylan
"Ballad of the Green Berets" - Sgt. Barry Sadler (the Top Song of 1966, according to Billboard)
"These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" - Nancy Sinatra
"(You're My) Soul and Inspiration'" - Righteous Brothers
"Good Lovin'" - The Young Rascals
"Yellow Submarine" - The Beatles
"Monday Monday" - The Mamas and Papas
"It Takes Two" - Marvin Gaye with Kim Weston
"When A Man Loves a Woman" - Percy Sledge
"Paint It Black" - The Rolling Stones
"Paperback Writer" - The Beatles
"Kicks" - Paul Revere & the Raiders
"Gloria" - Shadows of Knight
"Homeward Bound" - Simon and Garfunkel
"I Am a Rock" - Simon and Garfunkel
"Sweet Pea" - Tommy Roe
"You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" - Dusty Springfield
"It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown
"A Groovy Kind of Love" - The Mindbenders
"Along Comes Mary" - The Association
"Red Rubber Ball" - The Cyrkle
"Lil' Red Riding Hood" - Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
"Born Free" - Roger Williams
"Strangers In the Night" - Frank Sinatra
"Wild Thing" - The Troggs
"Summer in the City" - The Lovin' Spoonful
"Reach Out I'll Be There" - The Four Tops
"Last Train To Clarksville" - The Monkees
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes
"Summertime" - Billy Stewart
"Winchester Cathedral" - New Vaudeville Band
"Good Vibrations" - The Beach Boys
"Sunshine Superman" - Donovan
"I'm a Believer" - The Monkees
"Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" - The Royal Guardsmen
"That's Life" - Frank Sinatra
"Sugar Town" - Nancy Sinatra
"Tell It Like It Is" - Aaron Neville
"Good Thing" - Paul Revere and the Raiders
"Devil With A Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly" - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels

Other Singles

"You're Gonna Miss Me" - The 13th Floor Elevators
"Eleanor Rigby" - The Beatles
"Rain" - The Beatles
"Eight Miles High" - The Byrds
Mellow Yellow - Donovan
"Hey Joe" - The Leaves
"This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)" - The Isley Brothers
"Pretty Flamingo" - Manfred Mann
"Little By Little" - Dusty Springfield
"The Dangling Conversation" - Simon and Garfunkel
"A Hazy Shade Of Winter" - Simon and Garfunkel
"Jug Band Music" - The Lovin' Spoonful
"Come On, Let's Go" - The McCoys
"Distant Drums" - Jim Reeves
"(Manuel Benitez) El Cordobes" - Dalida
"Parlez-Moi de Lui" - Dalida
"Petit Homme" - Dalida
"Mame" - Bobby Darin
"I Love Onions" - Susan Christie
"Mame" - Louis Armstrong
"Twinkle Toes" - Roy Orbison
"Don't Bring Me Down" - The Animals
"Over, Under, Sideways, Down" - The Yardbirds
"Shapes of Things" - The Yardbirds
"Green, Green Grass of Home" - Tom Jones
"Born Free" - Matt Monro
"Where Were You When I Needed You?" - The Grass Roots
"Hooray For Hazel" - Tommy Roe
"Season of the Witch" - Donovan
"Bus Stop" - The Hollies
"Tar and Cement" - Verdelle Smith

Published popular music

"Alfie" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach from the film Alfie
"And When I Die" w.m. Laura Nyro & Jerry Sears
"Big Spender" w. Dorothy Fields m. Cy Coleman from the musical Sweet Charity
"Born Free" w. Don Black m. John Barry from the film Born Free
"Bosom Buddies" w.m. Jerry Herman from the musical Mame
"Buy And Sell" w.m. Laura Nyro
"Cabaret" w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander from the musical Cabaret
"Cherish" w.m. Terry Kirkman
"Flim Flam Man" w.m. Laura Nyro
"Funny, familiar, forgotten feelings" w.m. Mickey Newbury
"I Am A Rock" by Paul Simon
"I Can Hear Music" w.m. Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich & Phil Spector
"I Love Onions" by Donald Cochrane & John Hill
"I Saw Her Again Last Night" w.m. John Phillips and Denny Doherty
"I'm A Believer" w.m. Neil Diamond
"If He Walked into My Life" w.m. Jerry Herman from the musical Mame
"If I Were A Carpenter" w.m. Tim Hardin
"If My Friends Could See Me Now" w. Dorothy Fields m. Cy Coleman, from the musical Sweet Charity
"L'il Red Riding Hood" w.m. Ronald Blackwell
"Lady Godiva" w.m. Mike Leander & Charles Mills
"Mother's Little Helper" w.m. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
"A Must To Avoid" w.m. P.F. Sloan & Steve Barri from the film Hold On!
"Mustang Sally" w.m. Bonny Rice
"Red Rubber Ball" w.m. Paul Simon and Bruce Woodley
"The Rhythm Of Life" w. Dorothy Fields m. Cy Coleman from the musical Sweet Charity
"Solitary Man" w.m. Neil Diamond
"This Is My Song" w.m. Charles Chaplin theme song from the film A Countess From Hong Kong
"Wedding Bell Blues" w.m. Laura Nyro
"Winnie The Pooh" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the animated film Winnie The Pooh And The Honey Tree

Classical music

Malcolm Arnold - Fantasy for solo flute
Jean Barraqué - Chant aprés chant
George Crumb - Eleven Echoes of Autumn (Echoes I) for violin, alto flute, clarinet, and piano
Mario Davidovsky
- Junctures for flute, clarinet, and violin
- Synchronisms No. 4 for chorus and tape
John Serry, Sr. - Concerto For Free Bass Accordion
Roger Sessions - Symphony #6
Dmitri Shostakovich - String Quartet No.11 in F minor, Op.122
Robert Ward - Fiesta Processional