R&B number-one hits of 1973 (USA)
Encyclopedia
These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1973:
See also: 1973 in music
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
See also: 1973 in music
1973 in music
-January–April:*January 9 – Mick Jagger's request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug conviction, putting an abrupt end to The Rolling Stones' plans to perform in Japan during their forthcoming tour.*January 14...
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
| Issue Date | Song | Artist |
| January 6 | "Superstition Superstition (song) "Superstition" is a popular song written, produced, arranged, and performed by Stevie Wonder for Motown Records in 1972, when Wonder was 22 years old. It was the lead single for Wonder's Talking Book album, and released in many countries. It reached number one in the USA, and number one on the soul... " |
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... |
| January 13 | "Superstition" | Stevie Wonder |
| January 20 | "Superstition" | Stevie Wonder |
| January 27 | "Why Can't We Live Together Why Can't We Live Together Why Can't We Live Together is a song by Timmy Thomas from the album Why Can't We Live Together. The song is notable for its sparse, stripped-down production, which featured only a Hammond organ, percussion from an early rhythm machine and Thomas's passionate, soulful vocal... " |
Timmy Thomas Timmy Thomas Timmy Thomas is an American R&B singer, keyboardist, songwriter and record producer, best known for the hit song, "Why Can't We Live Together".-Career:... |
| February 3 | "Why Can't We Live Together" | Timmy Thomas |
| February 10 | "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love Could It Be I'm Falling in Love "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" is a 1972 song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners . The song was co-written by Melvin and Mervin Steals who were two songwriter brothers working for Atlantic, who were sometimes credited as "Mystro and Lyric." It was produced by Thom Bell... " |
The Spinners |
| February 17 | "Love Train Love Train "Love Train" is a hit single by the O'Jays, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Released in 1972, it reached number one on both the R&B Singles and the Hot 100, in February and March 1973 respectively, and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was The O'Jays' first and only number-one record on... " |
The O'Jays The O'Jays The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005... |
| February 24 | "Love Train" | The O'Jays |
| March 3 | "Love Train" | The O'Jays |
| March 10 | "Love Train" | The O'Jays |
| March 17 | "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) "Neither One of Us " is a song recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Released in 1973 from the album, Neither One of Us, the song spent four weeks at number one on the Soul Singles chart during the spring of that year. The song was also one of their biggest crossover hits, peaking at number 2 on... " |
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... |
| March 24 | "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" | Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| March 31 | "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" | Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| April 7 | "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" | Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| April 14 | "Masterpiece Masterpiece (Temptations song) "Masterpiece" is a 1973 soul single by American vocal group The Temptations. The song's architect, Norman Whitfield, titled the song "Masterpiece" because he felt it was a perfect blending of strings, horns, rhythm players, voices, studio tricks, and sweetening elements. However, the word... " |
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,... |
| April 21 | "Masterpiece" | The Temptations |
| April 28 | "Pillow Talk Pillow Talk (song) "Pillow Talk" in 1973 song by American soul singer-songwriter Sylvia.-History:Sylvia had originally hoped the song would be recorded by Al Green, who turned it down as he thought it was too risqué and against his religion. She eventually recorded "Pillow Talk" and released it in 1973... " |
Sylvia Sylvia Robinson Sylvia Robinson was an American singer, musician, record producer, and record label executive, most notably known for her work as founder/CEO of the hip hop label Sugar Hill Records. She is credited as the driving force behind two landmark singles in the genre... |
| May 5 | "Pillow Talk" | Sylvia |
| May 12 | "Funky Worm Funky Worm "Funky Worm" is a song by American funk group the Ohio Players, from their album Pleasure. It peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard R&B charts in 1973 and also peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100.-Influence:... " |
The Ohio Players |
| May 19 | "Leaving Me Leaving Me (song) Leaving Me is a 1973 crossover single by The Independents. The single was their biggest on the R&B chart hitting #1 for one week. The single, which peaked at number twenty-one, was the only Top 40 hit for the group. "Leaving Me" was written and produced by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy Leaving... " |
The Independents The Independents (vocal group) The Independents were an American R&B vocal group active from 1971 to 1975. They scored several hits on the U.S. Pop and R&B charts. Their biggest success came in 1973 when "Leaving Me" went to #21 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on that chart for 14 weeks and selling over one million copies. The... |
| May 26 | "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" is a song written, produced and recorded by Barry White. Considering how successful it would end up being, it would probably come as a surprise that, for many years, White had little to no interest in a recording career... " |
Barry White Barry White Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring... |
| June 2 | "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" | Barry White |
| June 9 | "One of a Kind (Love Affair) One of a Kind (Love Affair) "One of a Kind " is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners . The song was... " |
The Spinners |
| June 16 | "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" | The Spinners |
| June 23 | "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" | The Spinners |
| June 30 | "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" | The Spinners |
| July 7 | "Doing It to Death Doing It to Death "Doing It to Death" is a funk song recorded by The J.B.'s featuring James Brown. It was released as a single in 1973 and peaked at number one on the soul singles chart and number twenty-two on the Hot 100... " |
Fred Wesley Fred Wesley Fred Wesley is an American jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:... & the J.B.'s The J.B.'s The J.B.'s were James Brown's band during the first half of the 1970s. On record the J.B.'s were sometimes billed under various alternate names such as The James Brown Soul Train, Maceo and the Macks, A.A.B.B., The First Family and The Last Word... |
| July 14 | "Doing It to Death" | Fred Wesley & the J.B.'s |
| July 21 | "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me) I Believe in You (You Believe in Me) I Believe in You " is a song written and produced by Don Davis and recorded by Johnnie Taylor. Davis had originally begun writing the song in 1965. When he found himself two songs short while working to complete Taylor's Taylored in Silk LP, Davis chose "I Believe in You as one of the songs that... " |
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:... |
| July 28 | "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)" | Johnnie Taylor |
| August 4 | "Angel Angel (Aretha Franklin song) "Angel" is a soul ballad recorded by American singer Aretha Franklin. The song was co-written by Aretha's sister, Carolyn, and Sonny Saunders. Aretha co-produced the song with Quincy Jones and it originally appeared on Aretha's 1973 album "Hey Now Hey "... " |
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... |
| August 11 | "Angel" | Aretha Franklin |
| August 18 | "Let's Get It On Let's Get It On (song) "Let's Get It On" is a song and hit single by soul musician Marvin Gaye, released June 15, 1973 on Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. The song was recorded on March 22, 1973 at Hitsville West in Los Angeles, California. The song features romantic and sexual lyricism and funk instrumentation by... " |
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.... |
| August 25 | "Let's Get It On" | Marvin Gaye |
| September 1 | "Let's Get It On" | Marvin Gaye |
| September 8 | "Let's Get It On" | Marvin Gaye |
| September 15 | "Let's Get It On" | Marvin Gaye |
| September 22 | "Let's Get It On" | Marvin Gaye |
| September 29 | "Higher Ground" | Stevie Wonder |
| October 6 | "Keep on Truckin' Keep on Truckin' (song) "Keep on Truckin" is a 1973 hit song recorded by Eddie Kendricks for Motown Records' Tamla label. The song was Kendricks' first major hit as a solo artist, coming two years after his departure from The Temptations... " |
Eddie Kendricks Eddie Kendricks Eddie Kendricks was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. His was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do The Things... |
| October 13 | "Keep on Truckin'" | Eddie Kendricks |
| October 20 | "Midnight Train to Georgia Midnight Train to Georgia "Midnight Train to Georgia" is a 1973 number-one hit single by Gladys Knight & the Pips, their second release after departing Motown Records for Buddah Records... " |
Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| October 27 | "Midnight Train to Georgia" | Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| November 3 | "Midnight Train to Georgia" | Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| November 10 | "Midnight Train to Georgia" | Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| November 17 | "Space Race Space Race (song) "Space Race" is an instrumental track by Billy Preston, released as a single in 1973. The single hit number one on the R&B chart for one week and number four on the Pop Singles chart... " |
Billy Preston Billy Preston William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from... |
| November 24 | "The Love I Lost (Part 1) The Love I Lost "The Love I Lost" is a soul/disco song by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Originally written as a ballad by Philly soul songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the song was transformed into a disco song. It was released from the Black & Blue album in late 1973... " |
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American singing group, one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. The group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco... |
| December 1 | "The Love I Lost (Part 1)" | Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes |
| December 8 | "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) "If You're Ready " is the title of a song by The Staple Singers. Released from their album, Be What You Are, the single spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard magazine's Hot Soul Singles chart in 1973... " |
The Staple Singers The Staple Singers The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples , the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha , Pervis , Yvonne , and Mavis... |
| December 15 | "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" | The Staple Singers |
| December 22 | "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" | The Staple Singers |
| December 29 | "Living for the City Living for the City "Living for the City" is a 1973 hit single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label, from his Innervisions album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the R&B chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate... " |
Stevie Wonder |
Chart comparisons
- Five songs went to number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Superstition," "Love Train," "Let's Get It On," "Midnight Train to Georgia" and "Keep On Truckin'."