R&B number-one hits of 1961 (USA)
Encyclopedia
These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1961:
See also: 1961 in music
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
See also: 1961 in music
1961 in music
-Events:*January 15 – Motown Records signs The Supremes.*January 20 – Francis Poulenc's Gloria receives its premiėre in Boston, USA.*February 12 – The Miracles' "Shop Around" becomes Motown's first million-selling single....
, List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
| Issue Date | Song | Artist |
| January 1 | He Will Break Your Heart (He Don't Love You, Like I Love You) | 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... |
| January 8 | He Will Break Your Heart (He Don't Love You, Like I Love You) | Jerry Butler |
| January 16 | Shop Around Shop Around "Shop Around" is a 1960 single by The Miracles for the Tamla label, catalog number T 54034. It is notable as being the label's first #1 hit on the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart, and also hit #2 on the Hot 100.... |
The Miracles The Miracles The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature... |
| January 23 | Shop Around | The Miracles |
| January 30 | Shop Around | The Miracles |
| February 6 | Shop Around | The Miracles |
| February 13 | Shop Around | The Miracles |
| February 20 | Shop Around | The Miracles |
| February 27 | Shop Around | The Miracles |
| March 6 | Shop Around | The Miracles |
| March 13 | Pony Time Pony Time "Pony Time" is a song recorded by Chubby Checker, his second US #1 "Pony Time" is a song recorded by Chubby Checker, his second US #1 "Pony Time" is a song recorded by Chubby Checker, his second US #1 (after his 1960 single "The Twist." "Pony Time" was also a number one hit on the R&B charts.. The... |
Chubby Checker Chubby Checker Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"... |
| March 20 | Pony Time | Chubby Checker |
| March 27 | I Pity the Fool | Bobby "Blue" Bland |
| April 3 | Blue Moon Blue Moon (song) "Blue Moon"'s first crossover recording to rock and roll came from Elvis Presley in 1956. His cover version of the song was included on his self-titled debut album Elvis Presley.... |
The Marcels The Marcels The Marcels were a doo-wop group known for turning American classical pop songs into rock and roll. The group formed in 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and signed to Colpix Records, with lead Cornelius Harp, bass Fred Johnson, Gene Bricker, Ron Mundy, and Richard Knauss... |
| April 10 | Blue Moon | The Marcels |
| April 17 | One Mint Julep One Mint Julep "One Mint Julep" is a rhythm and blues song written by Rudy Toombs that became a hit for The Clovers. It was recorded by Atlantic Records in New York City on December 19, 1951 and released in March of 1952. It was one of the first "drinking songs" to become a hit and one of the first to feature a... |
Ray Charles Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records... |
| April 24 | Mother-in-Law Mother-in-Law (song) "Mother-in-Law" is the name of a hit 1961 single by Ernie K-Doe. The song was a number-one hit in the U.S. on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts.. The song was written and produced by Allen Toussaint who also played the piano solo. It was issued by Minit Records... |
Ernie K-Doe Ernie K-Doe Ernie K-Doe , born Ernest Kador, Jr., was an African American rhythm and blues singer best known for his 1961 hit single "Mother-in-Law" which went to #1 on the Billboard pop chart in the U.S.-Early career:... |
| May 1 | Mother-in-Law | Ernie K-Doe |
| May 8 | Mother-in-Law | Ernie K-Doe |
| May 15 | Mother-in-Law | Ernie K-Doe |
| May 22 | Mother-in-Law | Ernie K-Doe |
| May 29 | Stand By Me Stand by Me Stand by Me may refer to:*Stand by Me , a 1986 film directed by Rob Reiner*Stand by Me , a 1998 Chinese drama TV series*Stand by Me, a 2002 album by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound*Stand by Me, a 2003 musical by Ya-ya-yah... |
Ben E. King Ben E. King Benjamin Earl King , better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a U.S... |
| June 5 | Stand By Me | Ben E. King |
| June 12 | Stand By Me | Ben E. King |
| June 19 | Stand By Me | Ben E. King |
| June 26 | Every Beat of My Heart | 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... |
| July 3 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis Bobby Lewis Bobby Lewis is an African American rock and roll and R&B singer.-Biography:Lewis learned to play the piano by age six. Adopted at age twelve, he moved to a home in Detroit, Michigan... |
| July 10 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| July 17 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| July 24 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| July 31 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| August 7 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| August 14 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| August 21 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| August 28 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| September 4 | Tossin' and Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
| September 11 | My True Story | The Jive Five The Jive Five The Jive Five is an American doo wop group.The group formed in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1950s with Eugene Pitt, Jerome Hanna, Richard Harris, Thurmon Prophet, and Norman Johnson. The group found success in 1961 with "My True Story" on Beltone Records, which reached #3 on the U.S... |
| September 18 | My True Story | The Jive Five |
| September 25 | My True Story | The Jive Five |
| October 2 | Hit the Road Jack | Ray Charles |
| October 9 | Hit the Road Jack | Ray Charles |
| October 16 | Hit the Road Jack | Ray Charles |
| October 23 | Hit the Road Jack | Ray Charles |
| October 30 | Hit the Road Jack | Ray Charles |
| November 6 | Ya Ya | Lee Dorsey Lee Dorsey Lee Dorsey was an African American pop/R&B singer during the 1960s. Much of his work was produced by Allen Toussaint with instrumental backing provided by the Meters.-Career:... |
| November 13 | Please Mr. Postman Please Mr. Postman "Please Mr. Postman" is the debut single by The Marvelettes for the Tamla label, notable as the first Motown song to reach the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. The single achieved this position in late 1961; it hit number one on the R&B chart as well. "Please Mr... |
The Marvelettes The Marvelettes The Marvelettes were an American singing girl group on the Tamla label. Motown's first successful female vocal group, the Marvelettes are most notable for recording the company's first #1 Pop hit, "Please Mr... |
| November 20 | Please Mr. Postman | The Marvelettes |
| November 27 | Please Mr. Postman | The Marvelettes |
| December 4 | Please Mr. Postman | The Marvelettes |
| December 11 | Please Mr. Postman | The Marvelettes |
| December 18 | Please Mr. Postman | The Marvelettes |
| December 25 | Please Mr. Postman | The Marvelettes |