R&B number-one hits of 1976 (USA)
Encyclopedia
These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1976:
See also: 1976 in music
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
See also: 1976 in music
1976 in music
-January–February:*January 5 – Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot dead by Los Angeles police after refusing to drop what police only later determine is an air rifle....
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
| Issue Date | Song | Artist |
| January 3 | Walk Away from Love Walk Away from Love "Walk Away from Love" is 1975 R&B crossover single by David Ruffin The single, produced by Van McCoy, was number one on the US R&B singles chart for one week in early 1976... |
David Ruffin David Ruffin Davis Eli "David" Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968... |
| January 10 | Sing a Song Sing a Song (song) "Sing a Song" is a hit song by R&B/funk band, Earth, Wind & Fire, which was written by Maurice White and Al McKay. It was released in 1975 and included on the band's 1975 double-live album, Gratitude. "Sing a Song" spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in January 1976, and it was... |
Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of... |
| January 17 | Wake Up Everybody (Part 1) Wake Up Everybody (song) "Wake Up Everybody" was covered in 1995 by British singer Sonia. It was produced by Steve Levine for fourth studio album Love Train - The Philly Album . The song was released as the album's first and final single. This single has two B-sides - "Show You the Way to Go" and "Nowhere Left to Hide".... |
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... |
| January 24 | Wake Up Everybody (Part 1) | Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes |
| January 31 | Sing A Song | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| February 7 | Turning Point Turning Point (Tyrone Davis song) "Turning Point" is a hit song by R&B singer Tyrone Davis. Released from the 1976 album of the same title, it spent a week at number one on the R&B singles chart in February of that year, however did not chart on the Hot 100 and holds the distinction of being the first number one soul single to... |
Tyrone Davis Tyrone Davis Tyrone Davis , born Tyrone Fettson, was a leading American soul singer with a distinctive style, recording a long list of hit records over a period of more than 20 years. He had three no... |
| February 14 | Inseparable Inseparable (song) "Inseparable" is a song originally recorded by R&B singer Natalie Cole. Released in 1975, it was her second straight number one single on the Hot Soul Singles chart from her debut album,Inseparable, and also reached number thirty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart... |
Natalie Cole Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"... |
| February 21 | Sweet Thing Sweet Thing (Chaka Khan song) "Sweet Thing" is a soul single that was first a hit with Rufus featuring Chaka Khan when they recorded the song in 1975 eventually reaching number-one on the R&B singles chart and number five on the pop chart... |
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan Rufus (band) Rufus was an American funk band from Chicago, Illinois best known for launching the career of lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several hits throughout their career, including "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," and "Ain't Nobody."-Origins:... |
| February 28 | Sweet Thing | Rufus featuring Chaka Khan |
| March 6 | Sweet Thing | Rufus featuring Chaka Khan |
| March 13 | Disco Lady Disco Lady "Disco Lady" is a 1976 single for Johnnie Taylor that went on to become his biggest hit. It spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and six weeks on the Billboard R&B chart in the U.S. It was also the first single to be certified platinum by the RIAA... |
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:... |
| March 20 | Disco Lady | Johnnie Taylor |
| March 27 | Disco Lady | Johnnie Taylor |
| April 3 | Disco Lady | Johnnie Taylor |
| April 10 | Disco Lady | Johnnie Taylor |
| April 17 | Disco Lady | Johnnie Taylor |
| April 24 | Livin' for the Weekend Livin' for the Weekend "Livin' for the Weekend" was a popular song by R&B vocal group The O'Jays. Released from their 1975 album, Family Reunion, it spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in the spring of that year. It was also successful on the pop charts, peaking at number twenty on the Billboard Hot... /Stairway to Heaven |
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... |
| May 1 | Livin' for the Weekend/Stairway to Heaven | The O'Jays |
| May 8 | Movin' | Brass Construction Brass Construction Brass Construction was an American funk group formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1968. They were originally known as Dynamic Soul, and went on to record a string of hit singles and albums through to 1985.-Career:... |
| May 15 | Love Hangover Love Hangover "Love Hangover" was the fourth number one single for Motown singer Diana Ross. It was released in March 1976, and rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Soul Singles and Hot Dance Club Play charts simultaneously.... |
Diana Ross Diana Ross Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway... |
| May 22 | Kiss and Say Goodbye Kiss and Say Goodbye "Kiss and Say Goodbye" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Manhattans. The song was written by Manhattans member Winfred "Blue" Lovett... |
The Manhattans The Manhattans The Manhattans are an American popular R&B vocal group, with a string of hit records spanning four decades. Their best known million-selling songs being "Kiss and Say Goodbye" and 'Shining Star' in 1980... |
| May 29 | I Want You I Want You (Marvin Gaye song) -Background:Madonna recorded a cover version of "I Want You" with British trip-hop group Massive Attack for her ballads compilation album Something to Remember and the Marvin Gaye tribute album Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye in 1995... |
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.... |
| June 5 | Young Hearts Run Free Young Hearts Run Free "Young Hearts Run Free" is a disco song by American soul singer Candi Staton. Released in 1976 from the album of the same title, it spent a week at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It also peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Along with the tracks: "Run To Me"... |
Candi Staton Candi Staton Candi Staton is an American soul and gospel singer, best known for her 1970 remake of Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and her 1976 disco hit "Young Hearts Run Free". In 2007, Staton was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame.-Early years:... |
| June 12 | I'll Be Good to You I'll Be Good to You "I'll Be Good to You" is a 1976 hit song by R&B duo The Brothers Johnson. George Johnson, one of the two Johnson brothers in the band, wrote the song after deciding to commit to a relationship with one woman, instead of dating several at a time. While George was recording a demo for the song,... |
The Brothers Johnson |
| June 19 | Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady) Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady) "Sophisticated Lady " is a song recorded by R&B artist Natalie Cole issued as lead single from her second album Natalie. It spent one week at #1 on the Hot Soul Singles charts in 1976, becoming Cole's third consecutive #1 soul hit, and won Cole a second consecutive Grammy Award for Best Female R&B... |
Natalie Cole |
| June 26 | Something He Can Feel | 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... |
| July 3 | Something He Can Feel | Aretha Franklin |
| July 10 | Something He Can Feel | Aretha Franklin |
| July 17 | Something He Can Feel | Aretha Franklin |
| July 24 | You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" is a song performed by R&B singer Lou Rawls on his 1976 album All Things in Time. The song proved to be Rawls' breakthrough hit, reaching number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the R&B and Easy Listening charts. The single also reached... |
Lou Rawls Lou Rawls Louis Allen "Lou" Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer. He was known for his smooth vocal style: Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game"... |
| July 31 | You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine | Lou Rawls |
| August 7 | Getaway Getaway (Earth, Wind & Fire song) "Getaway" was a hit song for R&B/funk band Earth, Wind & Fire in 1976 and written by Beloyd Taylor and Peter Cor Belenky. Released from their Spirit album, it spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. Along with the track, "Saturday... |
Earth, Wind & Fire |
| August 14 | Getaway | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| August 21 | Who'd She Coo? Who'd She Coo? "Who'd She Coo?" was a hit song for The Ohio Players in 1976. Released from their hit album, Contradiction, it spent one week at #1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in September, 1976. It would be their last chart-topping single.-Chart... |
The Ohio Players |
| August 28 | (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty " Shake Your Booty" is a song recorded and released in 1976 by KC and the Sunshine Band for the album Part 3. The song became their third number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as their third number-one on the soul singles chart. The song was met with a degree of controversy, since the... |
KC & the Sunshine Band |
| September 4 | Play That Funky Music Play That Funky Music "Play That Funky Music" is a funk song written by Robert Parissi and recorded by the band Wild Cherry. The performers on the classic recording included the members of the band at the time: lead singer Parissi, guitarist Bryan Bassett, bassist Allen Wentz, and drummer Ron Beitle, with session horn... |
Wild Cherry Wild Cherry (band) Wild Cherry was a funk/rock band best known for their funk song "Play That Funky Music".-History:Rob Parissi was raised in the steel mill town of Mingo Junction, Ohio. Parissi graduated from Mingo High School in 1968. Rob formed the band Wild Cherry in 1970 in Steubenville, Ohio, one mile north of... |
| September 11 | Play That Funky Music | Wild Cherry |
| September 18 | (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty | KC & the Sunshine Band |
| September 25 | (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty | KC & the Sunshine Band |
| October 2 | (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty | KC & the Sunshine Band |
| October 9 | Just to Be Close to You Just to Be Close to You "Just to Be Close to You" is a hit song for the R&B/funk band, Commodores, in 1976. Released from their album, Hot on the Tracks, it would become one of their biggest hits, spending two weeks at the top of the Hot Soul Singles chart and becoming their second Billboard Hot 100 top ten, peaking at... |
The Commodores |
| October 16 | Just to Be Close to You | The Commodores |
| October 23 | The Rubberband Man The Rubberband Man "The Rubberband Man" is a song recorded by the American vocal group The Spinners .The song, written by producer Thom Bell and Linda Creed, was about Bell's son, who was being teased by his classmates for being overweight... |
The Spinners |
| October 30 | Message in Our Music Message in Our Music "Message In Our Music" was a hit song for the R&B vocal group The O'Jays in 1976 from their album, Message in the Music. Written by famed songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, it spent a week at number one on the R&B singles chart in October, 1976, and peaked at number forty-nine on the Billboard... |
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... |
| November 6 | Love Ballad Love Ballad (L.T.D. song) "Love Ballad" is a hit song for R&B/Funk band L.T.D.. Released from their album, Love to the World, it spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in November 1976, and peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.... |
L.T.D. L.T.D. L.T.D. is an American R&B/funk band best known for their 1977 hit single, " Back in Love Again," as well as their many ballads, such as "Love Ballad," "We Both Deserve Each Other's Love," and "Where Did We Go Wrong?."-Career:L.T.D... |
| November 13 | Love Ballad | L.T.D. |
| November 20 | You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show) You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show) "You Don't Have to Be a Star " is a song by the husband/wife duo of Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., former members of the vocal group The 5th Dimension. Released from their album, I Hope We Get to Love in Time, it became a crossover success soaring to number one on both the Billboard Hot 100... |
Marilyn McCoo Marilyn McCoo Marilyn McCoo is an American singer, actress, and television presenter, who is best known for being the lead female vocalist in the group The 5th Dimension, as well as hosting the 1980s music countdown series Solid Gold... and Billy Davis Jr. |
| November 27 | Dazz Dazz (song) "Dazz" was a hit song by R&B/funk band Brick. "Dazz" is a combination of disco and jazz. Released in 1976 from their Good High album, it would become their biggest hit, spending four weeks at the top of the R&B singles chart and reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles... |
Brick Brick (band) Brick is a former American band that created a successful merger of funk and jazz in the 1970s. Their most popular single was "Dazz", which was released in 1976.-History:... |
| December 4 | Dazz | Brick |
| December 11 | Dazz | Brick |
| December 18 | Dazz | Brick |
| December 25 | Car Wash Car Wash (song) "Car Wash" is a 1976 soul music single by Rose Royce for MCA Records, the group's debut single and one of the most notable successes of the disco era. Written and produced by the band's main producer Norman Whitfield, "Car Wash", the theme of the 1976 film Car Wash, was Rose Royce's most successful... |
Rose Royce Rose Royce Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B band. The group is best known for several hit singles including "Car Wash," "I Wanna Get Next to You," "Wishing on a Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" and "I'm Going Down".-Career:... |
Chart comparisons
- Seven songs went to number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Five of the songs that peaked on the chart in 1976 are "Disco Lady," "Love Hangover," "Kiss and Say Goodbye," "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" and "Play that Funky Music." Two more songs, "Car Wash" and "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" topped the chart the year after. Another song, "Love Rollercoaster" topped the chart in 1976 but originally peaked the R&B chart the year before.