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Period: to
1960
Top Songs: "It's Now or Never"- Elvis Presley
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"- Elvis Presley
"The Twist"- Chubby Checker Most Popular Artist: James Brown (Early Funk) Album of the year: "The Button-Down mind of Bob Newhart"- Bob Newhart Song of the year: "Theme From Exodus"- Ernest Gold Personal Favorite: "Everybody loves somebody"- Dean Martin Extra: Rock and pop genres gained mainstream popularity, many of which sparked the sound of music today. -
Period: to
1961
Top Songs: "Stand by Me"-Ben E King
"Runaway"-Del Shannon
"Let's Twist Again"-Chubby Checker Most Popular Artist: Album of the year: "Nice 'n' Easy"- Frank Sinatra Song of the year: "Tossin' and Turnin"- Bobby Lewis Personal Favorite: "Hit the Road Jack"- Ray Charles Extra: With the help of 8 tracks, cassettes, records, and live music; many artists like Elvis Presley, Ben E King, and Chubby Checker continued to grow during the early '60s. -
Period: to
1962
Top Songs: "Stranger on the Shore" Acker Bill
"I Can't Stop Loving You" Ray Charles
"The Loco-Motion" Little Eva Most Popular Artist : Elvis Presley Album of the year: "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music(Vol. 2)" Ray Charles Song of the year: "I left my Heart in San Francisco" Tony Bennett Personal Favorite: "The Wanderer" Dion Extra: The fine line between Actor and Artist is made even thinner. Many singers leave to act, and many actors take up singing. -
Period: to
1963
Top Songs: "Surfin' U.S.A" The Beach Boys
"The End of The World" Skeeter Davis
"Rythm of The Rain" The Cascades Record of the year: "I left my Heart in San Francisco" Tony Bennett Album of the year: "Let Freedom Ring" Jackie McLean Song of the year: "She Loves You" The Beatles Personal Favorite: "Ring of Fire" Johnny Cash Extra: The rise of a "British Invasion" in music as many British singers and bands bring their music to The United States. -
Period: to
1964
Top Songs: "Twist and Shout" Chubby Checker
"Oh Pretty Woman" Roy Orbison
"You Really Got Me" The Kinks Record of the year: "The Girl from Ipanema" Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto Album of the year: "Four for Trane" Archie Shepp Song of the year: "I Want to Hold Your Hand" The Beatles Personal Favorite: "House of the Rising Sun" The Animals Extra: The Beatles go to the US and are seen on "The Ed Sullivan" show. Starting the rise of "Beatlemania" in the United States' "British music invasion" -
Period: to
1965
Top Songs: "Satisfaction" The Rolling Stones
"My Generation" The Who
"Sounds of Silence" - Simon & Garfunkel Record of the year: "A Taste of Honey" Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Album of the year: "September of My Years" Frank Sinatra Song of the year: "Wooly Bully" Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs Personal Favorite: "Crying in the Chapel" Elvis Presley Extra: The start of "Folk Rock" is rather rocky. Bob Dylan is booed while on stage for playing an electric guitar during multiple shows. -
Period: to
1966
Top Songs: "Good Vibrations" The Beach Boys "Eleanor Rigby" The Beatles
"Wild Thing" The Troggs Record of the year: "Strangers in the Night" Frank Sinatra Album of the year: "A Man and His Music" Frank Sinatra Song of the year: "Michelle" The Beatles Personal Favorite: "Paint it Black" The Rolling Stones Extra: Rick Astley is Born
Also, there's nothing new in mid 60's music, the Beatles say they are "More popular than Jesus" -
Period: to
1967
Top Songs: "Happy Together" The Turtles
"For What It's Worth" Buffalo Springfield
"Light My Fire" The Doors Record of the year: "Up,Up and Away" 5th dimension Album of the year: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" The Beatles Song of the year: "Up, Up And Away" Jimmy L. Webb Personal Favorite: Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and Buffalo Springfield Extra: Music and TV grow together, The Beatles release what is considered to be the first music video and many other artists find their start on tv -
Period: to
1968
Top Songs: "The Dock of the Bay" Otis Redding "Piece of My Heart" Janis Joplin
"Hey Jude" The Beatles Record of the year: "Mrs. Robinson" Simon And Garfunkel Album of the year: "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" Glen Campbell Song of the year: "Little Green Apples" Bobby Russell Personal Favorite: Jimi Hendrix "Electric Ladyland" Album Extra: Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" is the first rock song to win Record of the Year. Marking a change in popular music leading to the 70's. -
Period: to
1969
Top Songs: "Sugar Sugar" The Archies "Aquarius" The Fifth Dimension "My Way" Frank Sinatra Record of the year: "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" 5th Dimension Album of the year: "Blood, Sweat And Tears"
Blood, Sweat And Tears Song of the year: "Games People Play"
Joe South, songwriter Personal Favorite: "Ramble On" Led Zepplin
"Fortunate Son" Creedence Clearwater Revival Extra: "Woodstock" the biggest collection of music and musicians at the time takes place in August. -
Period: to
1970
Top Songs: "Close to You" The Carpenters
"American Woman" The Guess Who
"I’ll Be There - The Jackson 5" Record of the year: "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Simon And Garfunkel Album of the year: "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Simon And Garfunkel Song of the year: "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Simon And Garfunkel Personal Favorite: "Paranoid" Black Sabbath Extra: Simon and Garfunkel sweep the categories at the Grammys winning Record, Album, and Song of the Year. -
Period: to
1971
Top Songs: "Joy to the World" Three Dog Night "Maggie May" Rod Stewart
"My Sweet Lord" George Harrison Record of the year: "It's Too Late"
Carole King Album of the year: "Tapestry"
Carole King Song of the year: "You've Got A Friend"
Carole King Personal Favorite: "Been Down So Long" The Doors Extra: Once again, an artist wins Record, Album and Song of the Year.
Members of the freshly split up Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney release singles that both go gold. -
Period: to
1972
Top Songs: "Lean On Me" Bill Withers
"School’s Out " Alice Cooper
"Heart of Gold" Neil Young, Record of the year: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Roberta Flack Album of the year: "The Concert For Bangla Desh"
George Harrison Song of the year: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Ewan MacColl Personal Favorite: "A Horse With No Name" America Extra:The End of the slowly fading "Elvis" era is seen. As he and his wife divorce and he records his last top 10 hit which is a cover. -
Period: to
1973
Top Songs: "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" Jim Croce
"You’re So Vain" Carly Simon
"Let’s Get It On" Marvin Gaye, Record of the year: "Killing Me Softly With His Song"
Roberta Flack Album of the year: "Innervisions"
Stevie Wonder Song of the year:"Killing Me Softly With His Song"
Charles Fox & Norman Gimbel Personal Favorite: "Dark Side of The Moon" Album Pink Floyd Extra: Themes of music continue to change. Many artists new and old are under fire for possession of drugs and alcohol. -
Period: to
1974
Top Songs: "The Way We Were" Barbra Streisand, "Jungle Boogie" Kool and the Gang
"The Loco-Motion " Grand Funk Railroad Record of the year: "I Honestly Love You"
Olivia Newton-John Album of the year: "Fulfillingness' First Finale"
Stevie Wonder Song of the year:"The Way We Were"
Alan Bergman Personal Favorite: "Kung Fu Fighting" Carl Douglas Extra: Considered a calm year of music. Much of the albums released were "Greatest Hits" and big hitters didn't release much new music. -
Period: to
1975
Top Songs: "Shining Star" Earth, Wind and Fire, "Rhinestone Cowboy" Glen Campbell
"Fame" David Bowie Record of the year: "Love Will Keep Us Together"
Captain & Tennille Album of the year: "Still Crazy After All These Years"
Paul Simon Song of the year: "Send In The Clowns"
Stephen Sondheim Personal Favorite: "Sister Golden Hair" America Extra: The beginning of Disco is seen through bands like "Earth Wind and Fire" at the top of the charts. -
Period: to
1976
Top Songs: "Bohemian Rhapsody" Queen
"Dancing Queen" ABBA
"Love to Love You Baby" Donna Summer Record of the year: "This Masquerade"
George Benson Album of the year: "Songs In The Key Of Life"
Stevie Wonder Song of the year:"I Write The Songs"
Bruce Johnston Personal Favorite: "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" Blue Oyster Cult Extra: Disco still reigns top of charts. With a rise of punk rock in American charts. -
Period: to
1977
Top Songs: "Hotel California" Eagles
"Best of My Love" The Emotions
"Car Wash" Rose Royce Record of the year: "Hotel California"
Eagles Album of the year: "Rumours"
Fleetwood Mac Song of the year: "You Light Up My Life"
Joe Brooks Personal Favorite: "Hotel California" The Eagles Extra: Studio 54 opens in New York and becomes the most popular celebrity dance club. -
Period: to
1978
Top Songs: "Stayin’ Alive" Bee Gees
"YMCA The Village People"
"Baker Street" Gerry Rafferty Record of the year: "Just The Way You Are"
Billy Joel Album of the year: "Saturday Night Fever - Soundtrack" Song of the year:"Just The Way You Are"
Billy Joel Personal Favorite: "Roxanne" The Police Extra: Many bands and artists found new popularity in disco and changed their music accordingly. -
Period: to
1979
Top Songs: "Le Freak" Chic
"Hot Stuff" Donna Summer
"Heart of Glass" Blondie Record of the year: "What A Fool Believes"
The Doobie Brothers Album of the year: "52nd Street"
Billy Joel Song of the year: "What A Fool Believes"
Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald Personal Favorite: "My Sharona" The Knack Extra: New Wave is introduced as the new popular genre