The 60s - My Top 10 Albums

From 1960 to 1969, we were blessed with some incredible albums made by some incredible artists. From the solo work of Roy Orbison, Van Morrison and Aretha Franklin to the several bands beginning with 'The' - including The Beatles, The Jackson 5, The Temptations, plus many many more.

So many phenomenal albums were released ( so this was a hard task ) but today I'm going to list my top ten albums of the sixties, also known as my favorite era for music. So, in no particular order, because that would be extremely difficult...

1. The Beatles - Help! (1965)

Released as the bands fifth album, just two years after releasing their first, came Help! which just may be my favourite album of theirs. The album consists of fun songs like Another Girl, Ticket To Ride and Dizzy Miss Lizzy to slower songs like Yesterday, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away and I Need You. Filled with original, memorable tracks the album was a hit and still is today. It was so good, they even made a film to go with it!

2. The Monkees - The Monkees (1966)

The Monkees began their hit TV show in September 1966, then just a month later released their debut album. With hits like (Theme From) The Monkees and Let's Dance On, it quickly took the top spot in the Billboard charts for 13 weeks - to later be took over by the bands second album. The song Last Train To Clarksville had previously been released as a single, and was the only hit single from the album.

3. The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go? (1964)

After their debut album Meet The Supremes came Where Did Our Love Go, the second studio album by the hit Motown group. The album contains the group's first number one hits: Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love and Come See About Me. With the release of this album, the band became the first act in Billboard history to have three number one hits from the same album.

4. Dion - Alone with Dion (1961)

From 1957 to 1960, Dion sang as the lead singer for the popular American group Dion and the Belmonts, before soon leaving to pursue a solo career. His first album Alone with Dion was a hit, along with the song Lonely Teenager which had been previously released as a single. Containing fun tracks like Little Miss Blue and After The Dance while also containing more slow, heartfelt songs like My One and Only Love, P.S. I Love You and Fools Rush In, you almost go through a roller-coaster of emotions while listening!

5. Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends (1968)

Bookends is the fourth studio album by the American duo Simon and Garfunkel. The album sold well in the US and in the UK, where it peaked at number one. Side one of the album marks successive stages in life, the theme serving as bookends to the life cycle, while side two largely consists of unused material for The Graduate soundtrack. The album also produced the number one single, Mrs Robinson.

6. The Beach Boys - Summer Days (and Summer Nights) (1965)

Before Summer Days (and Summer Nights) came the band's eighth album, The Beach Boys Today! which represented the abandonment of themes related to surfing, cars, and teenage love. Sadly it sold below Capitol's expectations and in response, the label pressured the group to produce bigger hits - and from this, Summer Days (and Summer Nights) was created. It went on to reach number two on the US Billboard chart and number four on the UK Albums chart, while the song Help Me, Rhonda became the group's second chart topper in the US.

7. The Doors - The Doors (1967)

The Doors is the debut album by the American rock band, The Doors, and was central to the progression of psychedelic rock. Including the likes of Light My Fire, Twentieth Century Fox and Back Door Man, the album has sold over twenty million copies, and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame - along with the single, Light My Fire. The album was even ranked number 42 in Rolling Stone Magazine's '500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.'

8. The Mamas & The Papas - If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears (1966)

Ranked 112 in Rolling Stone Magazine's '500 Greatest Albums Of All Time' comes The Mamas & The Papas debut album. The album quickly received good reviews after being released: "The Mamas and The Papas celebrated all the sin and sleaze of Sixties L.A. with folksy harmonies, acoustic guitars and songs that told inquiring minds way more than they wanted to know". It was also included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and with songs like California Dreamin' I'm not surprised!

9. The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)

The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society was the sixth album by The Kinks, and was the last album by the original four members ( Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Pete Quaife and Mick Avory) as Quaife left the band in early 1969. Containing the likes of Picture Book, Do You Remember Walter and Big Sky, the album failed to chart upon its initial release and was called "the most successful ever flop" by Ray Davies. While this stands, it was described by Uncut as a "brilliantly observed concept album".

10. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II (1969)

Led Zeppelin II is said to be the band's heaviest album and was their first to reach number one in the UK and US charts. Six of the nine songs were written by the band, while the other three are reinterpretations of songs by Willie Dixon and Howlin' Wolf. Soon after release, the opening track Whole Lotta Love peaked as a top-ten single in over a dozen markets around the world.

Some more of my favourites which I would definitely recommend:

• Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)

• Every Beatles album, from Please Please Me (1963) to Abbey Road (1969)

• Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)

• Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River (1969)

• Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland (1968)

• Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Heat Wave (1963)

• The Rolling Stones - Out Of Our Hands (1965)