List of Billboard number-one R&B songs of 1955

In 1955, Billboard magazine published three charts specifically covering the top-performing songs in the United States in rhythm and blues and related African-American-oriented music genres. The Best Sellers in Stores chart ranked records based on their "current national selling importance at the retail level", based on a survey of record retailers "with a high volume of sales in rhythm and blues records". The Most Played in Juke Boxes chart was based on "plays in juke boxes thruout [sic] the country" derived from a survey of "operators using a high proportion of rhythm and blues records". The Most Played by Jockeys chart, which was first published in the issue dated January 22, ranked songs based on the "number of plays on disk jockey radio shows" according to a weekly survey of "top disk jockey shows in all key markets". The three 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.

Rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry had a lengthy run at number one on all three charts with "Maybellene".

In the issue of Billboard dated January 1, "You Upset Me Baby" by B.B. King was at number one on the juke box chart and "Hearts of Stone" by the Charms held the top spot on the best sellers listing; the latter song became the first chart-topper on the jockeys chart when it was first published three weeks later. "Hearts of Stone" was among four of 1955's R&B number one songs which were also chart-toppers on Billboard's pop music charts, but in each case a different artist took the song to the top of the pop listings.[2] At the time it was difficult for black acts to achieve sufficient crossover popularity to top the pop charts, and it was common for white acts to record cover versions of R&B songs for the mainstream market.[3][4] Shortly after the Charms topped all three charts, Johnny Ace achieved the same feat with "Pledging My Love"; it was the third and final chart-topper for the singer, who had died the previous December at the age of 25.[5][6]

The year's longest-running number one on both the juke box and jockeys charts was "Maybellene", the first chart-topper for Chuck Berry.[7] The song is regarded as pivotal in the development of the emerging rock and roll genre; the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it in its list of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll",[8] and it was ranked number 18 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[9] The longest-running number one on the best sellers was chart was "Ain't That a Shame" (erroneously listed as "Ain't It a Shame") by Fats Domino, another pioneer of rock and roll.[10] The year's final number one on the best sellers listing was "Hands Off" by Priscilla Bowman with Jay McShann and his Orchestra. Despite selling sufficiently in the rhythm and blues market to top this chart, the song did not enter Billboard's pop charts at all; not until 1976 would another R&B chart-topper fail to reach even the lowest position of the pop listing.[11]

Chart history

Beginning with the April 9 issue, Billboard sometimes listed both sides of a single jointly at number one on the Best Sellers and Juke Box charts, based on a methodology which combined the survey data for both songs if "significant action [was] reported on both sides of a record".[12] This does not indicate that the single was officially released or promoted as a double A-side.

Roy Hamilton was one of two singers to reach number one with versions of "Unchained Melody".
"Only You (And You Alone)" was a chart-topper for the Platters.
Bo Diddley reached number one with his self-titled song.
Issue date Juke Box Best Sellers Jockeys Ref.
Title Artist(s) Title Artist(s) Title Artist(s)
January 1 "You Upset Me Baby" B.B. King "Hearts of Stone" The Charms N/A [13]
January 8 "Mambo Baby" Ruth Brown [14]
January 15 "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" The Penguins [15]
January 22 "Sincerely" The Moonglows "Hearts of Stone" The Charms
January 29 "Hearts of Stone" The Charms "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" The Penguins
February 5 "Sincerely" The Moonglows
February 12 "Sincerely" The Moonglows "Pledging My Love"Johnny Ace
February 19 "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" The Penguins "Pledging My Love" Johnny Ace "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" The Penguins
February 26 "Pledging My Love" Johnny Ace
March 5 "Pledging My Love" Johnny Ace
March 12
March 19
March 26
April 2 [16]
April 9 "The Wallflower"Etta James [12]
April 16 "Pledging My Love" Johnny Ace [17]
April 23 "My Babe"Little Walter [18]
April 30 "My Babe"Little Walter [19]
May 7 "I Got a Woman"Ray Charles "The Wallflower"Etta James [20]
May 14 "Pledging My Love" Johnny Ace "My Babe" Little Walter [21]
May 21 "My Babe" Little Walter "Unchained Melody"Roy Hamilton "The Wallflower"Etta James [22]
May 28
June 4 "My Babe" Little Walter
June 11 "Ain't That a Shame"[a]Fats Domino "Ain't That a Shame"[a]Fats Domino
June 18 "Unchained Melody"Al Hibbler
June 25 "Bo Diddley" Bo Diddley
July 2 "Ain't That a Shame"[a]Fats Domino
July 9
July 16
July 23
July 30
August 6 "Bo Diddley" Bo Diddley "A Fool for You"Ray Charles
August 13 "Ain't That a Shame"[a]Fats Domino "Ain't That a Shame"[a]Fats Domino
August 20 "Maybellene"Chuck Berry
August 27 "Maybellene"Chuck Berry
September 3 "Maybellene"Chuck Berry
September 10
September 17
September 24
October 1
October 8
October 15
October 22 "Only You (And You Alone)"The Platters
October 29 "Only You (And You Alone)"The Platters "All by Myself"Fats Domino
November 5
November 12
November 19 "Only You (And You Alone)"The Platters "Only You (And You Alone)"The Platters
November 26
December 3
December 10
December 17 "Hands Off"Priscilla Bowman with Jay McShann and his Orchestra "Hands Off"Priscilla Bowman with Jay McShann and his Orchestra [23]
December 24 [24]
December 31 "Adorable" / "Steamboat"[b]The Drifters "Poor Me"Fats Domino [25]

a. ^ Erroneously listed on the chart as "Ain't It a Shame"
b. ^ Both sides listed jointly at number one

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1995. Record Research Incorporated. p. xii. ISBN 9780898201154.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (1983). The Billboard Book of U.S. Top 40 Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 494. ISBN 9780823075119.
  3. Bhasin, Nick (May 31, 2018). "The black artists that inspired Elvis Presley". Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  4. Smith Holmes, Marian (September 28, 2009). "Motown Turns 50". Smithsonian. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  5. Dahl, Bill. "Johnny Ace Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. p. 20. ISBN 9780898201154.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942-1988. Record Research Incorporated. p. 41. ISBN 9780898201154.
  8. "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll by Artists (A–C)". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 24, 2007.
  9. "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time". Rolling Stone. December 11, 2003. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  10. Browne, David (October 25, 2017). "Fats Domino, Rock and Roll Pioneer, Dead at 89". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  11. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. p. 392. ISBN 9780898201604.
  12. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. April 9, 1955. p. 44. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  13. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. January 1, 1955. p. 31. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  14. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. January 8, 1955. p. 34. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  15. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. January 15, 1955. p. 60. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  16. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. April 2, 1955. p. 40. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  17. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. April 16, 1955. p. 46. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  18. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. April 23, 1955. p. 58. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  19. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. April 30, 1955. p. 47. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  20. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. May 7, 1955. p. 49. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  21. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. May 14, 1955. p. 48. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  22. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. May 21, 1955. p. 66. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  23. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. December 17, 1955. p. 63. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  24. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. December 24, 1955. p. 35. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  25. "The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Rhythm & Blues Records". Billboard. December 31, 1955. p. 33. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
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