R&B number-one hits of 1977 (USA)
Encyclopedia
These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1977:
See also: 1977 in music
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
See also: 1977 in music
1977 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
| Issue Date | Song | Artist |
| January 1 | 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:... |
| January 8 | Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love) Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love) "Darlin' Darlin' Baby " was a hit song by R&B vocal trio The O'Jays released in late 1976. The follow-up single to "Message in Our Music", it became their second number one R&B single from the album, Message in the Music, and was less successful on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number... |
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... |
| January 15 | I Wish I Wish (Stevie Wonder song) "I Wish" is a hit song by Stevie Wonder. It was released in 1976 as a single and included on the album Songs in the Key of Life. Written and produced by Wonder, the song focuses on his childhood... |
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 22 | I Wish | Stevie Wonder |
| January 29 | I Wish | Stevie Wonder |
| February 5 | I Wish | Stevie Wonder |
| February 12 | I Wish | Stevie Wonder |
| February 19 | Don't Leave Me This Way Don't Leave Me This Way "Don't Leave Me This Way" is an R&B/soul/disco song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert. First charting as a hit for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, an act on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1975, "Don't Leave Me This Way" was later a hit single for both... |
Thelma Houston Thelma Houston Thelma Houston is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She scored a number-one hit in 1976 with her cover version of the song "Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the 1978 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.-Early life & career:Houston is the daughter of a cotton picking mother... |
| February 26 | I've Got Love on My Mind I've Got Love on My Mind "I've Got Love on My Mind" is a song originally recorded by Natalie Cole. Released from her third album, Unpredictable, it spent five weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977. It was certified Gold, selling over one million copies... |
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"... |
| March 5 | I've Got Love on My Mind | Natalie Cole |
| March 12 | I've Got Love on My Mind | Natalie Cole |
| March 19 | I've Got Love on My Mind | Natalie Cole |
| March 26 | I've Got Love on My Mind | Natalie Cole |
| April 2 | Tryin' to Love Two Tryin' to Love Two "Tryin' to Love Two" was a hit song by R&B singer William Bell in 1977. Releasd from his album, Comin' Back for More, it would become his biggest hit, reaching number one on the R&B charts and crossing over to the pop charts, reaching number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. It would eventually sell... |
William Bell William Bell (singer) William Bell is an American soul singer and songwriter, and one of the architects of the Stax-Volt sound. As a performer, he is probably best known for 1961's "You Don't Miss Your Water" ; 1968's "Private Number" ; and 1976's "Tryin' To Love Two", Bell's only US top 40 hit, which also hit #1 on the... |
| April 9 | At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up) At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up) "At Midnight " was a hit song by R&B/funk band Rufus featuring Chaka Khan in 1977. Released from their hit album, Ask Rufus, it spent two weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart and peaked at number thirty on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart..-Chart positions:... |
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:... |
| April 16 | At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up) | Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan |
| April 23 | The Pride (Part 1) The Pride, Pt. 1 & 2 "The Pride" is a 1977 funk song by The Isley Brothers, released on their T-Neck imprint. The song, which was the first single released from their album, Go For Your Guns, was written as a warning to politicians to be the leader that the people need and to others who want change reminding them that... |
The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper... |
| April 30 | Got to Give It Up (Part 1) Got to Give It Up "Got to Give It Up" is a funk/disco song by American recording artist Marvin Gaye. Written by the singer and produced by Art Stewart, it was recorded in three studio dates in 1976 with a final mixing in early 1977... |
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.... |
| May 7 | Got to Give It Up (Part 1) | Marvin Gaye |
| May 14 | Got to Give It Up (Part 1) | Marvin Gaye |
| May 21 | Whodunit Whodunit (song) "Whodunit", written by Keni St. Lewis and Freddie Perren, was a hit song for R&B/disco group Tavares in 1977. Released from their album, Love Storm it spent one week at number one on the R&B singles chart in May 1977, and peaked at number twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and in... |
Tavares |
| May 28 | Sir Duke Sir Duke "Sir Duke" is a song composed and performed by Stevie Wonder, from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. Released as a single in 1977, the track topped the U.S... |
Stevie Wonder |
| June 4 | Got to Give It Up (Part 1) | Marvin Gaye |
| June 11 | Got to Give It Up (Part 1) | Marvin Gaye |
| June 18 | Break It To Me Gently Break It to Me Gently (Aretha Franklin song) "Break It to Me Gently" is a song written by Carole Bayer Sager and Marvin Hamlisch which was an R&B hit for Aretha Franklin in 1977. Released from the Sweet Passion album, it reached #1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart in June, 1977. The song's success was only faintly reflected on on the Billboard... |
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... |
| June 25 | Best Of My Love Best of My Love (The Emotions song) "Best of My Love" is a disco song by the band The Emotions released as a single from their album Rejoice . The song was composed by Maurice White and Al McKay of Earth, Wind & Fire. Earth, Wind & Fire would later team up with the Emotions for the 1979 hit "Boogie Wonderland"... |
The Emotions The Emotions The Emotions are an American all female soul and R&B singing group. The group was formed in its current hometown of Chicago, Illinois originally consisting of the three Hutchinson sisters, all the children of Joseph and Lillian Hutchinson.... |
| July 2 | Best Of My Love | The Emotions |
| July 9 | Best Of My Love | The Emotions |
| July 16 | Easy | The Commodores |
| July 23 | Best Of My Love | The Emotions |
| July 30 | Slide Slide (Slave song) "Slide" was a hit song by R&B/funk band Slave in 1977. Released from their self-titled debut album, it reached number one on the R&B charts in 1977 and peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.... |
Slave Slave (band) Slave was an Ohio funk band popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Trumpeter Steve Washington and Mark Hicks formed the group in Dayton, Ohio in 1975.-Career:Trombonist Floyd Miller teamed with Tom Lockett Jr... |
| August 6 | Strawberry Letter 23 Strawberry Letter 23 "Strawberry Letter 23" is a song written by Shuggie Otis, although known most prominently by the version recorded by The Brothers Johnson. Otis wrote the song for a girlfriend who used strawberry-scented paper when she wrote letters to him. George Johnson of The Brothers Johnson was dating one of... |
The Brothers Johnson |
| August 13 | Float On Float On (The Floaters song) "Float On" is a 1977 hit song by the R&B/soul group The Floaters.The spoken verses combine two popular memes from the time, star signs and video and phone dating, in lines like Aquarius and my name is Ralph / Now I like a woman who loves her freedom... |
The Floaters The Floaters The Floaters were an African American, R&B vocal group, from the Sojourner Truth housing projects in Detroit, Michigan, that formed in 1976.-Career:... |
| August 20 | Float On | The Floaters |
| August 27 | Float On | The Floaters |
| September 3 | Float On | The Floaters |
| September 10 | Float On | The Floaters |
| September 17 | Float On | The Floaters |
| September 24 | Keep It Comin' Love Keep It Comin' Love "Keep It Comin' Love" is a 1977 disco song recorded by KC and the Sunshine Band. It appeared on their 1977 album Part 3. The song, like its predecessor "That's the Way ", became widely successful due to its sexual double entendres... |
KC & the Sunshine Band |
| October 1 | It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" was a hit song by Barry White. The song was written by Ekundayo Paris and Nelson Pigford. Similar to the initial reaction after first hearing his earlier hit "You're the First, the Last, My Everything", when those close to White heard the demo of "It's... |
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... |
| October 8 | It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me | Barry White |
| October 15 | It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me | Barry White |
| October 22 | It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me | Barry White |
| October 29 | It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me | Barry White |
| November 5 | (Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again (Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again " Back in Love Again" was a hit song written by Len Ron Hanks and Zane Grey for R&B/funk band L.T.D. Released from their Something To Love album, it spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in the fall of 1977. It would also become their biggest crossover hit, peaking at number four... |
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 12 | (Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again | L.T.D. |
| November 19 | Serpentine Fire Serpentine Fire "Serpentine Fire" was a hit song by Earth, Wind & Fire. Released from their hit album, All 'N All, it spent seven weeks at the top spot of the R&B singles chart, becoming the number 1 R&B single of 1978. Also, it peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the February 11, 1978... |
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... |
| November 26 | Serpentine Fire | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 3 | Serpentine Fire | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 10 | Serpentine Fire | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 17 | Serpentine Fire | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 24 | Serpentine Fire | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 31 | Serpentine Fire | Earth, Wind & Fire |
Chart comparisons
- Six songs went to number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Car Wash," "I Wish," "Don't Leave Me This Way," "Sir Duke," "Got to Give It Up (Part 1)" and "The Best of My Love." Another song, "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be In My Show)" originally topped the R&B chart the year before.