# List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1971

These are the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1971.
That year, 16 acts hit number one for the first time, such as Dawn, the Osmonds, Janis Joplin, Honey Cone, Carole King, the Raiders, James Taylor, the Bee Gees, Linda McCartney, Donny Osmond, Rod Stewart, Isaac Hayes, and Melanie. Janis Joplin became the second artist to earn a number one song posthumously after her death in October 1970. Paul McCartney, Cher, and Donny Osmond, having already hit number one with the Beatles, Sonny & Cher, and the Osmonds, respectively, also earn their first number one songs as solo acts.

## Chart history

Key :
* The yellow background indicates the #1 song on Billboard's 1971 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles.
| No. | Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
| 247 | January 2 | "My Sweet Lord" / "Isn't It a Pity" | George Harrison |
| 247 | January 9 | "My Sweet Lord" / "Isn't It a Pity" | George Harrison |
| 247 | January 16 | "My Sweet Lord" / "Isn't It a Pity" | George Harrison |
| 248 | January 23 | "Knock Three Times" | Dawn |
| 248 | January 30 | "Knock Three Times" | Dawn |
| 248 | February 6 | "Knock Three Times" | Dawn |
| 249 | February 13 | "One Bad Apple" | The Osmonds |
| 249 | February 20 | "One Bad Apple" | The Osmonds |
| 249 | February 27 | "One Bad Apple" | The Osmonds |
| 249 | March 6 | "One Bad Apple" | The Osmonds |
| 249 | March 13 | "One Bad Apple" | The Osmonds |
| 250 | March 20 | "Me and Bobby McGee" | Janis Joplin |
| 250 | March 27 | "Me and Bobby McGee" | Janis Joplin |
| 251 | April 3 | "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" | The Temptations |
| 251 | April 10 | "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" | The Temptations |
| 252 | April 17 | "Joy to the World" | Three Dog Night |
| 252 | April 24 | "Joy to the World" | Three Dog Night |
| 252 | May 1 | "Joy to the World" | Three Dog Night |
| 252 | May 8 | "Joy to the World" | Three Dog Night |
| 252 | May 15 | "Joy to the World" | Three Dog Night |
| 252 | May 22 | "Joy to the World" | Three Dog Night |
| 253 | May 29 | "Brown Sugar" | The Rolling Stones |
| 253 | June 5 | "Brown Sugar" | The Rolling Stones |
| 254 | June 12 | "Want Ads" | Honey Cone |
| 255 | June 19 | "It's Too Late" / "I Feel the Earth Move" | Carole King |
| 255 | June 26 | "It's Too Late" / "I Feel the Earth Move" | Carole King |
| 255 | July 3 | "It's Too Late" / "I Feel the Earth Move" | Carole King |
| 255 | July 10 | "It's Too Late" / "I Feel the Earth Move" | Carole King |
| 255 | July 17 | "It's Too Late" / "I Feel the Earth Move" | Carole King |
| 256 | July 24 | "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" | The Raiders |
| 257 | July 31 | "You've Got a Friend" | James Taylor |
| 258 | August 7 | "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" | Bee Gees |
| 258 | August 14 | "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" | Bee Gees |
| 258 | August 21 | "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" | Bee Gees |
| 258 | August 28 | "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" | Bee Gees |
| 259 | September 4 | "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" | Paul & Linda McCartney |
| 260 | September 11 | "Go Away Little Girl" | Donny Osmond |
| 260 | September 18 | "Go Away Little Girl" | Donny Osmond |
| 260 | September 25 | "Go Away Little Girl" | Donny Osmond |
| 261 | October 2 | "Maggie May" / "Reason to Believe" | Rod Stewart |
| 261 | October 9 | "Maggie May" / "Reason to Believe" | Rod Stewart |
| 261 | October 16 | "Maggie May" / "Reason to Believe" | Rod Stewart |
| 261 | October 23 | "Maggie May" / "Reason to Believe" | Rod Stewart |
| 261 | October 30 | "Maggie May" / "Reason to Believe" | Rod Stewart |
| 262 | November 6 | "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" | Cher |
| 262 | November 13 | "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" | Cher |
| 263 | November 20 | "Theme from Shaft" | Isaac Hayes |
| 263 | November 27 | "Theme from Shaft" | Isaac Hayes |
| 264 | December 4 | "Family Affair" | Sly and the Family Stone |
| 264 | December 11 | "Family Affair" | Sly and the Family Stone |
| 264 | December 18 | "Family Affair" | Sly and the Family Stone |
| 265 | December 25 | "Brand New Key" | Melanie |

## Number-one artists

List of number-one artists by total weeks at number one :
| Position | Artist | Weeks at No. 1 |
| 1 | Three Dog Night | 6 |
| 2 | The Osmonds | 5 |
| 2 | Carole King | 5 |
| 2 | Rod Stewart | 5 |
| 5 | Bee Gees | 4 |
| 6 | George Harrison | 3 |
| 6 | Dawn | 3 |
| 6 | Donny Osmond | 3 |
| 6 | Sly and the Family Stone | 3 |
| 10 | Janis Joplin | 2 |
| 10 | The Temptations | 2 |
| 10 | The Rolling Stones | 2 |
| 10 | Cher | 2 |
| 10 | Isaac Hayes | 2 |
| 15 | Honey Cone | 1 |
| 15 | The Raiders | 1 |
| 15 | James Taylor | 1 |
| 15 | Paul McCartney | 1 |
| 15 | Linda McCartney | 1 |
| 15 | Melanie | 1 |