Similar in format to the "Billboard Book of Number One Hits" and "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits", this book traces the history of soul and R&B music by focusing on the songs that topped Billboard's Top R&B Singles chart over the past 40 years. All the great Motown hits are covered as are the classic tunes by such non-Motown stalwarts as Sam Cooke, James Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Sam and Dave, as well as contemporary stars like Prince and Michael Jackson. Arranged chronologically, the book looks at the each number-one hit and probes the stories behind the songs, providing trivia, key biographical information on artists and songwriters, and basic chart data. Taken as a whole, "The Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits" amounts to a detailed overview of an immensely popular musical genre - a genre that has been enjoying a huge historical reassessment in recent years, with soul artists finally getting their due and being recognised as having been every bit as important as Elvis and the Beatles in shaping the course of modern rock and roll.