From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

LONDON —  The Beach Boys, crowning the re-emergence of American artists in the British charts following the domination by British talent since 1963, by astonishingly beating the Beatles in the annual reader poll conducted by the 250,000 circulation U. K. consumer pop weekly, New Musical Express.

In the world’s outstanding vocal group section of the poll, the Beach Boys out voted the Beatles and all other British groups. The results- based largely on a teenage consumer response — was probably influenced by the U. S. group’s chart top success with “Good Vibrations” at voting time, whereas the Beatles have not had a single release since early-August. In addition, the Beach Boys had just toured Britain, while the Beatles have not toured here once this year.

The sensational success of the Beach Boys, however, is being taken as a portent that the popularity of the top British groups of the last three years is past its peak. The Beatles’ failure to secure the top place in the world section was matched by the Rolling Stones conspicuous failure to capture a top placing, being beaten in the rhythm and blues group section by Spencer Davis.

But on the distaff side, the British girls for the first time took first, second and third places in the outstanding female singer section, with Dusty Springfield winning the title, followed by Cilla Black and Petula Clark. Elvis Presley beat Cliff Richards as both world’s outstanding musical personality and outstanding male singer. END

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Information and news source: Billboard; December 10, 1966