# List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1972

These are the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1972.
That year, 18 acts earned their first number one song, such as Don McLean, Al Green, Nilsson, Neil Young, America, Roberta Flack, The Chi-Lites, The Staple Singers, Sammy Davis Jr., Bill Withers, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Looking Glass, Mac Davis, Chuck Berry, Johnny Nash, Helen Reddy, and Billy Paul. Michael Jackson, having previously hit number one with The Jackson 5, also earns his first number one song as a solo act.

## Chart history

Key :
| † | The yellow background indicates the #1 song on Billboard's 1972 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles. |
| No. | Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
| 265 | January 1 | "Brand New Key" | Melanie |
| 265 | January 8 | "Brand New Key" | Melanie |
| 266 | January 15 | "American Pie" | Don McLean |
| 266 | January 22 | "American Pie" | Don McLean |
| 266 | January 29 | "American Pie" | Don McLean |
| 266 | February 5 | "American Pie" | Don McLean |
| 267 | February 12 | "Let's Stay Together" | Al Green |
| 268 | February 19 | "Without You" | Nilsson |
| 268 | February 26 | "Without You" | Nilsson |
| 268 | March 4 | "Without You" | Nilsson |
| 268 | March 11 | "Without You" | Nilsson |
| 269 | March 18 | "Heart of Gold" | Neil Young |
| 270 | March 25 | "A Horse with No Name" | America |
| 270 | April 1 | "A Horse with No Name" | America |
| 270 | April 8 | "A Horse with No Name" | America |
| 271 | April 15 | "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"† | Roberta Flack |
| 271 | April 22 | "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"† | Roberta Flack |
| 271 | April 29 | "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"† | Roberta Flack |
| 271 | May 6 | "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"† | Roberta Flack |
| 271 | May 13 | "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"† | Roberta Flack |
| 271 | May 20 | "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"† | Roberta Flack |
| 272 | May 27 | "Oh Girl" | The Chi-Lites |
| 273 | June 3 | "I'll Take You There" | The Staple Singers |
| 274 | June 10 | "The Candy Man" | Sammy Davis Jr. |
| 274 | June 17 | "The Candy Man" | Sammy Davis Jr. |
| 274 | June 24 | "The Candy Man" | Sammy Davis Jr. |
| 275 | July 1 | "Song Sung Blue" | Neil Diamond |
| 276 | July 8 | "Lean on Me" | Bill Withers |
| 276 | July 15 | "Lean on Me" | Bill Withers |
| 276 | July 22 | "Lean on Me" | Bill Withers |
| 277 | July 29 | "Alone Again (Naturally)" | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 277 | August 5 | "Alone Again (Naturally)" | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 277 | August 12 | "Alone Again (Naturally)" | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 277 | August 19 | "Alone Again (Naturally)" | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 278 | August 26 | "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" | Looking Glass |
| re | September 2 | "Alone Again (Naturally)" | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| re | September 9 | "Alone Again (Naturally)" | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 279 | September 16 | "Black and White" | Three Dog Night |
| 280 | September 23 | "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me" | Mac Davis |
| 280 | September 30 | "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me" | Mac Davis |
| 280 | October 7 | "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me" | Mac Davis |
| 281 | October 14 | "Ben" | Michael Jackson |
| 282 | October 21 | "My Ding-a-Ling" | Chuck Berry |
| 282 | October 28 | "My Ding-a-Ling" | Chuck Berry |
| 283 | November 4 | "I Can See Clearly Now" | Johnny Nash |
| 283 | November 11 | "I Can See Clearly Now" | Johnny Nash |
| 283 | November 18 | "I Can See Clearly Now" | Johnny Nash |
| 283 | November 25 | "I Can See Clearly Now" | Johnny Nash |
| 284 | December 2 | "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" | The Temptations |
| 285 | December 9 | "I Am Woman" | Helen Reddy |
| 286 | December 16 | "Me and Mrs. Jones" | Billy Paul |
| 286 | December 23 | "Me and Mrs. Jones" | Billy Paul |
| 286 | December 30 | "Me and Mrs. Jones" | Billy Paul |

## Number-one artists

List of number-one artists by total weeks at number one :
| Position | Artist | Weeks at No. 1 |
| 1 | Roberta Flack | 6 |
| 1 | Gilbert O'Sullivan | 6 |
| 3 | Don McLean | 4 |
| 3 | Nilsson | 4 |
| 3 | Johnny Nash | 4 |
| 6 | America | 3 |
| 6 | Sammy Davis Jr. | 3 |
| 6 | Bill Withers | 3 |
| 6 | Mac Davis | 3 |
| 6 | Billy Paul | 3 |
| 11 | Melanie | 2 |
| 11 | Chuck Berry | 2 |
| 13 | Al Green | 1 |
| 13 | Neil Young | 1 |
| 13 | The Chi-Lites | 1 |
| 13 | The Staple Singers | 1 |
| 13 | Neil Diamond | 1 |
| 13 | Looking Glass | 1 |
| 13 | Three Dog Night | 1 |
| 13 | Michael Jackson | 1 |
| 13 | The Temptations | 1 |
| 13 | Helen Reddy | 1 |