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100 Greatest Albums of 1961

Criteria: These albums were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.
Edited By:
Top 100 Albums by Year
Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'.
Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.
  1. Two Steps From The Blues - Bobby "Blue" Bland
  2. The Shadows - The Shadows
  3. Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
  4. Your Twist Party With The King Of The Twist - Chubby Checker
  5. Let's Hide Away And Dance Away With Freddy King - Freddy King
  6. Dance 'Til Quarter To Three - Gary U.S. Bonds
  7. Hi! We're The Miracles - The Miracles
  8. Runaround Sue - Dion
  9. The Genius Sings The Blues - Ray Charles
10. The Ventures - The Ventures
11. The Soul Of Ike & Tina Turner - Ike & Tina Turner
12. Blue Moon - The Marcels
13. Runaway With Del Shannon - Del Shannon
14. Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall - Jimmy Reed
15. Freddy King Sings - Freddy King
16. Showcase - Patsy Cline
17. Do The Twist! With Ray Charles - Ray Charles
18. Bo Diddley Is A...REVOL - Bo Diddley
19. Last Night! - The Mar-Keys
20. Rick Is 21 - Rick Nelson
21. Doin' the Twist Recorded Live At The Peppermint Lounge - Joey Dee & the Starliters
22. Spotlight On Hank Ballard - Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
23. The Amazing James Brown - James Brown and the Famous Flames
24. I Miss You So - Fats Domino
25. Slim Harpo Sings "Raining In My Heart" - Slim Harpo
26. Jerry Lee's Greatest! - Jerry Lee Lewis
27. There's A Party Goin' On - Wanda Jackson
28. Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
29. The Second Time Around - Etta James
30. Cookin' With The Miracles - The Miracles
31. At The Rockhouse - Roy Orbison
32. Something For Everybody - Elvis Presley
33. Aretha - Aretha Franklin
34. New Juke Box Hits - Chuck Berry
35. Both Sides Of An Evening - The Everly Brothers
36. Let The Four Winds Blow -Fats Domino
37. Gee Whiz - Carla Thomas
38. For Twisters Only - Chubby Checker
39. Heart And Soul - The Cleftones
40. Let There Be Drums - Sandy Nelson
41. Let's Twist Again - Chubby Checker
42. All The Way - Brenda Lee
43. Alone With Dion - Dion
44. I Hear You Knocking - Smiley Lewis
45. I Didn't Want To Do It - The Spiders
46. Another Smash!!! - The Ventures
47. Rockin' Guitars - The Shadows
48. The Shirelles Sing To Trumpets And Strings - The Shirelles
49. Sure Things - Little Willie John
50. For Dancing - Huey Smith and His Clowns
51. Spanish Harlem - Ben E. King
52. Aware Of Love - Jerry Butler
53. Unforgettable - Dinah Washington
54. What A Party - Fats Domino
55. Tossin' & Turnin' - Bobby Lewis
56. Barbara Ann - The Regents
57. Ray Charles And Betty Carter - Ray Charles and Betty Carter
58. The Folk Lore Of John Lee Hooker - John Lee Hooker
59. My Kind Of Blues - Sam Cooke
60. Bye Bye Baby, I Don't Want To Take A Chance - Mary Wells
61. The Colorful Ventures - The Ventures
62. Swing Low - Sam Cooke
63. Right Or Wrong - Wanda Jackson
64. Dedicated To You - Ray Charles
65. You Always Hurt The One You Love - Clarence "Frogman" Henry
66. Emotions - Brenda Lee
67. Timi Yuro - Timi Yuro
68. Stay - Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs
69. September In The Rain - Dinah Washington
70. Saved - LaVern Baker
71. Nuts To You Vol. 1 - Doug Clark & The Hot Nuts
72. The Sweet, The Hot, The Teenage Beat - Little Willie John
73. Dance By The Light Of The Moon - The Olympics
74. Watusi - The Vibrations
75. Let's Go Again - Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
76. Bristol Stomp - The Dovells
77. Take Good Care Of My Baby - Bobby Vee
78. Listen To Cliff! - Cliff Richard
79. Twist With Bobby Darin - Bobby Darin
80. Girls! Girls! Girls! - Duane Eddy
81. The Rock & Roll Story - Conway Twitty
82. Bobby Vee - Bobby Vee
83. Takin' Care Of Business - Ral Donner
84. You Talk Too Much - Joe Jones
85. Who Put The Bomp In The Bomp Bomp Bomp - Barry Mann
86. Like, Long Hair - Paul Revere and the Raiders
87. Party Time - The Olympics
88. The Boll Weevil Song (And Eleven Other Great Hits) - Brook Benton
89. Come Rock With Me - Johnny Preston
90. It's Pony Time - Chubby Checker
91. Hold On... It's Dee Clark - Dee Clark
92. Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries - The Platters
93. You Can Have Her - Roy Hamilton
94. James Ray - James Ray
95. Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker - Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker
96. Johnny Burnette - Johnny Burnette
97. Stick Shift - The Duals
98. Peanut Butter - The Marathons
99. Encore Of Foot Stompin' Hits - The Flares
100. Drumsville - Earl Palmer
Two Steps From The Blues album cover

The Shadows album cover

Elvis Presley Blue Hawaii album cover

Your Twist Party With The King Of The Twist album cover

Let's Hide Away and Dance Away With Freddy King album cover

Dance 'Til Quarter To Three album cover

Hi! We're The Miracles album cover
 DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1961
  Bruce's choice - An unheralded great album from 1961
 •  Sound Off - Titus Turner
  Adam's choice:
 •  Midnight Special - Jimmy Smith




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