Billboard published a weekly chart in 1991 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in African American-oriented genres; the chart has undergone various name changes over the decades to reflect the evolution of black music and has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since 2005.[1] In 1991, it was published under the title Hot R&B Singles,[2] and 38 different singles reached number one. In the issue of Billboard dated January 5, Freddie Jackson moved into the number one position with "Love Me Down", displacing "It Never Rains (In Southern California)" by Tony! Toni! Toné!.[3] No song spent more than two weeks in the top spot during 1991, although Shanice's "I Love Your Smile", which spent the last two weeks of the year atop the chart, would extend its run by two further weeks in 1992.[4]
Jackson, Color Me Badd, Hi-Five, and BeBe & CeCe Winans, each of whom had two number ones, tied for the highest number of weeks in the top spot during the year, spending three weeks atop the chart. The Rude Boys also had two chart-toppers in 1991 but both of their number ones spent only a single week in the peak position. Gerald Levert had one number one as a solo artist and another as a member of the trio LeVert.[5] With the exception of Gerald Levert, who would achieve a second solo number one in 1992,[5] none of the acts to top the chart twice during the year would achieve another R&B number one after 1991. Color Me Badd, Hi-Five, the Rude Boys, and the Winans siblings all achieved the only two R&B number ones of their respective careers during the year.[6]
Ten acts reached number one on the chart for the first and only time in 1991, including Damian Dame, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Lisa Fischer, Phil Perry, Shanice, and Christopher Williams.[7] Phyllis Hyman gained her sole R&B number one with "Don't Wanna Change the World" more than fifteen years after she first entered the chart.[8] Tracie Spencer, who was only one month old when Hyman achieved her first R&B chart entry, also reached the peak position for the first and only time in 1991.[9] Keith Washington reached number one with "Kissing You", the first chart entry of his career, but it would prove to be the only time he even reached the top 10.[10] "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" by C+C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams was the act's only R&B chart-topper but it continued to be popular for decades afterwards, being used in many films and TV shows.[11][12] It was one of five of the year's R&B chart-toppers to also reach number one on Billboard's pop singles chart, the Hot 100, along with "I Adore Mi Amor" by Color Me Badd, "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" by Hi-Five, "The First Time" by Surface, and "All the Man That I Need" by Whitney Houston.[13]
Chart history
edit† | Indicates number 1 on Billboard's year-end R&B singles chart[14] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Molanphy, Chris (April 14, 2014). "I Know You Got Soul: The Trouble With Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Chart". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
- ^ Whitburn 1996, p. xii.
- ^ a b "R & B Chart for January 5, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 810.
- ^ a b Whitburn 2004, p. 346.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, pp. 129, 254, 281, 504, 631.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, pp. 144, 161, 204, 457, 520, 624.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 268.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, pp. 268, 544.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 613.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 100.
- ^ Bain, Katie (October 4, 2016). "The Depressing Story of America's Favorite Pump-Up Jam". Vice. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ Whitburn 2005, p. 996.
- ^ "Year End Charts – Year-end Singles – Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. November 28, 2007. Archived from the original on November 28, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for January 12, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for January 19, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for January 26, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for February 2, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for February 9, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for February 16, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for February 23, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 2, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 9, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 16, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 23, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 30, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 24, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 6, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 2, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 13, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 20, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 27, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for May 4, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for May 11, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for May 18, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for May 25, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 1, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 8, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 15, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 22, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 29, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 6, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 13, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 20, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 27, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 3, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 10, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 17, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 24, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 31, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 7, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 14, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 21, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 28, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for October 5, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 23, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for October 12, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for October 19, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for October 26, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 2, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 9, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 16, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 23, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 30, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 7, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 14, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 21, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 28, 1991". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
Works cited
edit- Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942–1995. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-115-4.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-160-4.
- Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955–2002. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-155-0.