1960s Singer/Songwriter Albums by 
Mercury 
NOTE: I actually did rank this. Some of these ranks go against where they were initially ranked in my Music Diary. But Here ya go. I did not rank the honorable mentions YET. They are in order of when they appeared on the Music Diary.
I had a Diary, maybe even still do, where I listened to a bunch of Singer/Songwriter albums. First from pre 66, then 67, then 68, and then I went absolutely nuts deep dive into 69. This chart basically lists out every album mentioned with its corresponding review or note in that September-October 2017 Music Diary project. That is why some things won't make sense, references to videos posted in that thread won't make sense. References to rank won't make much sense. My system even changed, the number of albums ranked per year changed. The first thing though was I essentially pointed out that Dylan 63-66 dominated. After the dylan you have my top 10 pre 67 singer songwriter albums, then some albums which were honorable mentions for that period, then top 8 1967 albums, then some honorable mentions, then top 5 1968, followed by honorable mentions, then you have hella honorable mentions for 69 followed by the top 25(!) 69 singer songwriter albums ranked.
The total number of albums mentioned came out to 95. I added 5 albums i hadn't mentioned to get it to an even number.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and okay bye.
- Chart updated: 10/17/2017 20:15
- (Created: 10/14/2017 06:40).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 3 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and 1960s Singer/Songwriter Albums has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 5 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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[First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
27,975
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
227
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[First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,131
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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#2 Pre-1967
This is such an amazing record. Basically the definitive example of an excellent artist coming along, dropping a unique and timeless masterpiece then disappearing. He just never got the credit he deserved in his career or in his day which is sad. This album is a stunner. Outside of maybe Pink Moon is there another album as absolutely vulnerable, honest, melancholy and transfixingly real as this?
The album is full of perfect gems, from the classic opener "Blues Run The Game" to the end, you are just let in this room and this space with this lost soul expressing himself directly to you.
I notice my enjoyment of this album has a lot to do with mood. Usually I don't gravitate to this intensely lost and down an album. But last night after work I just felt a need and I listened to it 2 times through and every chord and word and aspect rang true.
Listening now I still adore it and all, but it doesn't have the same earth shattering effect that it does when I'm more on the wavelength of the record. Also listening now and its interesting that the whole album isn't truly sad and blue. Some songs especially on "side 1" such as "Don't Look Back" and "Yellow Walls" aren't straight up tear jerkers. But all amazing songs... But really side 2 takes the vibe to a new level of intense. Maybe its just that the second half songs are more distinctly in the minor key...? IDK. Its amazing though listening to the run of perfection that is track "Milk And Honey", to "My Name Is Carnival" to (especially these next 2) "I Want To Be Alone" and finally "Just Like Anything". I swear listening to "I Want To Be Alone" last night was an out-of-body experience. It struck a nerve so deep and blue that i was all shook up. Follow this by the insanely unique and almost chirpy depression at the heart of "Just Like Anything" and you have something truly special.
So you may ask why is this not number 1? Well there was an album I heard for the first time last week that I absolutely fell in love ith. And its so incredibly different from Jackson C Frank's debut and only album, that it is gonna be a laugher listening to them back to back.
But enough about that. For now, I say this album is awesome. And everyone should listen to it.
Grade: 9.4/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
This is such an amazing record. Basically the definitive example of an excellent artist coming along, dropping a unique and timeless masterpiece then disappearing. He just never got the credit he deserved in his career or in his day which is sad. This album is a stunner. Outside of maybe Pink Moon is there another album as absolutely vulnerable, honest, melancholy and transfixingly real as this?
The album is full of perfect gems, from the classic opener "Blues Run The Game" to the end, you are just let in this room and this space with this lost soul expressing himself directly to you.
I notice my enjoyment of this album has a lot to do with mood. Usually I don't gravitate to this intensely lost and down an album. But last night after work I just felt a need and I listened to it 2 times through and every chord and word and aspect rang true.
Listening now I still adore it and all, but it doesn't have the same earth shattering effect that it does when I'm more on the wavelength of the record. Also listening now and its interesting that the whole album isn't truly sad and blue. Some songs especially on "side 1" such as "Don't Look Back" and "Yellow Walls" aren't straight up tear jerkers. But all amazing songs... But really side 2 takes the vibe to a new level of intense. Maybe its just that the second half songs are more distinctly in the minor key...? IDK. Its amazing though listening to the run of perfection that is track "Milk And Honey", to "My Name Is Carnival" to (especially these next 2) "I Want To Be Alone" and finally "Just Like Anything". I swear listening to "I Want To Be Alone" last night was an out-of-body experience. It struck a nerve so deep and blue that i was all shook up. Follow this by the insanely unique and almost chirpy depression at the heart of "Just Like Anything" and you have something truly special.
So you may ask why is this not number 1? Well there was an album I heard for the first time last week that I absolutely fell in love ith. And its so incredibly different from Jackson C Frank's debut and only album, that it is gonna be a laugher listening to them back to back.
But enough about that. For now, I say this album is awesome. And everyone should listen to it.
Grade: 9.4/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,227
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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#5 Pre-1967
This album was apparently recorded with a portable tape player, on a borrowed guitar, in a kitchen of a London flat. Wow. The sound is yes raw, but also very clear and pristine. And the thing that sets this apart from other singer-songwriter albums of the period including every other album on this list, is the active, intense, inventive and virtuosic guitar playing. Bert just adorned these earthy blues and folk originals with intricate guitar runs and chords that just manage to fill up the whole sound despite the stripped down nature of the music and despite the alleged circumstances of the recording session.
The album starts off with a beautiful blues original "Strolling Down The Highway" and its a great way to be introduced to the main voice here and to this album. Its just a simple portrait of the style, kind of aimless, blue and searching. Throughout the album jansch plays nice earnest original songs, and a fair share of little instrumental detours which are consistently fascinating.
Songs like the opener, and the closing instrumental "Angie" with its agressive crashes and burtsts, and the stunning and bitter sadness of "Needle of Death/Do You Hear Me Now" assure this as a classic of the just a man and his guitar albums and folk.
Grade: 8.7/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
This album was apparently recorded with a portable tape player, on a borrowed guitar, in a kitchen of a London flat. Wow. The sound is yes raw, but also very clear and pristine. And the thing that sets this apart from other singer-songwriter albums of the period including every other album on this list, is the active, intense, inventive and virtuosic guitar playing. Bert just adorned these earthy blues and folk originals with intricate guitar runs and chords that just manage to fill up the whole sound despite the stripped down nature of the music and despite the alleged circumstances of the recording session.
The album starts off with a beautiful blues original "Strolling Down The Highway" and its a great way to be introduced to the main voice here and to this album. Its just a simple portrait of the style, kind of aimless, blue and searching. Throughout the album jansch plays nice earnest original songs, and a fair share of little instrumental detours which are consistently fascinating.
Songs like the opener, and the closing instrumental "Angie" with its agressive crashes and burtsts, and the stunning and bitter sadness of "Needle of Death/Do You Hear Me Now" assure this as a classic of the just a man and his guitar albums and folk.
Grade: 8.7/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
766
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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#6 Pre-1967
Right from the jump on this album its clear this is a different, a completely unique take, on the folk singer/songwriter movement which was flourishing in '65. Neil had a strangely beautiful, deep, sonorous voice, which he never uses (here) to overtly emote. He always sounds detached, mildly amused even by the most deeply blues-soaked, depressed songs lyrically.
On songs like the absolutely superb "Blues On The Ceiling" every single aspect of the song just sounds sublime, cool, and yet very off-puttingly dark. The audio indicates the message in the most subtle and gorgeous way, but the lyrics really get to the root and the real existential insanity of deep deep blues. (reminds me a lot of another classic from '65 by Jackson C. Frank...the difference is that musically Frank's "Blues Run The Game" is all on a vector to express the depression just as much as the lyrical content. Its the strange dichotomy of this song which makes it better in my opinion....anyway, way way overlong parenthetical aside ends..... now).
The album is consistently beautiful and nuanced and varied and unique. Songs like "Candy Man", "Other Side to This Life", the title track, etc, are rightfully now regarded as classics of the genre.
Grade: 8.4/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
Right from the jump on this album its clear this is a different, a completely unique take, on the folk singer/songwriter movement which was flourishing in '65. Neil had a strangely beautiful, deep, sonorous voice, which he never uses (here) to overtly emote. He always sounds detached, mildly amused even by the most deeply blues-soaked, depressed songs lyrically.
On songs like the absolutely superb "Blues On The Ceiling" every single aspect of the song just sounds sublime, cool, and yet very off-puttingly dark. The audio indicates the message in the most subtle and gorgeous way, but the lyrics really get to the root and the real existential insanity of deep deep blues. (reminds me a lot of another classic from '65 by Jackson C. Frank...the difference is that musically Frank's "Blues Run The Game" is all on a vector to express the depression just as much as the lyrical content. Its the strange dichotomy of this song which makes it better in my opinion....anyway, way way overlong parenthetical aside ends..... now).
The album is consistently beautiful and nuanced and varied and unique. Songs like "Candy Man", "Other Side to This Life", the title track, etc, are rightfully now regarded as classics of the genre.
Grade: 8.4/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
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#9 Pre-1967
I maybe move this higher. Its a really solid album through and through. It just sounds much much more assured and beautiful than his debut a year before. The songs are consistently gorgeous and topical yet timeless. In songs like "That's What I Want To Hear" its amazing cuz the concerns aren't dated at all. And his tribute to John F Kennedy - "That Was A President" is truly beautiful, if a bit too hero-worshippy for my taste. And songs like "Draft Dodger Rag" is hilarious and incredibly catchy. Some of this album is ridiculously preachy, but that goes with the territory and I found myself growing used to it halfway through on this listen and then tired of it by the end. Still, a solid album throughout. It's no "The Times They Are A-Changin'" but then again I don't think that is what he was going for. Phil brought his own balance and message forward and as a result this is one of the best protest albums of the era.
Grade: 7.7/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
I maybe move this higher. Its a really solid album through and through. It just sounds much much more assured and beautiful than his debut a year before. The songs are consistently gorgeous and topical yet timeless. In songs like "That's What I Want To Hear" its amazing cuz the concerns aren't dated at all. And his tribute to John F Kennedy - "That Was A President" is truly beautiful, if a bit too hero-worshippy for my taste. And songs like "Draft Dodger Rag" is hilarious and incredibly catchy. Some of this album is ridiculously preachy, but that goes with the territory and I found myself growing used to it halfway through on this listen and then tired of it by the end. Still, a solid album throughout. It's no "The Times They Are A-Changin'" but then again I don't think that is what he was going for. Phil brought his own balance and message forward and as a result this is one of the best protest albums of the era.
Grade: 7.7/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
411
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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#10 Pre-1967
This album used to confuse me. I didn't get it. I thought it was a compilation of early solo recordings of Simon whilst he was a member of Simon & Garfunkel. Then I finally stopped my nonsense and researched it. Turns out this was made when Simon was taking a bit of a hiatus from his burgeoning at the time duo with Art. He went to England, became of sensation of sorts and was rushed into the studio to record some of his solo recordings with just himself with an acoustic. The production and renditions in genral sound a bit rushed and unadorned in a bad way., But the beautiful songs, and the excellent vocals shine through despite all the BS.
Songs like "Leaves That Are Green", "April Come She Will" "Kathy's Song", "A Most Peculiar Man", "The Side of The Hill"and "A Church Is Burning" all sound gorgeous and plain and very nice here. And I just enjoy hearing Simon on his own just a bit before his duo became very successful. I put this for sure a tier below S&G albums such as "The Sound of Silence" "Bookends" and "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme", but it still shimmers at times with an young, bright-eyed, and very talented songwriter named Paul Simon.
7.5/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
This album used to confuse me. I didn't get it. I thought it was a compilation of early solo recordings of Simon whilst he was a member of Simon & Garfunkel. Then I finally stopped my nonsense and researched it. Turns out this was made when Simon was taking a bit of a hiatus from his burgeoning at the time duo with Art. He went to England, became of sensation of sorts and was rushed into the studio to record some of his solo recordings with just himself with an acoustic. The production and renditions in genral sound a bit rushed and unadorned in a bad way., But the beautiful songs, and the excellent vocals shine through despite all the BS.
Songs like "Leaves That Are Green", "April Come She Will" "Kathy's Song", "A Most Peculiar Man", "The Side of The Hill"and "A Church Is Burning" all sound gorgeous and plain and very nice here. And I just enjoy hearing Simon on his own just a bit before his duo became very successful. I put this for sure a tier below S&G albums such as "The Sound of Silence" "Bookends" and "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme", but it still shimmers at times with an young, bright-eyed, and very talented songwriter named Paul Simon.
7.5/10 [First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
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Honorable Mention for Pre-1967
[First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
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Honorable Mention for Pre-1967
[First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
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Honorable Mention for Pre-1967
[First added to this chart: 10/14/2017]
Total albums: 12. Page 1 of 2
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1960s Singer/Songwriter Albums composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1960 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1961 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1962 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1963 | 3 | 3% | |
| 1964 | 7 | 7% | |
| 1965 | 12 | 12% | |
| 1966 | 6 | 6% | |
| 1967 | 12 | 12% | |
| 1968 | 22 | 22% | |
| 1969 | 38 | 38% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Bob Dylan | 8 | 8% | |
| Phil Ochs | 5 | 5% | |
| Roger Miller | 3 | 3% | |
| Tim Hardin | 3 | 3% | |
| Bert Jansch | 3 | 3% | |
| Laura Nyro | 3 | 3% | |
| Tim Buckley | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
1960s Singer/Songwriter Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 99 from 100th to 1st Looks Like Rain by Mickey Newbury |
| Up 93 from 99th to 6th John by John Phillips (ZW) |
| Up 91 from 98th to 7th Songs From A Room by Leonard Cohen |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 45 from 8th to 53rd The Paul Simon Songbook by Paul Simon |
| Down 41 from 17th to 58th Songs Of Our Times by P.F. Sloan |
| Down 41 from 18th to 59th Songs Of Protest And Anti-Protest by Chris Lucey |
1960s Singer/Songwriter Albums similar charts
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s | Mercury | 1960s decade chart | 2021 | |
| Normlore |  Norman Bates | Custom chart | 2017 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s | Moondance | 1960s decade chart | 2025 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s | WilliamFrayer | 1960s decade chart | 2021 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s |  jnfbn | 1960s decade chart | 2020 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s | Norman Bates | 1960s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s |  samistake2ice | 1960s decade chart | 2016 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s |  bertrandu | 1960s decade chart | 2017 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s |  MrFrogger | 1960s decade chart | 2015 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s | BorderFreeAndrew | 1960s decade chart | 2025 | |
1960s Singer/Songwriter Albums similarity to your chart(s)
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1960s Singer/Songwriter Albums ratings
90/100 (from 5 votes)
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N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
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| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
95/100  | 08/11/2024 19:15 |  DommeDamian | | 89/100 |
100/100 | 12/03/2023 01:52 | Moondance | | 85/100 |
 100/100 | 10/14/2017 17:52 |  baystateoftheart | | 96/100 |
| 100/100 | 10/14/2017 11:33 |  Repo | | 100/100 |
| 90/100 | 10/14/2017 07:09 |  bobbyb5 | | 90/100 |
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100/100
From Moondance 12/03/2023 01:53
Absolutely love this chart - I can feel the passion you had in creating it. I came to this chart via exploring Vince Martin's anthology - and I will certainly return here as I notice a few artists that have escaped me to date on my own journey through singer/songwriters.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From Repo 10/14/2017 11:33
Repo 10/14/2017 11:33
I think the biggest surprise for me is how low you rank Nick Drake's debut which I consider a masterpiece. I know that you are just getting into Tim Buckley and his charms take a little time, but I know that you've adored Drake for a long time.
But, there is so much stuff here I do not know that's it's impossible to really argue with these ratings. You've become the master in a genre and time period that I thought I knew rather well. Proving yet again that I know nothing. Damn you for that, Mercury. lol
But, yeah this is really, really great stuff. You should definitely continue this project for as long as it still inspires you. Just don't feel compelled to move at such a breakneck speed. lol. When you do, well hop on over to my Mellow Zone. lol.
Peace, brother. Truly phenomenal work, here! Keep it up!!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From bobbyb5 10/14/2017 07:12
bobbyb5 10/14/2017 07:12
Awesome. I'm going to make one right now myself. It's going to look very different from yours. I'm more of a pop/rock singer songwriter type of guy. But your chart is awesome anyway, just different than mine will be.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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