Billboard #1 R&B Songs: The Blackout Period

[blackbowl68]

As many of may know, Billboard did not tabulate an R&B chart between 11/30/1963 to 1/23/1965. The magazine allegedly did this because it began to resemble the Hot 100 too closely. Anyway, I bought a copy of 2000 edition of JW's Top R&B Singles book where he includes records that might have made the chart during this "blackout" period and their Hot 100 peaks. Through some research, I made a list of what the #1 songs MIGHT have been had they continued the chart during this period. I wanted to share this with you and get some feedback. THIS IS ONLY AN EDUCATED GUESS:

1ST WK WKS
11/30/63 2 WALKING THE DOG - RUFUS THOMAS
12/14/63 3 QUICKSAND - MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS

1/04/64 1 THAT LUCKY OLD SUN - RAY CHARLES
1/11/64 6 UM, UM, UM, UM, UM, UM - MAJOR LANCE
2/22/64 2 GOOD NEWS - SAM COOKE
3/07/64 3 HI-HEEL SNEAKERS - TOMMY TUCKER
3/28/64 3 THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT'S IN HIS KISS) - BETTY EVERETT
4/18/64 1 YOU'RE A WONDERFUL ONE - MARVIN GAYE
4/25/64 5 MY GUY - MARY WELLS
5/30/64 1 WALK ON BY - DIONNE WARWICK
6/06/64 2 CHAPEL OF LOVE - THE DIXIE CUPS
6/20/64 4 KEEP ON PUSHING - THE IMPRESSIONS
7/18/64 2 STEAL AWAY - JIMMY HUGHES
8/01/64 2 JUST BE TRUE - GENE CHANDLER
8/15/64 4 WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO - THE SUPREMES
9/12/64 1 SELFISH ONE - JACKIE ROSS
9/19/64 7 DANCING IN THE STREET - MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS
11/07/64 3 BABY LOVE - THE SUPREMES
11/28/64 2 GOIN' OUT OF MY HEAD - LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS
12/12/64 4 COME SEE ABOUT ME - THE SUPREMES

1/09/65 3 HOLD WHAT YOU'VE GOT - JOE TEX

NOTE: I thought it was weird Billboard chose to sit this chart out at the height of Beatlemania & the British Invasion.

[dukelightning]

At least there were no James Brown or Aretha songs you listed so their totals with the most #1 soul hits does not change. Could you have also looked up the Cashbox chart to determine the songs that hit #1?

[Josh Joel's Top 40]

Jan 28, 2012 16:43:00 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

At least there were no James Brown or Aretha songs you listed so their totals with the most #1 soul hits does not change. Could you have also looked up the Cashbox chart to determine the songs that hit #1?

You'd probably have to go to your local library for that info. I have gotten a hold of various Cashbox R&B charts from my local library in the heart and soul of downtown Minneapolis. In fact they have a 1984 edition that is to remain in the library (no check out) called "Top Contemporary Black Singles" similar to the Billboard edition except it's pretty generic, hard cover by the way.

[mstgator]

In the most recent editions of the Whitburn R&B book (after the 2000 edition), he includes data from the Cashbox R&B chart for the 14 month period when Billboard didn't publish their R&B chart. Here's the Cashbox data:

1ST WK WKS
11/30/63 3 IT'S ALRIGHT - THE IMPRESSIONS (this is in addition to the 2 weeks it topped the Billboard chart)
12/21/63 6 LOUIE LOUIE - THE KINGSMEN

2/01/64 2 UM, UM, UM, UM, UM, UM - MAJOR LANCE
2/15/64 3 WHAT KIND OF FOOL (DO YOU THINK I AM) - THE TAMS
3/07/64 3 HI-HEEL SNEAKERS - TOMMY TUCKER
3/14/64 1 GOOD NEWS - SAM COOKE
4/04/64 1 THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO - TEMPTATIONS
4/11/64 3 THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT'S IN HIS KISS) - BETTY EVERETT
5/02/64 7 MY GUY - MARY WELLS
6/20/64 3 WALK ON BY - DIONNE WARWICK
7/11/64 2 GOOD TIMES - SAM COOKE
7/25/64 3 UNDER THE BOARDWALK - THE DRIFTERS
8/01/64 2 KEEP ON PUSHING - THE IMPRESSIONS
8/29/64 2 WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO - THE SUPREMES
9/12/64 4 FUNNY - JOE HINTON
10/10/64 2 MERCY, MERCY - DON COVAY & THE GOODTIMERS
10/24/64 3 LET IT BE ME - BETTY EVERETT & JERRY BUTLER
11/14/64 3 BABY LOVE - THE SUPREMES
12/05/64 2 REACH OUT FOR ME - DIONNE WARWICK
12/19/64 3 AMEN - THE IMPRESSIONS

1/09/65 1 THE JERK - THE LARKS
1/16/65 2 HOLD WHAT YOU'VE GOT - JOE TEX

blackbowl, your estimations were pretty darn close... and of course had Billboard actually published a chart, it may have been even closer to yours.

[doomsdaymachine]

Am I the only one who finds it amusing to hear the word "blackout" used in conjunction with R&B music?