R&B number-one hits of 1968 (USA)
Encyclopedia
These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1968:
See also: 1968 in music
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
See also: 1968 in music
1968 in music
-Events:*January 4 – Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police, after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with bassist Noel Redding.*January 6 – Gibson Guitar Corporation patents its Gibson Flying V electric guitar design....
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
| Issue Date | Song | Artist |
| January 6 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine I Heard It through the Grapevine "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a landmark song in the history of Motown. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles... " |
Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & The Pips were an R&B/soul family musical act from Atlanta, Georgia, active from 1953 to 1989. The group was best known for their string of hit singles on Motown's "Soul" record label and Buddah Records from 1967 to 1975, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight... |
| January 13 | "I Second That Emotion I Second That Emotion "I Second That Emotion" is a 1967 song primarily composed by Smokey Robinson and originally released as a single from his band Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for the Motown label. The song peaked for three weeks in the United States at #4 on the Billboard pop singles chart in December 1967... " |
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles |
| January 20 | "Chain of Fools Chain of Fools Chain of Fools is a 2000 heist comedy/romance film about a hapless barber named Kresk .-Plot:... " |
Aretha Franklin Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All... |
| January 27 | "Chain of Fools" | Aretha Franklin |
| February 3 | "Chain of Fools" | Aretha Franklin |
| February 10 | "Chain of Fools" | Aretha Franklin |
| February 17 | "I Wish It Would Rain I Wish It Would Rain "I Wish It Would Rain" is a 1967 song recorded by the Temptations for the Motown label and produced by Norman Whitfield.-Background:... " |
The Temptations The Temptations The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,... |
| February 24 | "I Wish It Would Rain" | The Temptations |
| March 2 | "I Wish It Would Rain" | The Temptations |
| March 9 | "We're a Winner We're a Winner "We're a Winner" is a 1967 single recorded by The Impressions for the ABC-Paramount label. Written and produced by Impressions lead singer Curtis Mayfield, the song is notable as one of the most prominent popular recordings dealing with the subject of black pride... " |
The Impressions The Impressions (American band) The Impressions are an American music group from Chicago, originally formed in 1958. Their repertoire includes doo-wop, gospel, soul, and R&B.... |
| March 16 | "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay " The Dock of the Bay" is a song co-written by soul singer Otis Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper. It was first recorded by Otis Redding in 1967, just days before his death. It was released posthumously on Stax Records' Volt label in 1968, becoming the first posthumous number-one single in U.S... " |
Otis Redding Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B... |
| March 23 | "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" | Otis Redding |
| March 30 | "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" | Otis Redding |
| April 6 | "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone " Since You've Been Gone" is a classic song by R&B singer Aretha Franklin. Released from her Lady Soul album in 1968, the song was successful, debuting at #32 on the Hot 100, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and spent three weeks at #1 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart... " |
Aretha Franklin |
| April 13 | "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" | Aretha Franklin |
| April 20 | "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" | Aretha Franklin |
| April 27 | "I Got the Feelin' I Got the Feelin' "I Got the Feelin" is a funk song by James Brown. Released as a single in 1968, it reached #1 on the R&B charts and #6 on the pop charts. It also appeared on a 1968 album of the same name.... " |
James Brown |
| May 4 | "I Got the Feelin'" | James Brown |
| May 11 | "Cowboys to Girls Cowboys to Girls Cowboys to Girls is a 1968 R&B single written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and performed by The Intruders. The single was a crossover hit becoming The Intruders first Top 40 single... " |
The Intruders The Intruders The Intruders were an American soul music group most popular in the 1960s and 1970s. As one of the first groups to have hit songs under the direction of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, they had a major influence on the development of Philadelphia soul.... |
| May 17 | "Tighten Up Tighten Up (Archie Bell & the Drells song) "Tighten Up" was a 1968 song by Houston, Texas based R&B vocal group Archie Bell & the Drells. It reached #1 on both the Billboard R&B and pop charts in the spring of 1968. It is ranked #265 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is one of the earliest funk hits in music... " |
Archie Bell & the Drells Archie Bell & the Drells Archie Bell & the Drells was a R&B vocal group from Houston, Texas, and one of the main acts on Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records... |
| May 24 | "Tighten Up" | Archie Bell & the Drells |
| June 1 | "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" is a hit 1968 single released by American and Motown recording artist Stevie Wonder. The song, co-written by Wonder and produced by Henry Cosby and Sylvia Moy, was the first to showcase Wonder's talents at the clavinet and was one of his first successful co-written... " |
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... |
| June 8 | "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing -Marcella Detroit & Elton John version:"Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" was recorded by Elton John as a duet with Marcella Detroit, and featured on his 1993 album Duets. It was also later included on Detroit's 1994 album Jewel. Released as a two-part CD single single in May 1994, it peaked at... " |
Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range.... and Tammi Terrell Tammi Terrell Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed... |
| June 15 | "Think" | Aretha Franklin |
| June 22 | "Think" | Aretha Franklin |
| June 29 | "Think" | Aretha Franklin |
| July 6 | "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) "I Could Never Love Another " is a single recorded by The Temptations and released on Motown Records' Gordy label during the spring of 1968... " |
The Temptations |
| July 13 | "Grazing in the Grass Grazing in the Grass "Grazing in the Grass" is an instrumental composed by Philemon Hou and first recorded by the South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. It is recognizable by its prominent cowbell part. Released in the United States as a single in 1968, it hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.-Recording:"Grazing in... " |
Hugh Masekela Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramopolo Masekela is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer.-Early life:Masekela was born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank, South Africa. He began singing and playing piano as a child... |
| July 20 | "Grazing in the Grass" | Hugh Masekela |
| July 27 | "Grazing in the Grass" | Hugh Masekela |
| August 3 | Grazing in the Grass | Hugh Masekela |
| August 10 | "Stay in My Corner Stay in My Corner Stay in My Corner is a 1965 soul single by The Dells. It was recorded under the Vee-Jay label and peaked in the top 30 on the R&B singles chart. Three years later, The Dells rerecorded, "Stay in My Corner on the Cadet label and took the new version of the song to number one for three weeks on... " |
The Dells The Dells The Dells are an R&B and crossover musical group. Their successful recordings spanned more than four decades. Formed in 1952 after attending high school together, the Dells' repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul, disco and contemporary rhythm and blues... |
| August 17 | "Stay in My Corner" | The Dells |
| August 24 | "Stay in My Corner" | The Dells |
| August 31 | "You're All I Need to Get By You're All I Need to Get By "You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" from Method Man and Mary J... " |
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell |
| September 7 | "You're All I Need To Get By" | Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell |
| September 14 | "You're All I Need To Get By" | Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell |
| September 21 | "You're All I Need To Get By" | Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell |
| September 28 | "You're All I Need To Get By" | Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell |
| October 5 | "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1) Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud "Say It Loud — I'm Black and I'm Proud" is a funk song written and recorded by James Brown in 1968. It is notable both as one of Brown's signature songs and as one of the most popular Black Power anthems of the 1960s. The song was released as a two-part single which held the number-one spot on the... " |
James Brown |
| October 12 | "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1)" | James Brown |
| October 19 | "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1)" | James Brown |
| October 26 | "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1)" | James Brown |
| November 2 | "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1)" | James Brown |
| November 9 | "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1)" | James Brown |
| November 16 | "Hey, Western Union Man Hey, Western Union Man "Hey, Western Union Man" is a 1968 soul single by Jerry Butler written by Butler with Kenny Gamble, and Leon Huff. The single became Jerry Butler's second number one R&B hit on the Billboard chart, where it stayed for a week. "Hey, Western Union Man" was also part of a string of Top 40 crossover... " |
Jerry Butler Jerry Butler (singer) Jerry Butler is an American soul singer and songwriter. He is also noted as being the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group, The Impressions, as well as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.Butler is also an American politician... |
| November 23 | "Who's Making Love Who's Making Love "Who's Making Love" is a single recorded by singer Johnnie Taylor and released on the Stax label in the late summer of 1968. The single became Taylor's breakthrough single, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and number five on the Billboard Hot 100. It became one of the few... " |
Johnnie Taylor Johnnie Taylor Johnnie Harrison Taylor was an American vocalist in a wide variety of genres, from rhythm and blues, soul, blues and gospel to pop, doo-wop and disco.-Early years:... |
| November 30 | "Who's Making Love" | Johnnie Taylor |
| December 7 | "Who's Making Love" | Johnnie Taylor |
| December 14 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine I Heard It through the Grapevine "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a landmark song in the history of Motown. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles... " |
Marvin Gaye |
| December 21 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" | Marvin Gaye |
| December 28 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" | Marvin Gaye |