List of Top Selling R&B Singles number ones of 1966

Last updated

The Supremes had two number ones ("You Can't Hurry Love" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On") in 1966. Zanggroep The Supremes in Hilton-hotel aan pers voorgesteld, v.l.n.r. Florence B, Bestanddeelnr 918-2470.jpg
The Supremes had two number ones ("You Can't Hurry Love" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On") in 1966.

In 1966, Billboard published a chart ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in rhythm and blues (R&B) 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] During the year, 20 different singles topped the chart, which was published under the title Top Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles through the issue dated April 2 and Top Selling R&B Singles thereafter. [2]

In the issue of Billboard dated January 1, James Brown was at number one with "I Got You (I Feel Good)", the song's fifth week in the top spot. [3] It was displaced the following week by "A Sweet Woman Like You" by Joe Tex, but returned to the top of the chart for one final week in the issue dated January 15. Many of the year's chart-toppers were released on the Motown label, including singles by Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, the Supremes and the Four Tops. [4] Motown is regarded as one of the most successful and influential labels of the 20th century and as having brought unprecedented levels of mainstream success to black music. [5] [6] The Temptations were the year's most successful act, achieving four chart-toppers with "Get Ready", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" and "(I Know) I'm Losing You", which spent a cumulative total of sixteen weeks in the top spot, the highest figure for any act. "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" spent eight non-consecutive weeks at number one, the longest time spent in the top spot by a song. The longest unbroken run at number one was seven weeks, achieved by Wilson Pickett's "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)".

In addition to the Temptations, four other acts achieved more than one number one during 1966. Brown gained his second chart-topper of the year in June with "It's a Man's Man's Man's World". Pickett topped the chart for seven weeks in March and April with "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)" and for a single week in September with "Land of a Thousand Dances", the Supremes spent time at number one in the last quarter of the year with both "You Can't Hurry Love" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On", and Wonder reached the peak position with both "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" and his recording of Bob Dylan's song "Blowin' in the Wind". [7] Artists who topped the chart for the first time in 1966 included Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Percy Sledge, who spent four weeks at number one with "When a Man Loves a Woman"; it also topped the all-genre Hot 100 chart and would prove to be his signature song, [8] but was his only chart-topper. [9]

Chart history

Key
Dagger-14-plain.pngIndicates best-charting R&B single of 1966 [10]
The Temptations had four number ones in 1966: "Get Ready", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", and "(I Know) I'm Losing You". The Temptations on the Ed Sullivan Show.JPG
The Temptations had four number ones in 1966: "Get Ready", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", and "(I Know) I'm Losing You".
Sam & Dave topped the chart with "Hold On! I'm a Comin'". Sam & Dave (2).png
Sam & Dave topped the chart with "Hold On! I'm a Comin' ".
Eddie Floyd reached number one with "Knock On Wood". He also co-wrote "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)", a chart-topper for Wilson Pickett. Eddie Floyd R&B singer.jpg
Eddie Floyd reached number one with "Knock On Wood". He also co-wrote "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)", a chart-topper for Wilson Pickett.
Stevie Wonder had two number ones ("Uptight (Everything's Alright)" and "Blowin' in the Wind") in 1966. Stevie Wonder (zanger) voor TROS-TV, Bestanddeelnr 920-8211.jpg
Stevie Wonder had two number ones ("Uptight (Everything's Alright)" and "Blowin' in the Wind") in 1966.
Chart history
Issue dateTitleArtist(s)Ref.
January 1"I Got You (I Feel Good)" James Brown [3]
January 8" A Sweet Woman Like You " Joe Tex [12]
January 15"I Got You (I Feel Good)" James Brown [13]
January 22"Uptight (Everything's Alright)" Stevie Wonder [14]
January 29 [15]
February 5 [16]
February 12 [17]
February 19 [18]
February 26"Baby Scratch My Back" Slim Harpo [19]
March 5 [20]
March 12" 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.) " Wilson Pickett [21]
March 19 [22]
March 26 [23]
April 2 [24]
April 9 [25]
April 16 [26]
April 23 [27]
April 30"Get Ready" The Temptations [28]
May 7"When a Man Loves a Woman" Percy Sledge [29]
May 14 [30]
May 21 [31]
May 28 [32]
June 4"It's a Man's Man's Man's World" James Brown [33]
June 11 [34]
June 18"Hold On! I'm a Comin' "Dagger-14-plain.png Sam & Dave [35]
June 25"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" The Temptations [36]
July 2 [37]
July 9 [38]
July 16 [39]
July 23"Let's Go Get Stoned" Ray Charles [40]
July 30"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" The Temptations [41]
August 6 [42]
August 13 [43]
August 20 [44]
August 27"Blowin' in the Wind" Stevie Wonder [45]
September 3"You Can't Hurry Love" The Supremes [46]
September 10 [47]
September 17"Land of a Thousand Dances" Wilson Pickett [48]
September 24"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" The Temptations [49]
October 1 [50]
October 8 [51]
October 15 [52]
October 22 [53]
October 29"Reach Out I'll Be There" The Four Tops [54]
November 5 [55]
November 12"Love Is a Hurtin' Thing" Lou Rawls [56]
November 19"Knock On Wood" Eddie Floyd [57]
November 26"You Keep Me Hangin' On" The Supremes [58]
December 3 [59]
December 10 [60]
December 17 [61]
December 24" (I Know) I'm Losing You " The Temptations [62]
December 31 [63]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Heard It Through the Grapevine</span> 1966 song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a single in September 1967. It went to number one on the Billboard R&B Singles chart and number two on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and shortly became the biggest selling Motown single up to that time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stop! In the Name of Love</span> 1965 single by the Supremes

"Stop! In the Name of Love" is a 1965 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Love</span> 1964 single by the Supremes

"Baby Love" is a song by American music group the Supremes from their second studio album, Where Did Our Love Go. It was written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland and was released on September 17, 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Can't Hurry Love</span> 1966 single by the Supremes

"You Can't Hurry Love" is a 1966 song originally recorded by the Supremes on the Motown label. It was released on July 25 of 1966 as the second single from their studio album The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Keep Me Hangin' On</span> 1966 single by the Supremes

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown girl group the Supremes, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. American rock band Vanilla Fudge released a cover version in June the following year, which reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. English singer Kim Wilde covered "You Keep Me Hangin' On" in 1986, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1987. In the first 32 years of the Billboard Hot 100 rock era, "You Keep Me Hangin' On" became one of the six songs to reach number one by two different musical acts. In 1996, American country singer Reba McEntire's version reached number two on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The BBC ranked the Supremes' original song at number 78 on The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all-time UK downloads and streams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Supremes discography</span>

American girl group The Supremes have released 29 studio albums, four live albums, two soundtrack albums, 32 compilation albums, four box sets, 66 singles and three promotional singles. The Supremes are the most successful American group of all-time, and the 26th greatest artist of all time on the US Billboard charts; with 12 number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and three number-one albums on the Billboard 200. The Supremes were the first artist to accumulate five consecutive number-one singles on the US Hot 100 and the first female group to top the Billboard 200 albums chart with The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966). In 2017, Billboard ranked The Supremes as the number-one girl group of all-time, publishing, 'although there have been many girl group smashes in the decades since the Supremes ruled the Billboard charts, no collective has yet to challenge their, for lack of a better word, supremacy.' In 2019, the Official Charts Company placed 7 Supremes songs—"You Can't Hurry Love" (16), "Baby Love" (23), "Stop! In The Name Of Love" (56), "Where Did Our Love Go?" (59), "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (78), "Come See About Me" (94) and "Stoned Love" (99)—on The Official Top 100 Motown songs of the Millennium chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all-time UK downloads and streams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reach Out I'll Be There</span> 1966 song by the Four Tops

"Reach Out I'll Be There" (also formatted as "Reach Out (I'll Be There)") is a song recorded by the Four Tops from their fourth studio album Reach Out (1967). Written and produced by Motown's main production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most widely-known Motown hits of the 1960s and is today considered the Four Tops' signature song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariah Carey singles discography</span>

American singer Mariah Carey has released 86 official singles, 22 promotional singles, and has made 30 guest appearances. Her self-titled debut album in 1990 yielded four number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, the first being "Vision of Love", a song credited with revolutionizing the usage of distinguished vocal stylings, predominantly the practice of melisma, and effectively influencing virtually every female R&B performer since the 1990s. Subsequent singles "Emotions" (1991) and Carey's cover of the Jackson 5 track, "I'll Be There" (1992) continued the singer's streak of US number-one singles, with the latter becoming her fourth chart-topper in Canada and first in the Netherlands. With the release of Carey's third studio album, Music Box (1993), the singer's international popularity surged upon release of "Hero" and the album's third single, her cover of Harry Nilsson's "Without You", which became the singer's first number-one single in several countries across Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beyoncé discography</span>

American singer Beyoncé has released seven studio albums, five live albums, three compilation albums, five EPs, one soundtrack album, two karaoke albums, and 83 singles. To date, Beyoncé has sold over 200 million records worldwide as a solo artist, and a further 60 million as part of Destiny's Child, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Billboard ranked her as the 37th greatest artist of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4 Seasons of Loneliness</span> 1997 single by Boyz II Men

"4 Seasons of Loneliness" is a song by Philadelphia-based vocal quartet Boyz II Men. Written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song was issued as the first single from their fourth studio album, Evolution (1997), on September 8, 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Happening (song)</span> 1967 single by The Supremes

"The Happening" is a 1967 song recorded by Motown artists The Supremes. It served as the theme song of the 1967 Columbia Pictures film The Happening, and was released as a single by Motown at the time of the film's release that spring. While the movie flopped, the song peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in May, becoming The Supremes' tenth number 1 single in the United States, peaking in the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart at number 6, and in the top 5 in the Australian Pop Chart and in the Dutch Pop Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drake discography</span>

The discography of Canadian rapper and singer Drake consists of seven studio albums, three compilation albums, four extended plays, seven mixtapes, 141 singles, five promotional singles and 84 music videos. His music has been released on record labels Universal Motown Records and Republic Records, along with subsidiaries Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and OVO Sound. With 170 million records sold worldwide, he is among the best-selling music artists in history. Drake has achieved eleven number-one albums on the Billboard 200 and twelve number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Billboard hailed him as the "Artist of the 2010s Decade" and the 16th Greatest Artist of all time. RIAA ranks him as the 2nd top-selling digital artist of all time with 164 million in the United States. He has the most number one singles on both the US Hot Rap Songs chart and the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where Did Our Love Go</span> 1964 song by the Supremes

"Where Did Our Love Go" is a 1964 song recorded by American music group the Supremes for the Motown label.

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 1, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  4. ↑ Gulla 2008, p. 339.
  5. ↑ Haider, Arwa (January 9, 2019). "Motown: The music that changed America". BBC. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Motown Music Genre Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  7. ↑ Hogan, Ed. "Blowin' in the Wind by Stevie Wonder". AllMusic . Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  8. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Percy Sledge Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Percy Sledge Chart History". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  10. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Eddie Floyd Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  12. ↑ "R & B Chart for January 8, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  13. ↑ "R & B Chart for January 15, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  14. ↑ "R & B Chart for January 22, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  15. ↑ "R & B Chart for January 29, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  16. ↑ "R & B Chart for February 5, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  17. ↑ "R & B Chart for February 12, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  18. ↑ "R & B Chart for February 19, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  19. ↑ "R & B Chart for February 26, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  20. ↑ "R & B Chart for March 5, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  21. ↑ "R & B Chart for March 12, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  22. ↑ "R & B Chart for March 19, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  23. ↑ "R & B Chart for March 26, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  24. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 2, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  25. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 9, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  26. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 16, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  27. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 23, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  28. ↑ "R & B Chart for April 30, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  29. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 7, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  30. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 14, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  31. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 21, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on August 6, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  32. ↑ "R & B Chart for May 28, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  33. ↑ "R & B Chart for June 4, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  34. ↑ "R & B Chart for June 11, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  35. ↑ "R & B Chart for June 18, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  36. ↑ "R & B Chart for June 25, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  37. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 2, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  38. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 9, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  39. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 16, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  40. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 23, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  41. ↑ "R & B Chart for July 30, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  42. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 6, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  43. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 13, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 27, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  44. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 20, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  45. ↑ "R & B Chart for August 27, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  46. ↑ "R & B Chart for September 3, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  47. ↑ "R & B Chart for September 10, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  48. ↑ "R & B Chart for September 17, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  49. ↑ "R & B Chart for September 24, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  50. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 1, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  51. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 8, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  52. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 15, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  53. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 22, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  54. ↑ "R & B Chart for October 29, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  55. ↑ "R & B Chart for November 5, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  56. ↑ "R & B Chart for November 12, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  57. ↑ "R & B Chart for November 19, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  58. ↑ "R & B Chart for November 26, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  59. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 3, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  60. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 10, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  61. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 17, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  62. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 24, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  63. ↑ "R & B Chart for December 31, 1966" . Billboard . Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
Works cited
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.