List of Best Selling Soul Singles number ones of 1970

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The Jackson 5 reached number one for the first time in January and by the end of the year had accumulated four chart-toppers. Jackson 5 tv special 1972.JPG
The Jackson 5 reached number one for the first time in January and by the end of the year had accumulated four chart-toppers.

Billboard published a weekly chart in 1970 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in soul music and related African American-oriented music genres; the chart has undergone various name changes over the decades to reflect the evolution of such genres and since 2005 has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. [1] In 1970, it was published under the title Best Selling Soul Singles, [2] and 17 different singles topped the chart.

Contents

In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, Diana Ross & the Supremes were at number one with "Someday We'll Be Together", the song's fourth and final week in the top spot. [3] It was the final Supremes single to feature lead singer Diana Ross, who departed for a successful solo career; [4] [5] she would go on to achieve her first solo chart-topper later in the year with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". The Supremes, with new lead singer Jean Terrell, [4] topped the chart again in December with "Stoned Love", but it would prove to be the group's final soul number one. [6]

The Jackson 5 displaced the Supremes from the top spot in the year's second issue of Billboard with "I Want You Back", giving the brothers their first number one with their debut single. [7] [8] The Jackson 5, all of whom were in their teens or younger, [8] quickly experienced a run of continued success, achieving four number-one soul singles by the end of the year. All four also topped the all-genre Hot 100 chart, making them the first act ever to top that listing with their first four singles. [8] "I'll Be There", the Jackson 5's fourth number one of 1970, became the highest-selling single released by the Motown label. [8] The group spent a total of 20 weeks at number one in 1970; no other act spent more than six weeks in the top spot during the year. In addition to the Jackson 5, the Moments gained their first career number one when "Love on a Two-Way Street" spent five weeks in the top spot in May and June. [9] In March, Brook Benton achieved his first chart-topper for nearly ten years when he reached number one with "Rainy Night in Georgia"; his last appearance in the top spot had been with "Kiddio" in 1960. [10]

Chart history

The Supremes had the first number one of 1970 with Diana Ross (far right) as their lead singer, and also the last number one of the year without Ross, who had departed for a solo career. The Supremes 1966.JPG
The Supremes had the first number one of 1970 with Diana Ross (far right) as their lead singer, and also the last number one of the year without Ross, who had departed for a solo career.
Brook Benton had his first number one in ten years with "Rainy Night in Georgia". Brook Benton 1959.jpg
Brook Benton had his first number one in ten years with "Rainy Night in Georgia".
The Moments topped the chart for the first time with "Love on a Two-Way Street". The Moments 1970.jpg
The Moments topped the chart for the first time with "Love on a Two-Way Street".
Aretha Franklin had two number ones in 1970. Aretha Franklin 1968.jpg
Aretha Franklin had two number ones in 1970.
Key
†Indicates number 1 on Billboard's year-end soul chart of 1970 [11]
Chart history
Issue dateTitleArtist(s)Ref.
January 3"Someday We'll Be Together" Diana Ross & the Supremes [3]
January 10"I Want You Back" The Jackson 5 [12]
January 17 [13]
January 24 [14]
January 31 [15]
February 7"Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" Sly & the Family Stone [16]
February 14 [17]
February 21 [18]
February 28 [19]
March 7 [20]
March 14"Rainy Night in Georgia" Brook Benton [21]
March 21"Call Me" Aretha Franklin [22]
March 28 [23]
April 4"ABC" The Jackson 5 [24]
April 11 [25]
April 18 [26]
April 25 [27]
May 2"Turn Back the Hands of Time" Tyrone Davis [28]
May 9 [29]
May 16"Love on a Two-Way Street" The Moments [30]
May 23 [31]
May 30 [32]
June 6 [33]
June 13 [34]
June 20" The Love You Save " The Jackson 5 [35]
June 27 [36]
July 4 [37]
July 11 [38]
July 18 [39]
July 25 [40]
August 1"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" Stevie Wonder [41]
August 8 [42]
August 15 [43]
August 22 [44]
August 29 [45]
September 5 [46]
September 12"Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" Aretha Franklin [47]
September 19 [48]
September 26 [49]
October 3"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Diana Ross [50]
October 10"I'll Be There" † The Jackson 5 [51]
October 17 [52]
October 24 [53]
October 31 [54]
November 7 [55]
November 14 [56]
November 21"Super Bad (Part 1 & Part 2)" James Brown [57]
November 28 [58]
December 5" The Tears of a Clown " Smokey Robinson & the Miracles [59]
December 12 [60]
December 19 [61]
December 26"Stoned Love" The Supremes [62]

References

  1. ↑ Molanphy, Chris (April 14, 2014). "I Know You Got Soul: The Trouble With Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Chart". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on January 21, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  2. ↑ Whitburn 1996, p. xii.
  3. 1 2 "R & B Chart for January 3, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Unterberger, Richie. "The Supremes Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  5. ↑ Betts 2014.
  6. ↑ Whitburn 1988, p. 396.
  7. ↑ Whitburn 1988, p. 215.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Huey, Steve. "The Jackson 5 Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  9. ↑ Whitburn 1988, p. 296.
  10. ↑ Whitburn 1988, p. 41.
  11. ↑ "Billboard.com - Year End Charts - Year-end Singles - Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  12. ↑ "R & B Chart for January 10, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  13. ↑ "R & B Chart for January 17, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  14. ↑ "R & B Chart for January 24, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  15. ↑ "R & B Chart for January 31, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  16. ↑ "R & B Chart for February 7, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  17. ↑ "R & B Chart for February 14, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  18. ↑ "R & B Chart for February 21, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  19. ↑ "R & B Chart for February 28, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  20. ↑ "R & B Chart for March 7, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  21. ↑ "R & B Chart for March 14, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  22. ↑ "R & B Chart for March 21, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  23. ↑ "R & B Chart for March 28, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  24. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 4, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  25. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 11, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  26. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 18, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  27. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 25, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  28. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 2, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  29. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 9, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  30. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 16, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  31. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 23, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  32. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 30, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  33. ↑ "R & B Chart for June 6, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  34. ↑ "R & B Chart for June 13, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  35. ↑ "R & B Chart for June 20, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  36. ↑ "R & B Chart for June 27, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  37. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 4, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  38. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 11, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  39. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 18, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  40. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 25, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  41. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 1, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  42. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 8, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  43. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 15, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  44. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 22, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  45. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 29, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  46. ↑ "R & B Chart for September 5, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  47. ↑ "R & B Chart for September 12, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  48. ↑ "R & B Chart for September 19, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  49. ↑ "R & B Chart for September 26, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  50. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 3, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  51. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 10, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  52. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 17, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  53. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 24, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  54. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 31, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  55. ↑ "R & B Chart for November 7, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  56. ↑ "R & B Chart for November 14, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  57. ↑ "R & B Chart for November 21, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  58. ↑ "R & B Chart for November 28, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  59. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 5, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  60. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 12, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  61. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 19, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  62. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 26, 1970". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.

Works cited

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