Albums of 1966
Revolver. Pet Sounds. Blonde on Blonde. The most concentrated burst of great albums in any single year.
Reviewed by Callum Ashworth, 247 Album Verdict · Last updated · How we rank
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1Blonde on BlondeBob Dylan
Blonde on Blonde
Often called the first great double album, a sprawling, mercurial set of wild imagery and 'thin, wild mercury' sound. Dense and brilliant. A peak of his electric trilogy.
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2MeditationsJohn Coltrane
Meditations
A fierce, spiritual free-jazz peak. Intense and acclaimed. A late landmark.
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3Blues Breakers with Eric ClaptonJohn Mayall and the Bluesbreakers
Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton
The 'Beano' album that made Clapton a guitar god. Influential and hot. A British-blues landmark.
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4Search for the New LandLee Morgan
Search for the New Land
An ambitious, modal-leaning peak of adventurous hard bop. Bold and acclaimed. A high point.
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5Today!Mississippi John Hurt
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6Sounds of SilenceSimon & Garfunkel
Sounds of Silence
An early peak built around its hushed, electrified title hit. Tuneful and beloved. A breakthrough.
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7Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and ThymeSimon & Garfunkel
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
A peak of intricate, literate folk-pop. Beautiful and beloved. A high point.
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8Pet SoundsThe Beach Boys
Pet Sounds
Brian Wilson's orchestral pop masterpiece, a fragile, intricate song-cycle of longing that reshaped what a pop album could be. Endlessly influential, not least on the Beatles. One of the greatest records ever made.
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9RevolverThe Beatles
Revolver
The pivot from pop group to studio explorers: tape loops, backwards guitar and Indian drones sit beside some of their sharpest songwriting. It is short, varied and astonishingly forward-looking for 1966, closing with the proto-psychedelic 'Tomorrow Never Knows'. Many fans rate it the single best Beatles record, and it is the natural place to start.
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10East-WestThe Paul Butterfield Blues Band
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11AftermathThe Rolling Stones