Yesterday, we looked at the top 10 best-selling singles for the week of February 24, 1968--or roughly 50 years ago this week--and today, we will continue that trend, and look at the top 10 best-selling albums for that week.
How much influence did the album chart have on the singles charts, and vice versa?
How much influence did the burgeoning FM radio band, which played extended album tracks rather than singles like AM radio did, have on the best-sellers list?
Let's see.
The No. 1 album in the country for that week was the Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour," the soundtrack to their do-it-yourself film that was virtually their first piece of work that was universally panned by the critics.
The album, a conglomeration of the movie's soundtrack plus a few scattered singles, was way better than the film, and the American public picked up on that, placing it atop the charts.
At No. 2 was Bob Dylan's "John Wesley Harding," another watermark release in the singer's career.
Coming in at No. 3 was "Blooming Hits" by Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra, a high placement generated by the then-top single "Love Is Blue." People loved the single, so the next step was to sample more by the act, and get the LP, which millions did.
At No. 4 was "Axis: Bold As Love" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, another monumental recording by the legendary guitarist and his band, a grouping which was on the verge of breaking up. It was the first of two albums from the act that landed on this week's top 10.
Rounding out the top five was "Greatest Hits" by Diana Ross and the Supremes, a compendium of big-selling singles by the trio, with "Diana Ross" being put before their name something new to posit on.
The Rolling Stones' "Their Satanic Majesties Request" came in a No. 6. Although this was Mick Jagger and Co.'s inferior answer to the Beatles' earlier "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," it does have its moments, and early issues came with the famous "flicker" cover.
"Herb Alpert's Ninth" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass continued that act's run of hit albums at No. 7, followed by another hit-laden collection, "Golden Hits" by the Turtles at No. 8.
"Are You Experienced?" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience continued its strong sales and airplay, coming in at No. 9, and made Hendrix and his mates the only act to have two albums simultaneously in the top 10 this particular week.
Rounding out the top 10 was Cream's "Disraeli Gears," another album which has gone on to become a classic of the rock genre.
Just falling out of the top 10 were some other classic LPs, including the "Camelot" soundtrack at No. 11; Otis Redding's posthumous "History" at No. 12; the "Doctor Zhivago"soundtrack at No. 13; the Temptations' "In a Mellow Mood" at No. 14; and at No. 15 "The Lettermen!!! ... And Live!" by the popular vocal act.
And the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" held strong at No. 17, with numerous AM radio Top 40 acts, like Dionne Warwick, the Monkees, Donovan and the Mamas and Papas, rounding out the Top 20.
So looking at the chart, yes, AM radio continued to be the dominant radio band of choice, but FM radio was certainly making its voice heard. Eventually, FM radio would overtake AM radio for music listening into the 1970s and truly through the early 2000s, when the Internet pretty much took over, with satellite also hitting its musical stride.
So, what were you listening to 50 years ago?
In my house, the Beatles ruled with "Magical Mystery Tour," even though the movie really was pretty bad--the music, thankfully, won out.
What is the No. 1 album on this week's Billboard charts?
I have no idea.
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