Given that 1969 was the year of Woodstock, it's surprising that this entry in Billboard's hits series bears virtually no hint of psychedelia -- instead,
Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1969 focuses on everything from soulful pop (
the 5th Dimension's "Wedding Bell Blues") to surf (
the Ventures' "Hawaii Five-O") to easy listening (
Henry Mancini's "Love Theme from "Romeo & Juliet""); many of the songs here are classics, but as a portrait of the era's true musical spirit, it's shamefully inaccurate.
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Chuck Donkers, Rovi