Mary J. Blige’s ‘Be Without You’ Tops Billboard’s All-Time R&B/Hip-Hop Chart Rankings
For the first time ever, Billboard has compiled an in-depth all-time chart recaps of R&B/Hip-Hop music. They ranked the genres's top artists, songs, and albums over the past six decades.
Mary J. Blige's hit single, "Be Without You," ranked as the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop single in the history of the chart—the single had a 15 week reign on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs back in 2006.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop" (featuring Wanz) came in second, and is also the highest ranking rap song with a 14-week run on the charts back in 2013. Usher came in at No. 3 with his 11-week run for the 1997 hit single "You Make Me Wanna." "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye came in at No. 4 and Deborah Cox's "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here," came in at No. 5.
The Temptations were named the top all-time artists— they have a record 16 number 1's on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Aretha Franklin came in at No. 2 followed by Stevie Wonder at No. 3. James Brown secured his place at No. 4 and The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, came in at No. 5.
Michael Jackson's Thriller album leads the list for all-time albums, having spent 37 weeks at No. 1. The Black Eyed Peas album The E.N.D came in at No. 2, and Jackson's Off The Wall landed at No. 3. Whitney Houston's self-titled album came in at No. 4, and closing out the top five is M.C Hammer's album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt Em.
You can read the complete list here.
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