R&B Through History
The Hits of 1968
1968 R&B TOP SINGLES
Explore the defining R&B and Soul single releases of 1968. Click any card to load its details, source album, and a fun fact below! (← Back to Main Dashboard)
1968
Psychedelic Soul / Raw FunkTop 30 Single Releases
Selected Song Details
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Key Takeaways: 1968 Singles
1968 was a year of profound transition and turmoil, and soul music reflected it perfectly. The year began with the bittersweet #1 success of **Otis Redding's** posthumous masterpiece, "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." The genre then took a harder, more socially conscious turn. **James Brown** released the seminal Black Power anthem "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud," while **The Temptations**, under producer Norman Whitfield, pioneered psychedelic soul with "Cloud Nine." **Marvin Gaye** released his brooding, definitive version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," which became Motown's best-selling single to that point. At Stax, **Johnnie Taylor's** "Who's Making Love" signaled a shift to a grittier, bluesier funk sound, and the instrumental "Grazing in the Grass" and "The Horse" showed the enduring power of the groove.