1968 in music

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Art . Archaeology . Architecture . Literature . Music . Philosophy . Science +...

The Doors in 1968.

Events

• January 4 – Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police, after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with bassist Noel Redding.
• January 6 – The Gibson Guitar Corporation patents its Gibson Flying V electric guitar design.
• January 13 – Johnny Cash performs his famous concert at Folsom State Prison in California.
• February 1 - Universal Studios offers the Doors $500,000 to star in a feature film, which is never made.
• February 4 - The Bee Gees make their American television debut on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
• February 12 – Jimi Hendrix is given an honorary high school diploma from Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington. Hendrix is also given the key to the city.
• February 16 – The Beatles, Mike Love, Mia Farrow, Donovan and others travel to India to visit Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at Rishikesh.
• February 18 – David Gilmour joins Pink Floyd, replacing founder Syd Barrett, who had checked himself into a psychiatric hospital.
• February 21 – McGraw-Hill, Inc., outbids eight other publishers and pays $150,000 for the U.S. rights to Hunter Davies' authorized biography of the Beatles.
• February 22 – Florence Ballard of the Supremes is released from her contract with Motown.
• March 1 – Johnny Cash and June Carter are married in Franklin, Kentucky, with Merle Kilgore as best man.
• March 8 – Bill Graham opens the Fillmore East in an abandoned movie theater in New York City.
• March 25 – The 58th and final new episode of The Monkees airs on NBC.
• March 30 – The Yardbirds record their live album Live Yardbirds at the Anderson Theater.
• April 4 – James Brown appears on national television, in an attempt to calm feelings of anger in the United States following the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
• April 6 – The 13th Eurovision Song Contest is held in the Royal Albert Hall, London. The winning song, Spain's "La, la, la" is sung by Massiel, after Spanish authorities refused to allow Joan Manuel Serrat to perform it in Catalan. The UK finish in second place, just one point behind, with the song "Congratulations" sung by Cliff Richard, which goes on to outsell the winning Spanish entry throughout Europe.
• April 7 – Singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone's performance at Westbury Music Fair is dedicated to the late Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. The song "Why? (the king of love is dead)" by Gene Taylor is performed for the first time. the show was partially released on the Emmy nominated album Nuff Said (1968).
• April 29 – The rock musical Hair opens on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre.
• May 4 – Mary Hopkin performs on the British TV show Opportunity Knocks. Hopkin catches the attention of model Twiggy, who recommends her to Paul McCartney. McCartney would soon sign Hopkin to Apple Records.
• May 5 – Buffalo Springfield performs together for the last time in Long Beach, California.
• May 7
  • Aretha Franklin records her live LP Aretha In Paris at the Olympia Theater.
  • Karlheinz Stockhausen begins composing his fifteen intuitive music works, Aus den sieben Tagen.
• May 14 – At a press conference, John Lennon and Paul McCartney introduce the Beatles' new business concept, Apple Corps, Ltd., a disastrously mismanaged entertainment company that included a recording studio, a record label, and clothing store.
• May 26 – Blues artist Little Willie John dies in prison after being convicted of manslaughter.
• May 30 – The Beatles begin recording The White Album (officially titled, simply, The Beatles). Sessions would span over 4 months, ending on October 14.
• June – David Ruffin is fired from The Temptations
• July 7 – The Yardbirds perform for the last time before disbanding.
• July 18 – Mina presents her Italian white soul hits "Se stasera sono qui" and "Colpo al cuore". The performance is transmitted live without playback from the Auditorio A of the Radiotelevisione Italiana regional headquarters in Naples.
• August 1 – Jeff Beck Group releases their album Truth. A seminal work of heavy metal, it incorporates blues and hard rock. It introduced the talents of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood.
• August 4 – Yes performs for the first time, at a summer camp.
• August 23 – Simon & Garfunkel give a live concert at the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, California. A recording is later released on CD in 1994 by Australian company Vigotone Records as Voices of Intelligent Dissent.
• September 7 – Led Zeppelin performs for the first time, billed as The New Yardbirds (the Yardbirds had disbanded two months earlier, and guitarist Jimmy Page subsequently formed this new group).
• September 14 – The two sons of singer Roy Orbison, 10-year-old Roy DeWayne Orbison and 6-year-old Anthony King Orbison, die in a house fire in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Orbison's youngest son is saved.
• September 15
  • Song of Summer, Ken Russell's noted TV documentary about Frederick Delius, is shown for the first time as part of the BBC's Omnibus series.
  • PocketDiscs are released in several test markets in the United States.
• October 8 – The soundtrack for the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet is released, containing popular "What Is a Youth" tune.
• November 8 – John and Cynthia Lennon are divorced.
• November 15 – 500,000 people march in Washington, D.C. for peace, which becomes the largest anti-war rally in U.S. history. In attendance: Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary, John Denver, Mitch Miller, touring cast of Hair
• November 17 – Diana Ross & the Supremes replace The Beatles' hugely successful "Hey Jude" at number-one in the U.S. with "Love Child"; this would be the last of five turnovers at number-one between the two most successful music acts in America during the 1960s.
• November 22 – The Beatles (also known as "The White Album") by The Beatles is released. Also released is The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks.
• November 26 – Cream plays their farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall. It will be the last time Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker play together until their 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• December 2
  • Jimi Hendrix's manager Chas Chandler quits over differences with Hendrix during the recording of Electric Ladyland
  • Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company perform their last concert together before Janis goes solo.
  • Elvis Presley's 1968 Comeback Special airs on NBC.
• December 9 – TCB airs on NBC starring Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations, becoming the first variety special in America to feature an exclusively African American cast. Shinjuku Music Festival is broadcast for the first time by Nippon Cultural Broadcasting.
• December 20 – Peter Tork announces he is leaving The Monkees.
• December 22 – The Animals reunite for one benefit concert at the Newcastle City Hall while Eric Burdon & The Animals are disbanding.

Bands formed

• Amon Düül II
• Black Sabbath (as Earth)
• Can
• Deep Purple
• Fitzwilliam Quartet
• Free
• Henry Cow
• Jacula
• Led Zeppelin (as The New Yardbirds)
• Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge (as Brooklyn Bridge)
• Nazareth
• Rush
• Yes

Bands disbanded

• Buffalo Springfield
• Cream
• Freddie and the Dreamers
• The Righteous Brothers
• The Seekers
• The Shangri-Las
• The Yardbirds
• The Zombies
• Los Speakers

Albums released

In the US, 6,540 pop singles and 4,057 albums were released.

January

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4	Elvis Presley	Compilation
	Sing Me Back Home	Merle Haggard	-
15	The Notorious Byrd Brothers	The Byrds	-
21	Boogie with Canned Heat	Canned Heat	-
	The Graduate	Simon & Garfunkel (incidental music by Dave Grusin)	Soundtrack
22	Gris-Gris	Dr. John	-
	Heavy	Iron Butterfly	-
	Spirit	Spirit	-
30	White Light/White Heat	The Velvet Underground	-
-	Did She Mention My Name?	Gordon Lightfoot	-
	From Sea to Shining Sea	Johnny Cash	-
	Horizontal	Bee Gees	-
	Lady Soul	Aretha Franklin	-
	Movin' with Nancy	Nancy Sinatra	-
	Now and Them	Them	-
	Steppenwolf	Steppenwolf	-
	Vincebus Eruptum	Blue Cheer	-

February

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
19	Once Upon a Dream	The Rascals	-
21	Child Is Father to the Man	Blood, Sweat & Tears	-
23	The Dock of the Bay	Otis Redding	Compilation
24	Fleetwood Mac	Fleetwood Mac	-
-	The Beat Goes On	Vanilla Fudge	-
	Francis A. & Edward K.	Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington	-
	We're Only in It for the Money	The Mothers of Invention	-

March

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
3	Eli and the Thirteenth Confession	Laura Nyro	-
6	The United States of America	The United States of America	-
-	The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter	The Incredible String Band	-
	A Long Time Comin'	Electric Flag	-
	The Move	The Move	-
	Nefertiti	Miles Davis	-
	Safe at Home	The International Submarine Band	-
	Birthday	The Association	-
	Scott 2	Scott Walker	-
	Song to a Seagull	Joni Mitchell	-

April

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
3	Bookends	Simon & Garfunkel	-
	Wow/Grape Jam	Moby Grape	double LP
6	Sher-oo!	Cilla Black	-
8	The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde	Merle Haggard	-
19	Odessey and Oracle	The Zombies	-
22	The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees	The Monkees	-
27	Dance to the Music	Sly & the Family Stone	-
29	The Temptations Wish It Would Rain	The Temptations	-
-	Journey to the Center of the Mind	Amboy Dukes	-
	Simon Says	1910 Fruitgum Company	-
	Ring Out Joy	Ed Summerlin	-
	The Twain Shall Meet	Eric Burdon & The Animals	-

May

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
4	Just Because I'm a Woman	Dolly Parton	-
13	Lumpy Gravy	Frank Zappa	-
24	Ogden's Nut Gone Flake	Small Faces	-
-	At Folsom Prison	Johnny Cash	Live
	The Beat of the Brass	Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass	-
	La La Means I Love You	The Delfonics	-
	The Papas & The Mamas	The Mamas & the Papas	-
	Quicksilver Messenger Service	Quicksilver Messenger Service	-
	Speedway	Elvis Presley	Soundtrack
	The Tom Jones Fever Zone	Tom Jones	Parrot album
	A Tramp Shining	Richard Harris	-

June

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
14	Aretha Now	Aretha Franklin	-
	In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida	Iron Butterfly	-
	The Inflated Tear	Rahsaan Roland Kirk	-
21	Bare Wires	John Mayall's Bluesbreakers	-
24	Friends	The Beach Boys	-
	Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits	The Rascals	Compilation
29	A Saucerful of Secrets	Pink Floyd	-
-	40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve	Chicken Shack
	Feliciano!	Jose Feliciano	-
	The Immortal Otis Redding	Otis Redding	Compilation
	It's All About	Spooky Tooth	-
	Old Golden Throat	Johnny Cash	-
	Os Mutantes	Os Mutantes	-
	The Pentangle	Pentangle	-
	Randy Newman	Randy Newman	-
	Renaissance	Vanilla Fudge	-
	Silver Apples	Silver Apples	-
	Together	Country Joe and the Fish	-

July

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
5	Creedence Clearwater Revival	Creedence Clearwater Revival	-
	My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair...	Tyrannosaurus Rex	-
11	Waiting for the Sun	The Doors	-
18	Anthem of the Sun	Grateful Dead	-
22	Super Session	Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper/Stephen Stills	-
26	In Search of the Lost Chord	The Moody Blues	-
30	Last Time Around	Buffalo Springfield	-
-	Delilah	Tom Jones	-
	Hair	West End cast	-
	Music from Big Pink	The Band	-
	Music in a Doll's House	Family	-
	Only the Greatest	Waylon Jennings	-
	Shades of Deep Purple	Deep Purple	US
	Tape from California	Phil Ochs	-
	Wheels of Fire	Cream

August

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
10	Undead	Ten Years After	-
12	Cheap Thrills	Big Brother and the Holding Company	-
19	Best of The Beach Boys Vol. 3	The Beach Boys	Compilation
	Stack-O-Tracks	The Beach Boys	Compilation
21	Tell Mama	Etta James	-
23	Mr. Wonderful	Fleetwood Mac	-
26	Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl"	Diana Ross & the Supremes	performance of Funny Girl Broadway musical
30	Sweetheart of the Rodeo	The Byrds	-
-	Donovan in Concert	Donovan	Live
	Every One of Us	Eric Burdon & The Animals	-
	Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits	Frank Sinatra	Compilation
	Live At the Apollo, Volume II	James Brown	Live
	Outsideinside	Blue Cheer	-
	Truth	The Jeff Beck Group	-
	Turn Around, Look at Me	The Vogues	-
	You're All I Need	Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell	-

September

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
27	Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo	Status Quo	-
-	Children of the Future	Steve Miller Band	-
	Crown of Creation	Jefferson Airplane	-
	Shine On Brightly	Procol Harum	-
	Idea	The Bee Gees	-
	Life	Sly & the Family Stone	-
	Magic Bus: The Who on Tour	The Who	Compilation
	Miles in the Sky	Miles Davis	-
	The Transformed Man	William Shatner	-

October

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
3	Mama Tried	Merle Haggard	-
5	Electric Mud	Muddy Waters	-
12	Aretha In Paris	Aretha Franklin	Live
14	Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages	Tyrannosaurus Rex	-
19	Dream a Little Dream	Cass Elliot	-
25	Electric Ladyland	The Jimi Hendrix Experience	-
	This Was	Jethro Tull	-
-	1, 2, 3, Red Light	1910 Fruitgum Company	-
	Bradley's Barn	The Beau Brummels	-
	The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark	Dillard & Clark	-
	The Hurdy Gurdy Man	Donovan	-
	Nazz	Nazz	-
	Sailor	Steve Miller Band	-
	The Second	Steppenwolf	-
	Traffic	Traffic	-
	The Tumbler	John Martyn	-

November

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Living the Blues	Canned Heat	double LP; studio + live
	Wonderwall Music	George Harrison	Soundtrack
8	Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations	Diana Ross & the Supremes & The Temptations	Duets
12	Neil Young	Neil Young	re-released January 1969
13	Love Child	Diana Ross & the Supremes	-
20	Eivets Rednow	Stevie Wonder	released under pseudonym Eivets Rednow
22	The Beatles	The Beatles	commonly referred to as The White Album
	Dusty... Definitely	Dusty Springfield	-
	Elvis	Elvis Presley	Soundtrack to 1968 TV special
	The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society	The Kinks	-
29	Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins	John Lennon and Yoko Ono	-
-	Ars Longa Vita Brevis	The Nice	-
	Astral Weeks	Van Morrison	-
	Back Here on Earth	Gordon Lightfoot	-
	Blues from Laurel Canyon	John Mayall	-
	The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse	Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band	-
	Help Yourself	Tom Jones	-
	Song Cycle	Van Dyke Parks	-
	Time Out! Time In For Them	Them	-
	Tons of Sobs	Free	-
	Wee Tam and the Big Huge	The Incredible String Band	-

December

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	Cruising with Ruben & the Jets	The Mothers of Invention	-
6	Beggars Banquet	The Rolling Stones	-
	James Taylor	James Taylor	-
8	For Once in My Life	Stevie Wonder	-
11	Blood, Sweat & Tears	Blood, Sweat & Tears	-
	The Book of Taliesyn	Deep Purple	US
23	The Natch'l Blues	Taj Mahal	-
-	Any Day Now	Joan Baez	-
	The Circle Game	Tom Rush	-
	Cycles	Frank Sinatra	-
	The Family That Plays Together	Spirit	-
	Head	The Monkees	Soundtrack
	Love Is	Eric Burdon & The Animals	-
	The Soft Machine	The Soft Machine	-
	Sweet Child	Pentangle	-

Release Date Unknown

• Action! – Desmond Dekker & the Aces
• Agemo's Trip to Mother Earth – Group 1850
• All of Us – Nirvana
• A Man Without Love – Engelbert Humperdinck
• At It Again – The Dubliners
• A Banda Tropicalista do Duprat – Rogério Duprat
• Bang, Bang You're Terry Reid – Terry Reid
• Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival – Bill Evans
• Bill Haley's Biggest Hits – Bill Haley & His Comets
• Blues On Top – B. B. King
• Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
• Brooklyn Bridge – Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge (as Brooklyn Bridge)(debut)
• Come Out Fighting Ghengis Smith – Roy Harper
• Dino Valente – Dino Valente
• Dion – Dion DiMucci
• Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls – Dionne Warwick
• Drinkin' and Courtin' – The Dubliners
• Easy Does It – Julie London
• The Electric Flag: An American Music Band – Electric Flag
• The Electricfying Eddie Harris – Eddie Harris
• Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera – Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera
• Fall Out – Terry Smith
• Feelings – The Grass Roots
• First Edition's 2nd – The First Edition
• For the Sake of the Song: First Album – Townes Van Zandt
• From St. Louie to Frisco – Chuck Berry
• Gal Costa – Gal Costa
• Getting to the Point – Savoy Brown
• God Bless Tiny Tim – Tiny Tim
• Golden Grass – The Grass Roots
• Gun – Gun
• Heart of Cash – Johnny Cash
• Here Comes The Judge – Frederick Earl "Shorty" Long,
• Hickory Holler Revisited – O.C. Smith
• The Horse – Cliff Nobles & Co.
• I Can't Stop Dancing – Archie Bell & The Drells
• I Got the Feelin – James Brown
• I'm a Fool to Want You – Sergio Franchi
• In the Groove – Marvin Gaye
• The Inner Mystique – The Chocolate Watch Band
• In New York – Ravi Shankar
• It Crawled into My Hand, Honest – The Fugs
• James Brown Live At The Apollo Vol II – James Brown
• Karyobin – Spontaneous Music Ensemble
• Large as Life and Twice as Natural – Davey Graham
• Look to Your Heart – Perry Como
• Love Is All Around – The Troggs
• Love and Other Crimes – Lee Hazlewood
• Love is Blue – The Lawrence Welk Orchestra
• Members, Don't Git Weary – Max Roach
• The Midnight Mover – Wilson Pickett
• A Morning Raga / An Evening Raga – Ravi Shankar
• Movin' with Nancy – Nancy Sinatra
• Nancy & Lee – Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
• NBC-TV Special:TCB Soundtrack – Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations
• 'Nuff Said! – Nina Simone
• On Stage – Bill Haley & His Comets
• ONE - to get ready: FOUR..... to – GO! – Clare Fischer
• Otis Redding Live at the Whiskey A Go Go – Otis Redding
• Outrageous – Kim Fowley
• The Perry Como Christmas Album – Perry Como
• Promise Of A Future – Hugh Masekela
• Reality Is Bad Enough – Patrick Sky
• Recital na Boite Barroco – Maria Bethânia
• Rhinoceros – Rhinoceros
• Roots – The Everly Brothers
• Scratching the Surface – The Groundhogs (debut)
• The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas – Frank Sinatra
• Sir John Alot of Merry Englandes Musyk Thynge and ye Grene Knyghte – John Renbourn
• Soul Master – Edwin Starr
• Soulful Christmas – James Brown
• The Sounds of India – Ravi Shankar
• Speak Like a Child – Herbie Hancock
• Special Occasion – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
• Stoned Soul Picnic – The 5th Dimension
• Switched-On Bach – Walter Carlos
• Taj Mahal – Taj Mahal
• Le temps des fleurs – Dalida
• Tenderness Junction – The Fugs
• Texas in My Soul – Willie Nelson
• There Is – The Dells
• There Goes My Everything – Don Cherry
• 30 by Ella – Ella Fitzgerald
• This Is My Country - The Impressions with Curtis Mayfield
• Tighten Up – Archie Bell & The Drells
• Tiny Tim's 2nd Album – Tiny Tim
• Turn Around, Look at Me – The Vogues
• Wake Up...It's Tomorrow – Strawberry Alarm Clock
• Welcome to Trini Country – Trini Lopez
• Wine and Song – Sergio Franchi
• Wheatfield Soul – The Guess Who

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1968.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	The Beatles	Hey Jude	1968		UK 1 – September 1968, US BB 1 – September 1968, US CashBox 1 of 1968, Canada 1 – August 1968, Netherlands 1 – September 1968, Switzerland 1 – September 1968, Norway 1 – September 1968, Australia 1 of 1968, Germany 1 – Jan 1969, Éire 1 – September 1968, Australia 1 for 15 weeks February 1969, Australia Goset 1 – October 1968, Europe 1 of the 1960s, RYM 1 of 1968, DDD 2 of 1968, OzNet 2, Virgin 3, Global 7 (10 M sold) – 1968, Rolling Stone 8, WXPN 9, TheQ 20, US BB 23 of 1968, POP 23 of 1968, Italy 30 of 1968, Scrobulate 32 of classic rock, Acclaimed 32, Germany 52 of the 1960s, Belgium 55 of all time, Poland 84 of all time
2	Louis Armstrong	What a Wonderful World	1968		UK 1 – February 1968, US BB 1 of 1988, Australia 1 for 1 weeks Jan 1989, POP 1 of 1988, Netherlands 2 – Mar 1968, Norway 6 – May 1968, Germany 6 – Jun 1968, Switzerland 7 – Jun 1968, Scrobulate 7 of jazz, Australia 8 of 1988, RYM 9 of 1967, South Africa 11 of 1968, Poland 22 – April 1988, Australia Goset 29 – Jun 1968, TOTP 31, Party 31 of 2007, US BB 32 – Mar 1988, WXPN 34, Poland 50 of all time, Europe 58 of the 1960s, OzNet 67, Italy 72 of 1976, RIAA 84, Germany 400 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 502
3	Otis Redding	(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay	1968		US BB 1 – February 1968, US BB 1 of 1968, POP 1 of 1968, Canada 2 – Jan 1968, Norway 2 – April 1968, RYM 2 of 1968, UK 3 – February 1968, France 3 – Jun 1970, US CashBox 4 of 1968, DDD 4 of 1968, Scrobulate 5 of soul, Netherlands 6 – February 1968, Switzerland 7 – April 1968, Acclaimed 7, Australia Goset 12 – April 1968, Germany 15 – May 1968, RIAA 22, Rolling Stone 28, OzNet 29, Europe 41 of the 1960s, 49 in 2FM list, WXPN 89
4	The Rolling Stones	Jumpin' Jack Flash	1968		UK 1 – May 1968, Canada 1 – May 1968, Germany 1 – July 1968, Australia Goset 1 – Jun 1968, Netherlands 2 – Jun 1968, Switzerland 2 – May 1968, US BB 3 – Jun 1968, Norway 3 – Jun 1968, RYM 4 of 1968, DDD 6 of 1968, US BB 16 of 1968, POP 16 of 1968, Acclaimed 25, US CashBox 26 of 1968, Europe 56 of the 1960s, Virgin 73, Italy 84 of 1968, Rolling Stone 124, Germany 151 of the 1960s, WXPN 181, Belgium 189 of all time, OzNet 372
5	The Beatles	Lady Madonna	1968		UK 1 – Mar 1968, Canada 1 – Mar 1968, Switzerland 1 – Mar 1968, Australia 1 for 3 weeks August 1968, Australia Goset 1 – April 1968, Norway 2 – Mar 1968, Germany 2 – April 1968, Netherlands 3 – Mar 1968, US BB 4 – Mar 1968, US BB 11 of 1968, Poland 11 – November 2006, POP 11 of 1968, Australia 16 of 1968, RYM 17 of 1968, US CashBox 27 of 1968, Scrobulate 41 of oldies, Italy 49 of 1968, DDD 51 of 1968, OzNet 76, Germany 219 of the 1960s

American and/or British hit singles

• "Ain't Got No, I Got Life"/"Do What You Gotta Do" – Nina Simone
• "Ain't Nothin' but a Houseparty" – The Showstoppers
• "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
• "All Along the Watchtower" – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• "Albatross" – Fleetwood Mac
• "Am I That Easy to Forget" – Engelbert Humperdinck
• "Anything" – Eric Burdon & The Animals
• "Baby Come Back" – The Equals
• "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" – Georgie Fame
• "Bend Me, Shape Me" – The American Breed
• "Bend Me, Shape Me" – Amen Corner
• "Blue Eyes" – Don Partridge
• "Born to Be Wild" – Steppenwolf
• "Breakin' Down the Walls of Heartache" – The Bandwagon
• "Build Me Up Buttercup" – The Foundations
• "California Dreamin'" – Bobby Womack
• "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" – Andy Williams
• "Captain of Your Ship" – Reparata and the Delrons
• "Chain of Fools" – Aretha Franklin
• "Classical Gas" – Mason Williams
• "Cloud Nine" – The Temptations
• "Congratulations" – Cliff Richard
• "Cry Like a Baby" – The Box Tops
• "Dance to the Music" – Sly & the Family Stone
• "Darlin'" – The Beach Boys
• "A Day Without Love" – Love Affair
• "Days" – The Kinks
• "Dear Old Mrs. Bell" – The Shadows
• "Delilah" – Tom Jones
• "Don't Forget to Catch Me" – Cliff Richard and The Shadows
• "Do It Again" – The Beach Boys
• "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" – Dionne Warwick
• "Eloise" – Barry Ryan
• "Everlasting Love" – Love Affair
• "Everything I Am" – Plastic Penny
• "Fire!" – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
• "Fire Brigade" – The Move
• "Fool on the Hill" – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
• "Going Up the Country" – Canned Heat
• "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" – Hugo Montenegro
• "Grazing in the Grass" – Hugh Masekela
• "Green Tambourine" – The Lemon Pipers
• "Gimme Little Sign" – Brenton Wood
• "Harper Valley P.T.A" – Jeannie C. Riley
• "Hello, Goodbye" – The Beatles
• "Hello, I Love You" – The Doors
• "Help Yourself" – Tom Jones
• "Helule Helule" – The Tremeloes
• "Hey Jude"/"Revolution" – The Beatles
• "High in the Sky – Amen Corner
• "Honey" – Bobby Goldsboro
• "Hurdy Gurdy Man" – Donovan
• "Hush" – Deep Purple
• "The Horse" – Cliff Nobles & Co.
• "I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten" – Dusty Springfield
• "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die" – The Herd
• "I Love You" – People!
• "I Pretend" – Des O'Connor
• "I Wish It Would Rain" – The Temptations
• "I'll Love You Forever Today" – Cliff Richard
• "I'm a Tiger" – Lulu
• "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" – Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations
• "I'm the Urban Spaceman" – Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
• "I've Gotta Be Me" – Sammy Davis, Jr.
• "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" – Bee Gees
• "Ice in the Sun" – Status Quo
• "If I Only Had Time" – John Rowles
• "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" – Iron Butterfly
• "Jennifer Juniper" – Donovan
• "Jesamine" – The Casuals
• "Journey to the Center of the Mind" – The Amboy Dukes
• "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" – John Fred & His Playboy Band
• "Jumpin' Jack Flash" – Rolling Stones
• "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" – The First Edition
• "Keep On" – Bruce Channel
• "Lady Madonna" – The Beatles
• "Lady Willpower" – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
• "Lazy Sunday" – Small Faces
• "The Legend of Xanadu" – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
• "Little Arrows" – Leapy Lee
• "Little Green Apples" – Roger Miller
• "Little Green Apples" – O. C. Smith
• "The Look of Love" – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
• "Love Child" – Diana Ross & The Supremes
• "Love is Blue" – Paul Mauriat
• "Lovin' Things" – Marmalade
• "MacArthur Park" – Richard Harris
• "Magic Bus" – The Who
• "A Man Without Love" – Engelbert Humperdinck
• "Marianne" – Cliff Richard
• "Me the Peaceful Heart" – Lulu
• "Midnight Confessions" – The Grass Roots
• "Mighty Quinn" – Manfred Mann
• "Monterey" – Eric Burdon & The Animals
• "Mony Mony" – Tommy James & the Shondells
• "Mrs. Robinson" – Simon & Garfunkel
• "My Little Lady" – The Tremeloes
• "My Name is Jack" – Manfred Mann
• "Need Your Love So Bad" – Fleetwood Mac
• "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" – The Marmalade
• "On the Road Again" – Canned Heat
• "Only One Woman" – The Marbles
• "Over You" – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
• "Paradise Lost" – The Herd
• "Piece of my Heart" – Big Brother and the Holding Company
• "Pictures of Matchstick Men" – Status Quo
• "Race with the Devil" – The Gun
• "Rainbow Valley" – Love Affair
• "Rosie" – Don Partridge
• "Scarborough Fair" – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
• "The Silent Sun" – Genesis
• "Simon Says" – 1910 Fruitgum Company
• "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" – Otis Redding
• "Sky Pilot" – Eric Burdon & The Animals
• "Son of a Preacher Man" – Dusty Springfield
• "Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp" – O. C. Smith
• "Soulful Strut" – Young-Holt Unlimited
• "Spooky" – Classics IV
• "Step Inside Love" – Cilla Black
• "Stoned Soul Picnic" – The 5th Dimension
• "Suddenly You Love Me" – The Tremeloes
• "Sunshine of Your Love" – Cream
• "Suzie Q." – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• "This Guy's in Love With You" – Herb Alpert
• "This Wheel's on Fire" – Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity
• "Those Were The Days" – Mary Hopkin
• "Tighten Up" – Archie Bell & the Drells
• "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" – Tiny Tim
• "Valleri" – The Monkees
• "The Weight" – The Band
• "What a Wonderful World" – Louis Armstrong, His Orchestra & Chorus
• "White Horses" – Jacky
• "White Houses" – Eric Burdon & The Animals
• "White Room" – Cream
• "A Winter's Tale" – Genesis
• "With a Little Help from My Friends" – Joe Cocker
• "Yesterday Has Gone" – Cupid's Inspiration
• "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" – The Byrds
• "Young Girl" – The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett
• "Yummy Yummy Yummy" – The Ohio Express

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1968 (USA)

Published popular music

• "1,2,3, Red Light" w.m. Sal Trimachi and Bobbi Trimachi
• "1432 Franklin Pike Circle Hero" w.m. Bobby Russell
• "Abraham, Martin and John" w.m. Dick Holler
• "Les Bicyclettes de Belsize" w.m. Les Reed & Barry Mason
• "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film of the same name
• "Classical Gas" m. Mason Williams
• "Congratulations" w.m. Bill Martin and Phil Coulter
• "Dear World" w.m. Jerry Herman from the musical Dear World
• "Eli's Coming" w.m. Laura Nyro
• "The Fool on the Hill" w.m. John Lennon & Paul McCartney
• "For the Good Times" w.m. Kris Kristofferson
• "Galveston" w.m. Jimmy Webb
• "Heffalumps and Woozles" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
• "Honey Pie" w.m. John Lennon and Paul McCartney
• "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach from the musical Promises, Promises
• "Indian Lake" w.m. Tony Romeo
• "Indian Reservation" w.m. John D. Loudermilk, first recorded by Don Fardon
• "Little Green Apples" w.m. Bobby Russell
• "Mac Arthur Park" w.m. Jimmy Webb
• "Mr. Bojangles" w.m. Jerry Jeff Walker
• "My Way" (French: "Comme d'habitude") w.m. Claude François & Jacques Revaux, Eng.: Paul Anka
• "The Night They Raided Minsky's" w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse from the film The Night They Raided Minsky's
• "A Perfect Gentleman" w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse Introduced by Jason Robards and Norman Wisdom in the film The Night They Raided Minsky's
• "Promises, Promises" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach from the musical Promises, Promises
• "Save The Country" w.m. Laura Nyro
• "Stand By Your Man" w.m. Billy Sherrill & Tammy Wynette
• "Stoned Soul Picnic" w.m. Laura Nyro
• "Sweet Blindness" w.m. Laura Nyro
• "Take Ten Terrific Girls' w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse from the film The Night They Raided Minsky's
• "Ten Feet off the Ground w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
• "This Guy's In Love With You" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach
• "Wichita Lineman" w.m. Jimmy Webb
• "The Windmills of Your Mind" w. Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman m. Michel LeGrand from the film The Thomas Crown Affair
• "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
• "You Rat, You" w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse from the film The Night They Raided Minsky's

Classical music

• Milton Babbitt – Relata II for orchestra
• Samuel Barber – Twelfth Night and To Be Sung on the Water, op. 42
• Luciano Berio –
  • O King
  • Sinfonia
  • Chemins III
  • Questo vuol dire che for three female voices, small chorus, tape and other available resources
• Carlos Chávez – Pirámide (ballet)
• John Corigliano – Piano Concerto
• George Crumb – Songs, Drones, and Refrains of Death for baritone, electric guitar, electric double bass, amplified piano/electric harpsichord, and two percussionists
• Mario Davidovsky – Music for Solo Violin
• Peter Maxwell Davies –
  • Stedman Caters
  • Stedman Doubles (revised version)
  • Fantasia on a Ground and 2 Pavans (after Purcell)
  • Epistrophe for two pianos
  • L’homme armé
• Edison Denisov –
  • Osen′ (Autumn), for 13 solo voices
  • Oda, pamyati Khe Gevara (Ode in Memory of Che Guevara)
  • Romanticheskaya muzïka [Romantic Music]
• Cristóbal Halffter –
  • Symposion
  • Yes, Speak Out, Yes
• Roy Harris –
  • Symphony no. 12
  • Concerto for Amplified Piano, Brass, Double Bass, and Percussion
  • Sonata for Cello and Piano (revised version)
• Hans Werner Henze – Das Floß der Medusa
• Heinz Holliger – h for wind quintet
• Ladislav Kupkovic – Souvenir (one of his few recorded works)
• Helmut Lachenmann – temA for flute, voice and cello
• György Ligeti – Zehn Stücke für Bläserquintett (Ten Pieces for Wind Quintet)
• Witold Lutosławski – Livre pour orchestre
• Bo Nilsson – Attraktionen, for string quartet
• Per Nørgård – Rejse ind i den gyldne skærm (Voyage into the Golden Screen)
• Roger Sessions – Symphony no. 8
• Dmitri Shostakovich –
  • String Quartet no. 12 in D♭ major, op. 133
  • Sonata for Violin and Piano in D major, op. 134
• Karlheinz Stockhausen –
  • Aus den sieben Tagen
  • Kurzwellen
  • Stimmung
  • Spiral
• John Tavener – The Whale (cantata)
• David Tudor & Lowell Cross – Reunion
• Charles Wuorinen –
  • Flute Variations II
  • String Trio
• Iannis Xenakis – Nomos Gamma for 98 musicians dispersed among the audience

Opera

• Benjamin Britten – The Prodigal Son
• Carlos Chávez – Los visitantes (revision of Panfilo e Lauretta)
• Peter Maxwell Davies – Revelation and Fall
• Gian Carlo Menotti – Help, Help, The Globolinks!
• Ástor Piazzolla – María de Buenos Aires

Musical theater

• Cabaret (Kander and Ebb) – London production
• Canterbury Tales     London production
• Dames at Sea     Off-Broadway production opened at the Bouwerie Lane Theatre on December 20 and transferred to the Theatre de Lys on April 22, 1969 for a total run of 575 performances.
• The Dancing Years (Ivor Novello) – London revival
• Darling of the Day (w. E. Y. Harburg m. Jule Styne) Broadway production opened at the George Abbott Theatre on January 27 and ran for 31 performances. Starred Patricia Routledge and Vincent Price
• George M!     Broadway production
• Golden Boy     London production
• Golden Rainbow     Broadway production
• Hair – Broadway (1,750 performances) and London (1,997 performances) productions
• House of Flowers     off-Broadway revival
• Lady, Be Good!     London revival
• Man of La Mancha     London production
• Promises, Promises     Broadway production (1,281 performances)
• The Happy Time – musical/comedy – 286 performances at the Broadway Theatre featuring Robert Goulet 1968 Tony Award winner for Best Actor in a Musical. Nominee 1968 Tony Award Best Musical.
• Zorba – after the movie (Zorba the Greek, 1964) and book (Nikos Kazantzakis, 1952).1969 Tony Award for Best Musical and numerous other nominations, 1969 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics (to Fred Ebb, the first year of that category) and three other nominations. 305 performances starting 11/16/68 at the Imperial Theatre, NY. (Revival 9/16/83 at the Broadway Theatre, NY, ran 362 performances with 1984 Theatre World Award to actor Robert Westenberg.)

Musical films

• Aashirwad
• Bhagyamudra
• Les Bicyclettes de Belsize
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
• Finian's Rainbow
• Funny Girl
• Head- Starring The Monkees and written by Jack Nicholson.
• The Jungle Book – animated feature film
• Monterey Pop
• The Night They Raided Minsky's – released December 22 starring Jason Robards and Britt Ekland
• Oliver!
• The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
• Star!
• Yellow Submarine – animated feature film

Births

• January 9 – Al Schnier, American rock guitarist
• January 11 – Tom Dumont, guitarist
• January 14 – LL Cool J, rapper
• January 19 - Ikuko Kawai, violinist
• January 27
  • Mike Patton (Faith No More)
  • Tricky, rapper
• January 28
  • Sarah McLachlan, Canadian singer
  • DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill)
• February 1 – Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley
• February 5 – Chris Barron (Spin Doctors)
• February 7 – Sully Enra (Godsmack)
• February 12 – Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips, daughter of John & Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas
• February 22 – Brad Nowell (Sublime) (died 1996)
• February 25 – Evridiki, Cypriot singer
• March 4 – Patsy Kensit, British actress and singer
• March 8 – Shawn Mullins, American singer-songwriter
• March 11 – Lisa Loeb, American singer-songwriter
• March 15
  • Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth)
  • Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray)
  • Kahimi Karie, Japanese singer
• March 23 – Damon Albarn, British singer (Blur), (Gorillaz)
• March 26
  • James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins)
  • Kenny Chesney, country singer
• March 30 – Céline Dion, Canadian singer
• April 1 – Julia Boutros, Lebanese singer
• April 3 – Sebastian Bach (Skid Row)
• April 28 – Howard Donald, British singer and dancer (Take That)
• April 29 – Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips, daughter of Brian Wilson
• May 1 – D'arcy Wretzky (The Smashing Pumpkins)
• May 16 – Ralph Tresvant (New Edition)
• May 28 – Kylie Minogue, Australian actress and singer
• June 1 – Jason Donovan, Australian actor and singer
• June 10 – The D.O.C., African-American rapper
• June 12 – Bobby Sheehan (Blues Traveler)
• June 13 – Denise Pearson, British singer (Five Star)
• June 30 – Phil Anselmo (Pantera)
• July 10 - Claudia Pop, operatic soprano and theatre director
• July 16 - Olga Souza ("Corona"), singer
• July 19 – Robert Flynn, American musician
• July 22 – Rhys Ifans, actor and former vocalist with Super Furry Animals
• July 30 – Elvis Crespo, Puerto Rican singer
• August 1 – Dan Donegan, American rock musician (Disturbed)
• August 10 – Michael Bivins, New Edition, Bell Biv Devoe
• August 11 – Charlie Sexton, American guitarist, singer and songwriter
• August 12 – Paul Tucker, British musician (Lighthouse Family)
• August 25 – Stuart Murdoch, Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist (Belle and Sebastian)
• September 10 – Big Daddy Kane, rapper
• September 11 – Kay Hanley (Letters To Cleo)
• September 12 – Ler LaLonde )Primus, Possessed)
• September 25 – Catherine Zeta-Jones, actress, singer and dancer
• October 1
  • Kevin Griffin (Better Than Ezra)
  • Sagol 59, Israeli rapper
• October 5 – Nana, rapper
• October 6 – Dominique A, singer-songwriter
• October 7 – Thom Yorke, British musician (Radiohead)
• October 8 – CL Smooth, African-American rapper
• October 11 – Jane Krakowski, American actress and singer
• October 12 – Hugh Jackman, actor and singer
• October 14 – Johnny Goudie, American musician
• October 17 – Ziggy Marley, reggae artist
• October 19 – Rodney Carrington, American stand-up comic and country musician
• October 22 – Shaggy, Jamaican-American reggae & dancehall singer
• November 9 – Nazzareno Carusi, Italian pianist
• November 10 – Steve Brookstein, British singer
• November 11 – David L Cook, Christian music singer and comedian
• November 14 - Ken Ford, jazz violinist
• November 15
  • Ol' Dirty Bastard, rapper (d. 2004)
  • Jennifer Charles, American singer
• November 21 – Alex James, British bassist (Blur)
• November 25 – Tunde Baiyewu, British singer (Lighthouse Family)
• November 28 – Dawn Robinson, American singer (En Vogue)
• November 29
  • Martin Carr (Boo Radleys)
  • Jonathan Knight, American singer (New Kids on the Block)
• December 2 – Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters)
• December 9 – Brian Bell (Weezer)
• December 16 – Lalah Hathaway, American singer and daughter of Donny Hathaway
• December 29 – Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket)

Deaths

• January 18 – Gribouille, French singer, 26 (alcohol and drug-related)
• February 5 – Luckey Roberts, ragtime composer and pianist, 80
• February 13
  • Ildebrando Pizzetti, composer, 87
  • Portia White, singer, 56
• February 15 – Little Walter, blues singer and harmonica player, 37
• February 28
  • Frankie Lymon, American singer, 25 (heroin overdose)
  • Doretta Morrow, dancer, 40 (cancer)
• March 6 – Iša Krejčí, composer and conductor, 63
• March 10 – Blind Joe Reynolds, singer-songwriter
• March 16 – Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, composer, 72
• April 15 – Borys Lyatoshynsky, composer, 73
• April 25 – Harald Kreutzberg, dancer and choreographer, 65
• May 15 - Florence Austral, operatic soprano, 76
• May 19 – Coleman Hawkins, jazz musician, 64
• May 24 – Bernard Rogers, composer, 75
• May 26 – Little Willie John, blues artist, 30 (heart attack)
• June 2 - André Mathieu, pianist and composer, 39
• June 8 – Bumble Bee Slim, blues musician, 63
• June 14 – Karl-Birger Blomdahl, composer and conductor, 51
• June 15 – Wes Montgomery, jazz guitarist, 45 (heart attack)
• June 26 – Ziggy Elman, US trumpet player, 54
• July 21 – Ruth St. Denis, dancer, 89
• July 27 – Lilian Harvey, actress and singer, 62
• July 28 - Carl Ravazza, US violinist, vocalist and bandleader, 58
• July 30 – Jón Leifs, composer, 69
• August 5 – Luther Perkins, guitarist of The Tennessee Two, 40 (burns and smoke inhalation following a house fire)
• August 18 – Arthur Marshall, ragtime composer, 86
• September 19 – Red Foley, country singer, 58
• October 8 – Frank Skinner, film composer, 70
• October 15 – Franz Reizenstein, pianist and composer, 57
• October 20 – Bud Flanagan, music hall star, 72
• October 30 – Pops Foster, jazz musician, 77
• November 8 – Kokomo Arnold, blues musician, 67
• November 9 – Jan Johansson, jazz pianist, 37 (car crash)
• November 11 – Jeanne Demessieux, organist, pianist and composer, 47 (embolism)
• December 1 – Nicolae Bretan, composer, 81
• December 9 – Percy Greenbank, lyricist, 90
• December 14 - Margarete Klose, operatic mezzo-soprano, 69
• December 19 – Tiberiu Brediceanu, composer
• December 31 – Sabin Drăgoi, composer, 91
• date unknown
  • Juan F. Acosta, composer and music teacher
  • Lucille Dompierre, pianist and arranger
  • Billy Pigg, bagpiper
  • Vincenzo Scaramuzza, pianist

Awards

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1968

Eurovision Song Contest

• Eurovision Song Contest 1968