Best albums of 1961 - Rate Your Music
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Top albums of 1961

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Updated: 14 May
Average Ratings Reviews
John Coltrane - My Favorite Things, Cover art
My Favorite Things
John Coltrane
4.11 17k 16,595 175 175
March 1961 Album
Modal Jazz Post-Bop
Cool Jazz
instrumental improvisation warm passionate technical acoustic bittersweet uplifting
17k Ratings 175 Reviews 4.11 Average
The John Coltrane Quartet - Africa / Brass, Cover art
Africa / Brass
The John Coltrane Quartet
4.00 6k 6,397 60 60
1 September 1961 Album
Modal Jazz Post-Bop
Experimental Big Band
instrumental warm acoustic improvisation complex technical nocturnal mellow
6k Ratings 60 Reviews 4.00 Average
John Coltrane - Olé Coltrane, Cover art
Olé Coltrane
John Coltrane
3.98 7k 7,000 92 92
November 1961 Album
Modal Jazz
Post-Bop Cool Jazz Avant-Garde Jazz Flamenco Jazz
instrumental acoustic improvisation warm passionate technical mellow melodic
7k Ratings 92 Reviews 3.98 Average
Columbia Symphony Orchestra / Igor Stravinsky - Stravinsky Conducts Le sacre du printemps, Cover art
Stravinsky Conducts Le sacre du printemps
Igor Stravinsky / Columbia Symphony Orchestra
3.96 2k 1,613 7 7
April 1961 Album
Modern Classical Ballet Orchestral Music
Expressionism
avant-garde suspenseful instrumental ritualistic orchestral polyphonic epic apocalyptic
2k Ratings 7 Reviews 3.96 Average
Wilhelm Kempff - Klaviersonaten Pathétique; Mondschein-Sonate; Appassionata, Cover art
Klaviersonaten Pathétique; Mondschein-Sonate; Appassionata
Ludwig van Beethoven / Wilhelm Kempff
3.95 224 224 1 1
1961 Album
Classical Period Sonata Romanticism
Romanticism
acoustic sonata instrumental melodic passionate
224 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.95 Average
The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet - Free Jazz, Cover art
Free Jazz
The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet
3.87 6k 6,225 98 98
September 1961 Album
Free Jazz
improvisation chaotic instrumental avant-garde technical dissonant acoustic energetic
6k Ratings 98 Reviews 3.87 Average
Pierre Fournier - Sechs Suiten für Violoncello Solo BWV 1007-1012, Cover art
Sechs Suiten für Violoncello Solo BWV 1007-1012
Johann Sebastian Bach / Pierre Fournier
3.91 1k 1,222 7 7
1961 Album
Baroque Music Baroque Suite
suite instrumental acoustic soothing melodic passionate
1k Ratings 7 Reviews 3.91 Average
Oliver Nelson - The Blues and the Abstract Truth, Cover art
The Blues and the Abstract Truth
Oliver Nelson
3.85 3k 3,403 56 56
1 September 1961 Album
Hard Bop
Post-Bop Cool Jazz Modal Jazz
instrumental acoustic playful passionate mellow technical improvisation meditative
3k Ratings 56 Reviews 3.85 Average
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - A Night in Tunisia, Cover art
A Night in Tunisia
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
3.85 2k 2,030 22 22
January 1961 Album
Hard Bop
Post-Bop
instrumental improvisation acoustic energetic technical warm passionate rhythmic
2k Ratings 22 Reviews 3.85 Average
Bobby Bland - Two Steps From the Blues, Cover art
Two Steps From the Blues
Bobby Bland
3.84 865 865 22 22
May 1961 Album
Rhythm & Blues Soul Blues
Soul Electric Blues
passionate
865 Ratings 22 Reviews 3.84 Average
Eric Dolphy - Out There, Cover art
Out There
Eric Dolphy
3.82 3k 3,023 32 32
1961 Album
Post-Bop
Avant-Garde Jazz Modal Jazz Chamber Jazz
acoustic instrumental improvisation energetic avant-garde technical melodic surreal
3k Ratings 32 Reviews 3.82 Average
Martha Argerich - Piano, Cover art
Piano
Frédéric Chopin / Martha Argerich
3.84 564 564 5 5
December 1961 Album
Romanticism
Impressionism
technical instrumental acoustic lush melodic melancholic complex passionate
564 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.84 Average
Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus / Carlo Maria Giulini / Eberhard Wächter / Joan Sutherland / Luigi Alva / Gottlob Frick / Elisabeth Schwarzkopf / Giuseppe Taddei / Piero Cappuccilli / Graziella Sciutti - Don Giovanni, Cover art
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
3.83 334 334 3 3
1961 Album
Classical Period Opera buffa
opera acoustic humorous orchestral love violence sentimental warm
334 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.83 Average
Hank Mobley - Roll Call, Cover art
Roll Call
Hank Mobley
3.80 1k 1,021 18 18
July 1961 Album
Hard Bop
instrumental improvisation acoustic technical energetic rhythmic
1k Ratings 18 Reviews 3.80 Average
Max Roach - Percussion Bitter Sweet, Cover art
Percussion Bitter Sweet
Max Roach
3.79 855 855 10 10
September 1961 Album
Hard Bop Post-Bop
Vocal Jazz Post-Bop Afro-Cuban Jazz
bittersweet instrumental energetic improvisation warm mysterious rhythmic acoustic
855 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.79 Average
Bill Evans Trio - Explorations, Cover art
Explorations
Bill Evans Trio
3.77 3k 2,528 23 23
March 1961 Album
Cool Jazz
Modal Jazz Post-Bop
mellow romantic soothing instrumental calm improvisation acoustic melodic
3k Ratings 23 Reviews 3.77 Average
The Gil Evans Orchestra - Out of the Cool, Cover art
Out of the Cool
The Gil Evans Orchestra
3.77 2k 1,661 25 25
February 1961 Album
Progressive Big Band Cool Jazz
Third Stream
atmospheric instrumental mysterious acoustic eclectic technical improvisation playful
2k Ratings 25 Reviews 3.77 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.80 295 295 4 4
1961 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Big Band Traditional Pop
romantic passionate
295 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.80 Average
The Ornette Coleman Quartet - This Is Our Music, Cover art
This Is Our Music
The Ornette Coleman Quartet
3.75 2k 2,300 33 33
February 1961 Album
Avant-Garde Jazz
Free Jazz Post-Bop Hard Bop
technical instrumental improvisation energetic avant-garde acoustic rhythmic playful
2k Ratings 33 Reviews 3.75 Average
Cecil Taylor - The World of Cecil Taylor, Cover art
The World of Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor
3.76 1k 1,242 19 19
1961 Album
Avant-Garde Jazz
Free Jazz Post-Bop
instrumental acoustic improvisation energetic avant-garde technical playful mysterious
1k Ratings 19 Reviews 3.76 Average
Booker Little - Out Front, Cover art
Out Front
Booker Little
3.76 556 556 13 13
October 1961 Album
Hard Bop
Post-Bop
instrumental improvisation acoustic polyphonic energetic
556 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.76 Average
Oliver Nelson with Eric Dolphy - Straight Ahead, Cover art
Straight Ahead
Oliver Nelson with Eric Dolphy
3.76 546 546 6 6
1961 Album
Hard Bop
Post-Bop
instrumental acoustic playful
546 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.76 Average
Freddie Redd Quintet - Shades of Redd, Cover art
Shades of Redd
Freddie Redd Quintet
3.77 325 325 6 6
May 1961 Album
Hard Bop
Modal Jazz
improvisation warm acoustic melodic instrumental
325 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.77 Average
Kenny Dorham - Whistle Stop, Cover art
Whistle Stop
Kenny Dorham
3.76 479 479 5 5
June 1961 Album
Hard Bop
Modal Jazz
instrumental
479 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.76 Average
George Russell Sextet - Ezz-thetics, Cover art
Ezz-thetics
George Russell Sextet
3.73 1k 1,208 14 14
1961 Album
Modal Jazz Avant-Garde Jazz
Post-Bop
instrumental energetic nocturnal acoustic avant-garde melodic urban quirky
1k Ratings 14 Reviews 3.73 Average
Baby Face Willette - Face to Face, Cover art
Face to Face
Baby Face Willette
3.75 333 333 9 9
July 1961 Album
Soul Jazz
Hard Bop
warm uplifting instrumental playful energetic rhythmic improvisation party
333 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.75 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!, Cover art
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!
Ella Fitzgerald
3.76 250 250 6 6
November 1961 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Bebop Swing
250 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.76 Average
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington - Together for the First Time, Cover art
Together for the First Time
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington
3.76 231 231 6 6
1961 Album
Vocal Jazz Swing
Dixieland
happy
231 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.76 Average
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - Impulse!!!!! Art Blakey!!!!! Jazz Messengers!!!!!, Cover art
Impulse!!!!! Art Blakey!!!!! Jazz Messengers!!!!!
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
3.73 464 464 3 3
1 September 1961 Album
Hard Bop
happy energetic instrumental acoustic warm rhythmic improvisation
464 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.73 Average
Jacques Brel - N° 5, Cover art
N° 5
Jacques Brel
3.73 542 542 6 6
April 1961 Album
Chanson à texte
love passionate introspective bittersweet
542 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.73 Average
Kenny Drew - Undercurrent, Cover art
Undercurrent
Kenny Drew
3.72 556 556 8 8
July 1961 Album
Hard Bop
Cool Jazz Bebop
instrumental nocturnal acoustic improvisation rhythmic warm technical melodic
556 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.72 Average
Duke Jordan - Flight to Jordan, Cover art
Flight to Jordan
Duke Jordan
3.73 348 348 5 5
May 1961 Album
Hard Bop
urban acoustic instrumental improvisation rhythmic warm mellow
348 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.73 Average
London Symphony Orchestra / Kyril Kondrashin / Sviatoslav Richter - Klavierkonzert Nr. 1 Es-Dur; Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 A-Dur, Cover art
Klavierkonzert Nr. 1 Es-Dur; Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 A-Dur
Franz Liszt
3.74 219 219 6 6
1961 Album
Romanticism Concerto
acoustic concerto orchestral
219 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.74 Average
Glenn Gould - 10 Intermezzi for Piano, Cover art
10 Intermezzi for Piano
Johannes Brahms / Glenn Gould
3.88 158 158 1 1
3 April 1961 Album
Romanticism
acoustic
158 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.88 Average
Dexter Gordon - Doin' Allright, Cover art
Doin' Allright
Dexter Gordon
3.72 460 460 8 8
August 1961 Album
Hard Bop
mellow acoustic improvisation instrumental happy ballad
460 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.72 Average
Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane - Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane, Cover art
Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane
Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane
3.69 3k 2,936 33 33
October 1961 Album
Hard Bop
instrumental acoustic improvisation technical melodic energetic
3k Ratings 33 Reviews 3.69 Average
Lee Morgan - Leeway, Cover art
Leeway
Lee Morgan
3.71 604 604 10 10
May 1961 Album
Hard Bop
instrumental energetic warm technical improvisation
604 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.71 Average
Astor Piazzolla y su Quinteto - Piazzolla interpreta a Piazzolla, Cover art
Piazzolla interpreta a Piazzolla
Astor Piazzolla y su Quinteto
3.89 141 141 3 3
1961 Album
Tango nuevo
melodic melancholic passionate
141 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.89 Average
Buddy Rich and His Sextet - Blues / Caravan, Cover art
Blues / Caravan
Buddy Rich and His Sextet
3.72 290 290 4 4
November 1961 Album
Bebop Hard Bop
Swing
complex quirky rhythmic melodic instrumental acoustic technical
290 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.72 Average
The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Further Out, Cover art
Time Further Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3.70 1k 1,297 22 22
November 1961 Album
Cool Jazz
Hard Bop
uncommon time signatures mellow calm instrumental playful melodic acoustic complex
1k Ratings 22 Reviews 3.70 Average
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Soundtracks

  • Various Artists - West Side Story, Cover art
    West Side Story
    1961 Album
    776 Ratings 18 Reviews 3.74 Average
    3.74 776 776 18 18
  • Henry Mancini - Breakfast at Tiffany's, Cover art
    Breakfast at Tiffany's
    1961 Album
    513 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.68 Average
    3.68 513 513 8 8
  • Elvis Presley - Blue Hawaii, Cover art
    Blue Hawaii
    1961 Album
    835 Ratings 19 Reviews 2.93 Average
    2.93 835 835 19 19
  • Various Artists - Camelot [Original Broadway Cast - 1960], Cover art
    Camelot [Original Broadway Cast - 1960]
    1961 Album
    82 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.45 Average
    3.45 82 82 6 6
  • Various Artists - High Society, Cover art
    High Society
    1961 Album
    69 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.62 Average
    3.62 69 69 2 2
    • See all 57 Include in main chart

    Live

  • Bill Evans Trio - Sunday at the Village Vanguard, Cover art
    Sunday at the Village Vanguard
    1961 Album
    4k Ratings 71 Reviews 3.95 Average
    3.95 4k 3,720 71 71
  • Eric Dolphy - At the Five Spot, Vol. 1, Cover art
    At the Five Spot, Vol. 1
    1961 Album
    1k Ratings 17 Reviews 3.97 Average
    3.97 1k 1,097 17 17
  • The Horace Silver Quintet - Doin' the Thing: The Horace Silver Quintet at the Village Gate, Cover art
    Doin' the Thing: The Horace Silver Quintet at the Village Gate
    1961 Album
    321 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.96 Average
    3.96 321 321 7 7
  • Miles Davis - Miles Davis in Person: Saturday Night at the Blackhawk, San Francisco - Volume II, Cover art
    Miles Davis in Person: Saturday Night at the Blackhawk, San Francisco - Volume II
    1961 Album
    412 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.87 Average
    3.87 412 412 6 6
  • Judy Garland - Judy at Carnegie Hall, Cover art
    Judy at Carnegie Hall
    1961 Album
    394 Ratings 15 Reviews 3.82 Average
    3.82 394 394 15 15
    • See all 99 Include in main chart

    Archival

  • Django Reinhardt / Stéphane Grappelli / Quintette du Hot Club de France - Djangology, Cover art
    Djangology
    1961 Album
    1k Ratings 12 Reviews 3.84 Average
    3.84 1k 1,097 12 12
  • Charlie Parker - The Happy "Bird", Cover art
    The Happy "Bird"
    1961 Album
    28 Ratings 3.63 Average
    3.63 28 28
  • Lester Young - "Pres", Cover art
    "Pres"
    1961 Album
    7 Ratings 3.66 Average
    3.66 7 7
  • Berliner Philharmoniker / Wilhelm Furtwängler - Symphony No. 5; Egmont Ouvertüre, Cover art
    Symphony No. 5; Egmont Ouvertüre
    1961 Album
    7 Ratings 3.59 Average
    3.59 7 7
  • Peter Anders / Michael Raucheisen - Die Winterreise, Cover art
    Die Winterreise
    1961 Album
    5 Ratings 3.75 Average
    3.75 5 5
    • See all 8 Include in main chart
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