# List of Hot Soul Singles number ones of 1977

Billboard published a weekly chart in 1977 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in soul music and related African American-oriented genres; the chart has undergone various name changes over the decades to reflect the evolution of black music and since 2005 has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. In 1977, it was published under the title Hot Soul Singles, and 21 different singles reached number one.
In the issue of Billboard dated January 1, the group Rose Royce was at number one with "Car Wash", the song's second week in the top spot. It was displaced the following week by "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)" by the O'Jays. The year's longest-running number one was "Serpentine Fire" by Earth, Wind & Fire, which reached the peak position in the issue of Billboard dated November 19 and stayed there for the remainder of the year, a total of seven consecutive weeks in the top spot. This also meant that the band had the highest total number of weeks at number one during the year, just ahead of two acts with six weeks in the top spot: the Floaters and Stevie Wonder. The latter was the only act to achieve more than one number one during 1977, spending five weeks in the top spot with "I Wish" and one with "Sir Duke".
The Floaters, whose single "Float On" was recognized by Billboard as the year's best-charting soul single, were among a number of acts that topped the soul singles chart in 1977 for the first time in their respective careers. Thelma Houston, the Emotions and Slave also reached the top spot for the first time during the year, as did William Bell, who had recorded his debut single in 1961 and first appeared on the chart in 1966 but had taken more than a decade to gain his first number one. None of the five acts who topped the chart for the first time during 1977 would go on to achieve any further number ones and the Floaters would not chart at all after 1978, despite "Float On" being a million-seller. Six of the year's soul number ones also topped the Hot 100 pop singles chart: both of Stevie Wonder's chart-toppers along with "Car Wash" by Rose Royce, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston, "Got to Give It Up (Part 1)" by Marvin Gaye and "Best of My Love" by the Emotions. Other songs, however, did not achieve significant crossover success: "The Pride (Part 1)" by the Isley Brothers peaked at number 63 on the Hot 100.

## Chart history

Key :
| † | Indicates number 1 on Billboard's year-end soul chart |
Chart history :
| Issue date | Title | Artist(s) |
| January 1 | "Car Wash" | Rose Royce |
| January 8 | "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)" | The O'Jays |
| January 15 | "I Wish" | Stevie Wonder |
| January 22 | "I Wish" | Stevie Wonder |
| January 29 | "I Wish" | Stevie Wonder |
| February 5 | "I Wish" | Stevie Wonder |
| February 12 | "I Wish" | Stevie Wonder |
| February 19 | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | Thelma Houston |
| February 26 | "I've Got Love on My Mind" | Natalie Cole |
| March 5 | "I've Got Love on My Mind" | Natalie Cole |
| March 12 | "I've Got Love on My Mind" | Natalie Cole |
| March 19 | "I've Got Love on My Mind" | Natalie Cole |
| March 26 | "I've Got Love on My Mind" | Natalie Cole |
| April 2 | "Tryin' to Love Two" | William Bell |
| April 9 | "At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up)" | Rufus featuring Chaka Khan |
| April 16 | "At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up)" | Rufus featuring Chaka Khan |
| April 23 | "The Pride (Part 1)" | The Isley Brothers |
| April 30 | "Got to Give It Up (Part 1)" | Marvin Gaye |
| May 7 | "Got to Give It Up (Part 1)" | Marvin Gaye |
| May 14 | "Got to Give It Up (Part 1)" | Marvin Gaye |
| May 21 | "Whodunit" | Tavares |
| May 28 | "Sir Duke" | Stevie Wonder |
| June 4 | "Got to Give It Up (Part 1)" | Marvin Gaye |
| June 11 | "Got to Give It Up (Part 1)" | Marvin Gaye |
| June 18 | "Break It to Me Gently" | Aretha Franklin |
| June 25 | "Best of My Love" | The Emotions |
| July 2 | "Best of My Love" | The Emotions |
| July 9 | "Best of My Love" | The Emotions |
| July 16 | "Easy" | Commodores |
| July 23 | "Best of My Love" | The Emotions |
| July 30 | "Slide" | Slave |
| August 6 | "Strawberry Letter 23" | The Brothers Johnson |
| August 13 | "Float On" † | The Floaters |
| August 20 | "Float On" † | The Floaters |
| August 27 | "Float On" † | The Floaters |
| September 3 | "Float On" † | The Floaters |
| September 10 | "Float On" † | The Floaters |
| September 17 | "Float On" † | The Floaters |
| September 24 | "Keep It Comin' Love" | KC and the Sunshine Band |
| October 1 | "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" | Barry White |
| October 8 | "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" | Barry White |
| October 15 | "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" | Barry White |
| October 22 | "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" | Barry White |
| October 29 | "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" | Barry White |
| November 5 | "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again" | L.T.D. |
| November 12 | "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again" | L.T.D. |
| November 19 | "Serpentine Fire" | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| November 26 | "Serpentine Fire" | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 3 | "Serpentine Fire" | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 10 | "Serpentine Fire" | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 17 | "Serpentine Fire" | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 24 | "Serpentine Fire" | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| December 31 | "Serpentine Fire" | Earth, Wind & Fire |