Below is a list from Billboard magazine’s Top ear-End Hot 100 songs for 1966. Chart © by Billboard, a part of MRC Media and Info, a division of MRC. All Rights Reserved. Learn more about Billboard here.
Top 100 Songs of 1966
1The Ballad of the Green Berets – Sgt. Barry Sadler
2Cherish – The Association
3Reach Out I’ll Be There – The Four Tops
496 Tears – ? and The Mysterians
5Last Train to Clarksville – The Monkees
6You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
7The Poor Side of Town – Johnny Rivers
8Monday, Monday – The Mama’s and The Papa’s
9California Dreamin’ – The Mama’s and The Papa’s
10Born Free – Roger Williams
11Summer In the City – The Lovin’ Spoonful
12These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ – Nancy Sinatra
13What Becomes of the Brokenhearted – Jimmy Ruffin
14We Can Work It Out – The Beatles
15Strangers In the Night – Frank Sinatra
16Good Lovin’ – The Young Rascals
17Winchester Cathedral – The New Vaudeville Band
18Hanky Panky – Tommy James and The Shondells
19When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge
20Goodnight My Love (from ‘Stowaway’) – Petula Clark
21Kicks – Paul Revere and The Raiders
22Sunshine Superman – Donovan
23Paperback Writer – The Beatles
24Lil’ Red Riding Hood – Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
25Devil With the Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly – Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels
26Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
27A Groovy Kind of Love – The Mindbenders
28Cool Jerk – The Capitols
29Walk Away Renee – The Left Banke
30Daydream – The Lovin’ Spoonful
31Time Won’t Let Me – The Outsiders
32Ain’t Too Proud to Beg – The Temptations
More 68 Top Songs of 1966
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- You’re My Soul and Inspiration – The Righteous Brothers
- Paint It Black – The Rolling Stones
- Lightnin’ Strikes – Lou Christie
- Wild Thing – The Troggs
- Sunny – Bobby Hebb
- See You In September – The Happenings
- You Keep Me Hangin’ On – The Supremes
- You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Dusty Springfield
- Born a Woman – Sandy Posey
- Red Rubber Ball – The Cyrkle
- B-A-B-Y – Carla Thomas
- Hooray for Hazel – Tommy Roe
- Sweet Pea – Tommy Roe
- Bus Stop – The Hollies
- I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – B.J. Thomas
- I’m Your Puppet – James and Bobby Purify
- Dirty Water – The Standells
- Elusive Butterfly – Bob Lind
- I Am a Rock – Simon and Garfunkel
- Crying Time – Ray Charles
- Secret Agent Man – Johnny Rivers
- The Sound of Silence – Simon and Garfunkel
- Lady Godiva – Peter and Gordon
- Homeward Bound – Simon and Garfunkel
- Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind? – The Lovin’ Spoonful
- Barefootin’ – Robert Parker
- Uptight (Everything’s Alright) – Stevie Wonder
- Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – Cher
- Sloop John B. – The Beach Boys
- 19th Nervous Breakdown – The Rolling Stones
- Wipe Out – The Surfaris
- Psychotic Reaction – The Count Five
- Beauty is Only Skin Deep – The Temptations
- No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach’s In) – The T-Bones
- Just Like Me – Paul Revere and The Raiders
- Love Makes the World Go Round – Deon Jackson
- Pied Piper – Crispian St. Peters
- Coming On Strong – Brenda Lee
- Somewhere, My Love (Lara’s Theme from “Doctor Zhivago”) – Ray Conniff and The Singers
- Almost Persuaded – David Houston
- If I Were a Carpenter – Bobby Darin
- Don’t Mess With Bill – The Marvelettes
- Cherry, Cherry – Neil Diamond
- Workin’ In a Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey
- Message to Michael (Message to Martha) – Dionne Warwick
- Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing – Lou Rawls
- Barbara Ann – The Beach Boys
- Gloria – The Shadows Of Knight
- My World Is Empty Without You – The Supremes
- Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 – Bob Dylan
- Guantanamera – The Sandpipers
- Land of 1000 Dances – Wilson Pickett
- Oh How Happy – Shades Of Blue
- Woman – Peter and Gordo
- You Baby – The Turtles
- Five O’Clock World – The Vogues
- Black Is Black – Los Bravos
- Nowhere Man – The Beatles
- Dandy – Herman’s Hermits
- Baby Scratch My Back – Slim Harpo
- She’s Just My Style – Gary Lewis and The Playboys
- The More I See You – Chris Montez
- I Fought the Law – The Bobby Fuller Four
- Yellow Submarine – The Beatles
- Hungry – Paul Revere and The Raiders
- Zorba the Greek – Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass
- Shapes of Things – The Yardbirds
- 634-5789 – Wilson Pickett
Looking for Other Great Heartfelt Songs?
Well, take a look at our thoughts on the Best 90s Love Songs, the Best Love Songs For Him, the Top Songs About Unrequited Love, the Best Songs About Crushes, and the Best Goodbye Songs for more incredible song selections.
Top 100 Songs of 1966 – Final Thoughts
The year 1966 was a pivotal year in music history, as it marked a turning point in the development of popular music. The Beatles continued to dominate the charts with hits like “Paperback Writer” and “Eleanor Rigby,” while new acts like The Monkees, The Beach Boys, and The Rolling Stones made their mark.
The year also saw the emergence of psychedelic rock, with songs like “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix and “Eight Miles High” by The Byrds pushing the boundaries of traditional rock music. Other notable hits of the year included “Summer in the City” by The Lovin’ Spoonful and “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys, which demonstrated a growing sophistication in pop music production.