List of Best Selling Soul Singles number ones of 1969

Billboard published a weekly chart in 1969 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and related African American-oriented music genres; the chart has undergone various name changes over the decades to reflect the evolution of such genres and since 2005 has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[1] In 1969, it was published under the title Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles through the issue of Billboard dated August 16 and Best Selling Soul Singles thereafter.[2] During that year, 17 different singles topped the chart.

Singer James Brown
James Brown, known as the "Godfather of Soul", had two number ones in 1969, "Give It Up or Turnit a Loose" and "Mother Popcorn".

In the issue of Billboard dated January 4, Marvin Gaye was at number one with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", the song's fourth week in the top spot.[3] Gaye returned to number one in June with "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" and was one of three acts to have two number ones in 1969 along with James Brown and the Temptations. Gaye's cumulative total of ten weeks in the top spot was the most achieved by any artist during the year and the six weeks which "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" spent atop the chart was the year's longest unbroken run at number one. The chart-topping singles of Brown and the Temptations showcased new developments in black music, as Brown's tracks centred on the funk style, which had been developing since the mid-1960s as a harder-edged alternative to soul music and would continue to grow in popularity in the 1970s,[4] and the Temptations brought new elements to their style leading to their identification with the psychedelic soul sub-genre.[5]

Several acts topped the R&B/soul singles chart in 1969 for the first time, beginning with Tyrone Davis, who replaced Marvin Gaye in the top spot in the issue of Billboard dated February 1 with "Can I Change My Mind".[6] The next number one was also a debut chart-topper, as Sly & the Family Stone reached the peak position for the first time with "Everyday People",[7] which also topped the all-genre Hot 100 chart.[8][9] Sly Stone and his band would prove key in the development of the funk and psychedelic soul sounds in the early 1970s.[8] The Isley Brothers, Joe Simon, and the Originals also gained the first number ones of their careers during 1969.[10] The year's final number one was "Someday We'll Be Together" by Diana Ross & the Supremes, which reached the peak position in the issue of Billboard dated December 13 and stayed there for the remainder of the year. It was the group's last single to feature lead singer Diana Ross, who departed early in 1970 for a highly successful solo career.[11][12]

Chart history

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Marvin Gaye had two number ones in 1969.
 
"Can I Change My Mind" was the first chart-topper for Tyrone Davis.
 
"Someday We'll Be Together" was the final number one for the Supremes to feature lead singer Diana Ross (far right).
 
Jr. Walker & the All-Stars topped the chart with "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)".
Key
Indicates number 1 on Billboard's year-end R&B/soul chart of 1969[13]
Chart history
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 4 "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Marvin Gaye [3]
January 11 [14]
January 18 [15]
January 25 [16]
February 1 "Can I Change My Mind" Tyrone Davis [17]
February 8 [18]
February 15 [19]
February 22 "Everyday People" Sly & the Family Stone [20]
March 1 [21]
March 8 "Give It Up Or Turnit a Loose" James Brown [22]
March 15 [23]
March 22 "Run Away Child, Running Wild" The Temptations [24]
March 29 [25]
April 5 "Only the Strong Survive" Jerry Butler [26]
April 12 [27]
April 19 "It's Your Thing" The Isley Brothers [28]
April 26 [29]
May 3 [30]
May 10 [31]
May 17 "The Chokin' Kind" Joe Simon [32]
May 24 [33]
May 31 [34]
June 7 "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" Marvin Gaye [35]
June 14 [36]
June 21 [37]
June 28 [38]
July 5 [39]
July 12 [40]
July 19 "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" † Jr. Walker & the All-Stars [41]
July 26 [42]
August 2 "Mother Popcorn (You Got To Have a Mother For Me)" James Brown [43]
August 9 [44]
August 16 "Choice of Colors" The Impressions [45]
August 23 "Share Your Love with Me" Aretha Franklin [46]
August 30 [47]
September 6 [48]
September 13 [49]
September 20 [50]
September 27 "Oh, What a Night" The Dells [51]
October 4 "I Can't Get Next to You" The Temptations [52]
October 11 [53]
October 18 [54]
October 26 [55]
November 1 [56]
November 8 "Baby, I'm for Real" The Originals [57]
November 15 [58]
November 22 [59]
November 29 [60]
December 6 [61]
December 13 "Someday We'll Be Together" Diana Ross & the Supremes [62]
December 20 [63]
December 27 [64]

References

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  2. ^ Whitburn 1996, p. xii.
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  7. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 379.
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  10. ^ Whitburn 1988, pp. 208, 315, 374.
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  28. ^ "R & B Chart for April 19, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  29. ^ "R & B Chart for April 26, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
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  32. ^ "R & B Chart for May 17, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  33. ^ "R & B Chart for May 24, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  34. ^ "R & B Chart for May 31, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
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  38. ^ "R & B Chart for June 28, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  39. ^ "R & B Chart for July 5, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  40. ^ "R & B Chart for July 12, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  41. ^ "R & B Chart for July 19, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  42. ^ "R & B Chart for July 26, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  43. ^ "R & B Chart for August 2, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  44. ^ "R & B Chart for August 9, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  45. ^ "R & B Chart for August 16, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  46. ^ "R & B Chart for August 23, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  47. ^ "R & B Chart for August 30, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  48. ^ "R & B Chart for September 6, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  49. ^ "R & B Chart for September 13, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  50. ^ "R & B Chart for September 20, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  51. ^ "R & B Chart for September 27, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  52. ^ "R & B Chart for October 4, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  53. ^ "R & B Chart for October 11, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  54. ^ "R & B Chart for October 18, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  55. ^ "R & B Chart for October 26, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  56. ^ "R & B Chart for November 1, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  57. ^ "R & B Chart for November 8, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  58. ^ "R & B Chart for November 15, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  59. ^ "R & B Chart for November 22, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  60. ^ "R & B Chart for November 29, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  61. ^ "R & B Chart for December 6, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  62. ^ "R & B Chart for December 13, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  63. ^ "R & B Chart for December 20, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  64. ^ "R & B Chart for December 27, 1969". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.

Works cited

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