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.

Table of Contents

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

33. 33. You’re My Soul and Inspiration – The Righteous Brothers
    34. Paint It Black – The Rolling Stones
    35. Lightnin’ Strikes – Lou Christie
    36. Wild Thing – The Troggs
    37. Sunny – Bobby Hebb
    38. See You In September – The Happenings
    39. You Keep Me Hangin’ On – The Supremes
    40. You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Dusty Springfield
    41. Born a Woman – Sandy Posey
    42. Red Rubber Ball – The Cyrkle
    43. B-A-B-Y – Carla Thomas
    44. Hooray for Hazel – Tommy Roe
    45. Sweet Pea – Tommy Roe
    46. Bus Stop – The Hollies
    47. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – B.J. Thomas
    48. I’m Your Puppet – James and Bobby Purify
    49. Dirty Water – The Standells
    50. Elusive Butterfly – Bob Lind
    51.  I Am a Rock – Simon and Garfunkel
    52.  Crying Time – Ray Charles
    53.  Secret Agent Man – Johnny Rivers
    54.  The Sound of Silence – Simon and Garfunkel
    55.  Lady Godiva – Peter and Gordon
    56.  Homeward Bound – Simon and Garfunkel
    57.  Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind? – The Lovin’ Spoonful
    58.  Barefootin’ – Robert Parker
    59.  Uptight (Everything’s Alright) – Stevie Wonder
    60.  Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – Cher
    61.  Sloop John B. – The Beach Boys
    62.  19th Nervous Breakdown – The Rolling Stones
    63.  Wipe Out – The Surfaris
    64.  Psychotic Reaction – The Count Five
    65.  Beauty is Only Skin Deep – The Temptations
    66.  No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach’s In) – The T-Bones
    67.  Just Like Me – Paul Revere and The Raiders
    68.  Love Makes the World Go Round – Deon Jackson
    69.  Pied Piper – Crispian St. Peters
    70.  Coming On Strong – Brenda Lee
    71.  Somewhere, My Love (Lara’s Theme from “Doctor Zhivago”) – Ray Conniff and The Singers
    72.  Almost Persuaded – David Houston
    73.  If I Were a Carpenter – Bobby Darin
    74.  Don’t Mess With Bill – The Marvelettes
    75.  Cherry, Cherry – Neil Diamond
    76.  Workin’ In a Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey
    77.  Message to Michael (Message to Martha) – Dionne Warwick
    78.  Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing – Lou Rawls
    79.  Barbara Ann – The Beach Boys
    80.  Gloria – The Shadows Of Knight
    81.  My World Is Empty Without You – The Supremes
    82.  Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 – Bob Dylan
    83.  Guantanamera – The Sandpipers
    84.  Land of 1000 Dances – Wilson Pickett
    85.  Oh How Happy – Shades Of Blue
    86.  Woman – Peter and Gordo
    87.  You Baby – The Turtles
    88.  Five O’Clock World – The Vogues
    89.  Black Is Black – Los Bravos
    90.  Nowhere Man – The Beatles
    91.  Dandy – Herman’s Hermits
    92.  Baby Scratch My Back – Slim Harpo
    93.  She’s Just My Style – Gary Lewis and The Playboys
    94.  The More I See You – Chris Montez
    95.  I Fought the Law – The Bobby Fuller Four
    96.  Yellow Submarine – The Beatles
    97.  Hungry – Paul Revere and The Raiders
    98.  Zorba the Greek – Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass
    99.  Shapes of Things – The Yardbirds
    100.  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.