These are the Billboard magazine R&B albums that reached number-one in 1997.
Chart history
edit| Issue date | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| January 4 | The Preacher's Wife | Soundtrack / Whitney Houston |
| January 11 | ||
| January 18 | The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory | Makaveli |
| January 25 | ||
| February 1 | Rhyme & Reason | Soundtrack / Various artists |
| February 8 | The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory | Makaveli |
| February 15 | Gridlock'd | Soundtrack / Various artists |
| February 22 | ||
| March 1 | Baduizm | Erykah Badu |
| March 8 | ||
| March 15 | ||
| March 22 | ||
| March 29 | The Untouchable | Scarface |
| April 5 | ||
| April 12 | Life After Death | The Notorious B.I.G. |
| April 19 | ||
| April 26 | ||
| May 3 | ||
| May 10 | Share My World | Mary J. Blige |
| May 17 | ||
| May 24 | ||
| May 31 | ||
| June 7 | I'm Bout It | Soundtrack / Various artists |
| June 14 | God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation | God's Property |
| June 21 | I'm Bout It | Soundtrack / Various artists |
| June 28 | Wu-Tang Forever | Wu-Tang Clan |
| July 5 | God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation | God's Property |
| July 12 | ||
| July 19 | ||
| July 28 | ||
| August 2 | Supa Dupa Fly | Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott |
| August 9 | No Way Out | Puff Daddy and the Family |
| August 16 | The Art of War | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony |
| August 23 | No Way Out | Puff Daddy and the Family |
| August 30 | ||
| September 6 | ||
| September 13 | ||
| September 20 | Ghetto D | Master P |
| September 27 | ||
| October 4 | When Disaster Strikes | Busta Rhymes |
| October 11 | Evolution | Boyz II Men |
| October 18 | Soul Food | Soundtrack / Various artists |
| October 25 | Gang Related | Soundtrack / Various artists |
| November 1 | ||
| November 8 | The Firm: The Album | The Firm feat. Nas, Foxy Brown, Nature and AZ |
| November 15 | Harlem World | Mase |
| November 22 | The 18th Letter | Rakim |
| November 29 | Unpredictable | Mystikal |
| December 6 | Live | Erykah Badu |
| December 13 | R U Still Down? (Remember Me) | 2Pac |
| December 20 | ||
| December 27 | Live | Erykah Badu |