page_title: List of Hot R&B Sides number ones of 1961
section_title: Chart history
hierarchical_section_title: List of Hot R&B Sides number ones of 1961 / Chart history
caption_attribution_description: Photo of Ray Charles in one of his classic poses at the piano.
context_page_description: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs is a chart published by Billboard that ranks the top-performing songs in the United States in African-American-oriented musical genres; the chart has undergone various name changes since its launch in 1942 to reflect the evolution of such genres. In 1961, it was published under the title Hot R&B Sides, reflecting the fact that rhythm and blues was the dominant genre. During that year, 14 different singles topped the chart, based on playlists submitted by radio stations and surveys of retail sales outlets.
  In the issue of Billboard dated January 2, Jerry Butler was at number one with "He Will Break Your Heart", the song's seventh week in the top spot. Two weeks later, it was displaced by "Shop Around" by the Miracles featuring Bill "Smokey" Robinson, the first million-selling single for the fledgling Motown label, which would go on to become one of the most successful and influential labels of the 20th century and bring unprecedented levels of mainstream success to black music. Motown would go on to achieve another number one when the Marvelettes topped the chart in November with "Please Mr.
caption: Ray Charles had two number ones in 1961.
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