Popular 1960s Hit Songs for Weddings
The Best 1960s Music for Weddings to get people on the dance floor! As the 1960s began, we found R&B, Soul, DooWop, and instrumental beach music styles. The Best 1960s Music was prominent with musical artists from England coming to the USA, also known as the British Invasion. Popular British music groups included the Beatles, the Byrds, and the Turtles.
Another noted creation during the 60s was the Motown record label in Detroit by legend Berry Gordy Jr. Popular Motown artists including Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder. The Best 60s Music came to a close with a historic music festival, Woodstock. Woodstock had 450,000 attendees for the three-day festival.
The Best 60s Music was the beginning of a melting pot of different music styles. During the Vietnam War, American bands performed protest songs. Folk artists such as the Mama & the Papas and Simon & Garfunkel were also mainstream. DooWop groups ruled the early 60s such as The Shirelles, Dion & The Belmonts, and the Four Seasons. What we call beach music was popular with teens with artists such as The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, and The Ventures. Black rights were at the forefront with the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This helped the rise of R&B and Soul style music with artists like Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke.
Including the British invasion musical artists, we had a plethora of rock groups like The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Cream. We also had some combinations of music styles like rock and blues with groups such as Janis Joplin and Three Dog Night. Finally, The Beatles are in their own category for the Best 60s Music.
Historical events of the Sixties included the assassination of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. – with his “I have a dream” speech, space travel including walking on the moon, and the Vietnam War. Pop culture going-on included Beatlemania with the British Invasion, hippies and their psychedelic music, and the end of racial discrimination. Teen fashion included hot pants, mini skirts, bold colors known as Mod Fashions, and plaids.
Top 5 Best 60s Songs
1. My Girl – The Temptations
2. Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
3. The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
4. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
5. Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
Other related song lists to read:
100 Best 1960s Songs
1960s wedding song list curated by Matthew Campbell
Last Updated: Janunary 4, 2021
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| Song | Amazon Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Aretha Franklin Chain Of Fools 1967, R&B |  | |
| Aretha Franklin Respect 1967, R&B | | |
| Aretha Franklin You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman 1967, R&B | | |
| Ben E. King Stand By Me 1961, R&B | | |
| Betty Everett The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss) 1964, R&B | | |
| Bobby Lewis Tossin' And Turnin' 1961, R&B | | |
| Booker T. & The MG's Green Onions 1962, R&B | | |
| Chubby Checker The Twist 1960, Rock | | |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival Bad Moon Rising 1969, Rock | | |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival Proud Mary 1969, Rock | | |
| Crosby, Stills & Nash Suite: Judy Blue Eyes 1969, Rock | | |
| Del Shannon Runaway 1961, Pop | | |
| Dion Runaround Sue 1961, Doo-Wop | | |
| Dion The Wanderer 1961, Rock | | |
| Elvis Presley Can't Help Falling In Love 1961, Pop | | |
| Etta James At Last 1960, Blues | | |
| Four Seasons Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You 1967, Pop | | |
| Four Tops Baby I Need Your Loving 1964, Soul | | |
| Four Tops I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) 1965, Soul | | |
| Four Tops Reach Out I'll Be There 1966, Soul | | |
| Gene Chandler Duke Of Earl 1962, Soul | | |
| J Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers Last Kiss 1961, R&B | | |
| James Brown I Got You (I Feel Good) 1965, R&B | | |
| Jan & Dean Surf City 1963, Pop | | |
| Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs Sugar Shack 1963, Rock | | |
| Joey Dee & The Starlighters Peppermint Twist, Part I 1961, Rock | | |
| Johnny Cash Ring Of Fire 1963, Country | | |
| Little Eva The Loco-Motion 1962, Pop | | |
| Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World 1967, Pop | | |
| Manfred Mann Do Wah Diddy Diddy 1964, Pop | | |
| Martha & The Vandellas Dancing In The Street 1964, R&B | | |
| Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell Ain't No Mountain High Enough 1967, Soul | | |
| Marvin Gaye How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) 1964, Soul | | |
| Marvin Gaye I Heard It Through The Grapevine 1968, R&B | | |
| Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell You're All I Need To Get By 1968, R&B | | |
| Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs Stay 1960, Doo-Wop | | |
| Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels Devil With A Blue Dress On 1966, Rock | | |
| Neil Diamond Sweet Caroline 1969, Rock | | |
| Ohio Express Yummy Yummy Yummy 1968, Pop | | |
| Otis Redding (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay 1968, R&B | | |
| Patsy Cline Crazy 1961, Country | | |
| Percy Sledge When A Man Loves A Woman 1966, R&B | | |
| Procol Harum A Whiter Shade Of Pale 1967, Rock | | |
| Ray Charles Georgia On My Mind 1960, Jazz | | |
| Ray Charles Hit The Road Jack 1961, R&B | | |
| Righteous Brothers Unchained Melody 1965, Soul | | |
| Roger Miller King Of The Road 1965, Country | | |
| Rolling Stones (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 1965, Rock | | |
| Roy Head & The Traits Treat Her Right 1965, Soul | | |
| Roy Obison Oh, Pretty Woman 1964, Rock | | |
| Sam & Dave Soul Man 1967, Soul | | |
| Sam Cooke Bring It On Home To Me 1962, R&B | | |
| Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs Wooly Bully 1965, Rock | | |
| Sly & the Family Stone Dance To The Music 1968, Soul | | |
| Sonny & Cher I Got You Babe 1965, Pop | | |
| Spencer Davis Group Gimme Some Lovin' 1966, Soul | | |
| Steam Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye 1969, Pop | | |
| Steppenwolf Born To Be Wild 1968, Rock | | |
| Steppenwolf Magic Carpet Ride 1968, Rock | | |
| Stevie Wonder Uptight (Everything's Alright) 1965, Soul | | |
| Tammy Wynette Stand By Your Man 1968, Country | | |
| The Archies Sugar, Sugar 1969, Pop | | |
| The Beach Boys Good Vibrations 1966, Pop | | |
| The Beach Boys I Get Around 1964, Pop | | |
| The Beach Boys Surfin' U.S.A. 1963, Rock | | |
| The Beatles I Saw Her Standing There 1963, Rock | | |
| The Beatles I Want To Hold Your Hand 1963, Rock | | |
| The Beatles She Loves You 1963, Rock | | |
| The Beatles Twist And Shout 1964, Rock | | |
| The Beatles Yesterday 1965, Rock | | |
| The Byrds Turn! Turn! Turn! 1965, Folk Rock | | |
| The Chiffons He's So Fine 1962, Pop | | |
| The Dixie Cups Chapel Of Love 1964, Pop | | |
| The Drifters Save The Last Dance For Me 1960, R&B | | |
| The Drifters Under The Boardwalk 1964, Soul | | |
| The Foundations Build Me Up Buttercup 1968, Soul | | |
| The Kingsmen Louie Louie 1963, Rock | | |
| The Kinks You Really Got Me 1964, Rock | | |
| The Marcels Blue Moon 1961, Doo-Wop | | |
| The McCoys Hang On Sloopy 1964, Rock | | |
| The Miracles You've Really Got A Hold On Me 1962, Soul | | |
| The Monkees Daydream Believer 1967, Pop | | |
| The Monkees I'm A Believer 1966, Rock | | |
| The Righteous Brothers You're My, Soul And Inspiration 1966, Pop | | |
| The Righteous Brothers You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 1964, Pop | | |
| The Rolling Stones Jumpin Jack Flash 1968, Rock | | |
| The Ronettes Be My Baby 1963, Pop | | |
| The Shirelles Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow 1960, R&B | | |
| The Supremes Baby Love 1964, R&B | | |
| The Surfaris Wipe Out 1963, Rock | | |
| The Temptations Ain't Too Proud To Beg 1966, Soul | | |
| The Temptations My Girl 1964, Soul | | |
| The Tokens The Lion Sleeps Tonight 1961, R&B | | |
| The Troggs Wild Thing 1966, Rock | | |
| The Ventures Walk Don't Run 1960, Rock | | |
| The Young Rascals Good Lovin' 1966, R&B | | |
| Tommy James & The Shondells Mony Mony 1968, Rock | | |
| Van Morrison Brown Eyed Girl 1967, Rock | | |
| Wilson Pickett In The Midnight Hour 1965, R&B | | |
| Wilson Pickett Mustang Sally 1966, R&B | | |
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