Previous: 1966

I have to think that these particular Leonard Cohen and Jefferson Airplane songs are here thanks in part to McCabe and Mrs. Miller and A Serious Man. I first recognized the greatness of the Temptations track after reading Rod Stewart rave about it in Rolling Stone. “These Days” is such a perfect song, so just about every recording of it deserves to be on any list. Sam Cooke’s original is still my favorite, but Aretha’s version of “A Change is Gonna Come” is so devastatingly moving: “There’s an old friend that I once heard say something that touched my heart and it began this way.”

10. Leonard Cohen- The Stranger Song (Listen)

9. Jefferson Airplane- Somebody to Love (Listen)

8. The Temptations- I Wish It Would Rain (Listen)

7. The Velvet Underground- Venus in Furs (Listen)

6. The Beatles- Strawberry Fields Forever (Listen)

5. Nico- These Days (Listen)

4. Jimi Hendrix- Little Wing (Listen)

3. Frankie Valli- Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You (Listen)

2. Aretha Franklin- A Change is Gonna Come (Listen)

1. The Beatles- A Day in the Life (Listen)

Next: 1968

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 1967

I recently picked my top 10 albums for each year starting with 1965. (Note: I compulsively update these lists.) More recently, I made an updated list of my 100 favorite songs. In the spirit of those two projects, I’m going to list my top 10 songs for every year starting with 1965. These lists are redundant, but they’re fun and therapeutic to make.

• No more than one song per album
• Tracks released as a single and on an album in separate years will be eligible for the years of their first release
• No more than two songs per artist

10. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons- Let’s Hang On (Listen)

9. The Zombies- The Way I Feel Inside (Listen)

8. The Beach Boys- Help Me, Rhonda (Listen)

7. The Beatles- Yesterday (Listen)

6. Simon & Garfunkel- The Sound of Silence (Listen)

5. The Supremes- Stop! In the Name of Love (Listen)

4. The Byrds- I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better (Listen)

3. Bob Dylan- Like a Rolling Stone (Listen)

2. The Beatles- In My Life (Listen)

1. Bob Dylan- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (Listen to non-1965 live version)

Next: 1966

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 1965

See 100-91

90. The White Stripes- Icky Thump

89. Frankie Valli- Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You

88. The Avalanches- Frontier Psychiatrist

87. Iron Maiden- Hallowed Be Thy Name

86. Van Halen- Jump

85. Lady Gaga- Bad Romance

84. Big Star- Thirteen

83. Massive Attack- Teardrop

82. Otis Redding- Try a Little Tenderness

81. Weezer- Tired of Sex

See 80-71

See 70-61

See 60-51

See 50-41

See 40-31

See 30-21

See 20-11

See Also: My 100 Favorite Songs of All Time (2 years ago), My 100 Favorite Songs of the Decade (2 years ago), Top 10 Songs Of Each Hall of Fame Inductee Class: 1986-Present (2 years ago)