The 25 best albums of 1963

26 November 2023, 15:00

Radio X looks back to the year of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, James Brown, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys and many more...

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. Johnny Cash - Blood, Sweat & Tears: release date 7th January 1963

   The fifteenth album from the Man In Black included the songs Nine Pound Hammer, Chain Gang and The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer.

   

2. Peter Paul & Mary - Moving: release date 15th January 1963

   The folk music trio gained eternal fame with their second album as it included their kid-friendly hit Puff The Magic Dragon. Also on the track listing is a cover of Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land.

   

3. Cliff Richard & The Shadows - Summer Holiday: release date 18th January 1963

   Cliff's movie about a bunch of bus-workers who take a double decker across Europe was a huge hit in Britain and the soundtrack album includes the memorable title track, plus Bachelor Boy and The Next Time.

   

4. The Four Seasons - Big Girls Don't Cry & Twelve Others: release date February 1963

   Frankie Valli and his Jersey Boys issued this collection that included Walk Like A Man, Silhouettes, Why Do Fools Fall In Love and the classic title track.

   

5. Buddy Holly - Reminiscing: release date February 1963

   Holly famously died in a plane crash in February 1959 and this was the third posthumous collection to appear. It spawned a hit in the Chuck Berry cover Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, which made Number 3 in the UK charts.

   

6. The Crystals - He's A Rebel: release date February 1963

   The Phil Spector-produced vocal group from New York issued their second album to capitalise on the success of the title track; other songs included On Broadway, There's No Other (Like My Baby) and Uptown.

   

7. Dionne Warwick - Presenting: release date 10th February 1963

   The debut album from the New Jersey singer included the classics Don't Make Me Over, Wishin' & Hopin' and Make It Easy On Yourself.

   

8. Brenda Lee - All Alone Am I: release date 18th February 1963

   The eighth album from the American singer included the hit title track, plus covers of I Left My Heart In San Francisco and Fly Me To The Moon.

   

9. The Miracles - The Fabulous Miracles: release date 28th February 1963

   The Smokey Robinson-fronted soul group's fourth album included their hit You Really Got A Hold On me, which The Beatles covered later in the year, plus Happy Landing and A Love She Can Count On.

   

10. The Beatles - Please Please Me: release date 22nd March 1963

    Aside from the band's first two singles (Love Me Do and Please Please Me) which appear here, this debut album from the Fab Four was remarkably recorded in just one day, winding up with a throat-shredding performance from John Lennon on their cover of Twist & Shout. Also included were I Saw Her Standing There, Misery, Chains and Do You Want To Know A Secret.

    

11. Billy Fury - Billy: release date April 1963

    The Liverpool singer was much admired by other musicians as one of Britain's original rock stars by the likes of John Lennon and Morrissey.

    

12. Elvis Presley - It Happened At The World's Fair: release date 10th April 1963

    The King was well into his movie career at this point and the soundtrack to this outing included They Remind Me Too Much Of You and One Broken Heart For Sale.

    

13. James Brown - Live At The Apollo: release date May 1963

    An incredible live album from the Godfather Of Soul which sees the man and his band in action at the legendary Harlem venue. Tracks include Think and Night Train.

    

14. Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan: release date 27th May 1963

    The second studio album from the legendary protest singer was a landmark: tracks included Blowin' In The Wind, Masters Of War and A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall.

    

15. Roy Orbison - In Dreams: release date July 1963

    The Big O's big hit spawned an accompanying album that included versions of Beautiful Dreamer, All I Have To Do Is Dream and My Prayer.

    

16. The Searchers - Meet the Searchers: release date August 1963

    The debut album from the Liverpool contemporaries of The Beatles included their hits Sweets For My Sweet and Love Potion No. 9.

    

17. Sam Cooke - Night Beat: release date August 1963

    The soul superstar's tenth album included covers of Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen, Little Red Rooster and You Gotta Move.

    

18. Aretha Franklin - Laughing On The Outside: release date 12th August 1963

    The fourth album from the brilliant singer included her take on Irving Berlin's Say It Isn't So, Hoagy Carmichael's Skylark and Duke Ellington's Solitude.

    

19. Gerry & The Pacemakers - How Do You Like It?: release date October 1963

    Gerry Marsden was the nearest thing the Fab Four had to a genuine rival in 1963, and their debut album included one of their trio of No 1 hits from that year: You'll Never Walk Alone. Also included were covers of A Shot of Rhythm & Blues and Summertime.

    

20. Peter Paul & Mary - In The Wind: October 1963

    The second album from the folk trio that year included their covers of Bob Dylan's Blowin' In The Wind and Don't Think Twice, It's All Right.

    

21. Freddie & The Dreamers - Freddie & The Dreamers: release date October 1963

    Led by the hyperactive Freddie Garrity, the Dreamers' wacky act made them a favourite in the beat era and their debut album included their hit single If You've Got To Make A Fool Of Somebody.

    

22. The Beach Boys - Little Deuce Coupe: release date 7th October 1963

    One of a mammoth THREE albums issued by the Californian boys in '63, this outing included the hit title track and Be True To Your School.

    

23. The Beatles - With The Beatles: release date 22nd November 1963

    Just as Beatlemania hit the nation following the band's appearance at the Royal Variety Performance - and issued the same day as US President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas - this second album cemented The Beatles as the biggest band in the UK. Next stop: the rest of the world! Tracks included It Won't Be Long, All My Loving and covers of Roll Over Beethoven and Money (That's What I Want).

    

24. Various Artists - A Christmas Gift For You: release date 22nd November 1963

    Producer Phil Spector may have lived a dark life, but his famous festive album has been the sound of Christmas for the past 60 years. Tracks include The Ronettes doing Frosty The Snowman and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, The Crystals taking on Santa Claus Is Coming To Town and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and Darlene Love's peerless Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

    

25. Stevie Wonder - With A Song In My Heart: release date 28th December 1963

    Little Stevie dropped the "Little" for his third album, which included a set of cover: When You Wish Upon A Star, Get Happy and Make Someone Happy were all on the track listing.