4 Albums That Prove 1966 Was the Best Year for Mainstream Music

If you were to ask 500 people what the best year for mainstream music was, you’d likely get close to 500 different answers. Music’s subjectivity is part of what makes it so personal and meaningful to the individual listener. If you were to ask me, dear reader, what year I believed mainstream music peaked, I would say 1966, and offer these four albums as evidence in support of my argument.

‘Revolver’ by The Beatles

A discussion about late 1960s music wouldn’t be complete without The Beatles, so I’ll get the Fab Four out of the way first thing. Revolver is, in my humble opinion, one of the best albums the band produced in their short time together. Songs like “Eleanor Rigby”, “I’m Only Sleeping”, “She Said She Said”, and “And Your Bird Can Sing” are personal favorites of mine. On a larger, cultural scale, this album also helped usher in a new wave of Fab Four psychedelia that influenced the bands around and after them.

‘Pet Sounds’ by The Beach Boys

Even The Beatles have cited the profound influence of The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. And that’s coming from a band that did their fair share of musical pioneering. Brian Wilson was arguably at his creative peak, turning the entire recording studio into one massive instrument. Hit songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “God Only Knows”, and “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” solidified this release’s place among the greatest albums of all time, let alone just the year 1966.

‘If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears’ by The Mamas And The Papas

Again, music is subjective. While I know The Mamas And The Papas aren’t for everyone, they’re just right for me. If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears is one of my all-time favorite late 1960s albums. I also believe it’s one of the best debut albums of all time. Indeed, the vocal group came out swinging with their renditions of “I Call Your Name”, “The ‘In’ Crowd”, and “You Baby”. Their original songs on this album are also fantastic, notably “Monday, Monday” and “California Dreamin’”.

‘Blonde On Blonde’ by Bob Dylan

Finally, closing out this list of incredible albums that prove 1966 just might be the best year for mainstream music in modern history is Bob Dylan’s Blonde On Blonde. The album came on the heels of Dylan’s infamous switch to electric at the Newport Folk Festival. But it wasn’t necessarily a raucous release. With cuts like “Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands” and “Visions Of Johanna”, Dylan’s songwriting was still front and center.

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