It’s the Summer of Love, Hippies and Flower Power in California, but a Long, Hot Summer of racial tension and urban destruction everywhere else and one city, Los Angeles, lands seven of the top ten hits of the year. Vietnam ramps up, protest escalates, and The Monkees take over TV, teen mags and the Pop charts while The Beatles emerge from studio seclusion counterculture icons and change the game with Sgt. Pepper’s and Album Rock.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all Hot100 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs during the calendar year

1. The Monkees
2. Nancy Sinatra
3. Aretha Franklin

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most Hot100 charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• Nancy Sinatra (9)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 Hot100 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 23.1 years

#1 Songs   List of Hot100 #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. The Monkees – I’m a Believer (December ’66, 7 wks)
2. The Buckinghams – Kind of a Drag (February, 2 wks)
3. The Rolling Stones – Ruby Tuesday (March, 1 wk)
4. The Supremes – Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone (March, 1 wk)
5. The Beatles – Penny Lane (March, 1 wk)
6. The Turtles – Happy Together (March, 3 wks)
7. Nancy Sinatra & Frank Sinatra – Somethin’ Stupid (April, 4 wks)
8. The Supremes – The Happening (May, 1 wk)
9. Young Rascals – Groovin’ (May, 4 wks)
10. Aretha Franklin – Respect (June, 2 wks)
11. The Association – Windy (July, 4 wks)
12. The Doors – Light My Fire (July, 3 wks)
13. The Beatles – All You Need Is Love (August, 1 wk)
14. Bobbie Gentry – Ode to Billie Joe (August, 4 wks)
15. The Box Tops – The Letter (September, 4 wks)
16. Lulu – To Sir with Love (October, 5 wks)
17. Strawberry Alarm Clock – Incense and Peppermints (November, 1 wk)
18. The Monkees – Daydream Believer (December, 4 wks)