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"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1963" (10/20/1988) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Another winner in this series, this time focusing on the hits right before the arrival of the British Invasion. Standout tracks are the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie," Jan and Dean's "Surf City," Lesley Gore's "It's My Party," the Beach Boys' "Surfin' U.S.A.," and the Chiffons' "He's So Fine." Jimmy Soul's "If You Wanna Be Happy," the Essex' "Easier Said Than Done," Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs' "Sugar Shack," Nino Tempo and April Stevens' "Deep Purple," and the Angels' "My Boyfriend's Back" round out this superlative lineup. All original versions and excellent transfers, one great value in a budget disc. ~ Cub Koda

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Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1964 by Various Artists (Cassette - 09/26/1989)

"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1964" (09/26/1989) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)You'd never know that 1964 was the year of the British Invasion and all things Beatle by the lineup on this entry in Rhino's Billboard Top Rock'n'Roll Hits series. But biggies like "Under the Boardwalk" by the Drifters, "Chapel of Love" by the Dixie Cups, "Leader of the Pack" by the Shangri-Las, "The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)" by Jan and Dean, and "Bread and Butter" by the Newbeats show that vocal group music was still alive and well in many different forms. The only English rocker aboard here is "She's Not There" by the Zombies, buttressed by hits from J. Frank Wilson, Terry Stafford, the Marketts, and the Beach Boys, making for another solid entry in the set. ~ Cub Koda

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Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1960 by Various Artists (Cassette - 1988)

"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1960" (1988) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1960 spotlights ten tracks that topped the pop charts including Elvis Presley "It's Now or Never," the Drifters "Save the Last Dance for Me," the Ventures "Walk, Don't Run," Chubby Checker "The Twist" and the Everly Brothers "Cathy's Clown." This is an inexpensive way to collect these songs in one package. ~ Al Campbell

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Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1967 by Various Artists (Cassette - 05/23/1995)

"Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1967" (05/23/1995) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Audio Remasterers: Ken Perry; Bill Inglot. Photographer: Michael Ochs. One of the better Billboard Top Pop Hits collections, 1967 is nearly as scattered as some of the other volumes of the series but features so many classic songs that it still holds together as an album. Ranging from the mellow hippie pop of Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" and the Mamas & the Papas' "Dedicated to the One I Love" to vibrant soul and rock of Arthur Conley's "Sweet Soul Music" and Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels' "Sock It to Me, Baby!," the album reflects the Summer of Love as well as the more urgent sounds of the Motor City and Southern soul. The Monkees' "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You," the Association's "Never My Love," and Lulu's "To Sir With Love" add a bit of pure pop to the collection, while Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe" contributes a touch of earthiness. A surprisingly consistent collection, Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1967 reaffirms how strong a year it was for all kinds of music. ~ Heather Phares

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Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1961 by Various Artists (Cassette - 07/12/1994)

"Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1961" (07/12/1994) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Includes liner notes by Joel Whitburn. Digitally remastered by Bill Inglot and Ken Perry. Liner Note Author: Joel Whitburn. Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1961 is a typically eclectic collection of the year's top ten pop singles, which range from Ferrante & Teicher's smoothly symphonic "Exodus" to the folk-pop of the Highwaymen's "Michael." Bobby Vee's "Run to Him," Pat Boone's "Moody River," and Joe Dowell's "Wooden Heart" prove that sweetly bland vocal pop was the year's dominant musical trend, but the Shirelles' "Dedicated to the One I Love," Brook Benton's "The Boll Weevil Song," and Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar's instrumental classic "Apache" add some flavor and variety to the collection. Cute, fluffy singles like Dick & Deedee's "Mountain High" and Linda Scott's "I've Told Every Little Star" complete the list of 1961's favorite pop songs, making it one of the most saccharine years for singles in pop music history. ~ Heather Phares

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Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1969 by Various Artists (Cassette - 01/24/1989)

"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1969" (01/24/1989) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Given that 1969 was the year of Woodstock, it's surprising that this entry in Billboard's hits series bears virtually no hint of psychedelia -- instead, Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1969 focuses on everything from soulful pop (the 5th Dimension's "Wedding Bell Blues") to surf (the Ventures' "Hawaii Five-O") to easy listening (Henry Mancini's "Love Theme from "Romeo & Juliet""); many of the songs here are classics, but as a portrait of the era's true musical spirit, it's shamefully inaccurate. ~ Chuck Donkers

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Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1968 by Various Artists (Cassette - 10/20/1988)

"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1968" (10/20/1988) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1968 features some of the year's definitive singles, including Archie Bell & the Drells' "Tighten Up," Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" and the Box Tops' "Cry Like a Baby." The collection offers plenty of bubblegum pop, as well, including two of the style's definitive songs, John Fred & His Playboy Band's "Judy in Disguise" and Ohio Express' "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy." Along with the Rascals' "People Got to Be Free" and Tommy James' "Mony Mony," the album also features one of 1968's biggest instrumentals, Cliff Nobles & Company's brassy, good-natured "Horse." Although the collection is somewhat slight at ten songs, each one is well-known and an original recording, both of which make the album fairly worthwhile despite its short length. ~ Heather Phares

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Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1969 by Various Artists (Cassette - 05/23/1995)

"Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1969" (05/23/1995) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Audio Remasterers: Ken Perry; Bill Inglot. Photographer: Michael Ochs. One of the most eclectic volumes of the Billboard Top Pop Hits series, 1969 spans everything from Nino Rota's "Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet" to the Ventures' "Hawaii Five-O" theme to Zager & Evans' "In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)." The 5th Dimension's "Wedding Bell Blues," Blood, Sweat & Tears' "Spinning Wheel," and Brooklyn Bridge's "Worst That Could Happen" add a touch of soulful pop to the mix, while Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" and Oliver's "Jean" are some of the year's mellower favorites. Tommy James & the Shondells' "Sweet Cherry Wine" and Young-Holt Unlimited's "Soulful Strut" round out this somewhat unfocused, but nevertheless entertaining, collection of late-'60s singles. ~ Heather Phares

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Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1971 by Various Artists (Cassette - 01/24/1989)

"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1971" (01/24/1989) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)This edition of Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits chronicles 1971, a year that included everything from moody funk to happy-go-lucky pap. While Sly & the Family Stone's "Family Affair" sounds like pure groove submerged in cool water and contains the classic line "Blood's thicker than the mud," it's sequenced immediately next to the Milquetoast R&B of the Osmonds' "One Bad Apple." Paul Revere & the Raiders' "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" peaked on the charts in July 1971; its tense, humid quality no doubt heated things up that summer. At the same time, the easygoing funk of the Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose's "Treat Her Like a Lady" -- a cautionary tale of an entirely different kind -- hit its chart zenith that same month. This is another schizophrenic slice of '70s radio weirdness from Rhino. ~ Johnny Loftus

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Billboard Top Rock 'N' Roll Hits: 1967 by Various Artists (Cassette - 09/26/1989)

"Billboard Top Rock 'N' Roll Hits: 1967" (09/26/1989) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)The producers of Rhino's Billboard Top Rock 'N' Roll Hits series have done an amazingly good job with this volume -- especially when one considers that the music of such top (and representative) acts of 1967 as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Doors et al, was not available to them. But they've still managed to represent a lot of great songs and greater talent, and to touch on most of the major sounds that were running through rock & roll that year: soul (Aretha Franklin, Sam & Dave), pop-soul (the Music Explosion), pop/rock (the Box Tops, the Association), pop/psychedelia (the Strawberry Alarm Clock), teen pop (Tommy James & the Shondells), folk-rock evolved into pop/rock (the Turtles' "Happy Together"), and even grabbed onto the tail-end of the British Invasion (the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'"). What's more, there's not a bad song here, from "A Little Bit of Soul" to "Gimme Some Loving," even if many casual listeners (never mind serious fans) will likely have most of what's here, especially numbers like "Respect" and "Soul Man." The 25 minutes and change here would make a great half-hour set on oldies radio, even in the 21st century, and the makers can be proud of that. Purists should be warned that the makers relied on the stereo mixes on most of what's here, a concession to the tastes of CD buyers in 1989, but the mastering by Bill Inglot captures most of the punch of the mono originals -- and the inner detail revealed even on ubiquitous fare such as "Happy Together" and "The Letter," is a great boon. As with the rest of this series, the annotation is minimal, and the fun quotient is extremely high. ~ Bruce Eder

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Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1961 [1993] by Various Artists (Cassette - 1988)

"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1961 [1993]" (1988) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)This budget ten-song selection delivers the goods in a big way, featuring Bobby Lewis' "Tossin' and Turnin'," Del Shannon's "Runaway," Dion's "Runaround Sue," and Ben E. King's immortal "Stand By Me." Also aboard are the Marcels' "Blue Moon," Gary U.S. Bonds' "Quarter to Three," and hits from James Darren, Shep and the Limelites, Chris Kenner, and the Shirelles. Like the other volumes in the set, this also features top-flight transfers, making this one to pick up the next time you see this one -- or any of the other volumes -- in the bin. ~ Cub Koda

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Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1964 by Various Artists (Cassette - 07/12/1994)

"Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1964" (07/12/1994) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Includes liner notes by Joel Whitburn. Digitally remastered by Bill Inglot and Ken Perry. Personnel: Bobby Vinton (vocals). Liner Note Author: Joel Whitburn. One of the better volumes in the Billboard Top Pop Hits series, 1964 features a winning mix of surf and drag singles like the Beach Boys' "Fun, Fun, Fun," Ronnie & the Daytonas' "G.T.O.," the Rip Chords' "Hey Little Cobra," and the Trashmen's "Surfin' Bird," as well as the Supremes' classic "Come See About Me." The Murmaids' dreamy "Popsicles & Icicles" and Lesley Gore's plea for empowerment "You Don't Own Me" reflect the continuing presence of girl groups at the top of the charts, while Bobby Vinton's "There! I've Said It Again" and Louis Armstrong's "Hello, Dolly!" are two of the year's more traditional pop singles. Though it's still a scattered compilation, Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1964 includes enough classic and near-classic singles to make it worthwhile. ~ Heather Phares

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Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1958 by Various Artists (Cassette - 10/25/1990)

"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1958" (10/25/1990) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1958 features some of the year's biggest rock hits, including Elvis Presley's "Hard Headed Woman," Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire," and the Champs' "Tequila." The album also features Danny & the Juniors' "At the Hop," Conway Twitty's "Make Believe," and the Coasters' "Yakety Yak," making it one of the most consistent Billboard year collections. Other highlights include the Silhouettes' "Get a Job" and the Everly Brothers' "Bird Dog." Though the collection only offers 12 tracks, all of them are well-known and original recordings, both of which make the collection fairly worthwhile despite its short running time. ~ Heather Phares

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Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1965 by Billboard/Various Artists (CD - 05/23/1995)

"Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1965" (05/23/1995) Oldies Billboard, Rhino Records (USA)Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1965 gathers ten of the year's biggest singles, which range from the sublime (the Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love," the Temptations' "My Girl," and the Beach Boys' "California Girls") to the silly (Freddie & the Dreamers' "I'm Telling You Now.") The Ad Libs' "The Boy From New York City," Jewel Akens' "The Birds and the Bees," and the Beau Brummels' "Just a Little" are some of the other highlights from this fun, if inconsistent, album, which also features songs by Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders and the Searchers. ~ Heather Phares

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Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1968 by Various Artists (Cassette - 05/23/1995)

"Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1968" (05/23/1995) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Audio Remasterers: Ken Perry; Bill Inglot. Photographer: Michael Ochs. Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1968 is a typically scattered but entertaining collection of the year's top pop singles, which range from the socially-conscious pop of Dion's "Abraham, Martin and John" and Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley P.T.A." to classically-inspired instrumentals like Mason Williams' "Classical Gas" and Paul Mauriat's "Love Is Blue." The Rascals' "A Beautiful Morning," Classics IV's "Spooky," and Deep Purple's "Hush" bring some rock to the collection, while Clarence Carter's "Slip Away" and Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey" provide a bit of soul and mellow pop. Though it's not a particularly cohesive compilation, Top Pop Hits: 1968 certainly lives up to its title. ~ Heather Phares

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Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1965 by Billboard/Various Artists (Cassette - 05/23/1995)

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Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1955 by Various Artists (Cassette - 10/20/1988)

"Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1955" (10/20/1988) Oldies Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Despite its many faults, Rhino's Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits is as good an introduction to consistently diverse music as possible. It's sometimes marred by a confusing song selection, poor liner notes, and brevity, as well as the omission of several important pop, rock, and album rock artists. However, the series isn't attempting to be comprehensive. Instead, it offers a view of the popular mainstream for each year from 1955 to 1974 at an affordable price. And with Elvis Presley represented along with usual suspects Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, and Carl Perkins on the initial '50s volumes, the discs are more comprehensive than some other, earlier attempts at this kind of compilation, and are essential in their entirety. The 1955 volume kicks off well enough, with the song that declared rock & roll's arrival at the top of the charts, Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" (in what, in 1988, was the best remastering available -- and it still sounds good 20 years later). Chuck Berry's "Maybellene," Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame," and the Penguins' "Earth Angel" fill the next three slots, and then listeners get to slightly more outre (though still well-known and mostly essential) music, the Platters' "Only You," LaVern Baker's "Tweedlee Dee," and the Moonglows' "Sincerely" sandwiching "Hearts of Stone" by the Fontane Sisters and "Black Denin Trousers" by the Cheers. Those two pieces constitute novelty tunes that intersect somewhat with rock & roll, but are hardly representative of what was happening in music (or rock & roll) in 1955 -- indeed, they are more representative of the non-rock & roll world's reaction to the rise of youth culture, exploiting and ridiculing it. But among the surprises is one genuine jewel, the El Dorados' "At My Front Door," about as good an R&B harmony vocal (i.e., doo wop) rocker as there is in this series. The sound has held up well, but the annotation is sorely lacking. Still, this is a fun half-hour's listening, even with the weak moments that slipped through. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Bruce Eder

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