List of Hot Black Singles number ones of 1987

Billboard published a weekly chart in 1987 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 has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since 2005.^[1] In 1987, it was published under the title Hot Black Singles,^[2] and 33 different singles reached number one.

Lisa Lisa (pictured in 1987) gained her first number one, along with Cult Jam, with "Head to Toe".

In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, Bobby Brown's track "Girlfriend" was at number one, retaining its position from the previous week.^[3] The following week, it was replaced by "Control", the first of four number ones in 1987 for Janet Jackson, who also took "Let's Wait Awhile", and "The Pleasure Principle" to the peak position and provided featured vocals on "Diamonds" by trumpeter Herb Alpert. Her brother Michael achieved three number ones during the year, topping the listing with "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", which also featured Siedah Garrett, as well as "Bad" and "The Way You Make Me Feel". Freddie Jackson (no relation to Janet and Michael), Luther Vandross, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, and Stephanie Mills all had two chart-toppers in 1987. Michael and Janet Jackson each achieved a total of five weeks at number one, the most by any artist. Michael's song "Bad" was one of four singles to spend three consecutive weeks in the top spot, tying with singles by Jody Watley, Prince, and Stephanie Mills for the year's longest run atop the chart.

A number of acts achieved their first number-one singles on the chart in 1987, including Alpert, Garrett, the System, Gregory Hines, Atlantic Starr, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Alexander O'Neal, the Force M.D.'s, and LL Cool J.^[4] Although Alpert had experienced little success to date on the black singles listing, he had placed nearly 40 songs on Billboard's pop chart, the Hot 100, beginning in 1962,^[5] several years before teenaged 1987 chart-toppers Brown and LL Cool J were even born.^[6] Angela Winbush topped the Hot Black Singles chart for the first time as a solo artist, having previously reached number one as half of the duo René & Angela, and Watley gained her first solo chart-topper, having previously reached the peak position as a member of the group Shalamar.^[7] The O'Jays returned to number one after a nine-year absence with their single "Lovin' You".^[8] Five of 1987's Hot Black Singles number ones also topped the Hot 100: Michael Jackson's "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" and "Bad" as well as "Always" by Atlantic Starr, and both "Head to Toe" and "Lost in Emotion" by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam.^[9]

Chart history

Janet Jackson (pictured in 1986) had four number-ones during 1987: "Control", "Let's Wait Awhile", "Diamonds" (with Herb Alpert), and "The Pleasure Principle".

Michael Jackson (pictured in 1988) had three chart toppers during the year: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", and "The Way You Make Me Feel".

"Fake" was a chart-topper for Alexander O'Neal (pictured in 2014).

Herb Alpert (pictured in 1966) had his first Hot Black Singles number one, 25 years after his first pop chart entry.

Key

†	Indicates number 1 on Billboard's year-end black singles chart[10]

Chart history

Issue date	Title	Artist(s)	Ref.
January 3	"Girlfriend"	Bobby Brown	[3]
January 10	"Control"	Janet Jackson	[11]
January 17	"Stop to Love" †	Luther Vandross	[12]
January 24			[13]
January 31	"Candy"	Cameo	[14]
February 7			[15]
February 14	"Falling"	Melba Moore	[16]
February 21	"Have You Ever Loved Somebody"	Freddie Jackson	[17]
February 28			[18]
March 7	"Slow Down"	Loose Ends	[19]
March 14	"Let's Wait Awhile"	Janet Jackson	[20]
March 21	"Looking for a New Love"	Jody Watley	[21]
March 28			[22]
April 4			[23]
April 11	"Sign 'O' the Times"	Prince	[24]
April 18			[25]
April 25			[26]
May 2	"Don't Disturb This Groove"	The System	[27]
May 9	"There's Nothing Better Than Love"	Luther Vandross with Gregory Hines	[28]
May 16	"Always"	Atlantic Starr	[29]
May 23			[30]
May 30	"Head to Toe"	Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam	[31]
June 6			[32]
June 13	"Rock Steady"	The Whispers	[33]
June 20	"Diamonds"	Herb Alpert featuring Janet Jackson	[34]
June 27			[35]
July 4	"I Feel Good All Over"	Stephanie Mills	[36]
July 11			[37]
July 18			[38]
July 25	"Fake"	Alexander O'Neal	[39]
August 1			[40]
August 8	"The Pleasure Principle"	Janet Jackson	[41]
August 15	"Jam Tonight"	Freddie Jackson	[42]
August 22	"Casanova"	LeVert	[43]
August 29			[44]
September 5	"Love is a House"	The Force M.D.s	[45]
September 12			[46]
September 19	"I Just Can't Stop Loving You"	Michael Jackson with Siedah Garrett	[47]
September 26	"I Need Love"	LL Cool J	[48]
October 3	"Lost in Emotion"	Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam	[49]
October 10	"(You're Puttin') A Rush on Me"	Stephanie Mills	[50]
October 17	"Bad"	Michael Jackson	[51]
October 24			[52]
October 31			[53]
November 7	"Lovin' You"	The O'Jays	[54]
November 14	"Angel"	Angela Winbush	[55]
November 21			[56]
November 28	"Skeletons"	Stevie Wonder	[57]
December 5			[58]
December 12	"System of Survival"	Earth, Wind & Fire	[59]
December 19	"I Want to Be Your Man"	Roger	[60]
December 26	"The Way You Make Me Feel"	Michael Jackson	[61]

References

1. 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.
2. Whitburn 1996, p. xii.
3. "R & B Chart for January 3, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
4. Whitburn 2004, pp. 29, 209, 224, 256, 354, 357, 440, 564.
5. Whitburn 2005, p. 14.
6. Whitburn 2005, pp. 85, 418.
7. Whitburn 2004, pp. 614, 632.
8. Whitburn 2004, p. 438.
9. Whitburn 2005, p. 995.
10. "Year End Charts - Year-end Singles – Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. December 11, 2007. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
11. "R & B Chart for January 10, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
12. "R & B Chart for January 17, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
13. "R & B Chart for January 24, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
14. "R & B Chart for January 31, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
15. "R & B Chart for February 7, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
16. "R & B Chart for February 14, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
17. "R & B Chart for February 21, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
18. "R & B Chart for February 28, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
19. "R & B Chart for March 7, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
20. "R & B Chart for March 14, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
21. "R & B Chart for March 21, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
22. "R & B Chart for March 28, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
23. "R & B Chart for April 4, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
24. "R & B Chart for April 11, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 23, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
25. "R & B Chart for April 18, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
26. "R & B Chart for April 25, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
27. "R & B Chart for May 2, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
28. "R & B Chart for May 9, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
29. "R & B Chart for May 16, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
30. "R & B Chart for May 23, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 24, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
31. "R & B Chart for May 30, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
32. "R & B Chart for June 6, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
33. "R & B Chart for June 13, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
34. "R & B Chart for June 20, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
35. "R & B Chart for June 27, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
36. "R & B Chart for July 4, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
37. "R & B Chart for July 11, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
38. "R & B Chart for July 18, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
39. "R & B Chart for July 25, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
40. "R & B Chart for August 1, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
41. "R & B Chart for August 8, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
42. "R & B Chart for August 15, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
43. "R & B Chart for August 22, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
44. "R & B Chart for August 29, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
45. "R & B Chart for September 5, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
46. "R & B Chart for September 12, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
47. "R & B Chart for September 19, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
48. "R & B Chart for September 26, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 23, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
49. "R & B Chart for October 3, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
50. "R & B Chart for October 10, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
51. "R & B Chart for October 17, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
52. "R & B Chart for October 24, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
53. "R & B Chart for October 31, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
54. "R & B Chart for November 7, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
55. "R & B Chart for November 14, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
56. "R & B Chart for November 21, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
57. "R & B Chart for November 28, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
58. "R & B Chart for December 5, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
59. "R & B Chart for December 12, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
60. "R & B Chart for December 19, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
61. "R & B Chart for December 26, 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2023.

Works cited

• 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.
• Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955–2002. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-155-0.