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List of Hot Soul Singles number ones of 1973

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Musician Fred Wesley
Fred Wesley received the featured credit on "Doing It to Death" by James Brown's regular backing band, the J.B.'s.

Billboard published a weekly chart in 1973 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in soul music and related African American-oriented music genres; the chart has undergone various name changes over the decades to reflect the evolution of such genres and since 2005 has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[1] In 1973, it was published under the title Best Selling Soul Singles through the issue of Billboard dated July 7 and Hot Soul Singles thereafter,[2] and 22 different singles topped the chart.

Stevie Wonder had both the first and last number ones of 1973. In the issue of Billboard dated January 6, Wonder's song "Superstition" reached number one, displacing the final chart-topper of 1972, "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul.[3] Wonder returned to number one for a single week in September 1973 with "Higher Ground" and gained his third chart-topper of the year when "Living for the City" reached the top spot in the issue dated December 29, making him the only act to achieve three number ones in 1973. Gladys Knight & the Pips and the Spinners each had two chart-topping singles during the year. With a cumulative total of eight weeks, Knight and her group had the highest total number of weeks atop the chart of any act. The year's longest unbroken run at number one was achieved by Marvin Gaye, who spent six consecutive weeks atop the chart with "Let's Get It On".

Several acts gained the first number ones of their careers in 1973, beginning with Timmy Thomas,[4] who displaced Stevie Wonder from the top spot in late January with "Why Can't We Live Together". In May and June, three consecutive chart-toppers were debut number ones for their respective artists, the Ohio Players, the Independents and Barry White.[5] The J.B.'s, the backing band for singer James Brown, reached number one in their own right for the first time in July with "Doing It to Death".[6] The group's trombonist and musical director Fred Wesley received a featured credit on the single;[6] James Brown himself appeared on the track but was not credited.[7] Three months later, Eddie Kendricks gained his first number one as a solo artist with "Keep on Truckin'";[8] Kendricks had left the Temptations in 1971 after achieving several number ones as a member of the group.[9] In addition to the various acts topping the chart for the first time, Sylvia made her first appearance at number one since Billboard launched a combined sales and airplay chart for black music; her last chart-topper had been on the Most Played R&B by Jockeys listing as half of the duo Mickey & Sylvia in 1957.[10]

Chart history

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Singer Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder had three number ones in 1973.
Singer Barry White
Barry White topped the chart with "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby".
Singer Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye had the year's longest-running number one with "Let's Get It On".
Singing group The Independents
"Leaving Me" was a number one for the Independents.
Key
† Indicates number 1 on Billboard's year-end soul chart[11]
Chart history
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 6 "Superstition" Stevie Wonder [3]
January 13 [12]
January 20 [13]
January 27 "Why Can't We Live Together" Timmy Thomas [14]
February 3 [15]
February 10 "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" The Spinners [16]
February 17 "Love Train" The O'Jays [17]
February 24 [18]
March 3 [19]
March 10 [20]
March 17 "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" Gladys Knight & the Pips [21]
March 24 [22]
March 31 [23]
April 7 [24]
April 14 "Masterpiece" The Temptations [25]
April 21 [26]
April 28 "Pillow Talk" Sylvia [27]
May 5 [28]
May 12 "Funky Worm" Ohio Players [29]
May 19 "Leaving Me" The Independents [30]
May 26 "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" Barry White [31]
June 2 [32]
June 9 "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" The Spinners [33]
June 16 [34]
June 23 [35]
June 30 [36]
July 7 "Doing It to Death" Fred Wesley & the J.B.'s [37]
July 14 [38]
July 21 "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)" Johnnie Taylor [39]
July 28 [40]
August 4 "Angel" Aretha Franklin [41]
August 11 [42]
August 18 "Let's Get It On" † Marvin Gaye [43]
August 25 [44]
September 1 [45]
September 8 [46]
September 15 [47]
September 22 [48]
September 29 "Higher Ground" Stevie Wonder [49]
October 6 "Keep on Truckin'" Eddie Kendricks [50]
October 13 [51]
October 20 "Midnight Train to Georgia" Gladys Knight & the Pips [52]
October 27 [53]
November 3 [54]
November 10 [55]
November 17 "Space Race" Billy Preston [56]
November 24 "The Love I Lost (Part 1)" Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes [57]
December 1 [58]
December 8 "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" The Staple Singers [59]
December 15 [60]
December 22 [61]
December 29 "Living for the City" Stevie Wonder [62]

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. ^ a b "R & B Chart for January 6, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  4. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 410.
  5. ^ Whitburn 1988, pp. 204, 311, 441.
  6. ^ a b Whitburn 1988, p. 438.
  7. ^ Lowe & Jarman 2018, p. 62.
  8. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 234.
  9. ^ Whitburn 1996, p. 437.
  10. ^ Whitburn 1988, pp. 288, 400.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "R & B Chart for January 13, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  13. ^ "R & B Chart for January 20, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  14. ^ "R & B Chart for January 27, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  15. ^ "R & B Chart for February 3, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  16. ^ "R & B Chart for February 10, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  17. ^ "R & B Chart for February 17, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  18. ^ "R & B Chart for February 24, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  19. ^ "R & B Chart for March 3, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  20. ^ "R & B Chart for March 10, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  21. ^ "R & B Chart for March 17, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  22. ^ "R & B Chart for March 24, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  23. ^ "R & B Chart for March 31, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  24. ^ "R & B Chart for April 7, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  25. ^ "R & B Chart for April 14, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  26. ^ "R & B Chart for April 21, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  27. ^ "R & B Chart for April 28, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  28. ^ "R & B Chart for May 5, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  29. ^ "R & B Chart for May 12, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  30. ^ "R & B Chart for May 19, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  31. ^ "R & B Chart for May 26, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  32. ^ "R & B Chart for June 2, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  33. ^ "R & B Chart for June 9, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  34. ^ "R & B Chart for June 16, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  35. ^ "R & B Chart for June 23, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  36. ^ "R & B Chart for June 30, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  37. ^ "R & B Chart for July 7, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  38. ^ "R & B Chart for July 14, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  39. ^ "R & B Chart for July 21, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  40. ^ "R & B Chart for July 28, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  41. ^ "R & B Chart for August 4, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  42. ^ "R & B Chart for August 11, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  43. ^ "R & B Chart for August 18, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  44. ^ "R & B Chart for August 25, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  45. ^ "R & B Chart for September 1, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  46. ^ "R & B Chart for September 8, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  47. ^ "R & B Chart for September 15, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  48. ^ "R & B Chart for September 22, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  49. ^ "R & B Chart for September 29, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  50. ^ "R & B Chart for October 6, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  51. ^ "R & B Chart for October 13, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  52. ^ "R & B Chart for October 20, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  53. ^ "R & B Chart for October 27, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  54. ^ "R & B Chart for November 3, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  55. ^ "R & B Chart for November 10, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  56. ^ "R & B Chart for November 17, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  57. ^ "R & B Chart for November 24, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  58. ^ "R & B Chart for December 1, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  59. ^ "R & B Chart for December 8, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  60. ^ "R & B Chart for December 15, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  61. ^ "R & B Chart for December 22, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  62. ^ "R & B Chart for December 29, 1973". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

Works cited

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