Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of September 24, 1966
The Billboard Hot 100 for September 24, 1966 brought The Association to #1 with “Cherish,” one of the most romantic and carefully arranged pop ballads of the year. After jumping into the Top 5 the previous week, the song completed its climb from #4 to the top spot and showed the continuing strength of soft harmony pop in a year filled with Motown, soul, garage rock, and psychedelic sounds.
“Cherish” replaced The Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love,” which slipped to #2 after its run at #1. Donovan remained steady at #3 with “Sunshine Superman,” while The Beatles held strong at #4 with “Yellow Submarine.” The Hollies rounded out the Top 5 with “Bus Stop,” giving the upper chart a blend of American harmony pop, Motown, psychedelic folk-pop, British whimsy, and British Invasion storytelling.
The rest of the Top 10 showed that late September 1966 was a moment of serious transition. The Temptations climbed with “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep,” Los Bravos surged with “Black Is Black,” and ? (Question Mark) & The Mysterians made a major move with “96 Tears.” The Four Tops also entered the Top 10 with “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” signaling that another Motown powerhouse was on the way.
This was one of those chart weeks where the present and future met. “Cherish” gave the top spot a soft, romantic glow, but beneath it the chart was becoming louder, funkier, and more intense.
Top 5 Songs
1. Cherish – The Association
“Cherish” climbed from #4 to #1, giving The Association their first Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper. The song’s lush harmonies, gentle arrangement, and heartfelt romantic mood made it one of the most polished ballads of 1966.
Its success showed that softer harmony pop could still command the national chart even as rock and soul were becoming more aggressive. “Cherish” offered tenderness and elegance at a moment when the Hot 100 was moving in many directions at once.
2. You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
“You Can’t Hurry Love” slipped from #1 to #2 but remained one of the brightest and most energetic Motown hits of the year. The song’s rhythm, chorus, and Diana Ross vocal kept it near the top for another week.
The Supremes continued to show why they were one of the dominant acts of the decade. Even after leaving #1, the record remained a defining sound of late summer and early fall 1966.
3. Sunshine Superman – Donovan
“Sunshine Superman” held at #3, continuing its strong run as one of the season’s most influential psychedelic pop records. Donovan’s colorful sound and dreamy atmosphere helped bring new textures into mainstream radio.
The song’s continued popularity showed that listeners were increasingly open to pop records with a more experimental edge. It remained one of the key signposts pointing toward the late-1960s sound.
4. Yellow Submarine – The Beatles
“Yellow Submarine” slipped from #2 to #4 but remained one of the most unusual Beatles hits of the era. Its playful sing-along style and whimsical story made it stand apart from the group’s more serious and experimental records.
The song showed that The Beatles could succeed with almost any musical approach. Even a childlike fantasy record could become a major Top 5 hit when delivered with their imagination and popularity.
5. Bus Stop – The Hollies
“Bus Stop” held at #5, giving The Hollies another strong week in the upper chart. The song’s narrative lyrics and bright British pop arrangement made it one of their most memorable American hits.
Its staying power showed that British Invasion acts remained highly competitive even as Motown and American harmony groups were shaping the chart around them.
More Weeks at #1 for “You Can’t Hurry Love”
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 September 24, 1966, this was your birthday song:
🎵 You Can’t Hurry Love by The Supremes
▶ Watch and experience this song →
🎂 Born in the 60s? Try your own birthday:
Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 This Week
- Cherish – The Association
- You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
- Sunshine Superman – Donovan
- Yellow Submarine – The Beatles
- Bus Stop – The Hollies
- Beauty Is Only Skin Deep – The Temptations
- Black Is Black – Los Bravos
- 96 Tears – ?-And The Mysterians
- Wouldn’t It Be Nice – The Beach Boys
- Reach Out I’ll Be There – Four Tops
Chart Movers This Week
Why This Chart Week Mattered
This chart week mattered because “Cherish” brought harmony-rich romantic pop to #1 at a time when the rest of the Top 10 was rapidly changing. The Association’s soft, polished sound contrasted with the harder garage-rock energy of “96 Tears,” the soul power of Motown, and the psychedelic mood of Donovan.
The September 24, 1966 Hot 100 also previewed the next major wave of the fall. “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “96 Tears,” “Black Is Black,” and “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep” were all gaining strength, making this chart a bridge between the softer sounds of late summer and the more forceful hits that would dominate October.
