Billboard published a weekly
chart in 1984 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 1984, it was published under the title Black Singles through the issue dated October 13 and Hot Black Singles thereafter,[2] and 19 different singles reached number one.
A number of acts topped the black singles chart in 1984 for the first time.
Rockwell gained his first chart-topper in March with his debut single "
Somebody's Watching Me", which featured uncredited guest vocals by one of the most successful recording artists of all time,
Michael Jackson.[7] It was followed into the top spot by "
She's Strange" by
Cameo, the first number one for the band, which had charted regularly since 1977.[8] In June,
O'Bryan achieved the first chart-topper of his career with "
Lovelite".[9] "Caribbean Queen" became Ocean's first number one in September,[9] and in December "
Solid" gave
Ashford & Simpson their first chart-topper, more than a decade after their first chart entry.[10] The duo was replaced atop the chart by
Midnight Star with its first number one, "
Operator",[11] which went on to be the final chart-topper of 1984.
Billboard published a weekly
chart in 1984 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 1984, it was published under the title Black Singles through the issue dated October 13 and Hot Black Singles thereafter,[2] and 19 different singles reached number one.
A number of acts topped the black singles chart in 1984 for the first time.
Rockwell gained his first chart-topper in March with his debut single "
Somebody's Watching Me", which featured uncredited guest vocals by one of the most successful recording artists of all time,
Michael Jackson.[7] It was followed into the top spot by "
She's Strange" by
Cameo, the first number one for the band, which had charted regularly since 1977.[8] In June,
O'Bryan achieved the first chart-topper of his career with "
Lovelite".[9] "Caribbean Queen" became Ocean's first number one in September,[9] and in December "
Solid" gave
Ashford & Simpson their first chart-topper, more than a decade after their first chart entry.[10] The duo was replaced atop the chart by
Midnight Star with its first number one, "
Operator",[11] which went on to be the final chart-topper of 1984.