5 No. 1 Songs From 1965 That Prove It Was The Decade's Best Year For Music

1965 could not seem to miss, or even take just a week off. There's what feels like a million acts we remember as having some of their best work released in '65, and though this artistic moment was felt across all levels and all genres, what's arguably most impressive is the undeniable quality found at the top: No. 1 hits. Pop music of all varieties enjoyed impressive success, namely British artists, who boomed in popularity following the success of the Beatles — who, of course, also found their way at No. 1 for 12 weeks of 1965.

Among the year's No. 1-charting artists were the Rolling Stones, the Temptations, Sonny & Cher, and the Beach Boys. And though there were 26 different singles that spent time at No. 1, and most were quality, in this list we'll look at just five of the best. Whether it was rock 'n' roll, folk songs, soul, or general pop music, these top hits of 1965 make a clear point that this year was among the best years of music for a long while, and, likely, the best year of music in the '60s.

The Byrds' rendition of Bob Dylan's folk masterpiece hit No. 1 for one week on June 26, 1965. The choral, soft rock tune is an easy listen, and the Los Angeles-based band, co-founded by David Crosby, brought some serious California energy to this two-and-a-half minute track. The Byrds also returned to No. 1 with "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" in December. 

This version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" only features two of the original four verses but keeps the folky, catchy chorus intact: "Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me / I'm not sleepy and there ain't no place I'm goin' to / Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me / In the jingle jangle morning, I'll come followin' you." The Byrds helped popularize the folk rock that would take over the late '60s, and this 1965 hit found success on the top of the charts as well as with fans and critics. It's a fun, smokey track that's an easy listen while still leaving room for the song's emotional beats to connect.

The hallmark act of Motown, the Supremes couldn't seem to miss in 1965. The group spent a combined six weeks atop the charts that year, tied with the Rolling Stones and second only to the Beatles. Four of their songs held the top spot, ranging from January to November, but the one we'll tackle in this list spent two weeks at No. 1 starting on March 27. "Stop! In the Name of Love" is as classic a soul song as you'll find.

Built around an upbeat groove, the gorgeous vocals of legendary singer Diana Ross, who left the Supremes in 1969, are the perfect earworm to keep this catchy chorus around in our heads indefinitely. "Stop! In the name of love / Before you break my heart" is a straightforward but effective plea, and juxtaposed by the shuffle of the song, it's a hallmark of those danceable breakup tracks that always find a way to the top of the charts. The Supremes were a hit machine in 1965, and along with other soul groups like the Temptations, who also had a No. 1 hit with "My Girl," helped bring soul music into the wider mainstream with undeniable classics like "Stop! In the Name of Love."

Coming off their first No. 1 hit in 1964 with "I Get Around," the Beach Boys still enjoyed a successful '65 with two weeks atop the charts, though their popularity would be compounded the next year, in 1966, with the classic album "Pet Sounds." "Help Me, Rhonda" hit No. 1 on May 29 (a fitting time for the summertime band) and held the top spot for two weeks. It's about as quintessential Beach Boys as there is, its soundscape being definitively mid-'60s danceable surf rock.

Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love before tensions between them escalated, "Help Me, Rhonda" tells a fictional, complicated love story that's not meant to be taken too deeply, instead to be enjoyed as the fun pop song it is. Like many early Beach Boys tunes, the sound is light and airy and an easy listen over the track's three minutes. The backing harmonies paired with the simple, rolling chorus — repetitions of "Help me, Rhonda" — are perfect for any windows-down or beach-reclined listens, and the track's easy effectiveness makes it obvious how it hit No. 1.

"Yesterday," a simple yet touching ballad driven by a quiet melody, is among the most iconic Beatles tracks ever. Though the band boasted 12 weeks at No. 1 across five different tracks in 1965, "Yesterday" held the top spot for four weeks, from October 9 to October 30, the longest of any of their songs that year. The song is only two minutes long, and it's one of the first Beatles tracks to be basically solo — as Paul McCartney wrote, sang, and played the lead acoustic guitar, backed by strings.

The melancholy, almost haunting delivery of the universal lyrics — "Yesterday / All my troubles seemed so far away / Now it looks as though they're here to stay / Oh, I believe in yesterday" — created as close to an instant classic as can be found, and the song to date has been covered over 2,200 times by different artists and holds over 840 million streams on Spotify. McCartney's vocals are gentle and pretty, and "Yesterday" is a song we can play over and over and never get tired of.

The Rolling Stones tied with the Supremes for the second-most weeks atop the charts in 1965, with six combined weeks from only two tracks. At four weeks itself, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" tied with the Beatles' "Yesterday" for the most consecutive weeks by any one track. It's not hard to understand what caused this song to be such a success: an undeniable, nearly perfect chorus, groovy electric guitar riffs, and an overall confident, effortless air that dominated classic rock in the mid and late '60s.

There's not much that hasn't been said about this song, as it's been infinitely popular both in its heyday and since, now holding over 900 million streams on Spotify alone. "I can't get no satisfaction / 'Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try / I can't get no, I can't get no" is a hook that can be repeated on end without any listening fatigue, and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" is among the best of the legendary work written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards throughout their turbulent partnership.