The 1960s were a defining decade for American music, and while many artists rose to prominence, the enduring legacies of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin continued to captivate audiences. A closer look at the Billboard charts reveals an interesting dynamic between these two titans of song during the latter half of the 20th century. While both artists enjoyed significant success, Frank Sinatra ultimately outpaced Dean Martin in terms of chart performance and album sales throughout the 1960s.
Chart Performance in the 1960s
During the 1960s, Frank Sinatra released 29 singles that appeared on the Billboard charts, achieving two number-one hits and one reaching the number-four position. Dean Martin, in comparison, had 22 singles, with his best performances being one number-one hit, followed by a number-six and a number-ten. This indicates a slightly more consistent presence at the higher echelons of the singles chart for Sinatra.
Album Success
The disparity in success becomes even more pronounced when examining album performance. Frank Sinatra charted an impressive 24 albums during the decade, with thirteen of them securing a place in the Top 10. Dean Martin had eleven hit albums, two of which made it into the Top 10. This suggests that Sinatra’s albums resonated more broadly and consistently with the album-buying public.
UK Market Performance
Frank Sinatra’s dominance extended to the UK market as well. His album ‘Sinatra Swings,’ released on Reprise Records, reached number six on the charts and sold approximately 150,000 copies. This figure contrasts sharply with his earlier Capitol albums, which sold over 500,000 copies each, demonstrating the astute marketing strategies employed by Capitol boss Alan Livingston for Sinatra’s final albums with the label.
Commercial Setbacks and Critiques
Not all releases were commercial triumphs. Dean Martin’s album ‘Waterdown’ faced considerable commercial failure. Despite over 400,000 copies being pressed, it sold only around 35,000 units, a mere 40% of the sales for ‘A Man Alone.’ Notably, ‘Waterdown’ was the third consecutive album to perform better in Britain than in America. A contributing factor to ‘Waterdown’s’ lack of success was its perceived absence of obvious single material, making it a concept album whose commercial appeal was limited to the sum of its parts.
Reprise Records’ First Number-One
A significant milestone for Reprise Records occurred in 1964 when Frank Sinatra’s “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime” knocked The Beatles off the number-one spot. This marked the label’s first number-one hit. Following this success, Sinatra enjoyed a string of Billboard hits throughout the remainder of the decade, although many were not major chart-toppers.
Recording Practices and Challenges
Joe Smith, who worked at Warner/Reprise from 1963, shared insights into Dean Martin’s recording habits. Smith recalled that Martin was “red-hot” but often reluctant to learn songs. The process involved setting him up with new songs on an 8-track player in his car for him to listen to. Martin would spontaneously decide to record, often with little notice, prompting the team to scramble for studio time and musicians. Smith even recounted an instance where he secured studio time for The Beach Boys, only for Martin to decide to record at the same time.
Conclusion: A 1960s Edge for Sinatra
While definitive sales figures for the entire decade are complex to ascertain, the available chart data and anecdotal evidence suggest that Frank Sinatra likely held a stronger commercial standing than Dean Martin in the 1960s. Sinatra’s consistent presence in the upper echelons of both singles and album charts, coupled with his significant album sales, particularly in the UK, points to a slightly more dominant performance during this era. The enduring appeal of both artists, however, remains a testament to their significant contributions to American music.