| The CASH BOX R&B Top 60 | ||||||
| Dark blue square = bullet (strong upward move) | Week ending JANUARY 1, 1972 | |||||
| TW | TITLE | Artist (Label) | LW | 2WK | 3WK | WKS | |
| 1 | GOT TO BE THERE Michael Jackson (Motown 1191) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | |
| 2 | CLEAN UP WOMAN Betty Wright (Alston 4601) | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 3 | DROWNING IN THE SEA OF LOVE Joe Simon (Spring 120) | 5 | 8 | 15 | 8 | |
| 4 | SCORPIO Dennis Coffey & Detroit Guitar Band (Sussex 226) | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11 | |
| 5 | FAMILY AFFAIR Sly & Family Stone (Epic 10805) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | |
| 6 | YOU ARE EVERYTHING Stylistics (Avco 4581) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | |
| 7 | ONE MONKEY DON’T STOP NO SHOW (pt. 1) Honey Cone (Hot Wax 7110) | 7 | 9 | 12 | 8 | |
| 8 | LET’S STAY TOGETHER Al Green (Hi 2202) | 10 | 14 | 22 | 6 | |
| 9 | SUGAR DADDY Jackson 5 (Motown 1194) | 12 | 15 | 27 | 4 | |
| 10 | EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT MY GOOD THING (pt. 1) Little Johnny Taylor (Ronn 55) | 13 | 17 | 21 | 7 | |
| 11 | I’M A GREEDY MAN (pt. 1) James Brown (Polydor 14100) | 9 | 5 | 5 | 8 | |
| 12 | THAT’S THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT CHA Bobby Womack & Peace (United Artists 50847) | 16 | 24 | 31 | 7 | |
| 13 | ROCK STEADY Aretha Franklin (Atlantic 2838) | 8 | 4 | 2 | 10 | |
| 14 | MAKE ME THE WOMAN THAT YOU GO HOME TO Gladys Knight & Pips (Soul 35091) | 19 | 26 | 32 | 5 | |
| 15 | LOVE GONNA PACK UP (And Walk Out) Persuaders (Win Or Lose 220) | 17 | 27 | 33 | 5 | |
| 16 | RESPECT YOURSELF Staple Singers (Stax 0104) | 11 | 10 | 11 | 14 | |
| 17 | AIN’T UNDERSTANDING MELLOW Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager (Mercury 73255) | 21 | 30 | 37 | 5 | |
| 18 | SUPERSTAR (Remember How You Got Where You Are) Temptations (Gordy 7111) | 14 | 11 | 8 | 9 | |
| 19 | THEME FROM SHAFT Isaac Hayes (Enterprise 9038) | 15 | 12 | 6 | 11 | |
| 20 | SHOW ME HOW Emotions (Volt 4066) | 27 | 22 | 25 | 7 | |
| 21 | HAVE YOU SEEN HER Chi-Lites (Brunswick 55462) | 18 | 13 | 10 | 10 | |
| 22 | FIRE AND WATER Wilson Pickett (Atlantic 2852) | 32 | 42 | — | 3 | |
| 23 | WHAT TIME IS IT (pt. 1) General Crook (Down To Earth 77) | 25 | 25 | 29 | 10 | |
| 24 | GET DOWN Curtis Mayfield (Curtom 1966) | 20 | 16 | 13 | 9 | |
| 25 | EVERYBODY’S EVERYTHING Santana (Columbia 45472) | 23 | 21 | 18 | 8 | |
| 26 | YOU MAKE YOUR OWN HEAVEN AND HELL RIGHT HERE ON EARTH Undisputed Truth (Gordy 7112) | 28 | 32 | 35 | 5 | |
| 27 | AFTER ALL THIS TIME Merry Clayton (Ode 66020) | 30 | 34 | 36 | 6 | |
| 28 | SLIPPIN’ INTO DARKNESS War (United Artists 50867) | 38 | 46 | — | 3 | |
| 29 | WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO Donnie Elbert (All Platinum 2330) | 22 | 18 | 14 | 14 | |
| 30 | PAIN (pt. 1) Ohio Players (Westbound 188) | 34 | 36 | 47 | 6 | |
| 31 | INNER CITY BLUES (Make Me Wanna Holler) Marvin Gaye (Tamla 54209) | 26 | 20 | 17 | 13 | |
| 32 | SON OF SHAFT Bar-Kays (Volt 4073) | 41 | — | — | 2 | |
| 33 | A CHILD OF GOD (It’s Hard To Believe) Millie Jackson (Spring 119) | 24 | 19 | 16 | 11 | |
| 34 | SATISFACTION Smokey Robinson & Miracles (Tamla 54211) | 33 | 35 | 39 | 7 | |
| 35 | LOVE AND LIBERTY Laura Lee (Hot Wax 7111) | 39 | 43 | 48 | 5 | |
| 36 | YOU KEEP ME HOLDING ON Tyrone Davis (Dakar 626) | 29 | 23 | 20 | 13 | |
| 37 | WHAT AM I LIVING FOR Ray Charles (ABC/TRC 11317) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 38 | GET UP AND GET DOWN Dramatics (Volt 4071) | 42 | 47 | 50 | 6 | |
| 39 | LOVE IS FUNNY THAT WAY Jackie Wilson (Brunswick 55461) | 31 | 28 | 30 | 7 | |
| 40 | LET ONE HURT DO L. J. Reynolds & Chocolate Syrup (Law-Ton 1553) | 46 | 50 | 55 | 6 | |
| 41 | DO THE FUNKY PENGUIN (pt. 1) Rufus Thomas (Stax 0112) | 43 | 49 | — | 3 | |
| 42 | A MOTHER’S PRAYER Joe Tex (Dial 1010) | 45 | — | — | 2 | |
| 43 | WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT Brenda & Tabulations (Top And Bottom 411) | 44 | 48 | 52 | 5 | |
| 44 | TOGETHER LET’S FIND LOVE 5th Dimension (Bell 45,170) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 45 | AT LAST Jesse James (Zay 30,002) | 53 | 56 | 59 | 4 | |
| 46 | OH ME OH MY (I’m A Fool For You Baby) Aretha Franklin (Atlantic 2838) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 47 | WAY BACK HOME Jr. Walker & All Stars (Soul 35090) | 40 | 45 | 49 | 5 | |
| 48 | THE WOOTIE-T-WOO / CAUSE THAT’S THE WAY I KNOW People’s Choice (Phil-L.A. Of Soul 352) | 49 | 51 | 53 | 6 / 4 | |
| 49 | YOU WANT IT, YOU GOT IT Detroit Emeralds (Westbound 192) | 47 | 53 | 54 | 4 | |
| 50 | CAN’T HELP BUT LOVE YOU Whispers (Janus 174) | 54 | — | — | 2 | |
| 51 | HEY RUBY (Shut Your Mouth) Ruby & Party Gang (Law-Ton 1554) | 55 | 60 | — | 3 | |
| 52 | GOOD OLD DAYS Clarence Reid (Alston 4603) | 52 | 54 | — | 3 | |
| 53 | IF I COULD SEE THE LIGHT 8th Day (Invictus 9107) | 56 | — | — | 2 | |
| 54 | KEEP ON KEEPING ON N.F. Porter (Lizard 1010) | 36 | 44 | 51 | 6 | |
| 55 | DON’T TURN AROUND Black Ivory (Today 1501) | 50 | 52 | — | 11 | |
| 56 | JUNGLE FEVER Chakachas (Polydor 15030) | 57 | 58 | 60 | 4 | |
| 57 | HUNGRY COUNTRY GIRL Otis Spann with Fleetwood Mac (Blue Horizon 304) | 58 | 59 | — | 3 | |
| 58 | THE LOVE YOU LEFT BEHIND Syl Johnson (Hi 2201) | 59 | — | — | 4 | |
| 59 | YES I’M READY (If I Don’t Get To Go) Gene Chandler (Mercury 73258) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 60 | WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW Roberta Flack (Atlantic 2851) | — | — | — | 1 | |
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