In 1946, Billboard magazine published a chart ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in African-American-oriented musical genres under the title of Most-Played Juke Box Race Records. The chart is considered to be part of the lineage of the magazine's multimetric R&B chart, which since 2005 has been published under the title Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs. The term "race records" was then in common usage for recordings by black artists.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 5, Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers were at number one with "The Honeydripper" (Parts 1 & 2). The track had spent 17 weeks at number one in 1945 and thus achieved a final total of 18 weeks at number one, a new record for an R&B chart-topper. Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five equalled the record in the final issue of 1946 when their song "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" spent an 18th week in the top spot. The record would also be equalled by Drake's "One Dance" in 2016 but not broken until "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X spent a 19th week atop the modern Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart in 2019. Jordan dominated the top of the chart during 1946, spending a total of 34 weeks in the top spot (including two in which he tied for number one with another act) with five songs, one of which was a collaboration with singer Ella Fitzgerald.

The longest unbroken run at number one in 1946 was achieved by vibraphone player Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra, who spent 14 consecutive weeks in the top spot with "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop", including one tied week. In June, pioneering black vocal harmony group the Ink Spots achieved their fifth and final number one with "The Gypsy"; the song also reached the top spot on the all-genre Best-Selling Popular Retail Records, Records Most-Played on the Air and Most-Played Juke Box Records charts. The year's final number one was Jordan's "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie"; including his collaboration with Fitzgerald, Jordan had occupied the top spot without interruption since July. He was by far the most successful artist of the 1940s on Billboards R&B charts. His tally of 18 chart-toppers was a record which would stand until the 1980s, and he spent 113 weeks at number one, a record which would still stand in the 21st century. Jordan's success fell away in the 1950s, but his music is considered to have been hugely influential on the development of both R&B and rock and roll.

Chart history

+ Issue dateTitleArtist(s)Ref."" (Parts 1 & 2) and his Honeydrippers "Buzz Me" and his Tympany Five "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" and his Orchestra "Don’t Worry 'bout That Mule" and his Tympany Five "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" and his Orchestra "" "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" and his Orchestra "" "Stone Cold Dead in the Market" and Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five "" "Stone Cold Dead in the Market" and Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" and his Tympany Five "Ain't That Just Like a Woman" "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie"

Notes a. Jordan's first 16 number ones occurred at a time when Billboard published only one R&B chart. His final two number ones occurred during a period when the magazine published two charts and each topped both listings, but the figure of 113 weeks at number one does not double-count weeks when he topped both. b. Two songs tied for the number one position.

References

Works cited