Billboard published a weekly chart in 1991 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in African American-oriented genres; the chart has undergone various name changes over the decades to reflect the evolution of black music and has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since 2005. [1] In 1991, it was published under the title Hot R&B Singles, [2] and 38 different singles reached number one. In the issue of Billboard dated January 5, Freddie Jackson moved into the number one position with "Love Me Down", displacing "It Never Rains (In Southern California)" by Tony! Toni! Toné!. [3] No song spent more than two weeks in the top spot during 1991, although Shanice's "I Love Your Smile", which spent the last two weeks of the year atop the chart, would extend its run by two further weeks in 1992. [4]
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Jackson, Color Me Badd, Hi-Five, and BeBe & CeCe Winans, each of whom had two number ones, tied for the highest number of weeks in the top spot during the year, spending three weeks atop the chart. The Rude Boys also had two chart-toppers in 1991 but both of their number ones spent only a single week in the peak position. Gerald Levert had one number one as a solo artist and another as a member of the trio LeVert. [5] With the exception of Gerald Levert, who would achieve a second solo number one in 1992, [5] none of the acts to top the chart twice during the year would achieve another R&B number one after 1991. Color Me Badd, Hi-Five, the Rude Boys, and the Winans siblings all achieved the only two R&B number ones of their respective careers during the year. [6]
Ten acts reached number one on the chart for the first and only time in 1991, including Damian Dame, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Lisa Fischer, Phil Perry, Shanice, and Christopher Williams. [7] Phyllis Hyman gained her sole R&B number one with "Don't Wanna Change the World" more than fifteen years after she first entered the chart. [8] Tracie Spencer, who was only one month old when Hyman achieved her first R&B chart entry, also reached the peak position for the first and only time in 1991. [9] Keith Washington reached number one with "Kissing You", the first chart entry of his career, but it would prove to be the only time he even reached the top 10. [10] "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" by C+C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams was the act's only R&B chart-topper but it continued to be popular for decades afterwards, being used in many films and TV shows. [11] [12] It was one of five of the year's R&B chart-toppers to also reach number one on Billboard's pop singles chart, the Hot 100, along with "I Adore Mi Amor" by Color Me Badd, "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" by Hi-Five, "The First Time" by Surface, and "All the Man That I Need" by Whitney Houston. [13]
