Billboard published a weekly chart in 1982 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, since 2005, has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. ^[1] In 1982, the chart was published under the title Hot Soul Singles through the issue of Billboard dated June 19, and Black Singles thereafter, ^[2] with an article in the June 26 issue of the magazine stating that the name change was based on the fact that "blacks [ sic] have been making and buying pop music of greater stylistic variety than the soul sound since the early 1970s". ^[3] During the year, 14 different singles topped the chart.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 2, the number-one position was occupied by " Let's Groove" by Earth, Wind & Fire, the song's sixth week in the top spot. ^[4] The track remained at number one for two further weeks before being replaced by " Turn Your Love Around" by George Benson. During the year, six acts reached number one on the listing for the first time, beginning with two consecutive chart-toppers in January and February, " I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" by Daryl Hall & John Oates and " Call Me" by Skyy. ^[5] Richard "Dimples" Fields, Dazz Band, Jennifer Holliday, and Zapp also reached the top position for the first time. ^[6] Of the six acts who debuted atop the listing in 1982, only Skyy would achieve a second number one on the listing. ^[7] "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" also topped Billboard's pop chart, the Hot 100, ^[8] the only one of the year's soul/black chart-toppers to do so. ^[9] In contrast, Fields' " If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another" only reached number 47 on the Hot 100, and " Dance Floor, Part 1" by Zapp did not enter the pop listing at all. ^[10]

Aretha Franklin, known as the " Queen of Soul", ^[11] surpassed the record previously held by James Brown for the most number ones since black music sales and airplay were combined into one chart in 1958 when her single " Jump to It" reached the peak position in September, giving Franklin her 18th number one on the listing. ^[12] The longest reign at the top during 1982 was nine weeks, achieved by " That Girl" by Stevie Wonder; it was Wonder's 14th number one on the chart and the longest-running of his career. ^[13] " Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye spent eight weeks at number one during the year but extended its run to ten in early 1983, making it the longest-running number one on the chart since 1962. ^[14] It was Gaye's first number one on the chart since 1977 and would prove to be his last before he was killed in 1984. ^{[15] [16]}

Chart history

References

Works cited

• Whitburn, Joel (1985). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books. ISBN  978-0-82307-518-8.
• Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN  978-0-89820-160-4.