List of Best Selling Soul Singles number ones of 1971

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs is a chart published by Billboard that ranks the top-performing songs in the United States in African-American-oriented musical genres; the chart has undergone various name changes since its launch in 1942 to reflect the evolution of such genres. In 1971, it was published under the title Best Selling Soul Singles. During that year, 21 different singles topped the chart, based on playlists submitted by radio stations and surveys of retail sales outlets.[1]

Gladys Knight & the Pips topped the chart with "If I Were Your Woman".

In the issue of Billboard dated January 2, King Floyd reached number one with "Groove Me", displacing the final number one of 1970, "Stoned Love" by the Supremes.[2] It held the top spot for three weeks, was replaced for a single week by "If I Were Your Woman" by Gladys Knight & the Pips, then returned to number one for one further week. "Groove Me" was Floyd's first number one but would prove to be his only single to reach the top spot.[3] It was replaced at number one by "(Do The) Push and Pull (Part 1)" by Rufus Thomas, another first-time chart-topper. Thomas had first recorded in 1941, but did not reach his commercial peak until the early 1970s, when he was well into his 50s;[4] as with Floyd, his 1971 number one would prove to be his only chart-topping single.[5] Honey Cone, Jean Knight, Denise LaSalle, the Persuaders, and the Chi-Lites also reached number one in 1971 for the first time in their respective careers.[6]

Two singles tied for the year's longest-running number one, both spending five weeks atop the chart. In March and April, Marvin Gaye spent five weeks at number one with "What's Going On" and Jean Knight achieved the same feat in July and August with "Mr. Big Stuff". Gaye had the highest cumulative total number of weeks atop the chart of any act in 1971, spending a total of nine weeks in the top spot with "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". All three tracks were taken from the album What's Going On, a politically-charged concept album which has been regarded by many critics as one of the greatest albums of all time.[7][8][9][10] Three other acts achieved more than one number one in 1971: James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Honey Cone. The year's final soul number one was "Family Affair" by Sly and the Family Stone, which reached number one in the issue of Billboard dated December 4 and stayed there for the remainder of the year. It was one of three of 1971's number ones to also top the all-genre Hot 100 chart, along with "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" by the Temptations and Honey Cone's "Want Ads".[11]

Chart history
Aretha Franklin reached number one with her versions of "Bridge over Troubled Water" and "Spanish Harlem".
James Brown had two number ones during 1971.
Denise LaSalle (pictured in later life) gained her first number one with "Trapped by a Thing Called Love".
Sly and the Family Stone (Sly Stone pictured in later life) had the year's last chart-topper with "Family Affair".
Key
Indicates best-charting soul single of 1971[12]
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 2 "Groove Me" King Floyd [2]
January 9 [13]
January 16 [14]
January 23 "If I Were Your Woman" Gladys Knight & the Pips [15]
January 30 "Groove Me" King Floyd [16]
February 6 "(Do The) Push and Pull (Part 1)" Rufus Thomas [17]
February 13 [18]
February 20 "Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone" Johnnie Taylor [19]
February 27 [20]
March 6 "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" The Temptations [21]
March 13 [22]
March 20 [23]
March 27 "What's Going On" Marvin Gaye [24]
April 3 [25]
April 10 [26]
April 17 [27]
April 24 [28]
May 1 "Never Can Say Goodbye" The Jackson 5 [29]
May 8 [30]
May 15 [31]
May 22 "Bridge Over Troubled Water" Aretha Franklin [32]
May 29 "Want Ads" Honey Cone [33]
June 5 "Bridge Over Troubled Water" Aretha Franklin [34]
June 12 "Want Ads" Honey Cone [35]
June 19 [36]
June 26 "Don't Knock My Love (Part 1)" Wilson Pickett [37]
July 3 "Mr. Big Stuff" Jean Knight [38]
July 10 [39]
July 17 [40]
July 24 [41]
July 31 [42]
August 7 "Hot Pants (Part 1)" James Brown [43]
August 14 "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" Marvin Gaye [44]
August 21 [45]
August 28 "Spanish Harlem" Aretha Franklin [46]
September 4 [47]
September 11 [48]
September 18 "Stick-Up" Honey Cone [49]
September 25 [50]
October 2 "Make It Funky (Part 1)" James Brown [51]
October 9 [52]
October 16 "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" The Persuaders [53]
October 23 [54]
October 30 "Trapped by a Thing Called Love" Denise LaSalle [55]
November 6 "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" Marvin Gaye [56]
November 13 [57]
November 20 "Have You Seen Her" The Chi-Lites [58]
November 27 [59]
December 4 "Family Affair" Sly & the Family Stone [60]
December 11 [61]
December 18 [62]
December 25 [63]

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1995. Record Research Incorporated. p. xii. ISBN 9780898201154.
  2. "R & B Chart for January 2, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. p. 237. ISBN 9780898201154.
  4. Unterberger, Richie. "Rufus Thomas Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  5. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. p. 410. ISBN 9780898201154.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. pp. 85, 194, 245, 251, 325. ISBN 9780898201154.
  7. Bush, John. "What's Going On – Marvin Gaye". AllMusic. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  8. Barker, Emily (October 25, 2013). "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: 100-1". NME. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  9. "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. May 31, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  10. Katz, David (2011). "Marvin Gaye What's Going On – 40th Anniversary Edition Review". BBC. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  11. "Hot 100 – 1971 Archive". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  12. "Billboard.com - Year End Charts - Year-end Singles - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  13. "R & B Chart for January 9, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  14. "R & B Chart for January 16, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  15. "R & B Chart for January 23, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  16. "R & B Chart for January 30, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  17. "R & B Chart for February 6, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  18. "R & B Chart for February 13, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  19. "R & B Chart for February 20, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  20. "R & B Chart for February 27, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  21. "R & B Chart for March 6, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  22. "R & B Chart for March 13, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  23. "R & B Chart for March 20, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  24. "R & B Chart for March 27, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  25. "R & B Chart for April 3, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  26. "R & B Chart for April 10, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  27. "R & B Chart for April 17, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  28. "R & B Chart for April 24, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  29. "R & B Chart for May 1, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  30. "R & B Chart for May 8, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  31. "R & B Chart for May 15, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  32. "R & B Chart for May 22, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  33. "R & B Chart for May 29, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  34. "R & B Chart for June 5, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  35. "R & B Chart for June 12, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  36. "R & B Chart for June 19, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  37. "R & B Chart for June 26, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  38. "R & B Chart for July 3, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  39. "R & B Chart for July 10, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  40. "R & B Chart for July 17, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  41. "R & B Chart for July 24, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  42. "R & B Chart for July 31, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  43. "R & B Chart for August 7, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  44. "R & B Chart for August 14, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  45. "R & B Chart for August 21, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  46. "R & B Chart for August 28, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  47. "R & B Chart for September 4, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  48. "R & B Chart for September 11, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  49. "R & B Chart for September 18, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  50. "R & B Chart for September 25, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  51. "R & B Chart for October 2, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  52. "R & B Chart for October 9, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  53. "R & B Chart for October 16, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  54. "R & B Chart for October 23, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  55. "R & B Chart for October 30, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  56. "R & B Chart for November 6, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  57. "R & B Chart for November 13, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  58. "R & B Chart for November 20, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  59. "R & B Chart for November 27, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  60. "R & B Chart for December 4, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  61. "R & B Chart for December 11, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  62. "R & B Chart for December 18, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  63. "R & B Chart for December 25, 1971". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
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