List of Billboard number-one R&B songs of 1951

In 1951, Billboard magazine published two charts specifically covering the top-performing songs in the United States in rhythm and blues and related African-American-oriented music genres: Best Selling Retail Rhythm & Blues Records and Most Played Juke Box Rhythm & Blues Records. The two charts are considered part of the lineage of the magazine's multimetric R&B chart launched in 1958,[1] which since 2005 has been published under the title Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs.

Jimmy Nelson (pictured in later life) reached number one in 1951 with "T'99 Blues" but would never achieve another charting song in his career.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 6, Ruth Brown was at number one on the juke box chart with "Teardrops from My Eyes", retaining its position from the final chart of 1950, and Amos Milburn moved into the top spot on the best sellers listing with "Bad, Bad Whiskey". Beginning in early March, ballad singer and pianist Charles Brown[2] achieved the longest unbroken spell at number one on both listings with his song "Black Night"; it spent 14 consecutive weeks atop the juke box chart and 13 consecutive weeks at number one on the best sellers chart. The longest-running number one on the best sellers chart overall, however, was "Sixty Minute Man" by the Dominoes, with 14 non-consecutive weeks in the top spot, including one tied with another song. The only act with more than one R&B chart-topper in 1951 was the pioneering doo-wop group the Clovers,[3] who reached number one on the best sellers chart with both "Don't You Know I Love You" and "Fool, Fool, Fool"; the latter also topped the juke box chart and was the year's final chart-topper on that listing.

In June, "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats topped both charts, spending three weeks at number one on the best sellers chart and five on the juke box listing. The recording was by the regular backing band of singer Ike Turner, with saxophone player Brenston providing the vocals and receiving featured credit.[4] The song has been cited as pivotal in the development of rock and roll music, with some critics considering it to be the first rock and roll record.[5][6] Despite the success of the song, it would prove to be the only charting single of Brenston's career.[7] The same fate befell Jimmy Nelson and the Peter Rabbit Trio, who spent a single week at number one on the juke box listing in November with their first chart entry, "T' 99 Blues", but would never chart again.[8][9] Several other acts achieved their first numbers ones in 1951, beginning with the Dominoes with "Sixty Minute Man".[10] The Clovers reached the peak position on the juke box chart with "Don't You Know I Love You", their first charting song, and added their second number one later in the year with their next single.[11] The Five Keys also reached the top spot with their first chart entry, their recording of Benny Goodman's 1936 song "The Glory of Love".[12] In November and December, "Peppermint" Harris, Tab Smith and Earl Bostic all gained their first number ones, but in each case it would prove to be their final charting single.[13]

Chart history

The Five Keys reached number one with "The Glory of Love".

Two songs by the Clovers reached the top spot in 1951.

Tab Smith's "Because of You" topped the best sellers chart but fell short of the top of the juke box listing.

Issue date	Juke Box		Best Sellers		Ref.
	Title	Artist(s)	Title	Artist(s)
January 6	"Teardrops from My Eyes"	Ruth Brown	"Bad, Bad Whiskey"	Amos Milburn
January 13
January 20
January 27			"Teardrops from My Eyes"	Ruth Brown
February 3
February 10
February 17
February 24	"Bad, Bad Whiskey"	Amos Milburn
March 3	"Black Night"	Charles Brown
March 10			"Black Night"	Charles Brown
March 17
March 24
March 31
April 7
April 14
April 21
April 28
May 5
May 12
May 19
May 26
June 2
June 9	"Chica Boo"	Lloyd Glenn	"Rocket 88"	Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats
June 16
June 23	"Rocket 88"	Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats
June 30			"Sixty Minute Man"	The Dominoes
July 7
July 14
July 21
July 28	"Sixty Minute Man"	The Dominoes
August 4
August 11
August 18
August 25
September 1			"Don't You Know I Love You"	The Clovers
September 8
September 15			"Sixty Minute Man"	The Dominoes
September 22^[a]			"The Glory of Love"	The Five Keys	[14]
			"Sixty Minute Man"	The Dominoes	[14]
September 29					..
October 6			"The Glory of Love"	The Five Keys
October 13			"Sixty Minute Man"	The Dominoes
October 20	"The Glory of Love"	The Five Keys
October 27			"The Glory of Love"	The Five Keys
November 3	"'T' 99 Blues"	Jimmy Nelson and the Peter Rabbit Trio
November 10	"I Got Loaded"	"Peppermint" Harris	"Fool, Fool, Fool"	The Clovers
November 17	"I'm in the Mood"	John Lee Hooker
November 24
December 1	"I Got Loaded"	"Peppermint" Harris
December 8	"I'm in the Mood"	John Lee Hooker	"Because of You"	Tab Smith and his Orchestra
December 15
December 22^[a]	"Fool, Fool, Fool"	The Clovers	"Fool, Fool, Fool"	The Clovers	[15]
			"I Got Loaded"	"Peppermint" Harris	[15]
December 29			"Flamingo"	Earl Bostic and his Orchestra

a. ^ Two songs tied for number one on the best sellers chart.

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1995. Record Research Incorporated. p. xii. ISBN 9780898201154.
2. Dahl, Bill. "Charles Brown Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
3. Eder, Bruce. "The Clovers Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
4. Dahl, Bill. "Jackie Brenston Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
5. Petridis, Alexis (April 16, 2004). "Will the creator of modern music please stand up?". The Guardian. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
6. Farley, Christopher John (June 30, 2017). "Elvis Rocks but He's Not the First". Time. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. p. 78. ISBN 9780898201604.
8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. p. 425. ISBN 9780898201604.
9. Dahl, Bill. "Jimmy Nelson Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
10. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. p. 168. ISBN 9780898201604.
11. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. p. 124. ISBN 9780898201604.
12. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. p. 205. ISBN 9780898201604.
13. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. pp. 72, 246, 536. ISBN 9780898201604.
14. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. September 22, 1951. p. 38. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
15. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. December 22, 1951. p. 38. Retrieved January 23, 2021.