I love how, in this period, the album charts could still have some easy-listening, middle-of-the-road albums topping the listings and then the next week a rock album would takeover.
You can see the struggle between the rock generation and their parents here. Paul Mauriat with his orchestral versions of pop hits was massively popular and topped the charts here for 5 weeks, Herb Alpert - whose records my parents had - managed 2 weeks too, but this year was really all about Simon & Garfunkel who for 16 weeks from 6th April topped the charts.
The other quirk is the fact The Rascals topped for a week. They never really broke in UK except for 'Groovin' getting to #8, but in USA by 1968 they'd had six top 10 hits and three #1s. They're too often forgotten in the history of US pop/rock, I think. They had a foot in the psychedelic groovers camp but one in the commercial pop market too. A hard straddle to make.
The second half of the summer of '68 was dominated by Cream's 'Wheels of Fire', blasting its way to the top for a month. Amazing to think they were not even two years old at that point and had almost burnt themselves out, regardless. It was America's first platinum-selling double album, y'know.
The other thing to notice here is how every single rock album has gone on to become an absolute classic of the age and genre. Glory days, my friends, glory days
January 6 'Magical Mystery Tour' - The Beatles / Soundtrack
March 2 'Blooming Hits' - Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra
April 6 'The Graduate' - Simon & Garfunkel / Soundtrack
May 25 'Bookends' - Simon & Garfunkel
June 15 'The Graduate' - Simon & Garfunkel / Soundtrack
June 29 'Bookends' - Simon & Garfunkel
July 27 'The Beat of the Brass' - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
August 10 'Wheels of Fire' - Cream
September 7 'Waiting for the Sun' - The Doors
September 28 'Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits' - The Rascals
October 5 'Waiting for the Sun' - The Doors
October 12 'Cheap Thrills' - Big Brother and the Holding Company
November 16 'Electric Ladyland' -Jimi Hendrix Experience
November 30 'Cheap Thrills' - Big Brother and the Holding Company
December 21 'Wichita Lineman' - Glen Campbell
December 28 '
The Beatles (The White Album)' - The Beatles
