1964
The year in music, movies, TV, fads & memories
In 1964, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles topped the Billboard year-end Hot 100 and A Hard Day's Night by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones by The Rolling Stones were on every turntable. Mary Poppins, Goldfinger and A Hard Day's Night were in theaters, and Bewitched, Gilligan's Island and The Addams Family were on TV.
The headlines: Civil Rights Act signed. New that year: IBM System/360 mainframe. Fads of the year: Beatlemania hits America and G.I. Joe action figure. Gas was 30¢ a gallon and a stamp was 5¢.
🎂 What music raised you?
Drop your birthday and we'll rewind to your golden era — the years the songs imprinted for life.
🔙 Backtrack — 1964
The world around the music — what was on screen, and what was on the shelf.
📰 Headlines
- Civil Rights Act signed
- Beatles on Ed Sullivan
- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
- MLK wins Nobel Peace Prize
- Warren Commission report
💡 Tech & Firsts
- IBM System/360 mainframe
- BASIC programming language
- Ford Mustang debuts
- First word processor (IBM MT/ST)
- Picturephone shown at World's Fair
🏆 Sports
- Cardinals win the World Series
- Browns win the NFL title
- Celtics win the NBA Finals
- Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup
- Cassius Clay beats Liston
🤪 Crazes & fads
- Beatlemania hits America
- G.I. Joe action figure
- The Frug dance
- British Invasion mania
- Slot cars peak
👖 Clothes
- Mod miniskirts
- Bell-bottoms emerge
- Go-go boots
- Beatle boots
- Mop-top haircuts
💵 What it cost
- Gas: 30¢/gal
- Stamp: 5¢
- Gallon of milk: ~49¢
- New car avg: ~$3,500
- Median home: ~$13,050
Billboard Year-End Hot 100
📊 Full chart →- 1
I Want to Hold Your HandThe Beatles - 3
Hello, Dolly!Louis Armstrong - 4
Oh, Pretty WomanRoy Orbison - 5
I Get AroundThe Beach Boys - 6
Everybody Loves SomebodyDean Martin - 7
My GuyMary Wells - 8
We'll Sing In the SunshineGale Garnett - 9
Last KissJ. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers - 10
Where Did Our Love GoThe Supremes - 11
PeopleBarbra Streisand - 12
JavaAl Hirt - 13
A Hard Day's NightThe Beatles - 15
Do Wah Diddy DiddyManfred Mann - 16
Please Please MeThe Beatles - 17
Dancing in the StreetMartha and the Vandellas - 18
Little ChildrenBilly J. Kramer & The Dakotas - 19
Love Me With All Your Heart (Cuando Caliente El Sol)The Ray Charles Singers - 20
Under the BoardwalkThe Drifters - 21
Chapel of LoveThe Dixie Cups - 22
SuspicionTerry Stafford - 23
Glad All OverThe Dave Clark Five - 24
Rag DollThe Four Seasons - 26
Bread and ButterThe Newbeats - 27
It Hurts To Be In Love (Original Musicor Records Recording)Gene Pitney - 28
Dead Man's CurveJan & Dean
More from 1964
🎤 Big in 1964
🎚️ 1964 genres
🎛️ Behind the boards & the pen — 1964
The hands behind 1964 — the producers and songwriters who actually shaped that year's records. George Martin was on 5 of them.
🎬 Movies of 1964
All soundtracks →The soundtracks that scored 1964 — every song and where it played.
🎚️ Related vibes
All themes →Themed rooms that lean on the sound of 1964.
What does 1964 remind you of?
The drive, the dance, the heartbreak, the summer. Add a memory of 1964.
Community Memories
How well do you remember 1964?
7 quick questions — the songs, the artists, the year. No cheating. 😏
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🎵 1964 albums on vinyl
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📻 60s gear
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