Originally Posted by
RanRan79
I'm with Mows on this. That's a pretty big statement to make. The Supremes were the most successful female group, not just on the Hot 100, but on the R&B chart as well, on Billboard, Cashbox, and Record World. They racked up 8 #1s [[Billboard did not publish an R&B chart from late 1964 to right after the new year of 1965, however "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Baby Love" were both #1 on CB's and RW's R&B charts); 17 non #1 top 10s, including 6 #2's.
With limited research I was able to ascertain that "Stop In the Name Of Love" was kept out of the #1 spot for at least one week by "Shotgun" and then another week by Solomon Burke's "Got To Get You Off My Mind"; "I Hear A Symphony" was kept out of the top spot for at least two weeks by James Brown's "I Feel Good"; and "Love Child" was kept out of the top spot for at least three weeks by "Who's Making Love", and when "Who's" finally dropped from 1 to 2 because Marvin's "Grapevin" hit #1, "Love Child" fell to #6, behind the aforementioned songs as well as "For Once In My Life", "Bring It On Home To Me" [[Eddie Floyd), and "Cloud Nine". That's serious competition.
It's true that during the 70s the Supremes were consistently better on the R&B chart than Hot 100, but during the 60s it was not a rarity either. "Let Me Go the Right Way", "Lovelight", "Run, Run, Run", "Nothing But Heartaches", "Itchin", "Forever Came Today", "I'm Living In Shame", "I'll Try Something New", "The Composer", and "No Matter What Sign You Are" all had better R&B placements than they did on the Hot 100.
In comparison, Martha and the Vandellas had 2 #1s and 8 top 10s; Marvelettes 1 #1 and 10 top 10s; Shirelles zero #1s and 7 top 10s; the Emotions 1 #1 and 4 top 10s; Pointer Sisters 1 #1 and 5 top 10s; TLC 3 #1s and 6 top 10s; and Destiny's Child 4#1s and 7 top 10s. The Supremes dusted everybody. And we won't even get on albums.
Remember, the Hot 100, nicknamed the "pop chart", pop standing for "popular", is a ranking of songs across a broad spectrum of radio and sales. The fact that the Supremes managed 12 #1s against so much vast competition coming from so many directions is incredible. On the R&B chart the competition was less vast because the genre was a bit "specific". That the Supremes did the damage they did even on the R&B chart amid accusations they were somehow "less soulful" [[*eye roll*) in some R&B circles, is still incredible.
That Mary Wilson had no idea her songs ever placed on the R&B chart is laughable IMO. Sometimes I think she just says shit just to see what'll happen. I am no Charlemagne from the Breakfast Club fan, but for this one time I'm going to borrow from him and give Mary Wilson "Donkey Of the Day" for this bullshit.
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