Popular 1960s Hit Songs for Weddings

 
When you think of classic rock & roll, classic R&B, and classic folk, you have to be thinking of the 1960s. When you play songs from the sixties at your wedding, you’re unlikely to get complaints. From songs for the candle ceremony, first dance, and grooving out with your best family and friends, the 1960s has your back.

Why Was the 1960s So Special For Music?

What makes the 1960s such a special decade for music? Some of it has to do with the natural cycle of style. Other influences include improvements in technology. And still, there is a “je ne sais quoi” — a mystery — something you can’t quite put your finger on.

As the 1960s began, the pop charts gave us R&B, Soul, DooWop. At the same time, the 1960s gave us instrumental beach music — surf rock. And we can’t forget the impact of musical artists from England coming to the USA — the British Invasion. Popular British music groups included the Beatles, the Byrds, and the Turtles.

Table of Contents:

• 1960s Wedding Songs
• 1960s Wedding Songs Spotify Playlist
• Top 10 1960s Songs
• Questions about 1960s Songs

100 Groovy 1960s Songs for Your Wedding

Without further ado, we list the very best songs of the 1960s for your wedding. Did we leave out your favorite? Let us know which one in the comments as well as the one you would replace.

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1960s wedding song list curated by Matthew Campbell
Last Updated: October 5, 2021

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

Top 5 1960s Songs

1. “My Girl” by The Temptations
2. “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
3. “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
4. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
5. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley

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Another noted creation was created by Detroit Legend, Barry Gordy, Jr. — Motown. Popular Motown artists include Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder. This epic decade came to a close with a historic music festival. Woodstock had 450,000 attendees for the three-day festival.

21st Century Music Owes a Debt to the 1960s

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.

The 1960s and the British Invasion

The British invasion brought us rock groups like The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Moody Blues, The Yardbirds, and, of course, Cream. We also had some combinations of music styles like rock and blues with groups such as Janis Joplin and Three Dog Night. For many fans, The Beatles are in their own category for the Best 1960s Music — unless you ask a Stones fan, of course.

The 1960s Music Culture

Historical events of the Sixties included the assassinations of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. The States was struggling with Civil Rights and the Vietnam War while breaking the frontier of space travel and walking on the moon. Pop culture was all over the map from Beetlemania to Height Ashbury. Teen fashion included hot pants, mini skirts, bold colors known as Mod Fashions, and plaids. Toward the end, it was all about hippies and their psychedelic fashion, bell bottoms, and no bras.

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