1966 in British Music

The Story of 1966

The year the Beatles stopped touring and pop music became art. 'Revolver' was released in August, a psychedelic masterpiece that rewrote the rules of what a pop album could be – 'Tomorrow Never Knows', 'Eleanor Rigby', 'Here, There and Everywhere', each track pushing boundaries in different directions. The Beatles' decision to stop touring after their August show at Candlestick Park was a turning point: British pop's biggest act was now exclusively a studio concern. The Kinks released 'Sunny Afternoon', a gloriously melancholy meditation on fame and taxes. The Who's 'A Quick One While He's Away' was an early rock opera. The Small Faces were perfecting their mod soul. Cream formed, bringing together Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker in the first supergroup and arguably the first power trio. The pirate radio ships were still broadcasting, but the government was moving to outlaw them, forcing the BBC to modernise. The World Cup win in July added to the national sense that Britain was swinging, culturally dominant and full of confidence. 1966 was pop's peak year of invention.