List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart
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This is a list of all the musicians and music groups who reached number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart.[1]
The chart was officially titled as follows:
- Oct 1942 – Feb 1945 The Harlem Hit Parade
- Feb 1945 – Jun 1949 Race Records
- Jun 1949 – Oct 1958 Rhythm & Blues Records
- Oct 1958 – Nov 1963 Hot R&B Sides
- Nov 1963 – Jan 1965 No chart published
- Jan 1965 – Aug 1969 Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles
- Aug 1969 – Jul 1973 Best Selling Soul Singles
- Jul 1973 – Jun 1982 Hot Soul Singles
- Jun 1982 – Oct 1990 Hot Black Singles
- Oct 1990 – Jan 1999 Hot R&B Singles
- Jan 1999 – Dec 1999 Hot R&B Singles & Tracks
- Dec 1999 – Apr 2005 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
- April 2005 – present Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Lists are alphabetical by year.
NOTE : Annual totals may not sum to 52 weeks because:
- sometimes the No. 1 place was shared
- totals are counted from the start of the stay at No. 1 - for example, a hit which reached No. 1 in November 1945 and stayed there 11 weeks is included in the 1945 list but not 1946.
As well as the R&B best sellers (BS) chart, between 1948 and 1957 there was also an R&B juke box (JB) chart, and from 1955 to 1958 there was an R&B airplay (JY - jockeys) chart. These charts were consolidated into one in October 1958. Years at No. 1 on these different charts are listed where appropriate.