List of Billboard Easy Listening number ones of 1966

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A middle-aged man in a tuxedo in a formal dinner setting
Frank Sinatra (pictured in 1960) had four number ones in 1966.

Adult Contemporary is a chart published by Billboard ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) market. In 1966, 18 songs topped the chart, then published under the title Easy Listening, based on playlists submitted by easy listening radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.[1]

In the first issue of Billboard of the year, Roger Miller moved up one place to number one with "England Swings",[2] however he held the top spot for only a single week before being replaced at number one by Al Martino's "Spanish Eyes", which spent four weeks atop the chart. Immediately after Martino's run at number one, Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century,[3] gained his first Easy Listening chart-topper with "It Was a Very Good Year". Sinatra, who was experiencing a career resurgence at the age of 50,[4] achieved several chart distinctions in 1966. He had the most number ones, topping the chart with four singles, spent the most total weeks in the top spot with 13, and had the longest unbroken run at number one when "Strangers in the Night" spent seven consecutive weeks topping the listing. Although Sinatra reportedly did not care for "Strangers in the Night",[5] it also topped Billboard's all-genres chart, the Hot 100.[4]

Two other Easy Listening number ones also topped the Hot 100. In the early part of the year, serving soldier Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler reached the top of both listings with "The Ballad of the Green Berets". The patriotic song went on to be the biggest-selling single of the year in the U.S.[6] In December, British novelty act The New Vaudeville Band reached number one on both charts with the 1920s-styled "Winchester Cathedral", the only significant hit of the group's career.[7] "Winchester Cathedral" was the penultimate Easy Listening chart-topper of 1966, being replaced in the top spot in Billboard's final issue of the year by Sinatra's "That's Life".

Chart history[edit]

A young man in military uniform
Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler had one of the biggest hits of 1966 with "Ballad of the Green Berets".
A middle-aged man
Ray Conniff and his singers topped the chart with "Somewhere, My Love", a vocal interpretation of "Lara's Theme" from Doctor Zhivago.[8]
A young blonde woman holding a large bunch of flowers
"I Couldn't Live Without Your Love" was a number one for British singer Petula Clark.
Key
† Indicates best-performing easy listening song of 1966.[9] later years, another list[10]
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 1 "England Swings" Roger Miller [2]
January 8 "Spanish Eyes" Al Martino [11]
January 15 [12]
January 22 [13]
January 29 [14]
February 5 "It Was a Very Good Year" Frank Sinatra [15]
February 12 "Crying Time" Ray Charles [16]
February 19 [17]
February 26 [18]
March 5 "Ballad of the Green Berets" Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler [19]
March 12 [20]
March 19 [21]
March 26 [22]
April 2 [23]
April 9 "I Want to Go with You" Eddy Arnold [24]
April 16 [25]
April 23 [26]
April 30 "Together Again" Ray Charles [27]
May 7 [28]
May 14 [29]
May 21 "Band of Gold" Mel Carter [30]
May 28 [31]
June 4 "Strangers in the Night" Frank Sinatra [32]
June 11 [33]
June 18 [34]
June 25 [35]
July 2 [36]
July 9 [37]
July 16 [38]
July 23 "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" Jack Jones [39]
July 30 "Somewhere, My Love" Ray Conniff Singers [40]
August 6 [41]
August 13 [42]
August 20 [43]
August 27 "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love" Petula Clark [44]
September 3 "Born Free" † Roger Williams [45]
September 10 [46]
September 17 [47]
September 24 [48]
October 1 "In the Arms of Love" Andy Williams [49]
October 8 [50]
October 15 "Summer Wind" Frank Sinatra [51]
October 22 "Born Free" † Roger Williams [52]
October 29 [53]
November 5 "The Wheel of Hurt" Margaret Whiting [54]
November 12 [55]
November 19 [56]
November 26 [57]
December 3 "Winchester Cathedral" The New Vaudeville Band [58]
December 10 [59]
December 17 [60]
December 24 [61]
December 31 "That's Life" Frank Sinatra [62]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006. Record Research Incorporated. p. vi. ISBN 9780898201697.
  2. ^ a b "Adult Contemporary chart for January 1, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  3. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Frank Sinatra Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Breihan, Tom (September 11, 2018). "The Number Ones: Frank Sinatra's "Strangers In The Night"". Stereogum. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra". AllMusic. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  6. ^ Breihan, Tom (August 30, 2018). "The Number Ones: Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler's "The Ballad Of The Green Berets"". Stereogum. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  7. ^ Huey, Steve. "New Vaudeville Band Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  8. ^ Lawson, Matt; MacDonald, Laurence (2018). 100 Greatest Film Scores. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 79. ISBN 9781538103685.
  9. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 1966" (PDF). Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  10. ^ "Top 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 1966". Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  11. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 8, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  12. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 15, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  13. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 22, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 29, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 5, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 12, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 19, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 26, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 5, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 12, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 19, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 26, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 2, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 9, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 16, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 23, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 30, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 7, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 14, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 21, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 28, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 4, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 11, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 18, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 25, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 2, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 9, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 16, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 23, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 30, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 6, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 13, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 20, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 27, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 3, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 10, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 17, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 24, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 1, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 8, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 15, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 22, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 29, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 5, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 12, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 19, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 26, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 3, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 10, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  60. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 17, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  61. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 24, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  62. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 31, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2018.

See also[edit]

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