The following is a list of all the singles to go to No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts during (and slightly before) the soul era.

You'll notice that some of the No. 1 R&B hits of the early 1960s were pretty unlikely, such as Jimmy Gilmer's "Sugar Shack." In fact, so many pop hits made the R&B top ten during that period that Billboard discontinued the publication of its R&B chart in November of 1963--just as soul music was beginning to take off. Thankfully, Billboard restored the chart in January of 1965, although it did not change the survey's name from R&B to Soul until 1969.

Finally, any song with an asterisk (*) next to its title is one that fell from the top spot, only to reclaim it later.

And now, on with the show!

Back

1/11 SMOKIE--PART 2, Bill Black's Combo (4 weeks)

2/08 BABY (YOU'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES), Brook Benton & Dinah Washington (10 weeks)

4/18 FANNIE MAE, Buster Brown (1 week)

4/25 WHITE SILVER SANDS, Bill Black's Combo (4 weeks)

5/23 DOGGIN' AROUND, Jackie Wilson (3 weeks)

6/13 CATHY'S CLOWN, The Everly Brothers (1 week)

6/20 *A ROCKIN' GOOD WAY (TO MESS AROUND AND FALL IN LOVE), Brook Benton & Dinah Washington (4 weeks)

7/11 THERE'S SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND--PART 2, Bobby Marchan (1 week)

7/25 THIS BITTER EARTH, Dinah Washington (1 week)

8/01 A WOMAN, A LOVER, A FRIEND, Jackie Wilson (4 weeks)

8/29 KIDDIO, Brook Benton (9 weeks)

10/31 SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME, The Drifters (1 week)

11/07 *LET'S GO, LET'S GO, LET'S GO, Hank Ballard & The Midnighters (3 weeks)

1/16 SHOP AROUND, The Miracles (8 weeks)

3/13 PONY TIME, Chubby Checker (2 weeks)

3/27 I PITY THE FOOL, Bobby "Blue" Bland (1 week)

4/03 BLUE MOON, The Marcels (2 weeks)

4/17 ONE MINT JULEP, Ray Charles (1 week)

4/24 MOTHER-IN-LAW, Ernie K-Doe (5 weeks)

5/29 STAND BY ME, Ben E. King (4 weeks)

6/26 EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART, The Pips (1 week)

7/03 TOSSIN' AND TURNIN', Bobby Lewis (10 weeks)

9/11 MY TRUE STORY, The Jive Five (3 weeks)

10/02 HIT THE ROAD JACK, Ray Charles (5 weeks)

11/06 YA YA, Lee Dorsey (1 week)

1/06 UNCHAIN MY HEART, Ray Charles (2 weeks)

1/20 I KNOW (YOU DON'T LOVE ME NO MORE), Barbara George (4 weeks)

2/17 DUKE OF EARL, Gene Chandler (5 weeks)

3/24 TWISTIN' THE NIGHT AWAY, Sam Cooke (3 weeks)

4/14 SOUL TWIST, King Curtis (2 weeks)

4/28 MASHED POTATO TIME, Dee Dee Sharp (4 weeks)

5/26 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU, Ray Charles (10 weeks)

8/04 YOU'LL LOSE A GOOD THING, Barbara Lynn (3 weeks)

8/25 THE LOCO-MOTION, Little Eva (3 weeks)

9/15 *GREEN ONIONS, Booker T. & The MGs (4 weeks)

9/22 YOU BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH, Mary Wells (1 week)

10/06 SHERRY, The Four Seasons (1 week)

10/20 *DO YOU LOVE ME, The Contours (3 weeks)

11/17 BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY, The Four Seasons (3 weeks)

12/08 *RELEASE ME, Esther Phillips (3 weeks)

1/19 TWO LOVERS, Mary Wells (4 weeks)

2/16 YOU'VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME, The Miracles (1 week)

2/23 HEY PAULA, Paul & Paula (2 weeks)

3/09 THAT'S THE WAY LOVE IS, Bobby "Blue" Bland (2 weeks)

3/23 OUR DAY WILL COME, Ruby & The Romantics (2 weeks)

4/06 HE'S SO FINE, The Chiffons (4 weeks)

5/04 BABY WORKOUT, Jackie Wilson (3 weeks)

5/25 I WILL FOLLOW HIM, Little Peggy March (1 week)

6/01 IF YOU WANNA BE HAPPY, Jimmy Soul (1 week)

6/08 ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT, Sam Cooke (1 week)

6/15 IT'S MY PARTY, Lesley Gore (3 weeks)

7/06 HELLO STRANGER, Barbara Lewis (2 weeks)

7/20 EASIER SAID THAN DONE, The Essex (2 weeks)

8/03 FINGERTIPS--PART 2, Little Stevie Wonder (6 weeks)

9/14 HEAT WAVE, Martha & The Vandellas (4 weeks)

10/12 *CRY BABY, Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters (3 weeks)

10/19 PART-TIME LOVE, Little Johnny Taylor (1 week)

11/09 IT'S ALL RIGHT, The Impressions (2 weeks)

11/23 SUGAR SHACK, Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs (1 week)

At this point, Billboard temporarily discontinued the publication of its R&B chart. When it reinstated the chart 14 months later, no more white-bread pop tunes hit No. 1 on it, thankfully.

1965:

1/30 MY GIRL, The Temptations (6 weeks)

3/13 *SHOTGUN, Jr. Walker & The All-Stars (4 weeks)

4/03 GOT TO GET YOU OFF MY MIND, Solomon Burke (3 weeks)

5/01 WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT, Little Milton (3 weeks)

5/22 I'LL BE DOGGONE, Marvin Gaye (1 week)

5/29 BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN, The Supremes (1 week)

6/05 I CAN'T HELP MYSELF, The Four Tops (9 weeks)

8/07 IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, Wilson Pickett (1 week)

8/14 PAPA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG, James Brown (8 weeks)

10/09 I WANT TO (DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU), Joe Tex (3 weeks)

10/30 RESCUE ME, Fontella Bass (4 weeks)

11/27 AIN'T THAT PECULIAR, Marvin Gaye (1 week)

1/08 A SWEET WOMAN LIKE YOU, Joe Tex (1 week)

1/22 UPTIGHT (EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT), Stevie Wonder (5 weeks)

2/26 BABY SCRATCH MY BACK, Slim Harpo (2 weeks)

3/12 634-5789 (SOULSVILLE, U.S.A.), Wilson Pickett (7 weeks)

4/30 GET READY, The Temptations (1 week)

5/07 WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN, Percy Sledge (4 weeks)

6/04 IT'S A MAN'S MAN'S MAN'S WORLD, James Brown (2 weeks)

6/18 HOLD ON! I'M A-COMIN', Sam & Dave (1 week)

6/25 *AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG, The Temptations (8 weeks)

7/23 LET'S GO GET STONED, Ray Charles (1 week)

8/27 BLOWIN' IN THE WIND, Stevie Wonder (1 week)

9/03 YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE, The Supremes (2 weeks)

9/17 LAND OF A THOUSAND DANCES, Wilson Pickett (1 week)

9/24 BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP, The Temptations (5 weeks)

10/29 REACH OUT, I'LL BE THERE, The Four Tops (2 weeks)

11/12 LOVE IS A HURTIN' THING, Lou Rawls (1 week)

11/19 KNOCK ON WOOD, Eddie Floyd (1 week)

11/26 YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON, The Supremes (4 weeks)

1/07 TELL IT LIKE IT IS, Aaron Neville (5 weeks)

2/11 ARE YOU LONELY FOR ME, Freddie Scott (4 weeks)

3/11 LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE, The Supremes (2 weeks)

3/25 I NEVER LOVED A MAN (THE WAY I LOVE YOU), Aretha Franklin (7 weeks)

5/13 JIMMY MACK, Martha & The Vandellas (1 week)

5/20 RESPECT, Aretha Franklin (8 weeks)

7/15 *I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER, Stevie Wonder (4 weeks)

7/22 MAKE ME YOURS, Bettye Swann (2 weeks)

8/26 BABY I LOVE YOU, Aretha Franklin (2 weeks)

9/09 COLD SWEAT, James Brown (3 weeks)

9/30 FUNKY BROADWAY, Wilson Pickett (1 week)

10/07 (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER, Jackie Wilson (1 week)

10/14 SOUL MAN, Sam & Dave (7 weeks)

1/13 I SECOND THAT EMOTION, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1 week)

1/20 CHAIN OF FOOLS, Aretha Franklin (4 weeks)

2/17 I WISH IT WOULD RAIN, The Temptations (3 weeks)

3/09 WE'RE A WINNER, The Impressions (1 week)

3/16 (SITTIN' ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY, Otis Redding (3 weeks)

4/06 (SWEET SWEET BABY) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE, Aretha Franklin (3 weeks)

4/27 I GOT THE FEELIN', James Brown (2 weeks)

5/11 COWBOYS TO GIRLS, The Intruders (1 week)

5/18 TIGHTEN UP, Archie Bell & The Drells (2 weeks)

6/01 SHOO-BE-DOO-BE-DOO-DA-DAY, Stevie Wonder (1 week)

6/08 AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (1 week)

6/15 THINK, Aretha Franklin (3 weeks)

7/06 I COULD NEVER LOVE ANOTHER (AFTER LOVING YOU), The Temptations (1 week)

7/13 GRAZING IN THE GRASS, Hugh Masekela (4 weeks)

8/10 STAY IN MY CORNER, The Dells (3 weeks)

8/31 YOU'RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (5 weeks)

10/05 SAY IT LOUD--I'M BLACK AND I'M PROUD, James Brown (6 weeks)

11/16 HEY, WESTERN UNION MAN, Jerry Butler (1 week)

11/23 WHO'S MAKING LOVE, Johnnie Taylor (3 weeks)

2/01 CAN I CHANGE MY MIND, Tyrone Davis (3 weeks)

2/22 EVERYDAY PEOPLE, Sly & The Family Stone (2 weeks)

3/08 GIVE IT UP OR TURNIT LOOSE, James Brown (2 weeks)

3/22 RUN AWAY CHILD RUNNING WILD, The Temptations (2 weeks)

4/05 ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE, Jerry Butler (2 weeks)

4/19 IT'S YOUR THING, The Isley Brothers (4 weeks)

5/17 THE CHOKIN' KIND, Joe Simon (3 weeks)

6/07 TOO BUSY THINKING ABOUT MY BABY, Marvin Gaye (6 weeks)

7/19 WHAT DOES IT TAKE (TO WIN YOUR LOVE), Jr. Walker & The All-Stars (2 weeks)

8/02 MOTHER POPCORN (YOU GOT TO HAVE A MOTHER FOR ME), James Brown (2 weeks)

8/16 CHOICE OF COLORS, The Impressions (1 week)

8/23 SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME, Aretha Franklin (5 weeks)

9/27 OH WHAT A NIGHT, The Dells (1 week)

10/04 I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU, The Temptations (5 weeks)

11/08 BABY I'M FOR REAL, The Originals (5 weeks)

1/10 I WANT YOU BACK, The Jackson 5 (4 weeks)

2/07 THANK YOU (FALETTINME BE MICE ELF AGIN), Sly & The Family Stone (5 weeks)

3/14 RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA, Brook Benton (1 week)

3/21 CALL ME, Aretha Franklin (2 weeks)

4/04 ABC, The Jackson 5 (4 weeks)

5/02 TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME, Tyrone Davis (2 weeks)

5/16 LOVE ON A TWO-WAY STREET, The Moments (5 weeks)

6/20 THE LOVE YOU SAVE, Tha Jackson 5 (6 weeks)

8/01 SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, I'M YOURS, Stevie Wonder (6 weeks)

9/12 DON'T PLAY THAT SONG, Aretha Franklin (3 weeks)

10/03 AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH, Diana Ross (1 week)

10/10 I'LL BE THERE, The Jackson 5 (6 weeks)

11/21 SUPER BAD, James Brown (2 weeks)

12/05 THE TEARS OF A CLOWN, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (3 weeks)

1/04 *GROOVE ME, King Floyd (4 weeks)

1/23 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN, Gladys Knight & The Pips (1 week)

2/06 (DO THE) PUSH AND PULL, Rufus Thomas (2 weeks)

2/20 JODY'S GOT YOUR GIRL AND GONE, Johnnie Taylor (2 weeks)

3/06 JUST MY IMAGINATION (RUNNING AWAY WITH ME), The Tempta tions (3 weeks)

3/27 WHAT'S GOING ON, Marvin Gaye (5 weeks)

5/01 NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE, The Jackson 5 (3 weeks)

5/22 *BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER, Aretha Franklin (2 weeks)

5/29 WANT ADS, The Honey Cone (3 weeks)

6/26 DON'T KNOCK MY LOVE, Wilson Pickett (1 week)

7/03 MR. BIG STUFF, Jean Knight (5 weeks)

8/07 HOT PANTS, James Brown (1 week)

8/14 MERCY MERCY ME (THE ECOLOGY), Marvin Gaye (2 weeks)

8/28 SPANISH HARLEM, Aretha Franklin (3 weeks)

9/18 STICK-UP, The Honey Cone (2 weeks)

10/02 MAKE IT FUNKY, James Brown (2 weeks)

10/16 THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE, The Persuaders (2 weeks)

10/30 TRAPPED BY A THING CALLED LOVE, Denise LaSalle (1 week)

11/06 INNER CITY BLUES (MAKE ME WANNA HOLLER), Marvin Gaye (2 weeks)

11/20 HAVE YOU SEEN HER, The Chi-Lites (2 weeks)

1/08 LET'S STAY TOGETHER, Al Green (9 weeks)

3/11 TALKING LOUD AND SAYING NOTHING, James Brown (1 week)

3/18 I GOTCHA, Joe Tex (1 week)

3/25 IN THE RAIN, The Dramatics (4 weeks)

4/22 DAY DREAMING, Aretha Franklin (2 weeks)

5/06 I'LL TAKE YOU THERE, The Staple Singers (4 weeks)

6/03 OH GIRL, The Chi-Lites (2 weeks)

6/17 WOMAN'S GOTTA HAVE IT, Bobby Womack (1 week)

6/24 LEAN ON ME, Bill Withers (1 week)

7/01 OUTA-SPACE, Billy Preston (1 week)

7/08 (IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT, Luther Ingram (4 weeks)

8/05 WHERE IS THE LOVE, Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (1 week)

8/12 I'M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU, Al Green (2 weeks)

8/26 POWER OF LOVE, Joe Simon (2 weeks)

9/09 BACK STABBERS, The O'Jays (1 week)

9/16 GET ON THE GOOD FOOT, James Brown (4 weeks)

10/14 I'LL BE AROUND, The Spinners (5 weeks)

11/18 IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME BY NOW, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes (2 weeks)

12/02 YOU OUGHT TO BE WITH ME, Al Green (1 week)

1/06 SUPERSTITION, Stevie Wonder (3 weeks)

1/27 WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER, Timmy Thomas (2 weeks)

2/10 COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE, The Spinners (1 week)

2/17 LOVE TRAIN, The O'Jays (4 weeks)

3/17 NEITHER ONE OF US (WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE), Gladys Knight & The Pips (4 weeks)

4/14 MASTERPIECE, The Temptations (2 weeks)

4/28 PILLOW TALK, Sylvia (2 weeks)

5/12 FUNKY WORM, The Ohio Players (1 week)

5/19 LEAVING ME, The Independents (1 week)

5/26 I'M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY, Barry White (2 weeks)

6/09 ONE OF A KIND (LOVE AFFAIR), The Spinners (4 weeks)

7/07 DOING IT TO DEATH, Fred Wesley & The JBs (2 weeks)

7/21 I BELIEVE IN YOU (YOU BELIEVE IN ME), Johnnie Taylor (2 weeks)

8/04 ANGEL, Aretha Franklin (2 weeks)

8/18 LET'S GET IT ON, Marvin Gaye (6 weeks)

9/29 HIGHER GROUND, Stevie Wonder (1 week)

10/06 KEEP ON TRUCKIN', Eddie Kendricks (2 weeks)

10/20 MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA, Gladys Knight & The Pips (4 weeks)

11/17 SPACE RACE, Billy Preston (1 week)

11/24 THE LOVE I LOST, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes (2 weeks)

12/08 IF YOU'RE READY (COME GO WITH ME), The Staple Singers (3 weeks)

1/12 UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME (THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO), Aretha Franklin (1 week)

1/19 I'VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION, Gladys Knight & The Pips (1 week)

1/26 LIVIN' FOR YOU, Al Green (1 week)

2/02 LET YOUR HAIR DOWN, The Temptations (1 week)

2/09 BOOGIE DOWN, Eddie Kendricks (3 weeks)

3/02 MIGHTY LOVE, The Spinners (2 weeks)

3/16 LOOKIN' FOR A LOVE, Bobby Womack (3 weeks)

4/06 BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME, Gladys Knight & The Pips (2 weeks)

4/20 TSOP (THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA), MFSB with The Three Degrees (1 week)

4/27 THE PAYBACK, James Brown (2 weeks)

5/11 DANCING MACHINE, The Jackson 5 (1 week)

5/18 I'M IN LOVE, Aretha Franklin (2 weeks)

6/01 BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU GOT, William DeVaughn (1 week)

6/08 HOLLYWOOD SWINGING, Kool & The Gang (1 week)

6/15 SIDESHOW, Blue Magic (1 week)

6/22 FINALLY GOT MYSELF TOGETHER (I'M A CHANGED MAN), The Impressions (2 weeks)

7/06 ROCK YOUR BABY, George McCrae (2 weeks)

7/20 MY THANG, James Brown (2 weeks)

8/03 FEEL LIKE MAKIN' LOVE, Roberta Flack (5 weeks)

9/07 CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE, BABE, Barry White (3 weeks)

9/28 YOU HAVEN'T DONE NOTHIN', Stevie Wonder (2 weeks)

10/12 PAPA DON'T TAKE NO MESS, James Brown (1 week)

10/19 DO IT ('TIL YOU'RE SATISFIED), B.T. Express (1 week)

10/26 HIGHER PLANE, Kool & The Gang (1 week)

11/02 LET'S STRAIGHTEN IT OUT, Latimore (2 weeks)

11/16 WOMAN TO WOMAN, Shirley Brown (2 weeks)

11/30 I FEEL A SONG (IN MY HEART), Gladys Knight & The Pips (2 weeks)

12/14 YOU GOT THE LOVE, Rufus & Chaka Khan (1 week)

12/21 SHE'S GONE, Tavares (1 week)