How many songs beat 'Like a Rolling Stone' in 1965?

How many jazz albums have hit number one in the charts?

(Credits: Far Out)

Mon 5 January 2026 15:30, UK

Something big happened to music in 1965. At the peak of the British Invasion, a host of new styles emerged, from Motown to folk.

It was one of the most diverse periods on record, where even many of those boxed into traditional rock ‘n’ roll categories stood on the shoulders of the previous sounds like rhythm and blues. By the end of the year, therefore, it wasn’t just The Beatles and The Rolling Stones that were racing to the top, although that was still a defining occurrence, too.

With ‘Help!’, the biggest year-end tune on the Billboard chart from the Fab Four across the entire year, it was clear that they still led the charge, especially after the release of the film, which also gave audiences a glimpse into a new style of songwriting that proved they were well and truly capable of progressing past their initial sound.

The Stones, too, stormed the playground with their generation-defining hit, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, proving that youthful malaise could sound just as hyped and energetic despite the frustrations and inner turmoil. Another entry was the Stones’ ‘The Last Time’, a tune similar in the theme of inevitability, though distinctive in its own style and execution.

Those themes seemed to be common throughout 1965. A song that emerged from Dylan’s own professional and personal exhaustion, ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ captured the frustration of many, with Dylan’s “how does it feel?” line of questioning tapping into the restless anguish many felt when looking at the chaos af the world around them.

How many songs were above ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ in 1965?

The song resonated so deeply with audiences that it rose to number two on the Billboard chart at the time, settling in firmly at 41st on the year-end chart, beating a series of other era-defining hits, including The Kinks’ ‘All Day and All of the Night’, The Animals’ ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’, The Beach Boys’ ‘California Girls’, and The Beatles’ ‘Eight Days a Week’.

However, while it’s considered one of the most significant songs in history, at the time, it didn’t perform quite as well as others to come out that year, including Patti Page’s ‘Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte’, Tom Jones’ ‘What’s New Pussycat?’, The Byrds’ ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, The Supremes’ ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’, Elvis Presley’s ‘Crying in the Chapel’, and the top spot of the entire year, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs’ ‘Woolly Bully’.

Others by Four Tops, The Righteous Brothers, The Temptations, Sonny & Cher, James Brown, Herman’s Hermits, and Roger Miller also beat Dylan’s rumination on the struggles of falling from grace, with ‘Woolly Bully’ proving the lasting popularity of simple rock tracks that incorporate high energy and fun, endearing lyrics.

However, it’s hard not to see ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ as more important in message and lasting impact than many of the higher scorers. After all, the song wasn’t just a glimpse into Dylan’s mind; it was a complete reinvention of what rock could look and sound like. It also proved how art exists to have its limitations tested, inspiring a host of other future rock pioneers to come and test those boundaries for themselves.

How many songs beat ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ in 1965?

Tags: