1966 Pop Hit That Topped the Charts for Seven Weeks Was First Written With a Country Music Legend in Mind
One of the catchiest pop hits of the 1960s wasn't originally meant for the made-for-TV band that turned it into a No. 1 smash. Neil Diamond wrote "I'm a Believer" while working at music publisher Sunbeam Music in 1966 and first envisioned country star Eddy Arnold recording it.
Neil Diamond's Country Vision
In 1966, Diamond was a working New York songwriter on the verge of his own solo breakthrough. His single "Cherry, Cherry" reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1966, introducing him to a wider audience as a performer. Around that time, he wrote "I'm a Believer" with Eddy Arnold, the country crooner behind hits like "Make the World Go Away," in mind.
From Sunbeam Music to The Monkees
Don Kirshner, the music supervisor for the made-for-TV band The Monkees, had a different plan. He brought the song to the group, who recorded it with producer Jeff Barry and Micky Dolenz on lead vocals. The made-for-TV pop band, formed for the NBC sitcom that premiered in September 1966, was already a chart force by the time the single dropped.
A Seven-Week No. 1 Run
Released in November 1966, "I'm a Believer" was certified platinum within two days and racked up more than 1 million advance orders. The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending Dec. 31, 1966, and stayed at No. 1 for seven weeks. It went on to become the biggest-selling single of 1967, eventually moving more than 10 million copies worldwide.
Diamond released his own version on his 1967 album Just for You, the same year The Monkees' recording finished its run atop the chart. The song has since been covered by acts across genres and reentered the Top 10 decades later through a famous animated-film cover.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 7:26 PM.