Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of May 28, 1966
The Billboard Hot 100 for May 28, 1966 reached a deeply emotional moment as Percy Sledge climbed to #1 with “When A Man Loves A Woman.” The song rose from #4 to the top spot and brought one of the most powerful soul ballads of the decade to the center of American popular music. Its raw vocal performance and aching emotion gave the chart a very different kind of #1 from the polished harmony pop of “Monday, Monday.”
The rest of the Top 5 showed just how wide the 1966 pop landscape had become. The Mindbenders moved to #2 with “A Groovy Kind Of Love,” while The Mamas & The Papas slipped to #3 after their run at the top. The Rolling Stones made one of the week’s biggest moves as “Paint It, Black” jumped from #19 to #4, bringing a darker and more intense rock sound into the upper chart. Bob Dylan rounded out the Top 5 with “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35.”
This week also showed the continued strength of thoughtful songwriting and soul music. Simon & Garfunkel climbed with “I Am A Rock,” The Lovin’ Spoonful rose with “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?,” and James Brown entered the Top 10 with “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” Motown remained present through The Supremes, while The Young Rascals’ former #1 “Good Lovin’” was still holding strong.
By late May, 1966 had become one of the most varied years in Hot 100 history. Soul, British rock, folk-rock, sunshine pop, Motown, and garage-flavored American rock were all competing in the same space. “When A Man Loves A Woman” stood above them this week as one of the most heartfelt records ever to reach #1.
Top 5 Songs
1. When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge
“When A Man Loves A Woman” climbed from #4 to #1, giving Percy Sledge his defining hit. The song’s emotional power came from its simplicity: a deeply felt vocal, a slow-building arrangement, and a performance that sounded honest from the first note.
The record became one of the great soul ballads of the 1960s. Its rise to #1 showed that a song built on pure feeling could cut through every trend on the chart and reach listeners across the country.
2. A Groovy Kind Of Love – The Mindbenders
“A Groovy Kind Of Love” climbed from #5 to #2, giving The Mindbenders one of the strongest British pop hits of the spring. Its gentle melody and romantic mood offered a softer contrast to the more intense records around it.
The song’s success showed that British acts still had a strong place on American radio, even as American soul, folk-rock, and garage rock were gaining momentum.
3. Monday, Monday – The Mamas & The Papas
After three weeks at #1, “Monday, Monday” slipped to #3 but remained one of the biggest hits of 1966. The song’s layered harmonies and California atmosphere continued to make it one of the most recognizable records on the chart.
The Mamas & The Papas had already established themselves as one of the year’s most important new groups. This record confirmed their place at the center of the emerging West Coast pop sound.
4. Paint It, Black – The Rolling Stones
“Paint It, Black” made a dramatic leap from #19 to #4, instantly becoming one of the week’s biggest stories. The Rolling Stones brought a darker mood and a more urgent sound to the Top 5.
The record signaled how far rock music was moving beyond simple dance and romance themes. Its intense atmosphere and distinctive arrangement helped make it one of the Stones’ most important 1960s singles.
5. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 – Bob Dylan
“Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” slipped from #2 to #5 but remained one of the most unusual major hits of the year. Its loose, ragged sound and memorable chorus made it instantly recognizable.
Dylan’s presence in the Top 5 showed how far popular music had expanded by 1966. A record that sounded unlike traditional pop could still become a major national hit.
More Weeks at #1 for “When a Man Loves a Woman”
This song spent multiple weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Explore each chart week below:
🎂 What Was the #1 Song on Your Birthday?
If you were born during the week ending May 28, 1966, this was your birthday song:
🎵 When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge
▶ Watch and experience this song →
🎂 Born in the 60s? Try your own birthday:
Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 This Week
- When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge
- A Groovy Kind Of Love – The Mindbenders
- Monday, Monday – The Mamas & The Papas
- Paint It, Black – The Rolling Stones
- Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 – Bob Dylan
- I Am A Rock – Simon & Garfunkel
- Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind? – The Lovin’ Spoonful
- Good Lovin’ – The Young Rascals
- Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart – The Supremes
- It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World – James Brown And The Famous Flames
Chart Movers This Week
Why This Chart Week Mattered
This chart week mattered because “When A Man Loves A Woman” brought deep Southern soul to #1 and became one of the most emotional chart-toppers of the decade. Its success showed that raw feeling and vocal honesty could be just as powerful as polished pop production.
The May 28, 1966 Hot 100 also captured a remarkable mix of sounds: Percy Sledge’s soul, The Rolling Stones’ darker rock, Bob Dylan’s folk-rock experimentation, The Mamas & The Papas’ California harmonies, and James Brown’s dramatic funk-soul intensity. It was a chart that showed just how wide and expressive popular music had become by the middle of 1966.
