1966 in music

List of notable events in music that took place in the year 1966.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

January 8 – The US TV show Shindig! is broadcast for the last time on ABC, with musical guests the Kinks and the Who; 2 days earlier, the birthday of Elvis Presley is celebrated in the final Thursday episode of the series.
January 14 – Young English singer David Jones changes his last name to Bowie to avoid being confused with Davy Jones of the Monkees.
January 17 – Simon & Garfunkel release the album Sounds of Silence in the US.
February 2 – The first edition of Go-Set magazine is published in Melbourne, Australia. Founded by former Monash University students Phillip Frazer and Tony Schauble, the new weekly is the first independent periodical in Australia devoted entirely to popular music and youth culture. The inaugural 24-page issue has a cover feature on Tom Jones, stories on The Groop, singer Pat Carroll and DJ Ken Sparkes and a feature on mod fashion by designer Prue Acton.
February 6 – The Animals appear a fifth time on The Ed Sullivan Show to perform their iconic Vietnam-anthem hit "We Gotta Get Out of this Place".
February 17 – Brian Wilson starts recording "Good Vibrations" with The Wrecking Crew, continuing for several months and marking a beginning to the famed Smile sessions.
February 19 – Jefferson Airplane and Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin perform at the Fillmore.
February 25 – The Yardbirds release the single "Shapes of Things"/"Mister, You're a Better Man Than I", heralding the dawn of the psychedelic era in British rock. "Shapes" will peak at No. 3 in the UK and No. 10 in Canada and the US, where it remains on the charts throughout the spring of 1966, making its final Hot 100 appearance mid-June.
March 4 – The Beatles' John Lennon is quoted in the London Evening Standard newspaper as saying that "We're more popular than Jesus now." In August, following publication of this remark in Datebook, there are Beatles protests and record burnings in the Southern US's Bible Belt.
March 5 – The 11th Eurovision Song Contest is staged in the Villa Louvigny, Luxembourg. Udo Jürgens, having represented Austria in the last two contests, finally scores a first for the country, with "Merci, Chérie", which he co-wrote.
March 6 – In the UK, 5,000 fans of the Beatles sign a petition urging British Prime minister Harold Wilson to reopen Liverpool's Cavern Club.
March 14 – The Byrds release the psychedelic single "Eight Miles High" in the US. It is banned in several states due to allegations that the lyrics advocate drug use, yet reaches No.14 on the Billboard 100 charts.
March 15 – The 8th Annual Grammy Awards are held in New York, hosted by Jerry Lewis. Roger Miller wins the most awards with five. Frank Sinatra's September of My Years wins Album of the Year, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass' version of "A Taste of Honey" wins Record of the Year and Tony Bennett's version of "The Shadow of Your Smile" wins Song of the Year. Tom Jones wins Best New Artist.
April – Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass set a world record by placing five albums simultaneously on Billboard's Pop Album Chart, with four of them the Top 10. Their music outsells The Beatles by a margin of two-to-one – over 13 million recordings. They win 4 Grammys this year.
April 11 – First public performance in the Metropolitan Opera House, of Giacomo Puccini's La fanciulla del West, though the official opening of the new opera house will not take place until September 16.
April 12 – In Los Angeles, California, Jan Berry, of Jan and Dean, crashes his Corvette into a truck that is parked on Whittier Boulevard. Berry slips into a two-month-long coma and suffers total physical paralysis for over a year as well as extensive brain damage.
April 23 – For the first time since its January 18, 1964, issue, the Billboard Hot 100 chart fails to have an artist from the UK with a Top 10 single, ending a streak of 117 consecutive weeks.
May 1 – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who perform at the NMEs poll winners' show at the Empire Pool (Wembley) in London. This will be The Beatles' last conventional live concert in Britain. The show is videotaped for later broadcast but The Beatles' and The Stones' segments are omitted because of union conflicts.
May 6 – The first issue of Džuboks, the first Yugoslav magazine dedicated to rock music and the first rock magazine in a socialist country, is released.
May 7 – The Rolling Stones release "Paint It, Black" in the US ; this becomes the first number one hit single in the US and UK to feature a sitar.
May 16 – Legendary album Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys is released in the US.
May 17 – Bob Dylan and the Hawks perform at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, UK. Dylan is booed by the audience because of his decision to tour with an electric band, the boos culminating in the famous "Judas" shout.
May 30 – Them, fronted by Van Morrison, begin a three-week stint as the headliner act at the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood. On the last night June 18, they are joined on stage by that week's opening act The Doors. Van and Jim Morrison sing "Gloria" together.
June 6 – 25-year-old Claudette Frady-Orbison, while motorcycle riding with her husband Roy Orbison, is killed when her motorcycle is struck by a pickup truck in Gallatin, Tennessee.
June 18 – At a drunken gig at The Queen's College, Oxford, in England, bassist/producer Paul Samwell-Smith quits The Yardbirds and star session guitarist Jimmy Page agrees to take over on bass.
June 20 – Bob Dylan's album Blonde on Blonde is released in the US.
June 27 – Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention's debut album, Freak Out!, is released in the US. It is an initial failure, but gains a massive cult following in subsequent years.
July 2 – The Beatles become the first musical group to perform at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo. The performance ignites protests from local citizens who feel that it is inappropriate for a rock and roll band to play at Budokan.
July 29 – Bob Dylan is injured in a motorcycle accident near his home in Woodstock, New York. He is not seen in public for over a year.
July 31 – The "supergroup" Cream, a trio featuring Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce performs its first official concert at the Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival.
August 1 – "Midsummer Serenades: A Mozart Festival" is held – the first Mostly Mozart Festival.
August 5 – The Beatles release their album Revolver in the UK, expanding the year's psychedelic sound.
August 11 – John Lennon holds a press conference in Chicago, Illinois, to apologize for his remarks the previous March. "I suppose if I had said television was more popular than Jesus, I would have gotten away with it. I'm sorry I opened my mouth. I'm not anti-God, anti-Christ, or anti-religion. I was not knocking it. I was not saying we are greater or better."
August 17 – The Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra becomes the first major overseas orchestra to perform at The Proms.
August 24 – American rock band The Doors record their self-titled debut album.
August 25 – The Yardbirds' lead guitarist Jeff Beck is takesn ill in San Francisco and Jimmy Page, who has been playing bass, takes over on lead guitar for the band's concert at the Carousel Ballroom.
August 29
* The Beatles perform their last official concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. The last number they play is Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally".
* NBC airs the last episode of Hullabaloo.
September 12 – The first episode of The Monkees television series is broadcast on NBC in the US.
September 16
* The Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) opens in New York City with the première of Samuel Barber's opera Antony and Cleopatra. The opera is rejected by the critics.
* Eric Burdon records a solo album after leaving The Animals and appears on the show Ready, Steady, Go, singing "Help Me Girl", a UK #14 solo hit. Also on the show are Otis Redding and Chris Farlowe.
September 23 – The Yardbirds debut their twin lead guitar lineup, featuring Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, opening for The Rolling Stones 1966 UK tour. Also on the bill are Ike & Tina Turner, Peter Jay and the New Jaywalkers and Long John Baldry.
September 24 – Jimi Hendrix arrives in London to record with producer/manager Chas Chandler.
October 8 – WOR-FM in New York City becomes the first FM rock music station, under the leadership of DJ Murray The K.
October 22 – With their album The Supremes A' Go-Go, The Supremes become the first all-female group to reach number one on the US Billboard 200.
November 9 – John Lennon meets Yoko Ono when he attends a preview of her art exhibition at the Indica Gallery in London.
November 15 – Japanese band The Tigers make their first television appearance, changing their name from "The Funnys" for the occasion.
November 24 – The Beatles begin recording sessions for their Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album at Abbey Road Studios in London.
November 30 – The Yardbirds officially announce that Jeff Beck has left the band, leaving Jimmy Page as sole guitarist in the group, within which Page would plant the seeds of Led Zeppelin.
December 6 – A Smile vocal overdub session by The Beach Boys for the song "Cabin Essence" becomes the scene of a climactic argument between member Mike Love and third-party lyricist Van Dyke Parks, causing him to gradually distance away from the project.
December 9
* The Who release their second album A Quick One with a nine-minute "mini-opera" "A Quick One While He's Away".
* The Move release their debut single "Night of Fear".
December 16 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience release their first single in the UK, "Hey Joe".
December 17 – David Oppenheim films Brian Wilson at his home performing his composition "Surf's Up". The footage will later be used for CBS's Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution to be aired the next April.
December 23–30 – The UFO Club opens in London, featuring psychedelic bands Pink Floyd and Soft Machine; and the films of Andy Warhol and Kenneth Anger.
1966 dates unknown
*Dalida receives, for a second time, the Music Hall Bravos.
*Charley Pride is signed by RCA.
*The Centre d'Etudes de Mathématique et Automatique Musicales is founded in Paris by Iannis Xenakis.
*Modern Assyrian music takes off when Albert Rouel Tamras releases his first records in Baghdad in 1966 on the Bashirphone label.
*Conductor Herbert Kegel marries soprano Celestina Casapietra.
*Pungmul music is recognized as an important Intangible Cultural Property in South Korea, under the title .

Bands formed

''See :Category:Musical groups established in 1966''

Bands disbanded

''See :Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1966''

Albums released

August

Release date unknown

Alfie Soundtrack – Sonny RollinsAll About Makeba – Miriam MakebaAn Evening with Belafonte/Mouskouri – Harry BelafonteAre You a Boy or Are You a Girl? – The BarbariansThe Best of Ronnie Dove – Ronnie DoveBill Haley-a-Go Go – Bill Haley & His CometsBlues for Easy Livers – Jimmy WitherspoonCalypso in Brass – Harry Belafonte

Canzoni napoletane moderne – Mario TreviChe chiagne a ffà! – Mario TreviCome the Day – The SeekersCome Out – Steve ReichCountry Boy – Bobby VintonCountry Favorites-Willie Nelson Style – Willie NelsonCountry Joe and the Fish – Country Joe and the Fish The Creation – The CreationDelightfuLee – Lee Morgan with Wayne ShorterDion & The Belmonts Together Again – Dion DiMucci & the BelmontsDistant Drums – Jim ReevesDouble Dynamite – Sam & DaveDown on Stovall's Plantation – Muddy WatersDrums Unlimited – Max RoachEasy Livin' – Clare FischerThe Empty Foxhole – Ornette ColemanAn Evening with Belafonte/Mouskouri – Harry Belafonte and Nana MouskouriFaithful Forever – Marianne FaithfullThe Far East Suite – Duke EllingtonFinnegan Wakes – The DublinersFollow Me... – Crispian St. PetersFor the Night People – Julie LondonFrom Nashville with Love – Chet AtkinsFrom the Heart – Tom JonesGo Away From My World – Marianne FaithfullThe Great Arrival – Sérgio Mendes and Brasil '66The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party & Other Excursions – John FaheyGrrr – Hugh MasekelaHandful of Soul – James BrownA Harvest of Gentle Clang – Patrick SkyHere and Now and Sounding Good! – Dick Morrissey QuartetHey Joe – The LeavesThe High, Lonesome Sound of Bill Monroe – Bill MonroeIke and Tina Turner and the Raelettes – Ike & Tina TurnerImpressions of a Patch of Blue – Sun RaIn My Quiet Room – Harry BelafonteIn the Beginning – Paul Revere & the RaidersIn The Christmas Spirit – Booker T. & the M.G.'sIt's Uptown – The George Benson QuartetJack Jones Sings – Jack JonesJames Brown Plays New Breed – James BrownJames Brown Sings James Brown Today and Yesterday – James BrownJust Between the Two of Us – Merle HaggardLa Dolce Italy – Sergio FranchiLittle Wheel Spin and Spin – Buffy Sainte-MarieLive at the Cafe Au Go Go – Blues ProjectLive in Greenwich Village – Albert AylerThe Lost Acetates 1965–1966 – The MisunderstoodLove, Strings and Jobim – Antonio Carlos JobimMachines – Manfred MannMagic Box – The Loved OnesMalaisha – Miriam MakebaMama Too Tight – Archie SheppMann Made Hits – Manfred MannMighty Instrumentals – James BrownThe Missing Links – The Missing LinksMission: Impossible – Lalo SchifrinMonorails and Satellites – Sun RaMusic of the Middle East – John BerberianNorth Country Maid – Marianne FaithfullNothing Is – Sun RaOnce Upon a Time – Earl HinesThe Originator – Bo DiddleyOther Planes of There – Sun RaThe Peter, Paul and Mary Album – Peter, Paul & MaryPlay One More – Ian & SylviaProjections – Blues ProjectPsychedelic Lollipops – Blues MagoosRay's Moods – Ray CharlesThe Real Folk Blues – John Lee HookerThe Real Folk Blues – Memphis SlimReflections in a Crystal Wind – Richard Fariña and Mimi FariñaRidin' High – The ImpressionsRoad Runner – Junior Walker & the All StarsRonnie Dove Sings the Hits for You – Ronnie DoveSam and Dave Roulette – Sam & DaveShadows Music – The ShadowsSometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White – The StandellsSophisticated Beggar – Roy Harper Soul Sister – Aretha FranklinSound – Roscoe Mitchell SextetStop! Stop! Stop! – The HolliesSwinging Doors – Merle HaggardSymphony for Improvisers – Don Cherry with Pharoah Sanders and Gato BarbieriTake a Little Walk With Me – Tom RushTauhid – Pharoah SandersThey're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! – Napoleon XIVToday! – Skip JamesVíctor Jara (Geografía) – Víctor JaraVisits Planet Earth – Sun RaWhen Angels Speak of Love – Sun RaWhere Is Brooklyn? – Don Cherry with Pharoah SandersWhere Were You When I Needed You? – The Grass RootsWhiskey-a-Go Go – Bill Haley & His CometsWhy Pick on Me? – The StandellsWords and Music - Roger MillerYou Make Me Feel So Good – The McCoys

Billboard Top popular records of 1966

from Billboard December 24, 1966 pg 34
Billboard's year-end list for 1966 included Hot 100 data from January to December 10, 1966, and used an early formula of awarding 100 points to the number one record, then ninety-nine points for number two, ninety-eight points for number three, and so on. The total points a record earned determined its year-end rank. Billboard soon realized the increase to 100 positions per week greatly diluted the accuracy of its chart, as opposed to twenty years ago, when charts had 10-30 positions. The impact of a no. 1 song scoring 20 points for no. 1 and 10 points for no. 10 is huge compared to 100 points for no. 1 and 90 points for no. 10. A record with 8 weeks at no. 1 could have its advantage wiped out by the no. 10 record if it spent one additional week on the Hot 100, which is exactly what happened to the hottest artists, like the Beatles, Elvis, and others, whose records debuted at very high positions, quickly shot to the top, sold hundreds of thousands of records each week at no. 1, and then quiuckly dropped off the chart. An example is "We Can Work it Out", no. 49 on the 1966 year-end chart, despite three weeks at no. 1. However, it lost 155 points because its debut at no. 36 and second week at no. 11 fell on the last two weeks of December 1965, and Billboard did not count them. Three weeks at no.1 and seven weeks in the top 5 were of little ad vantage. However, by 1970, huge bonuses were being awarded to the no. 1 record each week, as Billboard searched for a better formula.
The chart shown here is combined with the Billboard formula and other sources, and can be sorted by Artist, Song title, Recording and Release dates, Cashbox year-end ranking or units sold by clicking on the column header. Additional details for each record can be accessed by clicking on the song title, and referring to the Infobox in the right column of the song page. on its website. were derived by same process as the Billboard rankings. Sales information was derived from the, the and The Book of Golden Discs, but numbers listed should be regarded as estimates. Grammy Hall of Fame and National Recording Registry information with sources can be found on Wikipedia.

Rank	Artist	Title	Label	Recorded	Release date	CB	Sales	Charts, Awards
1	The Monkees	"I'm a Believer"	Colgems 66-1002	October 23, 1966	November 12, 1966	1	10.00	US Billboard 1966 #1, Hot100 #1 for 7 weeks, 15 total weeks, 288 points, from Colgems Single 1002.
2	SSgt Barry Sadler	"The Ballad of the Green Berets"	RCA Victor 8739	December 1, 1965	January 1966	3	6.00	US Billboard 1966 #2, Hot100 #1 for 5 weeks, 13 total weeks, 214 points, Top Easy Listening Singles 1966 #7, Easy Listening Singles #1 for 5 weeks, 12 total weeks, 224 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1997
3	The New Vaudeville Band	"Winchester Cathedral"	Fontana 1562	July 1966	August 26, 1966	2	3.00	US Billboard 1966 #3, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks, 212 points, Top Easy Listening Singles 1966 #10, Easy Listening Singles #1 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks, 200 points
4	The Righteous Brothers	"(You're My) Soul and Inspiration"	Verve 10383	December 1965	February 26, 1966	8	1.50	US Billboard 1966 #4, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 13 total weeks, 191 points, from Soul and Inspiration - Verve
5	The Beatles	"We Can Work It Out" / "Day Tripper"	Capitol 5555	October 29, 1965	December 3, 1965	5	3.00	US Billboard 1966 #5, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 12 total weeks, 179 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2003, from Capitol single 5555
6	The Lovin' Spoonful	"Summer In The City"	Kama Sutra 211	March 1966	July 4, 1966	9	1.50	US Billboard 1966 #6, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 11 total weeks, 177 points, Top Rock Tracks 1966 #5, from Kama Sutra single 211 and Hums Of The Lovin' Spoonful - Kama Sutra 8054
7	The Four Tops	"Reach Out I'll Be There"	Motown 1098	July 27, 1966	August 18, 1966	10	1.25	US Billboard 1966 #7, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks, 170 points, Top Soul Singles 1966 #13, Hot Soul Singles #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks, 189 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1998, National Recording Registry 2022, from Four Tops Reach Out - Motown 660
8	? (Question Mark) and the Mysterians	"96 Tears"	Cameo 428	March 13, 1966	August 1966	15	2.00	US Billboard 1966 #8, Hot100 #1 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, 170 points, from 96 Tears - Cameo 2004
9	The Association	"Cherish"	Valiant 747	May 1966	August 1966	11	1.50	US Billboard 1966 #9, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks, 163 points
10	The Mamas and The Papas	"Monday, Monday"	Dunhill 4026	December 16, 1965	March 1966	7	1.25	US Billboard 1966 #10, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 12 total weeks, 163 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2008, from If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - Dunhill 50006
11	The Supremes	"You Keep Me Hangin' On"	Motown 1101	August 1, 1966	October 12, 1966	20	1.50	US Billboard 1966 #11, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 12 total weeks, 160 points, Top Soul Singles 1966 #9, Hot Soul Singles #1 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks, 206 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1999
12	The Beach Boys	"Good Vibrations"	Capitol 5676	17 sessions Jan to Sept 1966	October 10, 1966	6	3.00	US Billboard 1966 #12, Hot100 #1 for 1 week, 14 total weeks, 158 points, Top Rock Tracks 1966 #1, from Capitol single 5676, Grammy Hall of Fame 1994
13	The Supremes	"You Can't Hurry Love"	Motown 1097	July 5, 1966	July 25, 1966	12	1.25	US Billboard 1966 #13, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 156 points, Top Soul Singles 1966 #14, Hot Soul Singles #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 186 points
14	The Rolling Stones	"Paint It Black"	London 901	March 9, 1966	May 7, 1966	13	1.50	US Billboard 1966 #14, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 11 total weeks, 155 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2018
15	The Troggs	"Wild Thing"	Fontana 1548, Atco 6415	April 1966	May 1966	30	1.50	US Billboard 1966 #15, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 11 total weeks, 153 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2019,
16	Johnny Rivers	"Poor Side of Town"	Imperial 66205	August 20, 1966	September 1966	16	1.00	US Billboard 1966 #16, Hot100 #1 for 1 weeks, 15 total weeks, 150 points, from Changes - Imperial 12334.
17	Nancy Sinatra	These Boots Are Made for Walkin'	Reprise 0432	November 19, 1965	December 16, 1965	25	4.00	US Billboard 1966 #17, Hot100 #1 for 1 weeks, 14 total weeks, 149 points, from Boots - Reprise 6202
18	Frank Sinatra	"Strangers in the Night"	Reprise 0470	April 11, 1966	May 1966	22	1.00	US Billboard 1966 #18, Hot100 #1 for 1 weeks, 15 total weeks, 143 points, Top Easy Listening Singles 1966 #2, Easy Listening Singles #1 for 7 weeks, 20 total weeks, 325 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2008
19	The Mamas and The Papas	"California Dreamin'"	Dunhill 4020	November 4, 1965	December 8, 1965	28	1.80	US Billboard 1966 #19, Hot100 #4 for 1 week, 18 total weeks, 143 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2001, from If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - Dunhill 50006
20	The Young Rascals	"Good Lovin'"	Atlantic 45-2321	February 1, 1966	February 21, 1966	18	1.00	US 1966 Billboard #20, Hot100 #1 for 1 week, 14 total weeks, 142 points
21	Percy Sledge	"When A Man Loves A Woman"	Atlantic 2326	February 17, 1966		26	1.25	US Billboard 1966 #21, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 141 points, Top Soul Singles 1966 #6, Hot Soul Singles #1 for 4 weeks, 16 total weeks, 235 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1999
22	Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs	Li'l Red Riding Hood	MGM 13506	December 1964	March 12, 1966	23	1.00	US Billboard 1966 #22, Hot100 #2 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks, 137 points
23	Tommy James and the Shondells	"Hanky Panky"	Roulette 4686	October 1963	May 1966	19	1.25	US Billboard 1966 #23, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 12 total weeks, 136 points, from Hanky Panky - Roulette 25336
24	The Beatles	"Paperback Writer"	Capitol 5651	April 14, 1966	May 30, 1966	17	2.50	US Billboard 1966 #24, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks, 135 points
25	The Monkees	"Last Train to Clarksville"	Colgems 66-1001	July 25, 1966	August 16, 1966	4	1.25	US Billboard 1966 #25, Hot100 #1 for 1 weeks, 15 total weeks, 134 points
26	Donovan	"Sunshine Superman"	Epic 10045	December 1965	July 1966	21	1.00	US Billboard 1966 #26, Hot100 #1 for 1 weeks, 13 total weeks, 134 points
27	Paul Revere and the Raiders	"Kicks"	Columbia 43566	November 1965	February 28, 1966	37	1.00 British number one hits not included above Winter "Keep On Running" – The Spencer Davis Group "Michelle" – The Overlanders "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" – The Walker Brothers Spring "Somebody Help Me" – The Spencer Davis Group "Pretty Flamingo" – Manfred Mann Summer "Sunny Afternoon" – The Kinks "Get Away" – Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames "With a Girl Like You" – The Troggs "All or Nothing" – Small Faces Autumn "Distant Drums" – Jim Reeves "Green, Green Grass of Home" – Tom Jones Published popular music "Alfie" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach from the film Alfie "Big Spender" w. Dorothy Fields m. Cy Coleman from the musical Sweet Charity "If I Were a Carpenter" w.m. Tim Hardin "The Rhythm of Life" w. Dorothy Fields m. Cy Coleman from the musical Sweet Charity "Sunny" w.m. Bobby Hebb "Wedding Bell Blues" w.m. Laura Nyro Other notable songs "Ces Gens-Là" by Jacques Brel "La maison où j'ai grandi" by Adriano Celentano, French lyrics by Eddy Marnay "Nessuno Mi Può Giudicare/Lei Mi Aspetta" by Gene Pitney "La Poupée qui fait non" by and Michel Polnareff "Parce Que Tu Crois" by Charles Aznavour "Les sucettes" by Serge Gainsbourg [Classical music] Compositions Gilbert Amy * Cycle, for percussion sextet * Trajectoires, for violin and orchestra Malcolm Arnold – Fantasy for solo flute Jean Barraqué – Chant après chant for soprano, piano, and six percussionists George Crumb – Eleven Echoes of Autumn for violin, alto flute, clarinet, and piano Mario Davidovsky * Junctures for flute, clarinet, and violin * Synchronisms No. 4 for chorus and tape Ulf Grahn – Symphony no 1 Erhard Karkoschka – Quattrologe, for string quartet Harald Sæverud – Symphony no 9 John Serry Sr. – Concerto for Free Bass Accordion Roger Sessions – Symphony No. 6 Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No.11 in F minor, Op. 122 Karlheinz Stockhausen – * Adieu, for wind quintet, Nr. 21 * Solo, for a melody instrument with feedback, Nr. 19 * Telemusik, electronic and concrete music, Nr. 20 Robert Ward – ''Fiesta Processional'' Opera Samuel Barber – Antony and Cleopatra Vittorio Giannini – Servant of Two Masters Jorge Peña Hen – La Cenicienta Mark Kopytman – Casa Mare Peter Westergaard – Mr and Mrs Discobbolos Grace Williams – ''The Parlour'' [Musical theater] The Apple Tree – Broadway production opened at the Shubert Theatre and ran for 463 performancesBreakfast at Tiffany's – Broadway-bound production Cabaret – Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 1,165 performancesFunny Girl – London productionI Do! I Do! – Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre and ran for 560 performancesIt's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman – Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre and ran for 129 performancesThe Mad Show – Off-Broadway productionMame – Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre and ran for 1,508 performancesThe Penny Friend – Off-Broadway productionSweet Charity – Broadway production opened at the Palace Theatre and ran for 608 performancesWait a Minim! – Off-Broadway production [Musical film]s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumAlibaba Aur 40 Chor, with music by Usha KhannaBhimanjaneya Yuddham, with music by T. V. RajuDancing the SirtakiDus LakhFiebre de juventud, starring Enrique GuzmánThe Glass Bottom Boat starring Doris DayHold On! starring Herman's HermitsMera SaayaNichigeki yori–utau wakadaisho, starring Yūzō Kayama Paradise, Hawaiian Style starring Elvis PresleyStop the World – I Want to Get Off ''The Big T.N.T. Show'' Musical television Brigadoon starring Robert Goulet and Sally Ann Howes Births January 1 Crazy Legs, Puerto Rican breakdancer Lee Won-jong, South Korean actor January 3 – Martin Galway, Northern Irish composer January 4 – Deana Carter, American country singer-songwriter, musician January 5 Kate Schellenbach, American punk rock drummer and television producer Rowetta, English singer January 6 * Sharon Cuneta, Filipina singer and TV personality * A. R. Rahman, Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, musician and philanthropist * Jesse Dylan, American film director and production executive January 7 – Ehab Tawfik, Egyptian singer January 8 – Andrew Wood, singer January 9 – Jan Johansen, Swedish singer January 14 – Marko Hietala, Finnish rock bassist January 16 – Maxine Jones, American singer-songwriter and actress January 17 – Shabba Ranks, dancehall artist January 20 * Tracii Guns, American guitarist * Wes King, guitarist, singer January 21 – Wendy James, British rock singer January 25 – Samvel Yervinyan, Armenian violinist and composer January 30 – Hans Tutschku, German composer February 2 – Robert DeLeo February 11 – Tenor Saw, dancehall artist February 12 – Paul Crook, American guitarist February 19 – Harald Blüchel, German record producer, songwriter, DJ and musician February 20 * DJ Taucher, German trance DJ * Cindy Crawford, American model February 26 – Najwa Karam, Lebanese singer March 2 * Howard Bernstein, producer * Nina Morato, French singer and songwriter March 3 * Tone-Loc, rapper * Mikal Blue, English music producer, songwriter, engineer and mixer, collabotor with Colbie Caillat March 4 – Grand Puba, American rapper March 7 – Atsushi Sakurai, Japanese singer March 10 – Edie Brickell, singer-songwriter March 12 – David Daniels, countertenor March 18 – Jerry Cantrell, Alice in Chains March 19 – Anja Rupel, singer March 21 – DJ Premier, record producer March 22 – Park Joong-hoon, South Korean actor March 25 – Jeff Healey, Canadian guitarist March 28 – Salt, American rapper April 2 – Garnett Silk, reggae singer April 7 – Michaela Strachan, English television presenter and singer April 11 – Lisa Stansfield, singer April 13 * Marc Ford * Mando, Greek singer and songwriter April 15 – Samantha Fox, British model and singer April 18 – Ana Voog, singer-songwriter April 21 – Michael Franti, American singer-songwriter and guitarist April 28 – Too Short, rapper May 1 – Anne Fletcher, American film director and choreographer May 7 – Dafna Dekel, Israeli singer May 8 * Blag Dahlia, American musician, producer and author * Marta Sánchez, vocalist and entertainer May 10 – Wade Domínguez, American actor, model, singer and dancer May 11 – Christoph Schneider, German rock musician May 12 – Bebel Gilberto, Brazilian popular singer May 13 * Alison Goldfrapp, English musician and record producer * Darius Rucker * Jeffrey Scott Holland, American artist and musician May 14 – Raphael Saadiq, singer-songwriter and record producer May 16 – Janet Jackson, African American singer-songwriter, dancer and actress May 19 – Neil Campbell, Scottish-born experimental musician May 20 – Dora, Portuguese singer May 22 – Johnny Gill, African American R&B singer-songwriter May 24 – Ella Guru, American painter and musician May 26 – Tommy Stewart May 27 – Titi DJ, Indonesian pop singer May 28 – Theo Bleckmann, German vocalist and composer May 30 – Stephen Malkmus, American rock singer June 4 – Cecilia Bartoli, operatic mezzo-soprano June 6 Aadesh Shrivastava, composer and singer Sean Yseult, American bass player June 8 * Jens Kidman, Swedish musician * Doris Pearson, R&B singer June 14 – Matt Freeman, bassist June 15 – Roberto Carnevale, Italian musician June 21 – Nucha, Portuguese singer June 22 – Schooly D, American rapper June 24 – Hope Sandoval, American singer-songwriter June 26 – Jürgen Reil, German drummer June 28 – Bobby Bare, Jr., American musician June 30 – Louise Wener, English guitarist singer and songwriter July 2 – Dave Parsons, English musician July 3 – Michael Allman, American musician July 7 – Gundula Krause, German violinist July 9 – Gayle and Gillian Blakeney, Australian actresses and singers July 11 – Melanie Appleby, Mel and Kim July 12 Taiji, Japanese bass player and songwriter Misato Watanabe, Japanese singer July 13 – Gerald Levert, American singer July 14 – Tanya Donelly, American musician July 15 – Jason Bonham, drummer July 17 Lou Barlow, American guitarist and songwriter Keith Elam, rapper & producer July 19 – Amila Glamočak, Bosnian Singer July 20 – Stone Gossard, American singer-songwriter and guitarist July 24 – Mo-Do, Italian DJ July 29 – Martina McBride, American country singer August 11 – Juan Maria Solare, composer August 16 – Emanuel Kiriakou, American songwriter, producer, record executive, music publisher and multi-instrumentalist, August 19 * Lilian Garcia, American singer and wrestling ring announcer * Lee Ann Womack, singer August 20 – Dimebag Darrell, American rock guitarist August 22 – GZA/Genius, rapper August 25 * Derek Sherinian, American keyboardist * Terminator X, DJ * K7, American rapper August 26 – Shirley Manson, Scottish rock musician August 29 – Dan the Automator, American disc jockey August 30 * Marvin McQuitty, American gospel drummer * Peter Cunnah, Northern Irish musician September 1 – Douglas McCarthy, English vocalist September 2 – Yu Hayami, Japanese pop idol singer September 4 – Yanka Dyagileva, Russian singer September 5 – Terry Ellis September 8 – Carola Häggkvist, Swedish pop singer September 10 – Robin Goodridge September 12 – Ben Folds, singer-songwriter September 17 – Chris Acland, English drummer and songwriter September 17 – Doug E. Fresh, American rapper, record producer and beatboxer September 20 – Nuno Bettencourt September 22 – Moustafa Amar, Egyptian pop star October 1 – Nina, Spanish singer and actress October 2 – Mousse T., DJ October 12 – Brian Kennedy, Irish musician and author October 14 – Brenda K. Starr, American singer and songwriter October 15 * Eric Benét, gospel singer * Ingeborg, Belgian singer and television presenter October 18 * Tim Cross, Sponge * Bill Stewart, American jazz drummer October 19 – Sinitta, singer and actress October 20 – Stefan Raab, German entertainer, television host, producer and businessman October 23 – Skúli Sverrisson, Icelandic composer and bassist October 31 * Annabella Lwin, vocalist * Ad-Rock, Beastie Boys November 6 – Paul Gilbert, American musician November 7 – Ayla, German trance, producer and DJ November 10 – Steve Mackey, English bassist November 11 – Peaches, born Merrill Nisker, Canadian electronic musician and performance artist November 14 – Charles Hazlewood, English orchestral conductor November 16 – Christian Lorenz, keyboard player November 17 * Jeff Buckley, singer-songwriter * Soup the Chemist, born Christopher Jose Cooper, pioneering American Christian hip hop rapper * Kate Ceberano, Australian singer and actress November 18 – Marusha, German-Greek disc jockey November 20 – Kevin Gilbert (musician), American singer, composer and instrumentalist November 23 – Charlie Grover November 24 * Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Run D.M.C. * Dawn Robinson, American singer and actress November 25 – Stacy Lattisaw, singer November 27 – Mark Spoon, German DJ, musician and record producer December 4 – Masta Ace, rapper December 7 * Gem Archer, English guitarist singer and songwriter * Louise Post, American singer December 8 – Sinéad O'Connor, Irish pop singer-songwriter, priest, activist December 9 – Michael Foster, drummer for rock band FireHouse December 11 – Leon Lai, Hong Kong singer and actor December 12 * Pops Fernandez, Filipina singer and TV personality * Greg Long, contemporary Christian musician December 20 – Chris Robinson, vocalist December 28 – Kaliopi, Macedonian singer and songwriter December 29 – Jason Gould, American actor and singer Deaths January 29 – Pierre Mercure, Canadian bassoon player and composer, 39 February 9 – Sophie Tucker, blues singer, 82 February 10 – Billy Rose, impresario, 66 February 13 – Marguerite Long, pianist, 87 February 23 – Billy Kyle, jazz pianist, 51 March – Mohamed El Qasabgi, composer March 29 – Jazz Gillum, harmonica player, 61 March 30 – Jelly d'Arányi, violinist, 72 April 3 – Russel Crouse, librettist, 73 April 19 – Javier Solís, Mexican ranchera and bolero singer, 34 April 30 – Richard Fariña, folk singer, 29 May 13 – Henrik Adam Due, violinist, music teacher, 75 June 1 – Papa Jack Laine, bandleader, 92 June 12 – Hermann Scherchen, conductor, 74 June 17 – Johnny St. Cyr, jazz musician, 76 July 3 – Deems Taylor, composer and music critic, 80 July 18 – Bobby Fuller, singer and guitarist, 23 July 31 – Bud Powell, jazz pianist, 41 August 2 – Boyd Raeburn, jazz musician, 52 August 2 or 3 – Tristan Klingsor, poet, painter and musician, 91 August 4 – Helen Tamiris, dancer and choreographer, 61 August 15 – Jan Kiepura, Polish tenor and actor, 64 September 17 – Fritz Wunderlich, tenor, 35 September 26 – Helen Kane, singer, 62 September 28 – Lucius "Lucky" Millinder, US bandleader, 56 October 3 – Dave Lambert, jazz musician, 49 October 7 * Johnny Kidd, British singer, 30 * Smiley Lewis, R&B musician, 53 October 12 – Arthur Lourié, composer, 74 October 26 – Alma Cogan, English singer, 34 October 17 – Karel Hruška, operatic tenor, 75 October 29 – Wellman Braud, jazz musician, 75 November 1 * Alexis Roland-Manuel, composer, 75 * Dick Roberts, guitar and banjo player, 69 November 2 – Mississippi John Hurt, blues musician, 73 or 74 November 6 – Washboard Sam, blues musician, 56 November 12 – Quincy Porter, composer, 69 November 28 – Vittorio Giannini, opera composer, 63 December 1 – Carter Stanley, bluegrass musician, half of The Stanley Brothers, 41 December 3 – Kui Lee, singer-songwriter, 34 December 9 – Yuri Shaporin, composer, 79 December 12 – Nellie Briercliffe, singer and actress with the D'Oyly Carte company, 77 December 14 – Shailendra, lyricist, 43 December 24 – Gaspar Cassadó, cellist and composer, 69 Awards [Grammy] Awards Grammy Awards of 1966 [Eurovision Song Contest] Eurovision Song Contest 1966 [Leeds International Piano Competition] Rafael Orozco [Van Cliburn International Piano Competition] Radu Lupu Books 1 Vineland 71,214 2 Project Hail Mary 31,941 3 Wuthering Heights 18,607 4 Hamlet 15,928 5 Hamnet (novel) 15,832 6 Frankenstein 11,017 7 Flowers in the Attic 10,307 8 The Count of Monte Cristo 9,133 9 Dune Messiah 8,113 10 The Testaments 8,006 Films 1 Sinners (2025 film) 622,394 2 Hamnet (film) 295,777 3 Weapons (2025 film) 223,917 4 Mr Nobody Against Putin 163,645 5 Marty Supreme 149,377 6 KPop Demon Hunters 133,023 7 Sentimental Value 129,966 8 Bugonia (film) 112,650 9 The Secret Agent (2025 film) 77,032 10 All the Empty Rooms 73,731 Programming Languages 1 Python (programming language) 4,694 2 C (programming language) 4,564 3 JavaScript 3,307 4 Scratch (programming language) 2,739 5 C++ 2,012 6 Rust (programming language) 1,710 7 Java (programming language) 1,662 8 R (programming language) 1,501 9 COBOL 1,427 10 YAML 1,308 TV Series 1 The Madison (TV series) 106,133 2 One Piece (2023 TV series) 76,319 3 Scarpetta (TV series) 62,845 4 Paradise (2025 TV series) 48,765 5 The Other Bennet Sister 39,436 6 The Pitt 39,127 7 DTF St. Louis 37,811 8 Love Story (2026 TV series) 32,476 9 Young Sherlock (British TV series) 30,900 10 Bridgerton 29,723 Video Games 1 Resident Evil Requiem 23,671 2 Wordle 22,659 3 Crimson Desert 21,539 4 Pokémon Pokopia 21,183 5 Pokémon (video game series) 8,283 6 Minecraft 7,928 7 Roblox 7,908 8 Grand Theft Auto VI 7,100 9 Grand Theft Auto V 6,727 10 Poppy Playtime 6,368 © 2026 OWIKI.org. 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1966 in music

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Specific genres

Events

Bands formed

Bands disbanded

Albums released

August

Release date unknown

Billboard Top popular records of 1966

British number one hits not included above

Published popular music

Other notable songs

[Classical music]

Compositions

Opera

[Musical theater]

[Musical film]s

Musical television

Births

Deaths

Awards

[Grammy] Awards

[Eurovision Song Contest]

[Leeds International Piano Competition]

[Van Cliburn International Piano Competition]