The 7 Best Albums of 1960 Ranked
The first year of a new decade doesn’t just suddenly reinvent the styles and characteristics of the period that typify it in retrospect, of course. So 1960 operates in much the same way as 1959, which is to say there is a sense of stagnation in the (at least American) recording industry. It’s not that good music is suddenly nowhere to be found, but pop and mainstreaming rock and roll reached a saturation and corniness that, while holding some charms, are hard to wade through in searching for the best albums 1960 has to offer.
That being said, an incoming “new class” of folk artists, who first broke open the ’60s as we know it ahead of the British invasion, psychedelia, etc., was beginning to flourish in the first year of the decade. Jazz experiments were expanding the conception of the genre, certain rock veterans (who suddenly became such with all the young ‘uns getting in on the scene) were still practicing electrifying art, and yes, some highly refined pop can still resonate today. After my piece on 1959, I feel much like a broken record in setting up what I see as the seven best albums of 1960. But this first year of a transformative new decade offers the same kind of frustrations and gems, right on the cusp of major transformation.
#7 — BO DIDDLEY IN THE SPOTLIGHT — Bo Diddley
Favorite track: “Deed and Deed I Do”
Bo Diddley, a major figure in the development of rock and roll, was just churning out records in the late 1950s and early 1960s. While the sheer onslaught of songs he recorded in the period didn’t cohere into one isolated and near-perfect album, BO DIDDLEY IN THE SPOTLIGHT is a good candidate to represent his output. Diddley had an almost unhinged rhythm at times, toeing the line between controlled composure and chaotic energy. The tracks on IN THE SPOTLIGHT mostly communicate that, as well as his sense of humor (especially on “Signifying Blues”). But it’s “Deed and Deed I Do,” a more “refined” romantic pop song, that I keep coming back to, with an extremely catchy verse that actually supersedes the more typical repetitive chorus. Ironically, Diddley’s guitar playing gets a bit subsumed into the production of IN THE SPOTLIGHT, but it’s obviously very present, and his songwriting talent is certainly on display.
#6 — BALLADS OF SACCO & VANZETTI — Woody Guthrie
Favorite track: “Two Good Men”
Usually, the release of a work of art over an artist’s objections isn’t a good thing. BALLADS OF SACCO & VANZETTI was recorded by Woody Guthrie through 1946 and ’47 but he shelved the project about the trial, conviction, and execution of Italian immigrants, anarchists, and draft-dodgers Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. Accused of killing two men in a robbery in 1920, the pair were executed in 1927, and at the time and since, their fate has been viewed as a miscarriage of justice and reflection of anti-immigrant and -progressive conservatism. Guthrie was only 15 when Sacco and Vanzetti were executed, but the event obviously made an impression on him. Although Guthrie wasn’t satisfied with the songs he put together about them, Moe Asch went ahead and released the collection as BALLADS OF SACCO & VANZETTI 13 years after the folkie abandoned them and while he was in the throes of Huntington’s disease. The record, although somewhat repetitive in its treatment of certain key events and names, illustrates an establishment reaction to “aberrant” individuals and depicts an America empowered by capitalist spoils from World War I. BALLADS OF SACCO & VANZETTI may have been recorded over a decade before 1960, but compared to other releases of that year, it is exceedingly vital and many of its themes are unfortunately still very relevant today.
#5 — A DATE WITH THE EVERLY BROTHERS — The Everly Brothers
Favorite song: “That’s Just Too Much”
As with Diddley, The Everly Brothers had some stronger tunes earlier in their career than the whole of the experience found on A DATE WITH THE EVERLY BROTHERS. But amid the relatively underwhelming releases of 1960, this still very strong record shines out from the ranks of mediocre pop music. The sleek production and harmonies of Don and Phil, while at times a bit too jangly, are upbeat and relaxingly morose in equal measure. “That’s Just Too Much” is a beautiful little bit of angst, and the big hit “Cathy’s Clown,” which I find a bit rankling, is admittedly a good closer to the record. A DATE WITH THE EVERLY BROTHERS is a bellwether of the state of mainstreamed rock-ish music at the time, albeit operating at a much higher level than most albums and hit singles in that field.
#4 — JOAN BAEZ — Joan Baez
Favorite track: “All My Trials”
Joan Baez’s self-titled debut, in hindsight at least, seems to be a landmark release that heralded the youthful revival of the folk scene, which fed into a number of countercultural movements. It’s a wonderful pairing with the record of yesteryear from an ailing yet living legend that is BALLADS OF SACCO & VANZETTI. While JOAN BAEZ is not a pointed political commentary like that record, as the titular 19-year-old (!) singer turns to traditional songs, it’s hard to not be moved by the humanity flowing from her wonderful voice and gentle guitar picking. “All My Trials” is the standout example of this, although “Silver Dagger” is also exceptional, and they both rise above some of the more underwhelming English and Scottish story tunes like “Mary Hamilton.” But overall, JOAN BAEZ is an amazingly assured debut from such a young performer, recorded with a simplicity that makes it sound like it could have been recorded 65 years ago (as it was) or yesterday.
#3 — GIANT STEPS — John Coltrane
Favorite track: “Mr. P.C.”
GIANT STEPS is one of those records that looms so large that it’s hard to wrangle a fresh take out of it. Perhaps it’s futile. As with KIND OF BLUE from my 1959 selections, my attraction to John Coltrane’s landmark album doesn’t stem from deep musical knowledge or concepts that Coltrane was reinventing. I think I can sense a bit of that, having listened to a decent amount of jazz of this era. But ultimately, GIANT STEPS is just intuitively beautiful, engaging, raucous, moody, and in the best way possible, challenging.
#2 — AT LAST! — Etta James
Favorite track: “At Last”
Debut albums have become commonplace across the past few installments of this “best albums by year” series, which is all the more remarkable because debut albums, in spite of some very famous examples to the contrary, don’t always sound like the product of a fully formed artist. AT LAST! does, however. The strength of its title track most fully showcases Etta James’ amazing voice, wrapped in the lush production of the Chess brothers. But the other 26 minutes of AT LAST! just breeze by with dance-inspiring and self-reflective soul. The album is a great example of how tenets of rhythm and blues, jazz, and pop were being blended into that musical designation/genre. And ultimately, AT LAST! is a timeless dive into musical aesthetics that evoke pop culture and personal nostalgia while staying absolutely fresh and emotionally engaging, I’d hope, for anyone coming to it fresh.
#1 — MIRIAM MAKEBA — Miriam Makeba
Favorite track: “The Retreat Song”
I’m going to be a broken record (even in invoking this on-the-nose phrase) right out of the gate to get some things out of the way: folk music was having a moment in 1960, amazing debut albums, while rare, are becoming more and more common on my lists, and MIRIAM MAKEBA is absolutely timeless, coming from some distant point in human history while being universally relevant with its joyous, and at times sad, expressions of humanity. The titular South African singer exploded into the London and New York scenes, helped along by the star power usually put to good use by friend/colleague Harry Belafonte, and this rapidly recorded debut carries an exciting aura of discovery and global connection. While MIRIAM MAKEBA features a number of traditional South African songs, and ones written by Makeba and others that incorporate certain sounds and motifs from that culture, the record also features great interpretations of other places’ folk music like “House of the Rising Sun.” It’s album opener “The Retreat Song” that carries the greatest example of the record’s power, however. MIRIAM MAKEBA, while traditional in many a sense, feels excitedly modern, with songs that build to amazing heights of aural energy and vocal prowess and sink into quiet reflection, making it the best album of 1960.
