List of Billboard number-one R&B songs of 1954

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Singer Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner reached number one with "Shake, Rattle and Roll", which would go on to be highly influential in the development of rock and roll music.

In 1954, Billboard magazine published two charts specifically covering the top-performing songs in the United States in rhythm and blues and related African-American-oriented music genres: Best Sellers in Stores (published as National Best Sellers through the issue dated February 13) and Most Played in Juke Boxes. The two charts are considered part of the lineage of the magazine's multimetric R&B chart launched in 1958,[1] which since 2005 has been published under the title Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs.[2]

In the issue of Billboard dated January 2, blues singer Big Joe Turner was at number one on the juke box chart with "Honey Hush" and Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters were atop the best sellers listing with "Money Honey". Both acts returned to the top spot later in the year. In June, Turner topped the juke box chart with "Shake, Rattle and Roll". McPhatter and the Drifters reached number one on both listings in July with "Honey Love". Shortly after Turner topped the chart with "Shake, Rattle and Roll", Bill Haley and his Comets released a cover version which is considered one of the most influential recordings in the development of the emerging rock and roll genre.[3][4][5] Although Turner would not reach number one again, he would enjoy a lengthy career and be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.[6][7] His original recording of "Shake, Rattle and Roll" was ranked number 127 on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[8]

The year's longest-running number one on the juke box chart was "The Things That I Used to Do" by Guitar Slim, which spent 14 consecutive weeks in the top spot. It was the only chart entry the Mississippi-born guitarist achieved in his career,[9] but is considered to have significantly influenced the development of both soul music and the use of the electric guitar in rock music.[10][11] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included the track on its list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.[12] On the best sellers chart, "Honey Love" by the Drifters and Clyde McPhatter tied for the longest time spent atop the chart with Roy Hamilton's version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the 1945 musical Carousel, both songs spending eight weeks at number one. While no act achieved more than one number one on the juke box chart, three acts joined the Drifters in gaining two chart-toppers on the best sellers listing: Faye Adams, Ruth Brown (who replaced herself at number one in the issue of Billboard dated November 20), and the Midnighters. The year's final number one on the juke box listing was "You Upset Me Baby" by B.B. King and the last chart-topper of 1954 on the best sellers listing was "Hearts of Stone" by the Charms.

Chart history[edit]

A poster advertising singer Ruth Brown
"Oh What a Dream" was a long-running number one for Ruth Brown.
Singer Clyde McPhatter
Clyde McPhatter led the Drifters on two songs which were R&B number ones in 1954.
Singer B.B. King
B.B. King (pictured in 1985) ended the year at number one on the juke box chart.
Chart history
Issue date Juke Box Best Sellers Ref.
Title Artist(s) Title Artist(s)
January 2 "Honey Hush" Big Joe Turner "Money Honey" Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters [13]
January 9 [14]
January 16 [15]
January 23 [16]
January 30 "The Things That I Used to Do" Guitar Slim [17]
February 6 "I'll Be True" Faye Adams [18]
February 13 "The Things That I Used to Do" Guitar Slim [19]
February 20 [20]
February 27 [21]
March 6 [22]
March 13 [23]
March 20
March 27 "You'll Never Walk Alone" Roy Hamilton [24]
April 3 [25]
April 10 [26]
April 17 [27]
April 24 [28]
May 1 [29]
May 8 "You'll Never Walk Alone" Roy Hamilton [30]
May 15 [31]
May 22 "Work with Me, Annie" The Midnighters [32]
May 29
June 5 [33]
June 12 "Shake, Rattle and Roll" Big Joe Turner [34]
June 19
June 26 [35]
July 3 "Work with Me, Annie" The Midnighters [36]
July 10 "Honey Love" The Drifters feat. Clyde McPhatter [37]
July 17 [38]
July 24 [39]
July 31 "Honey Love" The Drifters feat. Clyde McPhatter [40]
August 7 [41]
August 14 [42]
August 21
August 28 [43]
September 4 "Oh What a Dream" Ruth Brown [44]
September 11 [45]
September 18 [46]
September 25 "Oh What a Dream" Ruth Brown "Annie Had a Baby" The Midnighters [47]
October 2 [48]
October 9 "It Hurts Me to My Heart" Faye Adams [49]
October 16
October 23 [50]
October 30 [51]
November 6 [52]
November 13 "Oh What a Dream" Ruth Brown [53]
November 20 "It Hurts Me to My Heart" Faye Adams "Mambo Baby" [54]
November 27 "Hearts of Stone" The Charms [55]
December 4 [56]
December 11 [57]
December 18 [58]
December 25 "You Upset Me Baby" B.B. King [58]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Whitburn 1996, p. xii.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Dahl, Bill. "Big Joe Turner Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  4. ^ Cantwell, David (July 27, 2015). "The Startling Blast of "Rock Around the Clock", Sixty Years On". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  5. ^ Eder, Bruce. "Bill Haley Turner Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  6. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 419.
  7. ^ "Big Joe Turner". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  8. ^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. December 11, 2003. Archived from the original on September 9, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  9. ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 176.
  10. ^ Unterberger 1996, pp. 360–361.
  11. ^ Aswell 2010, pp. 61–65.
  12. ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 1995. Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  13. ^ "Top R & B Records". Billboard. January 2, 1954. p. 30. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2020 – via Google Books.
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  16. ^ "Top R & B Records". Billboard. January 23, 1954. p. 40. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2020 – via Google Books.
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  35. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. June 26, 1954. p. 38. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022 – via Google Books.
  36. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. July 3, 1954. p. 43. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
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  38. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. July 17, 1954. p. 63. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  39. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. July 24, 1954. p. 30. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  40. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. July 31, 1954. p. 45. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
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  43. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. August 28, 1954. p. 78. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  44. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. September 4, 1954. p. 32. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  45. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. September 11, 1954. p. 55. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
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  49. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. October 16, 1954. p. 44. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  50. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. October 23, 1954. p. 43. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  51. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. October 30, 1954. p. 41. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  52. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. November 6, 1954. p. 51. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  53. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. November 13, 1954. p. 97. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  54. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. November 20, 1954. p. 50. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  55. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. November 27, 1954. p. 44. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  56. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. December 4, 1954. p. 51. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  57. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. December 11, 1954. p. 46. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.
  58. ^ a b "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. December 25, 1954. p. 100. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via Google Books.

Works cited[edit]

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