List of Hot R&B Singles number ones of 1963

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 1963, it was published under the title Hot R&B Singles, reflecting the fact that rhythm and blues was the dominant genre. During that year, 21 different singles topped the chart, based on playlists submitted by radio stations and surveys of retail sales outlets.[1] After the issue dated November 23, 1963, Billboard discontinued the chart, which did not return until the issue dated January 30, 1965. No official explanation has ever been given as to why Billboard ceased producing R&B charts. Chart historian Joel Whitburn has contended that "there was so much crossover of titles between the R&B and pop singles (Hot 100) charts that Billboard considered the charts to be too similar".[2]

Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs had the last number one before the chart was discontinued.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 5, Esther Phillips moved up to number one with her version of "Release Me" displacing the final chart-topper of 1962, "You Are My Sunshine" by Ray Charles,[3] but Charles' version of the country song returned to the top of the chart the following week. The year's longest-running number one was "Fingertips (Part 2)" by Little Stevie Wonder, which spent six consecutive weeks in the top spot in August and September. Wonder, who would go on to become one of the biggest stars not only in the R&B field but across all genres, was only 12 years old when the live performance was recorded earlier in the year.[4]

The final number one before Billboard stopped publishing the Hot R&B Singles chart was "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs, which moved into the top spot in the final chart to be published, in the issue dated November 23. The song had previously spent five weeks at number one on the Hot 100.[5] Songs by Little Stevie Wonder, Paul & Paula, Ruby & the Romantics, the Chiffons, Little Peggy March, Jimmy Soul, Lesley Gore and the Essex also topped both charts in 1963.[6] The majority of the acts who topped the R&B chart in 1963 did so for the first time: Paul & Paula, Ruby & the Romantics, the Chiffons, Little Peggy March, Jimmy Soul, Lesley Gore, Barbara Lewis, the Essex, Little Stevie Wonder, Martha and the Vandellas, Garnet Mimms & the Enchanters, Little Johnny Taylor, the Impressions, and Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs all made their first appearance in the peak position during the year.[7]

Chart history

Stevie Wonder had the year's longest-running number one with "Fingertips (Part 2)", recorded live when he was 12 years old.
Mary Wells spent four weeks at number one with "Two Lovers".
"He's So Fine" was a chart-topper for the Chiffons.
Barbara Lewis gained her only number one in 1963 with "Hello Stranger".
Key
Indicates best-charting R&B single of 1963[8]
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 5 "Release Me" Esther Phillips ("Little Esther") [3]
January 12 "You Are My Sunshine" Ray Charles [9]
January 19 "Two Lovers" Mary Wells [10]
January 26 [11]
February 2 [12]
February 9 [13]
February 16 "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" The Miracles [14]
February 23 "Hey Paula" Paul & Paula [15]
March 2 [16]
March 9 "That's the Way Love Is" Bobby Bland [17]
March 16 [18]
March 23 "Our Day Will Come" Ruby & the Romantics [19]
March 30 [20]
April 6 "He's So Fine" The Chiffons [21]
April 13 [22]
April 20 [23]
April 27 [24]
May 4 "Baby Workout" Jackie Wilson [25]
May 11 [26]
May 18 [27]
May 25 "I Will Follow Him" Little Peggy March [28]
June 1 "If You Wanna Be Happy" Jimmy Soul [29]
June 8 "Another Saturday Night" Sam Cooke [30]
June 15 "It's My Party" Lesley Gore [31]
June 22 [32]
June 29 [33]
July 6 "Hello Stranger" Barbara Lewis [34]
July 13 [35]
July 20 "Easier Said Than Done" The Essex [36]
July 27 [37]
August 3 "Fingertips (Part 2)" Little Stevie Wonder [38]
August 10 [39]
August 17 [40]
August 24 [41]
August 31 [42]
September 7 [43]
September 14 "Heat Wave" Martha and the Vandellas [44]
September 21 [45]
September 28 [46]
October 5 [47]
October 12 "Cry Baby" Garnet Mimms & the Enchanters [48]
October 19 "Part Time Love" Little Johnny Taylor [49]
October 26 "Cry Baby" Garnet Mimms & the Enchanters [50]
November 2 [51]
November 9 "It's All Right" The Impressions [52]
November 16 [53]
November 23 "Sugar Shack" Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs [54]

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1995. Record Research Incorporated. p. xii. ISBN 9780898201154.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. p. xiii.
  3. "R & B Chart for January 5, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  4. Huey, Steve. "Stevie Wonder Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  5. Hoffmann, Frank (2016). Chronology of American Popular Music, 1900-2000. Routledge. p. 239. ISBN 9781135868864.
  6. "Hot 100 1963 Archive". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1995. Record Research Incorporated. pp. 78, 137, 170, 172, 206, 265, 285, 287, 308, 342, 383, 411, 436, 491. ISBN 9780898201154.
  8. "Billboard.com - Year End Charts - Year-end Singles - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  9. "R & B Chart for January 12, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  10. "R & B Chart for January 19, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  11. "R & B Chart for January 26, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  12. "R & B Chart for February 2, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  13. "R & B Chart for February 9, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  14. "R & B Chart for February 16, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  15. "R & B Chart for February 23, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  16. "R & B Chart for March 2, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  17. "R & B Chart for March 9, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  18. "R & B Chart for March 16, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  19. "R & B Chart for March 23, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  20. "R & B Chart for March 30, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  21. "R & B Chart for April 6, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  22. "R & B Chart for April 13, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  23. "R & B Chart for April 20, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  24. "R & B Chart for April 27, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  25. "R & B Chart for May 4, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  26. "R & B Chart for May 11, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  27. "R & B Chart for May 18, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  28. "R & B Chart for May 25, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  29. "R & B Chart for June 1, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  30. "R & B Chart for June 8, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  31. "R & B Chart for June 15, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  32. "R & B Chart for June 22, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  33. "R & B Chart for June 29, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  34. "R & B Chart for July 6, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  35. "R & B Chart for July 13, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  36. "R & B Chart for July 20, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  37. "R & B Chart for July 27, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  38. "R & B Chart for August 3, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  39. "R & B Chart for August 10, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  40. "R & B Chart for August 17, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  41. "R & B Chart for August 24, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  42. "R & B Chart for August 31, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  43. "R & B Chart for September 7, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  44. "R & B Chart for September 14, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  45. "R & B Chart for September 21, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  46. "R & B Chart for September 28, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  47. "R & B Chart for October 5, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  48. "R & B Chart for October 12, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  49. "R & B Chart for October 19, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  50. "R & B Chart for October 26, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  51. "R & B Chart for November 2, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  52. "R & B Chart for November 9, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  53. "R & B Chart for November 16, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  54. "R & B Chart for November 23, 1963". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
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