In 1966, the best-selling song proved that the times were souring

The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black” became one of 1966’s biggest songs, reaching number one in both the UK and the US. Its success mattered as a sign of a changing musical mood: compared with the youthful romantic optimism of earlier Beatles hits, the song offered a stark portrait of grief and despair.

Released on 13 May, the track blended Brian Jones’ sitar playing with Indian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European influences, marking a musical departure for the band. It spent two weeks at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 despite mixed reviews, including criticism that the group was following the Beatles’ use of the sitar. The article links its bleak tone to a period of growing strain, including the escalation of the Vietnam War and divisions highlighted by the US Civil Rights Movement, while noting that the song itself concerned personal loss.