List of Hot Soul Singles number ones of 1974

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Billboard published a weekly chart in 1974 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. In 1974, it was published under the title Hot Soul Singles, and 30 different singles topped the chart.

Singing group The Three Degrees
The Three Degrees provided the vocals on the chart-topping single "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB.

Stevie Wonder had both the first and last number ones of 1974. In the issue of Billboard dated January 5, Wonder spent his second week at number one with "Living for the City". He returned to the top spot in September with "You Haven't Done Nothin'", and gained his third chart-topper of the year when "Boogie On Reggae Woman" reached the peak position in the issue dated December 28, making it the year's final number one. Wonder was one of three acts to take three different singles to number one during 1974, along with James Brown and Gladys Knight & the Pips. The latter two acts each spent a cumulative total of five weeks at number one, placing them in a three-way tie with Roberta Flack for 1974's highest number of weeks atop the chart. Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love" topped the chart for five consecutive weeks, the year's longest unbroken run at number one, and was ranked by Billboard as the year's best-performing soul single.

Two of 1974's Hot Soul Singles number ones showcased the emerging disco genre, which would go on to dominate American popular music in the latter half of the 1970s. In April, MFSB, the house band at the recording studio operated by producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, topped the chart with "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", the theme tune from the TV show Soul Train; the song also featured vocals by the girl group the Three Degrees, who had previously entered the top ten twice in their own right. Three months later, George McCrae reached number one with another disco song, "Rock Your Baby"; both singles also topped the all-genre Hot 100 chart. "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" by Barry White and Stevie Wonder's "You Haven't Done Nothin'" also topped both charts. MFSB, the Three Degrees and McCrae all gained the first number ones of their respective careers in 1974, as did a large number of other acts. William DeVaughn, Kool & the Gang, Blue Magic, B. T. Express, Latimore, Shirley Brown, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, and Tavares all made their first appearances at the top of the chart during the year.

Chart history

 
Roberta Flack spent five weeks at number one with "Feel Like Makin' Love", which Billboard ranked as the best-performing soul single of the year.
 
Gladys Knight & the Pips (Knight pictured) had three number ones in 1974.
 
"Rock Your Baby" by George McCrae (pictured in later life) topped both the soul chart and the all-genre Hot 100 listing.
 
Stevie Wonder had three number ones in 1974.
Key
Indicates number 1 on Billboard's year-end soul chart
Chart history
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 5 "Living for the City" Stevie Wonder
January 12 "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" Aretha Franklin
January 19 "I've Got to Use My Imagination" Gladys Knight & the Pips
January 26 "Livin' for You" Al Green
February 2 "Let Your Hair Down" The Temptations
February 9 "Boogie Down" Eddie Kendricks
February 16
February 23
March 2 "Mighty Love" The Spinners
March 9
March 16 "Lookin' for a Love" Bobby Womack
March 23
March 30
April 6 "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" Gladys Knight & the Pips
April 13
April 20 "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" MFSB with The Three Degrees
April 27 "The Payback, Pt. 1" James Brown
May 4
May 11 "Dancing Machine" The Jackson 5
May 18 "I'm in Love" Aretha Franklin
May 25
June 1 "Be Thankful for What You Got" William DeVaughn
June 8 "Hollywood Swinging" Kool & the Gang
June 15 "Sideshow" Blue Magic
June 22 "Finally Got Myself Together (I'm a Changed Man)" The Impressions
June 29
July 6 "Rock Your Baby" George McCrae
July 13
July 20 "My Thang (Part 1)" James Brown
July 27
August 3 "Feel Like Makin' Love" † Roberta Flack
August 10
August 17
August 24
August 31
September 7 "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" Barry White
September 14
September 21
September 28 "You Haven't Done Nothin'" Stevie Wonder
October 5
October 12 "Papa Don't Take No Mess (Part 1)" James Brown
October 19 "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)" B.T. Express
October 26 "Higher Plane" Kool & the Gang
November 2 "Let's Straighten It Out" Latimore
November 9
November 16 "Woman to Woman" Shirley Brown
November 23
November 30 "I Feel a Song (In My Heart)" Gladys Knight & the Pips
December 7
December 14 "You Got the Love" Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
December 21 "She's Gone" Tavares
December 28 "Boogie On Reggae Woman" Stevie Wonder

See also

References

Works cited