Top 100 Songs Of The 60s

The British Invasion Decade

A Color Picture of the Beatles in 1964
A Color Picture of the Beatles in 1964

The sixties was another great decade of great music and achievement with the United States landing on the moon in 1969, and saw three great Americans assassinated (president JFK 1963, Martin Luther King Jr., and Bobby Kennedy in 1968).

The 60s top 100 hits from 1960-1969, will show all of this great music when America was bombarded with Beatle mania in 1964, with the invasion of the Beatles having a series of successful hits with 20 of them becoming number 1 hit songs.

You will want to check out which song of this decade was the most popular.

In unrelated news, now there is a way to preserve vinyl records and convert them to the CD format. Click here for more information.

Some interesting facts:

  • In order to make this list, every song had to peak at the #1 position and hold the peak position for 2 weeks or more.
  • For a song to make the top 10, it had to be at #1 for 5 weeks or more.
  • For the decade, there were a total of 204 songs that peaked at the #1 position.
  • The Beatles have the most songs in the list with ten (10).
  • The years of 1960 & 1964 tied with the most hits with 12.
  • The year of 1965, did not have a hit on this chart until #35.
  • The song at #45 “The Twist” by Chubby Checker, is unique because it was released in 1960 and 1962 and it topped the charts both times peaking at #1 for one week in 1960 and 2 weeks in 1962. It’s included in the rankings with the other songs with 3 weeks at number one. It is the only record to perform this feat in rock history. Counting both years, it spent a total of 39 weeks on the charts.
  • The Beatles song “Yesterday” #44, is the most covered pop song of all time with over 3,000 versions recorded according to The Guinness Book of World Records. This song was written by Paul McCartney. It is the first song to be recorded without the other Beatles. McCartney is reported saying that the tune was easy, but the words took about two weeks, in 1965.
  • The song “Running Bear” recorded by Johnny Preston, was on the charts for 27 weeks, the most of all the songs released in the 60’s.
  • Ranking of the songs was determined by peak position, #weeks at peak position, #weeks in the top 10, #weeks in the top 40 and total weeks on chart.
  • This decade saw a total of 556 instrumentals chart on Billboard, of which 9 made it to #1.

The songs will be listed in order from 1-100 with the title, artist, peak weeks (), and year of release. Note: A song with an (I) after the title denotes an instrumental.

The Top 100 Songs of All Time in the Sixties:

Rank     Title/Artist/Peak Weeks () and year of release

  1. Hey Jude / Beatles (9) 1968
  2. Theme From A Summer Place (I) / Percy Faith (9) 1960
  3. Tossin’ And Turnin’ / Bobby Lewis (7) 1961
  4. I Want To Hold Your Hand / Beatles (7) 1964
  5. I’m A Believer / Monkees (7) 1966
  6. I Heard It Through The Grape Vine / Marvin Gaye (7) 1968
  7. Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In / 5th Dimension (6) 1969
  8. Are You Lonesome Tonight? / Elvis Presley (6) 1960
  9. In The Year 2525 / Zager & Evens (6) 1969
  10. It’s Now Or Never / Elvis Presley (5) 1960
  11. I Can’t Stop Loving You / Ray Charles (5) 1962
  12. Love Is Blue (I) / Paul Mauriat (5) 1968
  13. Big Girls Don’t Cry / 4 Seasons (5) 1962
  14. Big Bad John / Jimmy Dean (5) 1961
  15. Sugar Shack / Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs (5) 1963
  16. Honey / Bobby Goldsboro (5) 1968
  17. To Sir With Love / Lulu (5) 1967
  18. Cathy’s Clown / Everly Brothers (5) 1960
  19. People Got To Be Free / Rascals (5) 1968
  20. Get Back / Beatles (5) 1969
  21. The Ballad Of The Green Berets / SSgt. Barry Sadler (5) 1966
  22. Sherry / 4 Seasons (5) 1962
  23. Can’t Buy Me Love (5) 1964
  24. Sugar, Sugar / Archies (4) 1969
  25. (Sittin On) The Dock Of The Bay / Otis Redding (4) 1968
  26. Honky Tonk Women / Rolling Stones (4) 1969
  27. Stuck On You / Elvis Presley (4) 1960
  28. Roses Are Red (My Love) / Bobby Vinton (4) 1962
  29. Daydream Believer / Monkees (4) 1967
  30. Everyday People / Sly & The Family Stone (4) 1969
  31. Dizzy / Tommy Roe (4) 1969
  32. Windy / Association (4) 1967
  33. Runaway / Del Shannon (4) 1961
  34. He’s So Fine / Chiffons (4) 1963
  35. Satisfaction / Rolling Stones (4) 1965
  36. Ode To Billy Joe / Bobby Gentry (4) 1967
  37. Dominque / Singing Nun (4) 1963
  38. There! I’ve Said It Again / Bobby Vinton (4) 1964
  39. Groovin’ / Young Rascals (4) 1967
  40. Something Stupid / Frank & Nancy Sinatra (4) 1967
  41. The Letter / Box Tops (4) 1967
  42. This Guy’s In Love With You / Herb Alpert (4) 1968
  43. Baby Love / Supremes (4) 1964
  44. Yesterday / Beatles (4) 1965
  45. The Twist / Chubby Checker (3) 1960 (1) & 1962 (2)
  46. I’m Sorry / Brenda Lee (3) 1960
  47. Peppermint Twist / Joey Dee & The Starliters (3) 1962
  48. Wonderland By Night (I) / Bert Kaemphfert (3) 1961
  49. Running Bear / Johnny Preston (3) 1960
  50. Winchester Cathedral / New Vaudeville Band (3) 1966
  51. Save The Last Dance For Me / Drifters (3) 1960
  52. Light My Fire / Doors (3) 1967
  53. Hey Paula / Paul & Paula (3) 1963
  54. Happy Together / Turtles (3) 1967
  55. My Boyfriend’s Back / Angels (3) 1963
  56. Pony Time / Chubby Checker (3) 1961
  57. Oh, Pretty Women / Roy Orbison (3) 1964
  58. Wedding Bell Blues / 5th Dimension (3) 1969
  59. Telstar [I] / Tornadoes (3) 1962
  60. The Lion Sleeps Tonight / Tokens (3) 1961
  61. Soldier Boy / Shirelles (3) 1962
  62. Hey! Baby / Bruce Channel (3) 1962
  63. Blue Velvet / Bobby Vinton (3) 1963
  64. Sukiyaki / Kyu Sakamoto (3) 1963
  65. Duke Of Earl / Gene Chandler (3) 1962
  66. Blue Moon / Marcels (3) 1961
  67. I Will Follow Him / Little Peggy March (3) 1963
  68. Turn! Turn! Turn! / Byrds (3) 1965
  69. (You’re My) Soul And Inspiration / Righteous Brothers (3) 1966
  70. Monday, Monday / Mama’s & The Papas (3) 1966
  71. The House Of The Rising Sun / Animals (3) 1964
  72. Hello Goodbye / Beatles (3) 1967
  73. Mrs. Robinson / Simon & Garfunkel (3) 1968
  74. Fingertips Part 2 / Little Stevie Wonder (3) 1963
  75. Walk Like A Man / 4 Seasons (3) 1963
  76. Take Good Care Of My Baby / Bobby Vee (3) 1961
  77. Chapel Of Love / Dixie Cups (3) 1964
  78. We Can Work It Out / Beatles (3) 1966
  79. I Feel Fine / Beatles (3) 1964
  80. Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter / Herman’s Hermits (3) 1965
  81. I Got You Babe / Sonny & Cher (3) 1965
  82. Summer In The City / Lovin’ Spoonful (3) 1966
  83. Cherish / Association (3) 1966
  84. Help! / Beatles (3) 1965
  85. I Can’t Get Next To You / Temptations (2) 1969
  86. Love Child / Supremes (2) 1968
  87. Crimson And Clover / Tommy James & The Shondells (2) 1969
  88. She Loves You / Beatles (2) 1964
  89. Teen Angel / Mark Dinning (2) 1960
  90. My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own / Connie Francis (2) 1960
  91. I Can’t Help Myself / Four Tops (2) 1965
  92. El Paso / Marty Robbins (2) 1960
  93. Calcutta (I) / Lawrence Welk (2) 1961
  94. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ / Righteous Brothers (2) 1965
  95. My Guy / Mary Wells (2) 1964
  96. I Get Around / Beach Boys (2) 1964
  97. Downtown / Petula Clark (2) 1965
  98. Johnny Angel / Shelly Fabares (2) 1962
  99. Tighten Up / Archie Bell & The Drells (2) 1968
  100. Come See About Me / Supremes (2) 1964

Source: Pop Singles Annual 1955-1986 By Joel Whitburn

Shop Greatest Hits of the 60’s

You can shop the Greatest Hits of the 60’s by clicking on the link. You will be taken to the Amazon Try Prime Digital Music where there are over 2,100 selections to choose from. Note: That a vast majority of the selection are remakes of the originals. However, there are some original recordings. Listen to the brief recordings of the song before making your purchase. This is a great way to add missing songs to your collection.

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