List of Hot Soul Singles number ones of 1974

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 1974, it was published under the title Hot Soul Singles. During that year, 30 different singles topped the chart, based on playlists submitted by radio stations and surveys of retail sales outlets.[1]

The Three Degrees provided the vocals on the chart-topping single "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB.

Stevie Wonder had both the first and last number ones of 1974. In the issue of Billboard dated January 5, Wonder spent his second week at number one with "Living for the City".[2] He returned to the top spot in September with "You Haven't Done Nothin'", and gained his third chart-topper of the year when "Boogie On Reggae Woman" reached the peak position in the issue dated December 28, making it the year's final number one. Wonder was one of three acts to take three different singles to number one during 1974, along with James Brown and Gladys Knight & the Pips. The latter two acts each spent a cumulative total of five weeks at number one, placing them in a three-way tie with Roberta Flack for 1974's highest number of weeks atop the chart. Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love" topped the chart for five consecutive weeks, the year's longest unbroken run at number one, and was ranked by Billboard as the year's best-performing soul single.

Two of 1974's Hot Soul Singles number ones showcased the emerging disco genre, which would go on to dominate American popular music in the latter half of the 1970s.[3] In April, MFSB, the house band at the recording studio operated by producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff,[4] topped the chart with "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", the theme tune from the TV show Soul Train;[4][5] the song also featured vocals by the girl group the Three Degrees, who had previously entered the top ten twice in their own right.[6] Three months later, George McCrae reached number one with another disco song, "Rock Your Baby";[7] both singles also topped the all-genre Hot 100 chart.[8] "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" by Barry White and Stevie Wonder's "You Haven't Done Nothin'" also topped both charts.[8] MFSB, the Three Degrees and McCrae all gained the first number ones of their respective careers in 1974,[6] as did a large number of other acts. William DeVaughn, Kool & the Gang, Blue Magic, B. T. Express, Latimore, Shirley Brown, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, and Tavares all made their first appearances at the top of the chart during the year.[6]

Chart history

Roberta Flack spent five weeks at number one with "Feel Like Makin' Love", which Billboard ranked as the best-performing soul single of the year.

Gladys Knight & the Pips (Knight pictured) had three number ones in 1974.

"Rock Your Baby" by George McCrae (pictured in later life) topped both the soul chart and the all-genre Hot 100 listing.

Stevie Wonder had three number ones in 1974, a feat he had also achieved the previous year.

Key

Indicates best-charting soul single of 1974[9]

Issue date	Title	Artist(s)	Ref.
January 5	"Living for the City"	Stevie Wonder	[2]
January 12	"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)"	Aretha Franklin	[10]
January 19	"I've Got to Use My Imagination"	Gladys Knight & the Pips	[11]
January 26	"Livin' for You"	Al Green	[12]
February 2	"Let Your Hair Down"	The Temptations	[13]
February 9	"Boogie Down"	Eddie Kendricks	[14]
February 16			[15]
February 23			[16]
March 2	"Mighty Love"	The Spinners	[17]
March 9			[18]
March 16	"Lookin' for a Love"	Bobby Womack	[19]
March 23			[20]
March 30			[21]
April 6	"Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me"	Gladys Knight & the Pips	[22]
April 13			[23]
April 20	"TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)"	MFSB with The Three Degrees	[24]
April 27	"The Payback, Pt. 1"	James Brown	[25]
May 4			[26]
May 11	"Dancing Machine"	The Jackson 5	[27]
May 18	"I'm in Love"	Aretha Franklin	[28]
May 25			[29]
June 1	"Be Thankful for What You Got"	William DeVaughn	[30]
June 8	"Hollywood Swinging"	Kool & the Gang	[31]
June 15	"Sideshow"	Blue Magic	[32]
June 22	"Finally Got Myself Together (I'm a Changed Man)"	The Impressions	[33]
June 29			[34]
July 6	"Rock Your Baby"	George McCrae	[35]
July 13			[36]
July 20	"My Thang (Part 1)"	James Brown	[37]
July 27			[38]
August 3	"Feel Like Makin' Love"	Roberta Flack	[39]
August 10			[40]
August 17			[41]
August 24			[42]
August 31			[43]
September 7	"Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe"	Barry White	[44]
September 14			[45]
September 21			[46]
September 28	"You Haven't Done Nothin'"	Stevie Wonder	[47]
October 5			[48]
October 12	"Papa Don't Take No Mess (Part 1)"	James Brown	[49]
October 19	"Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)"	B.T. Express	[50]
October 26	"Higher Plane"	Kool & the Gang	[51]
November 2	"Let's Straighten It Out"	Latimore	[52]
November 9			[53]
November 16	"Woman to Woman"	Shirley Brown	[54]
November 23			[55]
November 30	"I Feel a Song (In My Heart)"	Gladys Knight & the Pips	[56]
December 7			[57]
December 14	"You Got the Love"	Rufus featuring Chaka Khan	[58]
December 21	"She's Gone"	Tavares	[59]
December 28	"Boogie On Reggae Woman"	Stevie Wonder	[60]

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1974

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 5, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
3. "Disco Music Genre Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
4. Huey, Steve. "MFSB Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
5. Breihan, Tom (May 16, 2019). "The Number Ones: MFSB & The Three Degrees' "TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)"". Stereogum. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
6. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. pp. 47, 64, 66, 117, 246, 251, 282, 288, 360, 402, 411. ISBN 9780898201154.
7. Lynskey, Dorian (May 31, 2012). "The best No 1 records: George McCrae – Rock Your Baby". The Guardian. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
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