Billboard published a weekly chart in 1979 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in soul music and related 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 1979, it was published under the title Hot Soul Singles, [2] and 20 different singles reached number one.
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In September, Michael Jackson gained his first soul chart-topper as a solo artist with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". [3] The singer had previously achieved several soul number ones with his brothers as the Jackson 5 [4] and had charted sporadically in his own right since 1971, but did not reach the top spot as a soloist until 1979. [3] Jackson would go on to become one of the most successful musicians of all time, selling hundreds of millions of records, and be regarded as one of the greatest ever entertainers. [5] [6] Donna Summer also topped the soul listing for the first time in July with "Bad Girls". [7] Known as the "Queen of Disco", [8] she had previously achieved five chart-toppers on the Disco Action chart. [9] In December, "I Wanna Be Your Lover" gave Prince his first number one, [10] the first major success of a career which would take him to superstar status and see him regarded as one of the most innovative and influential musicians of his generation. [11] Eight other acts reached number one for the first time in their respective careers in 1979: Cheryl Lynn, Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers, Instant Funk, Sister Sledge, GQ, Peaches & Herb, Anita Ward, and McFadden & Whitehead. [12] Ward's single "Ring My Bell" was an international success, topping the all-genre Hot 100 chart and also reaching number one in the United Kingdom, but she would not be able to replicate its success and is regarded as a one-hit wonder. [13] [14]
Sister Sledge was the only act to have multiple soul number ones during the year, topping the chart with "He's the Greatest Dancer" in March and "We Are Family" in June, but these would prove to be the only chart-toppers for the sibling act. [15] The year's longest-running number one was "Good Times" by Chic, which spent six consecutive weeks in the top spot and was ranked by Billboard as the year's top soul song. The year's final chart-topper was "Do You Love What You Feel" by Rufus and Chaka (Chaka Khan), which reached the top spot in the issue dated December 15 and stayed there for the remainder of the year. Khan had achieved her first solo number one the previous year but continued to record sporadically with the band alongside her ongoing solo career. [16]
