List of 1960s albums considered the best

This is a list of 1960s albums that multiple music journalists, music magazines, and professional music review websites have considered to be among the best of the 1960s and of all time, separated into the years of each album's release. The albums listed here are included on at least four separate "best/greatest of the 1960s/all time" lists from different professional publications (inclusive of all genres and nationalities) as chosen by their editorial staffs or by a sample size of an entire publication's audience, and/or hall of fame awards and historical preservation measures.

List 1960 Release dateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccoladesFebruary 1960Giant StepsJohn Coltrane Jazz post-bop hard bopAtlantic Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2020): No. 232 Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 36 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 144 Grammy Hall of Fame inductionJuly 18, 1960Sketches of SpainMiles Davis Third stream orchestral jazz Spanish classical musicColumbia Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2012): No. 358 Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 43 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 63October 1960Joan BaezJoan BaezFolkVanguardRobert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Grammy Hall of Fame induction Library of Congress' National Recording RegistryNovember 15, 1960At Newport 1960Muddy WatersChicago bluesChess Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2012): No. 348 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 398November 15, 1960At Last!Etta James R&B blues pop jazzArgo Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2020): No. 191 Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 62 Paste's "The 60 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 38 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 432

1961 Release dateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccoladesAugust 1961The Blues and the Abstract TruthOliver NelsonPost-bopImpulse! The Guardian's "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 167 Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums: No. 333September 1961Free Jazz: A Collective ImprovisationOrnette ColemanFree jazzAtlantic Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 96 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 284 Spin's "The Top 100 Alternative Albums of the 1960s": No. 7 Entertainment Weekly's "The 100 Greatest CDs of All Time": No. 84October 1961Sunday at the Village VanguardBill Evans TrioJazzRiverside Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die The Guardian's "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 126

1962 Release dateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccoladesJanuary 11, 1962Howlin' WolfHowlin' WolfChicago bluesChess Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2012): No. 238 Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 96 Paste's "The 60 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 52 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 284March 1962Modern Sounds in Country and Western MusicRay Charles Country rhythm and blues countrypolitanABC-ParamountAccoladesApril 20, 1962Jazz SambaStan Getz and Charlie Byrd Bossa nova samba-jazzMGM/Verve Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die The Guardian's "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums: No. 926 Grammy Hall of Fame inductionOctober 1962Green OnionsBooker T. & the M.G.'s R&B rock soul Stax Atlantic Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Paste's "The 60 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 60 Library of Congress' National Recording Registry

1963 Release dateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccoladesMarch 22, 1963Please Please MeThe Beatles Merseybeat rock and roll popParlophoneRankingsMay 27, 1963The Freewheelin' Bob DylanBob Dylan Folk bluesColumbiaLegacyMay 1963Live at the ApolloJames Brown R&B soulKing Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2020): No. 65 NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time": No. 125 The Guardian's "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die"July 1963The Black Saint and the Sinner LadyCharles Mingus Avant-garde jazz third stream experimental big bandImpulse! Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 15 Blender's "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die" Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 187November 22, 1963With the BeatlesThe Beatles Merseybeat rock and roll pop R&BParlophoneRelease and receptionNovember 22, 1963A Christmas Gift for You from Phil SpectorVarious Artists Christmas popPhilles Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2012): No. 142 Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 130 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 80

1964 Release dateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccoladesMarch 1964Getz/GilbertoStan Getz and João Gilberto Jazz bossa novaVerve Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2012): No. 447 Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 15 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 187April 17, 1964The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones Blues rock British R&B Rock and rollDecca Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die NME's "All Times Top 100 Albums": No. 24 Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums: No. 418 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 298July 10, 1964A Hard Day's NightThe Beatles Rock pop rock popParlophone Critical reception and legacyJuly 1964The SidewinderLee Morgan Jazz hard bopBlue Note Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums: No. 584 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 397 Grammy Hall of Fame inductionAugust 1964Out to Lunch!Eric DolphyAvant-garde jazzBlue Note The Guardian's "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 15 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 250November 1964Presenting the Fabulous RonettesThe Ronettes featuring VeronicaPopPhilles Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2020): No. 494 Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 15 Paste's "The 60 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 47 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 1781964Live at the Star Club, HamburgJerry Lee LewisRock and rollPhilips Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die The Guardian's "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Uncuts "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 142

1965 Release dateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccoladesJanuary 1965A Love SupremeJohn Coltrane Modal jazz post-bop spiritual jazzImpulse!Reception and legacyMarch 8, 1965The Beach Boys Today!The Beach Boys Chamber pop orchestral rockCapitolRelease and initial receptionMarch 1965Here Are the SonicsThe Sonics Garage rock rock and roll proto-punkEtiquette Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 169 Spins "The Top 100 Alternative Albums of the 1960s": No. 34 Uncuts "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 90April 1965Bringing It All Back HomeBob Dylan Folk rock folk bluesColumbiaReceptionMay 1965Spiritual UnityAlbert AylerFree jazzESP-Disk The Guardian's "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 30 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 136June 21, 1965Mr. Tambourine ManThe Byrds Folk rockColumbia Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Rolling Stones "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2020): No. 287 Uncuts "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 93August 6, 1965Help!The Beatles Pop rock folk rockParlophoneRetrospective assessmentsAugust 30, 1965Highway 61 RevisitedBob Dylan Folk rock blues rock rock and rollColumbiaReception and legacySeptember 15, 1965Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings SoulOtis Redding Soul R&B blues rock southern soulVoltCritical reception and legacyDecember 3, 1965Rubber SoulThe Beatles Folk rock rock pop Parlophone CapitolCritical receptionDecember 3, 1965My GenerationThe Who Mod pop garage rock R&B power pop proto-punk Brunswick DeccaReception and legacy1965Live at the RegalB. B. KingBluesABC Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2020): No. 299 Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 282

1966 Release dateAlbumArtistGenre(s)LabelNotesAccoladesJanuary 17, 1966Sounds of SilenceSimon & GarfunkelFolk rockColumbia Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 169 Paste's "The 60 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 50 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 65 Library of Congress' National Recording RegistryFebruary 28, 1966If You Can Believe Your Eyes and EarsThe Mamas & the Papas Folk rock pop rock pop soul sunshine popDunhill Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die The Guardian's "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2012): No. 112March 1966Black Monk TimeThe Monks Garage rock beat proto-punkPolydor Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Pitchfork's "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 169 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 75 Spin's "The Top 100 Alternative Albums of the 1960s": No. 45April 15, 1966AftermathThe Rolling Stones Rock and roll folk rock blues rock art rock Decca LondonReappraisalMay 16, 1966Pet SoundsThe Beach Boys Progressive pop chamber pop psychedelic pop art rockCapitolRetrospective assessments and legacyMay 17, 1965Maiden VoyageHerbie Hancock Modal jazz post-bopBlue Note Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Pitchforks "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s": No. 82 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 251 Grammy Hall of Fame inductionJune 20, 1966Blonde on BlondeBob Dylan Folk rock blues rock country rock rock and rollColumbiaReappraisal and legacyJune 27, 1966Freak Out!The Mothers of InventionExperimental rockVerveReceptionJuly 15, 1966Roger the EngineerThe Yardbirds Psychedelic rock blues rockColumbia Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2012): No. 350 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 271July 18, 1966Fifth DimensionThe Byrds Folk rock psychedelic rock raga rockColumbia Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die NME's "All Times Top 100 Albums": No. 55 Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums: No. 290 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 174July 22, 1966Blues Breakers with Eric ClaptonJohn Mayall with Eric Clapton Blues rock bluesDecca Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2003): No. 391 Uncut's "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1960s": No. 443August 5, 1966RevolverThe Beatles Rock pop psychedelia