Best Billboard Top 5 Singles Chart of 1966 - Pop vs. R&B vs. Country

oops I broke the poll.

Pop: 1. Sgt. Barry Sandler - Ballad of The Green Berets 2. The Association - Cherish 3. Righteous Brothers - (You're My Soul & Inspiration. 5. ? & The Mysterians - 96 Tears

R&B: 1. Sam & Dave - Hold On, I'm Comin' 2. The Capitols - Cool Jerk 3. Slim Harpo - Baby Scratch My Back 4. The Temptataions - Ain't Too Proud To Beg 5. Robert Parker - Barefootin'

Country: Country: 1. David Houston - Almost Persuaded 2. Buck Owens - Think Of Me 3. Buck Owens - Waitin' In Your Welfare Line 4. Eddy Arnold - I Want To Go With You 5. Merle Haggard - Swinging Doors

"96 Tears" is tempting but R&B towers over the others here

yeah, pretty hard to beat R&B in 66

R&B, despite ? and Merle and Buck (and whatever pop song might be missing at #4.) Though what's weird (especially because they were apparently a soul vocal trio from Detroit) is that I've always for some reason heard "Cool Jerk" as more a white garage band version of r&b dance music, so seeing it in that r&b top five took me by surprise a little.

oops - sorry #4 on Pop was Four Tops - Reach Out, I'll Be There

Yep, if I'd realized about the Four Tops and the Mysterions, I still would have gone R&B, but I would have had to at least think about it.

If I was to say there is no way that today's charts could match up to these, would it mean

1. I don't listen to the radio enough
2. I'm an old fart
3. We are in a temporary national doldrum.
4. Protools and Autotunes have ruined music
5. PIRATES!

Cannot say I am particularly impressed by either list, and when I go for pop, it is mainly because of "Cherish". Love "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" too though.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.