Album Chart of 1961
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1962 → |
| Album Chart of 1961 |
26 tracks, runtime 1h 11m. 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 
WORLD ACCLAIM FOR THE BIG O
The seismic musical shift from the 1950s to the 1960s was never more perfectly encapsulated than with the work of Roy Orbison, as those wide-eyed 12 bar shooby-doo-wops gave way to something altogether more elegiac, melodramatic and sophisticated. Pop music was growing up right before your eyes. Producers everywhere were experimenting with new techniques and ideas – the close-mike vocals and the lush pop strings of the “Nashville Sound”, showcased this year in the albums of both Roy Orbison and Patsty Cline, was one shining example of innovative studios at work.
Scepter maintain their winning formula with the Shirelles sound, whilst Berry Gordy’s Tamla label responds with their Marvelettes.
Immune to such fashionable trends is Ivor Cutler who launches his debut full-length, keeping things wonderfully surreal.
Top blues LPs appear from Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker, and the ever-reliable Fats Domino places two sets in my Top 15 of the year.
The bonnie partnership of folk-revivalists Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger is fruitful this year with two LPs in my Top 10.
There are new albums from Jacques Brel and Édith Piaf, who deliver chansons of fine quality, keeping the mix interesting for those with a cosmopolitan outlook.
The Jukebox Rebel
09-Dec-2015
revised 22-Mar-2019
Roy Orbison
Monument SM-14002
“A classic” Pop; Rock n Roll BalladJukebox picks: “(I’d Be) A Legend In My Time” (10) • “Only The Lonely (Know The Way I Feel” (10) • “Blue Angel” (9.8)
The awesome “Up Town” single had promised much in the way of a possible new direction and with this lush, stereophonic e...more →
Ivor Cutler
Decca LK-4405
“Brilliant” Avant-Garde; StorytellingJukebox picks: “A Red Flower” (10) • “Are You Alright Jack” (9.4) • “Steady Job” (9.2)
Following his brilliant EP of 1959, “Ivor Cutler Of Y’Hup”, Ivor cut a deal with Decca Records for a full length LP, and...more →
Jimmy Reed
Vee Jay Records VJLP-1035
“Brilliant” Blues / Rhythm n BluesJukebox picks: “Bright Lights, Big City [1961 version]” (9.5) • “Blue Carnegie” (8.7) • “Kind Of Lonesome” (8.6)
THIS IS NOT A LIVE ALBUM, despite Vee-Jay’s curveball title. It’s a double studio album, with the 11 tracks on the first...more →
Jerry Lee Lewis
Sun Record Company LP-1265
“Really good” Rock n Roll / RockabillyJukebox picks: “Great Balls Of Fire” (9.2) • “Hello, Hello Baby” (9.0) • “Cold Cold Heart” (8.7)
1961 goes down as one of the better years for Jerry Lee. Having been followed by a cloud of doubt since 1958, there were...more →
The Shirelles
Scepter Records LP-502
“Good” PopJukebox picks: “What A Sweet Thing That Was” (9.8) • “I Saw A Tear” (9.2) • “Mama Said” (7.6)
“The Shirelles Sing To Trumpets and Strings” arrived in March, although there weren’t too many trumpets and strings were...more →
Ewan MacColl with accompaniments by Peggy Seeger
Folkways Records FW-8756
“Good” FolkJukebox picks: “Such A Parcel Of Rogues In A Nation” (8.9) • “Donald MacGillavry” (8.4) • “Ye Jacobites By Name” (8.0)
His best to date, delivered with respect for the subject matter and sung with gusto. As the man himself said: “What so...more →
Patsy Cline with The Jordanaires
Decca DL-4202
“Good” CountryJukebox picks: “I Fall To Pieces” (10) • “Crazy” (8.1) • “A Poor Man’s Roses (Or A Rich Man’s Gold)” (7.5)
It was the strangest darn thing that Patsy Cline had released almost 20 singles between 1955 and 1960 but had only ever ...more →
Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl
Folkways Records FW-8755
“Good” FolkJukebox picks: “Matty Groves” (9.8) • “The Devil's Nine Questions (Riddles Wisely Expounded)” (8.4) • “The Two Brothers” (7.7)
“Two-Way Trip” features a mix of British and American folk songs, hence the title. It's a new set, although it does in...more →
John Lee Hooker
Vee Jay Records VJLP-1033
“Good” Blues / Rhythm n BluesJukebox picks: “I’m Mad Again” (8.6) • “Tupelo [live ’60]” (8.4) • “Hard Headed Woman” (7.0)
Opens with a mesmerizing, low-key acoustic rendition of “Tupelo”, recorded live at Newport Festival in the summer of...more →
Fats Domino
Imperial LP-9153
“Good” Blues / Rhythm n BluesJukebox picks: “Let The Four Winds Blow” (8.4) • “Trouble Blues” (7.5) • “One Night” (7.3)
Fats tenth new music album was released in June 1961. He continues where he left off on his January LP by cutting down o...more →
Édith Piaf
Columbia FSX-133
“Good” Crooner / CabaretJukebox picks: “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien [live ’60]” (9.7) • “Les Blouses Blanches [live ’60]” (8.4) • “La Belle Histoire D’amour [live ’60]” (7.9)
Released in France in 1961, “Récital 1961” was recorded from a concert at L'Olympia on the 30th of December 1960. This w...more →
Jacques Brel
Philips B 76.513 R
“Good” Crooner / CabaretJukebox picks: “Le Moribond” (7.5) • “On N’Oublie Rien” (7.4) • “Marieke” (6.9)
“N°5” represents the end of chapter one for Brel – his fifth and final album of new music for Philips Records. It’s a so...more →
Fats Domino
Imperial LP-9138
“Decent enough” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Rock n Roll BalladJukebox picks: “It Keeps Rainin’” (8.4) • “What A Price” (8.4) • “Fell In Love On Monday” (7.2)
Released January 1961. Unusually for Fats there are only 5 of his originals and 7 covers on this one. Many of the covers...more →
Wanda Jackson
Capitol Records ST-1511
“Decent enough” Rock n Roll / RockabillyJukebox picks: “Hard Headed Woman” (7.8) • “Tongue Tied” (7.3) • “Man We Had A Party” (6.9)
Released in January 1961. Another straight ahead rockabilly set from Wanda, solid if unspectacular. The LP is dominated ...more →
Jim Reeves
RCA Victor LPM-2339
“Decent enough” CountryJukebox picks: “Old Tige” (9.4) • “Men With Broken Hearts” (7.7) • “(Far Away Feeling) The Spell Of The Yukon” (7.6)
Jim Reeves unleashes his inner Luke The Drifter on this fine LP of recitations. On “The Gun” he catches up with the ...more →
Sam Cooke
RCA Victor LPM-2392
“Decent enough” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Soul BalladJukebox picks: “Since I Met You Baby” (8.9) • “You’re Always On My Mind” (7.4) • “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” (6.7)
Sam’s 4th LP for RCA, released in October 1961. This is much more palatable for me. He continues to mine the American So...more →
Fats Domino
Imperial LP-9164
“Decent enough” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; PopJukebox picks: “Trouble In Mind [album version ’61]” (8.5) • “Bad Luck And Trouble” (7.6) • “Before I Grow Too Old” (7.0)
Released October 1961 (Imperial LP-9164). Fats 3rd LP of the year sees him reverse the trend for covers, with 9 of his o...more →
Chuck Berry
Chess LP-1456
“Decent enough” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Rock n Roll / RockabillyJukebox picks: “Run Around” (8.2) • “Don’t You Lie To Me” (6.8) • “Route 66” (6.8)
“New Juke-Box Hits” would be the last new-material Chuck Berry LP for quite some time, as he’d be locked up for an 18 mo...more →
Wanda Jackson
Capitol Records ST-1596
“Decent enough” Country; Blues / Rhythm n BluesJukebox picks: “Slippin’ And Slidin’” (7.6) • “The Window Up Above” (6.8) • “Why I’m Walkin’” (6.8)
Leads off with the title track, an original country-tinged Rock n Roll ballad which had given Wanda her second hit singl...more →
The Everly Brothers
Warner Bros. Records W-1418
“Average” Pop BalladJukebox picks: “Chloe” (6.8) • “Love Is Where You Find It” (6.7) • “The Wayward Wind” (6.5)
The murky old world of the music biz ensured that, due to a fall out with Wesley Rose, their manager and publisher, the ...more →
Blind Gary Davis
Prestige Bluesville BVLP-1015
“Average” Blues / Rhythm n BluesJukebox picks: “Pure Religion” (6.4) • “Goin’ To Sit Down On The Banks Of The River” (6.2) • “Death Don’t Have No Mercy” (6.0)
The full session for this album was recorded on August 24th, 1960, with the blind Reverend taking just three hours to la...more →
The Alexander Brothers
Pye Golden Guinea Records GGL-0093
“Average” FolkJukebox picks: “A Scottish Soldier” (9.2) • “Scotland The Brave” (9.2) • “Bonnie Wee Jeannie McCall” (7.0)
Tom and Jack offer the auld scotch sangs with an authentic delivery and I approve. Given their “shortbread tin” image I’...more →
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem
Columbia CL-1648
“Average” FolkJukebox picks: “Brennan On The Moor [live with studio audience]” (7.9) • “Haul Away Joe [live with studio audience]” (7.0) • “The Old Orange Flute [live with studio audience]” (6.9)
Not as earthy as my beloved Dubliners, but The Clancy Brothers have their moments – “Brennan On The Moor” and “Hau...more →
Jim Reeves
RCA Victor LPM-2284
“Average” CountryJukebox picks: “The Streets Of Laredo” (9.8) • “It’s Nothin’ To Me” (6.6) • “Rodger Young” (6.5)
I don’t know what got into Jim in 1961 but both of his LPs from this year took an amazing turn for the better; sweetly s...more →
Reverend Gary Davis
Prestige Bluesville BVLP-1032
“Below average” Blues / Rhythm n BluesJukebox picks: “You Got To Move [1961 recording]” (6.4) • “There’s A Bright Side Somewhere” (5.8) • “Crucifixion [album version ’61]” (5.7)
His second LP for Prestige Blueville in 1961. “You Got To Move” and “Motherless Children” had been done on his d...more →
The Marvelettes
Tamla TM-228
“Below average” Pop; Rock n Roll BalladJukebox picks: “Please Mr. Postman” (6.5) • “So Long Baby” (6.2) • “Oh, I Apologize” (6.0)
Debut LP from the Shirelles-inspired quintet, issued to capitalize on their fairy-tale debut single which was in the mid...more →
Elvis Presley
RCA Victor LPM-2370
“Below average” Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Pop BalladJukebox picks: “Give Me The Right” (6.6) • “Sentimental Me” (6.4) • “I’m Coming Home” (5.6)
Far too tame, far too often is the story on the latest Elvis album, only occasionally saved by some decent R n B offerin...more →
Ray Charles
Impulse! A-2
“Terrible” JazzJukebox picks: “Moanin’” (5.1) • “I’ve Got News For You” (4.8) • “I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town” (4.3)
Released February, 1961. A side track jazz album, tending towards the instrumental, recorded with several members of the...more →
Elvis Presley
RCA Victor LPM-2426
“Terrible” Pop Ballad; PopJukebox picks: “Rock-A-Hula Baby [movie version]” (7.9) • “Beach Boy Blues” (5.2) • “Blue Hawaii” (4.8)
The tenth Elvis Presley new music album cannot be saved from a lowly Rebel rating, despite the greatness of “Rock-a-Hu...more →
Bill Evans Trio featuring Scott La Faro
Riverside Records RLP-376
“Dire” JazzJukebox picks: “Jade Visions (Take 2) [live ny '61]” (5.6) • “Gloria's Step (Take 2) [live ny '61]” (2.7) • “My Man's Gone Now [live ny '61]” (2.6)
The album was recorded during a gig-a-thon on June 25, 1961 at the Village Vanguard in New York City which saw the trio ...more →
| see also: (B-list) Album Chart of 1961 |
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