James Brown Charted Over 90 Songs on the Billboard Hot 100, But the ‘Godfather of Soul’ Never Had a No. 1 Hit

The history of popular music would look very different if not for the contributions of the inimitable James Brown. A pioneer in the genre of funk and soul music, Brown was born into impoverished circumstances – but a combination of hard work and determination helped the talented musician climb to the top.

Over the years, Brown released a number of hit songs, including his iconic tune “I Got You,” but the “Godfather of Soul” never landed a Billboard No. 1 hit. In spite of that, Brown charted over 90 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, a staggering achievement for any artist.

James Brown was known as the ‘Godfather of Soul’

Brown was born in 1933, raised in extreme poverty in South Carolina, and later, in Georgia, according to Biography. After discovering his deep affinity for gospel music at an early age, Brown decided to pursue a career in music – but the path to success didn’t come easy for Brown, and he had to work long and hard for his big break.

That big break ultimately came in the ’50s as the lead singer of the group the Famous Flames. By the ’60s, Brown had made a name for himself as a dynamic solo performer – and his songs “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” and “I Got You (I Feel Good)” earned him icon status.

Brown had several nicknames, including “Godfather of Soul,” due to his devotion to the soul genre, according to Biography. He was also known as “the Hardest Working Man in Show Business” because of his tendency to perform five or six shows each week.

James Brown never landed a Billboard No. 1 hit

Brown died in 2006 at the age of 73. He left behind an incredible legacy and a catalog of music that continues to inspire millions. Interestingly enough, however, Brown never charted a Billboard No. 1 hit throughout the course of his extensive career.

According to Billboard, Brown landed over 90 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 but never climbed higher than No. 3, which he achieved with his 1965 song “I Got You (I Feel Good).” As reported by Billboard, Brown was beaten in the top two spots by “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)” by The Byrds and “Over And Over” by The Dave Clark Five.

He also came close with other Billboard Top 10 hits, including “Living in America,” which peaked at No. 4 in 1986, “I Got the Feelin,'” which made it to No. 6, and “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag (Part 1),” which made it to No. 8. Brown’s other Top 10 hits include “Cold Sweat (Part 1),” and “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.”

A number of popular music artists never had No. 1 hits

James Brown is far from the only iconic musician to never land a Billboard No. 1 hit. Grunge band Nirvana never landed a No. 1 hit, with their closest being the hit tune “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” According to Insider, Bruce Springsteen, well known for songs like “Born to Run,” has never had a Billboard No. 1 song, while beloved ’90s boy band the Backstreet Boys also never scored that coveted No. 1 spot.

Other well-known bands and artists who never had No. 1 hits include Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Sheryl Crow, and Led Zeppelin. Even Novel Prize-winning artist Bob Dylan never had a No. 1 hit on the Billboard charts, although he did have two No. 2 songs – “Like a Rollin’ Stone” and “Rainy Day Women # 12 and 35.”