Albums of 1965

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1. 1
   Spiritual UnityAlbert Ayler

   Spiritual Unity

   Albert Ayler · 1965 · Jazz

   A raw, foundational free-jazz landmark of overblown tenor and feeling. Intense and influential. A genre cornerstone.

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2. 2
   Live at the RegalB.B. King

   Live at the Regal

   B.B. King · 1965 · Blues

   Widely held to be the greatest live blues album, capturing King's call-and-response mastery and impeccable phrasing. Joyful and electric. A blues essential.

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3. 3
   Bert JanschBert Jansch

   Bert Jansch

   Bert Jansch · 1965 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

   A landmark British folk-guitar debut. Influential and beloved. A genre cornerstone.

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4. 4
   Highway 61 RevisitedBob Dylan

   Highway 61 Revisited

   Bob Dylan · 1965 · Rock

   Dylan plugs in fully and the results are electric in every sense, opening with 'Like a Rolling Stone' and never letting up. The wordplay is savage and funny, the band loose and wild. A foundational rock record that still sounds dangerous.

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5. 5
   Bringing It All Back HomeBob Dylan

   Bringing It All Back Home

   Bob Dylan · 1965 · Rock

   Half electric, half acoustic, the record where Dylan reinvented folk and rock at once. Witty, surreal and prophetic. A pivotal moment in 1960s music.

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6. 6
   I've Got a Tiger by the TailBuck Owens

   I've Got a Tiger by the Tail

   Buck Owens · 1965 · Country & Americana

   A peak of bright Bakersfield honky-tonk. Tuneful and beloved. A genre cornerstone.

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7. 7
   Idle MomentsGrant Green

   Idle Moments

   Grant Green · 1965 · Jazz

   A mellow, late-night Blue Note gem of warm guitar and space. Smooth and beloved. A perfect mood record.

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8. 8
   Maiden VoyageHerbie Hancock

   Maiden Voyage

   Herbie Hancock · 1965 · Jazz

   An elegant, oceanic post-bop classic with an unforgettable title track. Cohesive and beautifully played by an all-star band. A graceful entry point to Blue Note.

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9. 9
   Song for My FatherHorace Silver

   Song for My Father

   Horace Silver · 1965 · Jazz

   Soulful, Latin-tinged hard bop with one of jazz's most recognisable basslines. Warm and groovy. An accessible classic.

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10. 10
    Farewell, AngelinaJoan Baez

    Farewell, Angelina

    Joan Baez · 1965 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

    Dylan songs and traditional ballads in a set that showed how far her interpretive range had grown since the debut.

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11. 11
    A Love SupremeJohn Coltrane

    A Love Supreme

    John Coltrane · 1965 · Jazz

    A four-part spiritual suite of overwhelming intensity and devotion, recorded by Coltrane's classic quartet. It moves from searching to ecstatic to serene. A towering statement that rewards close, uninterrupted listening.

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12. 12
    Hoodoo Man BluesJunior Wells

    Hoodoo Man Blues

    Junior Wells · 1965 · Blues

    A landmark Chicago-blues record of harmonica and grit, with Buddy Guy on guitar. Tough and authentic. A genre classic.

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13. 13
    UnityLarry Young

    Unity

    Larry Young · 1965 · Jazz

    A landmark of modal jazz organ. Inventive and beloved. A Blue Note classic.

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14. 14
    I Put a Spell on YouNina Simone

    I Put a Spell on You

    Nina Simone · 1965 · Jazz

    A commanding set spanning jazz, soul and chanson, sung with unmatched gravity. 'Feeling Good' anchors it. Essential Simone.

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15. 15
    Otis BlueOtis Redding

    Otis Blue

    Otis Redding · 1965 · Soul & R&B

    Recorded in a single marathon session, it captures Redding's raw, generous soul at its peak, covers and originals alike. Urgent and deeply felt. Essential 1960s soul.

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16. 16
    Father of Folk BluesSon House

    Father of Folk Blues

    Son House · 1965 · Blues

    A raw, powerful document of Delta-blues rediscovery. Intense and historic. A foundational record.

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17. 17
    Rubber SoulThe Beatles

    Rubber Soul

    The Beatles · 1965 · Rock

    The hinge between the early pop group and the studio innovators, folding in folk-rock, soul and a new lyrical maturity. Cohesive and warm, it set the template for the album as a unified work. A turning point that still charms.

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18. 18
    Help!The Beatles

    Help!

    The Beatles · 1965 · Rock

    A transitional peak balancing pop and folk-rock, home to its title track and 'Yesterday'. Tuneful and beloved. A bridge to greater ambition.

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19. 19
    Mr. Tambourine ManThe Byrds

    Mr. Tambourine Man

    The Byrds · 1965 · Rock

    The album that launched folk-rock as a genre — twelve-string jangle and Dylan translations that redefined what a rock band could sound like.

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20. 20
    The Paul Butterfield Blues BandThe Paul Butterfield Blues Band

    The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

    The Paul Butterfield Blues Band · 1965 · Blues

    A landmark white-blues debut that bridged Chicago blues and rock. Tough and influential. A genre cornerstone.

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21. 21
    Out of Our HeadsThe Rolling Stones

    Out of Our Heads

    The Rolling Stones · 1965 · Rock

    An early peak, home to '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction'. Tuneful and beloved. A breakthrough.

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22. 22
    My GenerationThe Who

    My Generation

    The Who · 1965 · Rock

    A raw, explosive debut of mod fury, home to its iconic title track. Vital and influential. A genre cornerstone.

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23. 23
    Solo MonkThelonious Monk

    Solo Monk

    Thelonious Monk · 1965 · Jazz

    An intimate solo-piano peak of idiosyncratic touch. Singular and beloved. A high point.

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24. 24
    Speak No EvilWayne Shorter

    Speak No Evil

    Wayne Shorter · 1965 · Jazz

    Elegant, mysterious post-bop with an all-star band, balancing accessibility and depth. Beautifully composed. A Blue Note classic.

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25. 25
    JujuWayne Shorter

    Juju

    Wayne Shorter · 1965 · Jazz

    A modal, Coltrane-influenced peak of mysterious composition. Bold and acclaimed. A Blue Note classic.

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26. 26
    Smokin' at the Half NoteWes Montgomery

    Smokin' at the Half Note

    Wes Montgomery · 1965 · Jazz

    A peak of live jazz guitar with a swinging rhythm section. Warm and beloved. A genre classic.

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