Album Chart of 1960

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Album Chart of 1960

25 tracks, runtime 1h 13m. The playlist features the highest-rated track from each album (subject to what's available on YouTube) in chart order, with a minimum individual track-rating of 6.5 required for inclusion. To view the full tracklist, access shuffle-play or avoid in-play interruption due to territorially blocked videos, it might be best playing directly via YouTube

ELMORE JAMES IMMORTALIZED ON LP

“I believe my time ain’t long” sang Elmore James on “Dust My Blues”, the top track from my album of the year. From his mid 20s he had known that he had a serious heart condition. Thankfully, the Bihari brothers with their Crown label had the good sense to make sure that there was at least one LP issued in the man’s lifetime, issued this year when he was 42; he would die young from a heart attack just 3 years later. It’s a real classic set, comprised of single sides from 5 years earlier.

Strangely, my Number 2 LP of the year is also “out of date”, a shelved Woody Guthrie album from 1947 finally getting the release that it so richly deserved.

There are terrific debut sets from Etta James and The Shirelles, and Elvis is back in the studio after his army stint – his 3 new albums of 1960 delivering mixed results.

There was a riot at the Newport Jazz festival – those who missed out live had to make do with album documents from Muddy Waters and Nina Simone. Brilliantly, Miriam Makeba puts South Africa firmly on the international album’s map, giving hope for the decade to come in so many ways.

The Jukebox Rebel
03-Dec-2015

BLUES AFTER HOURS
Elmore James and The Broom Dusters
Crown Records CLP-5168

“A classic” Blues / Rhythm n Blues

Jukebox picks: “Dust My Blues” (9.9) • “Goodbye Baby” (9.6) • “Blues Before Sunrise” (9.2)
Elmore James was to the blues what Little Richard was to Rock n Roll – raucous, threatening and sexy. That said, the mat...more →

BALLADS OF SACCO AND VANZETTI
Woody Guthrie
Folkways Records FH-5485

“Brilliant” Folk

Jukebox picks: “Two Good Men” (9.0) • “Vanzetti’s Letter” (8.9) • “Sacco’s Letter To His Son” (8.3)
At about three o'clock in the afternoon of April 15, 1920, Frederick Parmenter, a paymaster, and Alessandro Berardelli, ...more →

AT LAST!
Etta James
Argo LP-4003

“Brilliant” Soul Ballad

Jukebox picks: “I Just Want To Make Love To You” (9.8) • “At Last” (9.3) • “My Dearest Darling” (9.1)
The 22 year old Etta James really makes her mark with this exhilarating debut – she brings a vitality to each of the son...more →

TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT
The Shirelles
Scepter Records LP-501

“Really good” Pop

Jukebox picks: “Tonight’s The Night” (10) • “Dedicated To The One I Love” (10) • “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (10)
Arriving at the very tail end of the year was the debut LP from the completely fabulous Shirelles. With nearly 3 years o...more →

ELVIS IS BACK!
Elvis Presley
RCA Victor LPM-2231

“Really good” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Pop

Jukebox picks: “Reconsider Baby” (10) • “The Girl Of My Best Friend” (8.4) • “It Feels So Right” (7.5)
Elvis arrived back from his Army stint in Germany on March 2, 1960, and was honourably discharged with the rank of serge...more →

RIDE THIS TRAIN
Johnny Cash
Columbia CL-1464

“Really good” Country

Jukebox picks: “Loading Coal” (8.7) • “Old Doc Brown” (7.7) • “Going To Memphis” (7.5)
“A stirring travelogue of Americana in song and story” is how the front cover sums up this release – dubiously described...more →

NOW, THERE WAS A SONG!
Johnny Cash
Columbia CL-1463

“Really good” Country

Jukebox picks: “Just One More” (9.7) • “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (8.3) • “Time Changes Everything” (8.1)
Johnny Cash takes his country ’n’ roll home boys Luther Perkins (lead guitar) and Marshall Grant (bass) on a pure Nashvi...more →

A LOT OF DOMINOS!
Fats Domino
Imperial LP-9127

“Really good” Crooner / Cabaret; Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Pop

Jukebox picks: “Walking To New Orleans” (9.8) • “Three Nights A Week” (9.3) • “Natural Born Lover” (7.5)
Released October 1960. Fats indulges his penchant for a good croon on this set, aided by an almost constant string secti...more →

TRAVELIN’
John Lee Hooker
Vee Jay Records VJLP-1023

“Really good” Blues / Rhythm n Blues

Jukebox picks: “Sunnyland” (8.3) • “No Shoes” (8.0) • “Whiskey And Wimmen [1960 version]” (7.9)
This is a really great listen from start to finish – unlike many of John Lee’s foot stomping one-man holler-a-thons it t...more →

MUDDY WATERS SINGS ‘BIG BILL’
Muddy Waters
Chess LP-1444

“Good” Blues / Rhythm n Blues

Jukebox picks: “When I Get To Thinking” (8.0) • “Double Trouble” (7.7) • “Southbound Train” (7.4)
William Broonzy had died in August 1958 after suffering from the effects of throat cancer. Just a year or so later, Mudd...more →

JOAN BAEZ
Joan Baez
Vanguard VSD-2077

“Good” Folk

Jukebox picks: “El Preso Número Nueve” (9.7) • “Donna Donna” (8.0) • “All My Trials” (7.5)
Simple and effective, 13 old folk songs, one singer, one guitar. Joan’s intense reading of Roberto Cantoral’s “Ninth P...more →

A DATE WITH THE EVERLY BROTHERS
The Everly Brothers
Warner Bros. Records W-1395

“Good” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Pop; Pop Ballad

Jukebox picks: “Cathy’s Clown” (9.4) • “Made To Love” (8.5) • “Donna, Donna” (8.0)
The album gets off to a flyer with a sole Phil Everly rhythmic strummer, “Made To Love” – he’s Hank Marvin and Eddie...more →

THE NEW BRITON GAZETTE
Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger
Folkways Records FW-8732

“Good” Folk

Jukebox picks: “The Crooked Cross” (8.6) • “When I Was A Young Lad” (8.5) • “The Lifeboat Mona” (7.9)
A welcome turn to the contemporary from Ewan, bolstered throughout by prominent co-vocal harmonizing from Peggy. “The...more →

THINK!
James Brown and The Famous Flames
King Records 683

“Good” Soul Ballad; Blues / Rhythm n Blues

Jukebox picks: “Think [1960 version]” (8.1) • “I’ll Go Crazy [1960 version]” (7.8) • “You’ve Got The Power [1960 version]” (7.4)
Another quality LP from JB and his crew, rounding up 12 of the latest sides for Federal, and it’s more widely distribute...more →

ROCKIN’ AT THE HOPS
Chuck Berry
Chess LP-1448

“Good” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Rock n Roll / Rockabilly

Jukebox picks: “Worried Life Blues” (9.0) • “Bye Bye Johnny” (8.1) • “Down The Road A Piece” (8.0)
Chuck’s golden period at Chess continues in fine style into 1960 with the latest 8 sides from 1959, together with first-...more →

MUDDY WATERS AT NEWPORT 1960
Muddy Waters
Chess LP-1449

“Good” Blues / Rhythm n Blues

Jukebox picks: “I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man [live '60]” (7.5) • “Got My Mojo Working, part 2 [live '60]” (7.1) • “Got My Mojo Working [live '60]” (7.0)
“We’re the hoochie-coochie boys, the whole United States knows we’re here” proclaimed the bold Muddy within minutes ...more →

JACKIE SINGS THE BLUES
Jackie Wilson
Brunswick BL-754055

“Good” Blues / Rhythm n Blues

Jukebox picks: “It’s Been A Long Time” (7.9) • “Nothin’ But The Blues” (7.4) • “Please Tell Me Why” (7.2)
The fourth album in three years from the 25-year-old arrived in April, 1960. Ordinarily, “with Chorus and Orchestra di...more →

THAT’S MY STORY
John Lee Hooker
Riverside Records RLP-12-321

“Decent enough” Blues / Rhythm n Blues

Jukebox picks: “Gonna Use My Rod” (7.8) • “Come On And See About Me” (7.0) • “One Of These Days” (6.7)
A single-day session recorded on February 9, 1960 at Reeves Sound Studio in New York City. It’s a real intimate affair –...more →

LINK WRAY AND THE WRAYMEN
Link Wray and The Wraymen
Epic LN-3661

“Decent enough” Rock n Roll / Rockabilly

Jukebox picks: “Raw-Hide” (8.0) • “Ramble” (7.4) • “Right Turn” (6.6)
Alas, the high watermark of 1958s “Rumble” was not maintained when the time came for the debut Link Wray LP. Having been...more →

IN STYLE WITH THE CRICKETS
The Crickets
Coral CRL-57320

“Decent enough” Rock n Roll / Rockabilly

Jukebox picks: “When You Ask About Love” (8.0) • “I Fought The Law” (7.2) • “Love’s Made A Fool Of You” (7.2)
With Buddy Holly on solo tour in late 1959, bassist Joe Mauldin, drummer Jerry Allison and guitarist Sonny Curtis (a fri...more →

MIRIAM MAKEBA
Miriam Makeba
RCA Victor LSP-2267

“Average” Africana

Jukebox picks: “Iya Guduza” (8.5) • “Mbube” (7.5) • “The Retreat Song” (7.2)
Debut album from the 28-year-old Johannesburg lass who, somehow, had the guile and the talent to break free, go see the ...more →

ROCKIN’ WITH WANDA
Wanda Jackson
Capitol Records T-1384

“Average” Rock n Roll / Rockabilly

Jukebox picks: “I Gotta Know” (7.1) • “Mean Mean Man” (6.8) • “Fujiyama Mama” (6.6)
“Well I've been to Nagasaki, Hiroshima too, the thing I did to them, baby, I can do to you”. Lord have mercy! “Fujiy...more →

NINA SIMONE AT NEWPORT
Nina Simone
Colpix Records CP-412

“Average” Jazz

Jukebox picks: “Trouble in Mind [live newport ’60]” (8.2) • “Flo Me La [live newport ’60]” (6.9) • “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To [live newport ’60]” (6.2)
The 5-day 7th annual Jazz festival at the millionaires playground spawned quite a few LPs – it’s quite noticeable that a...more →

FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Nina Simone
Colpix Records CP-419

“Below average” Jazz; Songwriter

Jukebox picks: “Gin House Blues [1961 album version]” (8.7) • “Work Song [1961 album version]” (7.3) • “Rags And Old Iron” (5.8)
“Rags And Old Iron” makes for a soulful starter – lady got the love poverty blues, a double whammy. The melancholic and ...more →

GI BLUES
Elvis Presley
RCA Victor LPM-2256

“Poor” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Pop

Jukebox picks: “Blue Suede Shoes [gi blues version]” (7.0) • “Doin’ The Best I Can [alternate take 9]” (6.4) • “Didja’ Ever” (6.2)
When the best track on an album is a reworking from a previous set then the chances are there’s trouble in store. Such i...more →

STEP WE GAILY
Jimmy Shand and his Band
Parlophone PMC-1122

“Lame” Folk

Jukebox picks: “Reel: Mairi’s Wedding / Peat Fire Flame / I Wish I Were Married / Happy We’ve Been A’Together” (5.4) • “Strathspey: Jenny’s Bawbee / Sidlaw Hills / Gallant Fireman / Lad Wi’ The Plaidie” (5.2) • “Jig: Machine Without Horses / My Wife’s A Wanton Wee Thing / Glendaurel Highlanders” (4.5)
As any mobile DJ in Scotland will tell you, a Jimmy Shand LP is almost an essential part of the armoury. By 1960, the 42...more →

THE INTIMATE JIM REEVES
Jim Reeves
RCA Victor LPM-2216

“Terrible” Pop Ballad; Country

Jukebox picks: “You’re The Only Good Thing (That’s Happened To Me)” (4.3) • “Dark Moon” (4.3) • “Almost” (4.2)
Lush string arrangements accompany the velvet tones of the ever-reliable croonster, backed by gentle doops, oohs and aah...more →

THE GENIUS HITS THE ROAD
Ray Charles
ABC-Paramount ABC-335

“Terrible” Crooner / Cabaret; Big Band / Jive / Swing

Jukebox picks: “New York’s My Home” (5.5) • “Carry Me Back To Old Virginny” (5.2) • “Georgia On My Mind” (4.7)
Released July 1960. Ray’s first post-Atlantic LP, and ABC continue with the genius tag, just in case you were having any...more →

HIS HAND IN MINE
Elvis Presley
RCA Victor LPM-2328

“Terrible” Pop Ballad; Pop

Jukebox picks: “His Hand In Mine” (4.5) • “Milky White Way” (4.4) • “Working On The Building” (4.3)
Elvis fully projects his Christian beliefs on an LP for the first time. Unfortunately, he takes the drippy, conservative...more →

HITS OF THE FIFTIES
Sam Cooke
RCA Victor LPM-2236

“Terrible” Crooner / Cabaret; Pop Ballad

Jukebox picks: “Too Young” (4.0) • “The Great Pretender” (4.0) • “Hey There” (3.5)
Sam’s second LP for RCA, released in August 1960. One look at the front cover almost tells you all you need to know… “He...more →

THE BLACK AND WHITE MINSTREL SHOW
The George Mitchell Minstrels
His Master's Voice CLP-1399

“Pathetically abysmal” Crooner / Cabaret

Jukebox picks: “A Tribute To Al Jolson (Medley)” (1.1) • “Meet The Minstrels (Medley)” (0.6) • “Grand Finale (Medley)” (0.5)
I genuinely have no recollection as to how this LP came to be in my collection, but it stands as sure-fire proof that I ...more →

see also: (B-list) Album Chart of 1960

Album Charts by year

“A-list”

1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

“B-list”

1943 1945 1946 1950 1951 1952 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Album Charts by decade

“A-list”

1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

“B-list”

1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s