Stand By Me
1960
That four-note bassline, a gospel hymn turned into a promise, and one of the warmest vocals ever recorded.
★ 9.4
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1960
Showing 17 songs from 1960
Georgia on My Mind
1960 · From The Genius Hits the Road
Hoagy Carmichael's 1930 tune, remade as Charles's first Billboard number one and adopted as Georgia's state song in 1979.
★ 8.2
Will You Love Me Tomorrow (The Shirelles)
1960
King wrote the melody and the string arrangement, and a girl group topped the Hot 100 for the first time.
★ 8.0
At Last
1960 · From At Last!
Riley Hampton's strings behind a 1941 film tune James took over, and the Library of Congress preserved it.
★ 7.8
Giant Steps
1960 · From Giant Steps
Recorded May 5, 1959, with the band reading it cold, and those third-related key changes remain jazz's hardest exam.
★ 7.8
Wonderful WorldSam Cooke
Wonderful World
1960 · From The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke
Cooke cut it at his last Keen session and credited the writing to his wife's maiden name.
★ 7.6
Only the Lonely
1960
Orbison meant it for Elvis; the Everly Brothers told him to keep it, and Nashville's A-Team built the ache.
★ 7.5
Spoonful
1960 · From Howlin' Wolf
A Willie Dixon lyric about craving, drawn loosely from a 1929 Charley Patton side, and Wolf looming over one chord.
★ 7.2
Save the Last Dance for Me
1960
Pomus, who had polio, wrote the lyric on the back of his own wedding invitation, remembering his bride dancing.
★ 6.9
Shop Around
1960
Motown's first million-seller, recut at three in the morning with Gordy at the piano chasing a poppier hit.
★ 6.8
The Twist
1960
A Hank Ballard B-side first, then American Bandstand, then number one for Checker in 1960 and again in 1962.
★ 6.8
Money (That's What I Want)
1960
Motown's first hit, cut at Hitsville in 1959, with a bluesy piano vamp and a writing credit long disputed.
★ 6.7
Stolen Moments
1960
A sixteen-bar theme, twelve-bar minor blues solos, and Dolphy, Hubbard and Bill Evans in Van Gelder's room.
★ 6.4
Moanin'
1960 · From Blues & Roots
Pepper Adams' extended baritone solo, and a whole blues album Mingus cut in one February 1959 session.
★ 6.4
Cathy's Clown
1960
Cut live in one take with the brothers sharing a microphone, the drums looped on tape to double them.
★ 6.3
This Magic Moment
1960
Pomus and Shuman wrote it, Leiber and Stoller wrapped it in strings, and Ben E. King made a kiss enormous.
★ 6.1
Spanish Harlem
1960
Cut at the October 1960 session that also produced Stand by Me, with Stoller's marimba triplets carrying everything.
★ 5.8