The 49 Best British Pop Songs of the 1960s

Chart-toppers sit beside cult singles here, with Merseybeat jangle, psychedelia and big-voiced ballads all in the mix. A few were even bigger in America than at home.

1. 1
   She Loves You

   The Beatles' 1963 single, which became the best-selling UK single of the 1960s.
   1000pts
2. 2
   With a Little Help from My Friends

   Joe Cocker's slowed-down 1968 cover of the Beatles song, which reached No. 1 in the UK.
   990pts
3. 3
   Tears

   Ken Dodd's 1965 ballad, a five-week UK No. 1 and the best-selling UK single of that year.
   921pts
4. 4
   Those Were the Days

   Mary Hopkin's 1968 debut on the Beatles' Apple label, produced by Paul McCartney and a UK No. 1.
   921pts
5. 5
   Pinball Wizard

   The Who's 1969 single from the rock opera Tommy, which reached No. 4 in the UK.
   882pts
6. 6
   Do Wah Diddy Diddy

   Manfred Mann's 1964 cover of an Exciters song, a No. 1 in both the UK and the US.
   882pts
7. 7
   For Your Love

   The Yardbirds' 1965 single written by Graham Gouldman, a UK No. 3 whose pop direction prompted Eric Clapton to leave the band.
   881pts
8. 8
   Paint It Black

   The Rolling Stones' 1966 single featuring Brian Jones on sitar, a No. 1 in both the UK and the US.
   810pts
9. 9
   Sunshine Superman

   Donovan's 1966 single, an early psychedelic pop record that topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 2 in the UK.
   809pts
10. 10
    A Hard Day's Night

    The Beatles' 1964 title song from their first film, known for its ringing opening chord and a UK and US No. 1.
    809pts
11. 11
    Downtown

    Petula Clark's 1964 single written by Tony Hatch, which reached No. 2 in the UK and topped the US chart in 1965.
    809pts
12. 12
    I'm Into Something Good

    Herman's Hermits' 1964 debut single, a Goffin-King song that reached No. 1 in the UK.
    809pts
13. 13
    You Really Got Me

    The Kinks' 1964 breakthrough single with a distorted power-chord riff, which topped the UK chart.
    809pts
14. 14
    Something in the Air

    Thunderclap Newman's 1969 single produced by Pete Townshend, which spent three weeks at No. 1 in the UK.
    809pts
15. 15
    Honky Tonk Women

    The Rolling Stones' 1969 single, released in the UK the day after Brian Jones' death and a UK and US No. 1.
    726pts
16. 16
    Son of a Preacher Man

    Dusty Springfield's 1968 single from the album Dusty in Memphis, a top-10 hit in both the UK and the US.
    726pts
17. 17
    The House of the Rising Sun

    The Animals' 1964 version of an American folk song, a No. 1 in both the UK and the US.
    726pts
18. 18
    Wild Thing

    The Troggs' 1966 single, which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 2 in the UK.
    726pts
19. 19
    Shout

    Lulu and the Luvvers' 1964 cover of the Isley Brothers song, a UK top-10 hit released when Lulu was 15.
    726pts
20. 20
    Hey Jude

    The Beatles' 1968 single running over seven minutes, the first release on their Apple label and a nine-week US No. 1.
    726pts
21. 21
    Strawberry Fields Forever

    John Lennon's psychedelic Beatles song, released in February 1967 as a double A-side with Penny Lane.
    630pts
22. 22
    My Generation

    The Who's 1965 single with Roger Daltrey's stuttered vocal and the line about hoping to die before getting old, a UK No. 2.
    630pts
23. 23
    Puppet on a String

    Sandie Shaw's 1967 single that won the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom and topped the UK chart.
    630pts
24. 24
    Gimme Some Lovin'

    The Spencer Davis Group's 1966 single sung by 18-year-old Steve Winwood, a UK No. 2 and US top-10 hit.
    629pts
25. 25
    You'll Never Walk Alone

    Gerry and the Pacemakers' 1963 UK No. 1 version of the Carousel show tune, later adopted as Liverpool FC's anthem.
    629pts
26. 26
    You Don't Have to Say You Love Me

    Dusty Springfield's 1966 UK No. 1, an English adaptation of the Italian song Io che non vivo (senza te).
    515pts
27. 27
    I Want to Hold Your Hand

    The Beatles' 1963 single that gave them their first US No. 1 in February 1964.
    515pts
28. 28
    Itchycoo Park

    Small Faces' 1967 single known for its phasing effect, a No. 3 hit in the UK and their only US top-20 single.
    515pts
29. 29
    Needles and Pins

    The Searchers' 1964 UK No. 1, a jangling version of a song by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono.
    515pts
30. 30
    Green, Green Grass of Home

    Tom Jones' 1966 recording of a country song by Curly Putman, which spent seven weeks at No. 1 in the UK.
    515pts
31. 31
    The Young Ones

    Cliff Richard and the Shadows' title song from the 1961 film, which spent six weeks at No. 1 in the UK in 1962.
    515pts
32. 32
    Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?

    Peter Sarstedt's 1969 single, a four-week UK No. 1 that won an Ivor Novello Award.
    515pts
33. 33
    Flowers in the Rain

    The Move's 1967 single, the first record played on BBC Radio 1 and a UK No. 2.
    515pts
34. 34
    Goldfinger

    Shirley Bassey's 1964 theme song for the James Bond film, with music by John Barry, which reached the US top 10.
    515pts
35. 35
    Yesterday

    Paul McCartney's acoustic ballad with string quartet from the Beatles' 1965 album Help!, released as a US No. 1 single that year.
    515pts
36. 36
    (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

    The Rolling Stones' 1965 single built on Keith Richards' fuzz-guitar riff, their first US No. 1.
    378pts
37. 37
    A Whiter Shade of Pale

    Procol Harum's 1967 debut single with a Bach-inspired organ line, which spent six weeks at No. 1 in the UK.
    378pts
38. 38
    Massachusetts

    The Bee Gees' 1967 single, which gave the Gibb brothers their first UK No. 1.
    378pts
39. 39
    Glad All Over

    The Dave Clark Five's 1963 single that replaced I Want to Hold Your Hand at No. 1 in the UK in January 1964.
    378pts
40. 40
    Everlasting Love

    Love Affair's 1968 cover of Robert Knight's soul song, which reached No. 1 in the UK.
    378pts
41. 41
    Waterloo Sunset

    Ray Davies' 1967 song for the Kinks about a London riverside scene, which reached No. 2 in the UK.
    378pts
42. 42
    Release Me

    Engelbert Humperdinck's 1967 UK No. 1, which kept the Beatles' Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever at No. 2.
    378pts
43. 43
    Have I the Right?

    The Honeycombs' 1964 UK No. 1, produced by Joe Meek and featuring drummer Honey Lantree.
    378pts
44. 44
    It's Not Unusual

    Tom Jones' 1965 breakthrough single, his first UK No. 1.
    0pts
45. 45
    Bus Stop

    The Hollies' 1966 single written by Graham Gouldman, a top-five hit in both the UK and the US.
    0pts
46. 46
    Space Oddity

    David Bowie's 1969 single about the fictional astronaut Major Tom, released days before the Apollo 11 launch and a UK No. 5.
    0pts
47. 47
    Nights in White Satin

    The Moody Blues' 1967 single from the album Days of Future Passed, which charted again in the early 1970s.
    0pts
48. 48
    Anyone Who Had a Heart

    Cilla Black's 1964 cover of a Bacharach-David song, which went to No. 1 in the UK.
    0pts
49. 49
    Build Me Up Buttercup

    The Foundations' 1968 single, which reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 3 in the US.
    0pts

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