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List of Hot Soul Singles number ones of 1978

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Singer George Clinton
George Clinton (pictured in later life) topped the chart in 1978 as the leader of two groups, Parliament and Funkadelic.

Billboard published a weekly chart in 1978 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in soul music and related African American-oriented genres; the chart has undergone various name changes over the decades to reflect the evolution of black music and since 2005 has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[1] In 1978, it was published under the title Hot Soul Singles,[2] and 22 different singles reached number one.

Three acts which formed part of George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic collective, known for its eclectic mix of funk and hard rock and its use of surreal futuristic imagery, topped the chart in 1978.[3] In the issue of Billboard dated March 4, Parliament reached number one for the first time with "Flash Light".[4] After three weeks in the top spot, the single was displaced by "Bootzilla" by Bootsy's Rubber Band, led by bass guitarist Bootsy Collins, one of the collective's principal members.[5][6] Finally, in September, Funkadelic gained its first chart-topper with "One Nation Under a Groove (Part 1)".[7] Both Parliament and Funkadelic featured largely the same musicians, with the different names reflecting differing styles of music.[8] "One Nation Under a Groove (Part 1)" was the year's longest-running chart-topper, spending six weeks at number one. The track is regarded as a classic of the funk genre and was included on a list of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll compiled by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[9]

Several other acts gained the first soul number ones of their respective careers in 1978, beginning in the issue of Billboard dated January 7 when Con Funk Shun topped the chart with "Ffun".[10] In February, both Stargard and Enchantment reached number one for the first time with "Theme Song from 'Which Way Is Up'" and "It's You That I Need", respectively.[11] Both Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams topped the chart for the first time when they collaborated on "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" in April, and Quincy Jones, a successful producer, composer and band leader since the 1950s, gained his first chart-topping soul single in his own right with "Stuff Like That".[12] Later in the year, Teddy Pendergrass achieved his first solo number one after having been previously successful as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and Rick James, A Taste of Honey and Foxy all reached the top of the chart for the first time.[13] The year's final chart-topper "Le Freak" was another debut number one, as Chic reached the top spot for the first time in the issue of Billboard dated December 2 and stayed there for the remainder of the year.[14] The song is regarded as a classic of the disco genre and was selected in 2018 for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[15]

Chart history

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Musician Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins topped the chart as the leader of Bootsy's Rubber Band and also as a member of both Parliament and Funkadelic.
Singer Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan (pictured in later life) had her first solo number one in 1978 with "I'm Every Woman".
Musician Quincy Jones
"Stuff Like That" was a chart-topper for Quincy Jones (pictured in later life).
"Serpentine Fire" by Earth, Wind & Fire topped Billboard's year-end soul chart,[16] although its final appearance at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart had been in the issue dated December 31, 1977.[17]
Chart history
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 7 "Ffun" Con Funk Shun [18]
January 14 [19]
January 21 "Our Love" Natalie Cole [20]
January 28 [21]
February 4 "Theme Song from 'Which Way Is Up'" Stargard [22]
February 11 [23]
February 18 "Too Hot ta Trot" Commodores [24]
February 25 "It's You That I Need" Enchantment [25]
March 4 "Flash Light" Parliament [26]
March 11 [27]
March 18 [28]
March 25 "Bootzilla" Bootsy's Rubber Band [29]
April 1 "The Closer I Get to You" Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway [30]
April 8 [31]
April 15 "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams [32]
April 22 [33]
April 29 [34]
May 6 [35]
May 13 "Take Me to the Next Phase (Part 1)" The Isley Brothers [36]
May 20 [37]
May 27 "Use ta Be My Girl" The O'Jays [38]
June 3 [39]
June 10 [40]
June 17 [41]
June 24 [42]
July 1 "Stuff Like That" Quincy Jones [43]
July 8 "Close the Door" Teddy Pendergrass [44]
July 15 [45]
July 22 "You and I" Rick James [46]
July 29 [47]
August 5 "Boogie Oogie Oogie" A Taste Of Honey [48]
August 12 "Three Times a Lady" Commodores [49]
August 19 [50]
August 26 "Get Off" Foxy [51]
September 2 [52]
September 9 "Holding On (When Love Is Gone)" L.T.D. [53]
September 16 [54]
September 23 "Got to Get You into My Life" Earth, Wind & Fire [55]
September 30 "One Nation Under a Groove (Part 1)" Funkadelic [56]
October 7 [57]
October 14 [58]
October 21 [59]
October 28 [60]
November 4 [61]
November 11 "I'm Every Woman" Chaka Khan [62]
November 18 [63]
November 25 [64]
December 2 "Le Freak" Chic [65]
December 9 [66]
December 16 [67]
December 23 [68]
December 30 [69]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Whitburn 1996, p. xii.
  3. ^ O'Hagan, Sean (December 23, 1999). "The P-Father of P-Funk". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 11, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 330.
  5. ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 450.
  6. ^ Kalia, Ammar (June 15, 2020). "Bootsy Collins: 'We're all funky, just not all of us know it'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  7. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 162.
  8. ^ "The Over/Under: Funkadelic". Magnet. June 22, 2010. Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  9. ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll By Song (N–P)". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  10. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 98.
  11. ^ Whitburn 1988, pp. 138, 388.
  12. ^ Whitburn 1988, pp. 228, 278, 444.
  13. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 157, 217, 324, 401.
  14. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 85.
  15. ^ "National Recording Registry Reaches 500". Library of Congress. March 21, 2018. Archived from the original on April 16, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  16. ^ "Billboard.com - Year End Charts - Year-end Singles - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  17. ^ Whitburn2004, p. 807.
  18. ^ "R & B Chart for January 7, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  19. ^ "R & B Chart for January 14, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  20. ^ "R & B Chart for January 21, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  21. ^ "R & B Chart for January 28, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  22. ^ "R & B Chart for February 4, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  23. ^ "R & B Chart for February 11, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  24. ^ "R & B Chart for February 18, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  25. ^ "R & B Chart for February 25, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  26. ^ "R & B Chart for March 4, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  27. ^ "R & B Chart for March 11, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  28. ^ "R & B Chart for March 18, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  29. ^ "R & B Chart for March 25, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  30. ^ "R & B Chart for April 1, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  31. ^ "R & B Chart for April 8, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  32. ^ "R & B Chart for April 15, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  33. ^ "R & B Chart for April 22, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  34. ^ "R & B Chart for April 29, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  35. ^ "R & B Chart for May 6, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  36. ^ "R & B Chart for May 13, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 6, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  37. ^ "R & B Chart for May 20, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  38. ^ "R & B Chart for May 27, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  39. ^ "R & B Chart for June 3, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  40. ^ "R & B Chart for June 10, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  41. ^ "R & B Chart for June 17, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  42. ^ "R & B Chart for June 24, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  43. ^ "R & B Chart for July 1, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  44. ^ "R & B Chart for July 8, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  45. ^ "R & B Chart for July 15, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  46. ^ "R & B Chart for July 22, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  47. ^ "R & B Chart for July 29, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  48. ^ "R & B Chart for August 5, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  49. ^ "R & B Chart for August 12, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  50. ^ "R & B Chart for August 19, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  51. ^ "R & B Chart for August 26, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  52. ^ "R & B Chart for September 2, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  53. ^ "R & B Chart for September 9, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  54. ^ "R & B Chart for September 16, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  55. ^ "R & B Chart for September 23, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  56. ^ "R & B Chart for September 30, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  57. ^ "R & B Chart for October 7, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  58. ^ "R & B Chart for October 14, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  59. ^ "R & B Chart for October 21, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  60. ^ "R & B Chart for October 28, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  61. ^ "R & B Chart for November 4, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  62. ^ "R & B Chart for November 11, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  63. ^ "R & B Chart for November 18, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  64. ^ "R & B Chart for November 25, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  65. ^ "R & B Chart for December 2, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  66. ^ "R & B Chart for December 9, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  67. ^ "R & B Chart for December 16, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  68. ^ "R & B Chart for December 23, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  69. ^ "R & B Chart for December 30, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.

Works cited

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