List of Hot Soul Singles number ones of 1978
![Singer George Clinton](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Voodoo_Experience_2009_%2814_of_37%29.jpg/330px-Voodoo_Experience_2009_%2814_of_37%29.jpg)
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
[edit]![Musician Bootsy Collins](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/William_%22Bootsy%22_Collins_%28cropped%29.jpg/170px-William_%22Bootsy%22_Collins_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![Singer Chaka Khan](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Chaka_Kahn_1996.jpg/170px-Chaka_Kahn_1996.jpg)
![Musician Quincy Jones](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Quincy_Jones_and_the_Slaight_Family_Music_Lab_%2814170558995%29.jpg/170px-Quincy_Jones_and_the_Slaight_Family_Music_Lab_%2814170558995%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/White_and_Baiiley_Earth_Wind_and_Fire.jpg/170px-White_and_Baiiley_Earth_Wind_and_Fire.jpg)
See also
[edit]References
[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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 330.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 450.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 162.
- ^ "The Over/Under: Funkadelic". Magnet. June 22, 2010. Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 98.
- ^ Whitburn 1988, pp. 138, 388.
- ^ Whitburn 1988, pp. 228, 278, 444.
- ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 157, 217, 324, 401.
- ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 85.
- ^ "National Recording Registry Reaches 500". Library of Congress. March 21, 2018. Archived from the original on April 16, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Whitburn2004, p. 807.
- ^ "R & B Chart for January 7, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for January 14, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for January 21, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for January 28, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for February 4, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for February 11, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for February 18, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for February 25, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 4, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 11, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 18, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for March 25, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 1, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 8, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 15, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 22, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for April 29, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for May 6, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for May 13, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 6, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for May 20, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for May 27, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 3, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 10, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 17, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for June 24, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 1, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 8, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 15, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 22, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for July 29, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 5, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 12, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 19, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for August 26, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 2, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 9, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 16, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 23, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for September 30, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for October 7, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for October 14, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for October 21, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for October 28, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 4, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 11, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 18, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for November 25, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 2, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 9, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 16, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 23, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "R & B Chart for December 30, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
Works cited
[edit]- Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942–1988. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-069-0.
- 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.