List of Billboard number-one R&B songs of 1956

In 1956, Billboard magazine published three charts specifically covering the top-performing songs in the United States in rhythm and blues and related African-American-oriented music genres. The R&B Best Sellers in Stores chart ranked records based on their "current national selling importance at the retail level", based on a survey of record retailers "with a high volume of sales in rhythm and blues records". The Most Played R&B by Jockeys chart ranked songs based on the "number of plays on disk jockey radio shows" according to a weekly survey of "top disk jockey shows in all key markets". The Most Played R&B in Juke Boxes chart was based on "plays in juke boxes thruout [sic] the country" derived from a survey of "operators using a high proportion of rhythm and blues records". The three 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.

The Platters reached number one with "The Great Pretender" and "My Prayer".

In the issue of Billboard dated January 7, the number-one position on both the best sellers and jockeys charts was "The Great Pretender" by the Platters; the song topped the former for the first 10 weeks of 1956 and the latter for the first 11 weeks. It also reached the peak position on the juke box chart in the issue dated January 28 and remained there for nine weeks, meaning the for seven weeks it was atop all three listings. The song also topped the pop charts, an unusual occurrence at the time for a black act, and has come to be regarded as a pop and R&B classic; the song has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was included in Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[2][3][4][5] The song's spell leading the jockeys chart was the year's longest unbroken run at number one; the highest total number of weeks atop any one chart was achieved by Bill Doggett's "Honky Tonk (Parts 1 & 2)", which spent 13 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the best sellers chart.

Several of 1956's numbers ones were by acts regarded as among the most influential in the development of rock and roll music, which had broken into the mainstream in the previous year.[6] In April, Little Richard gained his first number one when "Long Tall Sally" reached the peak position all three listings;[7] although his period of chart-topping success was short, AllMusic describes him as "arguably the greatest and most influential of the '50s rock & roll singers".[8] In September, Elvis Presley achieved his first R&B chart-topper when the double-sided single "Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog" topped the juke box chart.[9] He would go on to be regarded as the most successful and influential recording artist of all time and feted as the "King of Rock and Roll".[10][11] Fats Domino, another pioneer of rock and roll, had achieved number ones prior to 1956 and was one of the most successful artists of the year; his recording of "Blueberry Hill" had lengthy runs atop all three charts and ended the year at number one on all the listings.[12][13]

Chart history

In 1956, Billboard sometimes listed both sides of a single jointly at number one on the Best Sellers and Juke Box charts, based on a methodology which combined the survey data for both songs if "significant action [was] reported on both sides of a record". This does not indicate that the single was officially released or promoted as a double A-side.

"Long Tall Sally" was the first number one for rock and roll pioneer Little Richard.
Elvis Presley topped the charts with "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel".
Bill Doggett (pictured in later life) had a long-running number one with "Honky Tonk".
Fats Domino was one of 1956's most successful artists.
Issue date Best Sellers Artist(s) Jockeys Artist(s) Juke Box Artist(s) Ref.
January 7 "The Great Pretender"The Platters "The Great Pretender"The Platters "At My Front Door"The El Dorados [14]
January 14 "Hands Off"Priscilla Bowman with Jay McShann and His Orchestra [15]
January 21 [16]
January 28 "The Great Pretender"The Platters [17]
February 4 [18]
February 11 [19]
February 18 [20]
February 25 [21]
March 3 [22]
March 10 [23]
March 17 "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon [24]
March 24 "Drown in My Own Tears"Ray Charles [25]
March 31 "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon "Drown in My Own Tears"Ray Charles [26]
April 7
April 14 "Long Tall Sally"Little Richard "Long Tall Sally"Little Richard
April 21 "Long Tall Sally"Little Richard
April 28
May 5
May 12
May 19 "I'm in Love Again"Fats Domino
May 26
June 2 "I'm in Love Again"Fats Domino "I'm in Love Again"Fats Domino "Long Tall Sally"Little Richard
June 9 "I'm in Love Again"Fats Domino
June 16
June 23
June 30
July 7
July 14
July 21 "Fever"Little Willie John "Fever"Little Willie John
July 28 "Treasure of Love"Clyde McPhatter
August 4 "Rip It Up"Little Richard "I'm in Love Again"Fats Domino
August 11
August 18 "Fever"Little Willie John "My Prayer"The Platters
August 25 "Honky Tonk" (Parts 1 & 2)Bill Doggett "My Prayer"The Platters
September 1 "Let the Good Times Roll"Shirley & Lee "Fever"Little Willie John
September 8 "My Prayer"The Platters "Let the Good Times Roll"Shirley & Lee
September 15 "Let the Good Times Roll"Shirley & Lee "Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog"[a]Elvis Presley
September 22
September 29 "Honky Tonk"Bill Doggett
October 6
October 13 "Let the Good Times Roll"Shirley & Lee
October 20 "Honky Tonk"Bill Doggett
October 27 "Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog"[a]Elvis Presley "Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog"[a]Elvis Presley
November 3[b] "Honky Tonk" (Parts 1 & 2)[a]Bill Doggett "Blueberry Hill"Fats Domino [27]
"Blueberry Hill"Fats Domino [27]
November 10 [28]
November 17 "Honky Tonk"Bill Doggett [29]
November 24 "Blueberry Hill"Fats Domino "Blueberry Hill"Fats Domino
December 1 "Honky Tonk" (Parts 1 & 2)Bill Doggett
December 8 "Blueberry Hill"Fats Domino
December 15
December 22
December 29

a. ^ Both sides listed jointly at number one
b. ^ Two songs tied for number one on the juke box chart.

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1995. Record Research Incorporated. p. xii. ISBN 9780898201154.
  2. "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. December 11, 2003. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  3. Hoffmann, Frank (2016). Chronology of American Popular Music, 1900-2000. Routledge. p. 156. ISBN 9781135868864.
  4. Koda, Cub. "The Platters Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  5. "Grammy Hall of Fame". The Recording Academy. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  6. Palmer, Robert (April 19, 1990). "The 50s: A Decade of Music That Changed the World". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. p. 260. ISBN 9780898201154.
  8. Deming, Mark. "Little Richard Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  9. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. p. 333. ISBN 9780898201154.
  10. Unterberger, Richie. "Elvis Presley Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  11. "Elvis: Remembering the King - 40 years on". BBC. August 16, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  12. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. p. 22. ISBN 9780898201154.
  13. Browne, David (October 25, 2017). "Fats Domino, Rock and Roll Pioneer, Dead at 89". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  14. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. January 7, 1956. p. 47. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  15. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. January 14, 1956. p. 55. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  16. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. January 21, 1956. p. 53. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  17. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. January 28, 1956. p. 62. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  18. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. February 4, 1956. p. 56. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  19. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. February 11, 1956. p. 46. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  20. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. February 18, 1956. p. 61. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  21. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. February 25, 1956. p. 62. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  22. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. March 3, 1956. p. 74. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  23. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. March 10, 1956. p. 59. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  24. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. March 17, 1956. p. 51. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  25. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. March 24, 1956. p. 51. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  26. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. March 31, 1956. p. 61. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  27. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. November 3, 1956. p. 51. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  28. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. November 10, 1956. p. 135. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  29. "Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. November 17, 1956. p. 53. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
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