Listed below is a selected list of performers from 1942-1979 who hit the Top 40 of the R&B charts only one time and never even hit the Top 100 ever again.
Artists who charted numerous times on the pop charts or were primarily pop artists were excluded from this list.
| Artist | Song | Year | R&B | Pop | Label |
| Abaco Dream | Life And Death In G&A | 1969 | 25 | 74 | A&M |
| The Accents | Wiggle Wiggle | 1959 | 16 | 51 | Brunswick |
| Ace Spectrum | Don't Send Nobody Else | 1974 | 20 | 57 | Atlantic |
| Marie Adams | I'm Gonna Play The Honky Tonks | 1952 | 3 | - | Peacock |
| Afrique | Soul Makossa | 1973 | 33 | 47 | Mainstream |
| Jewel Akens | The Birds & The Bees | 1965 | 21 | 3 | Era |
| Annisteen Allen | Baby I'm Doin' It | 1953 | 8 | - | King |
| Ricky Allen | Cut You A-Loose | 1963 | 20 | 126 | Age |
| Vee Allen | Can I | 1973 | 26 | 107 | Lion |
| The Alley Cans | Puddin N' Tain (Ask Me Again, I'll Tell You The Same) | 1963 | 21 | 43 | Philles |
| Elton Anderson | Secret Of Love | 1960 | 22 | 88 | Mercury |
| Jesse Anderson | I Got A Problem | 1970 | 35 | 95 | Thomas |
| The Angelic Gospel Singers | Touch Me, Lord Jesus | 1949 | 13 | - | Gotham |
| The Aquatones | You | 1958 | 11 | 21 | Fargo |
| Archibald & His Orchestra | Stack-A-Lee (Parts I and II) | 1950 | 10 | - | Imperial |
| The Astors | Candy | 1965 | 12 | 63 | Stax |
| Sil Austin | Slow Walk | 1956 | 3 | 17 | Mercury |
| The Ballads | God Bless Our Love | 1968 | 8 | 65 | Venture |
| Barbara & The Uniques | There It Goes Again | 1970 | 16 | 91 | Arden |
| Blue Lu Barker | A Little Bird Told Me | 1948 | 4 | 4 | Capitol |
| Jimmy Barnes | No Regrets | 1959 | 14 | 90 | Gibraltar |
| The Barons | I Know I Was Wrong | 1956 | 13 | - | Imperial |
| Ray Barretto | El Watusi | 1963 | 17 | 17 | Tico |
| Joe Barry | I'm A Fool To Care | 1961 | 15 | 24 | Smash |
| Len Barry | 1-2-3 | 1965 | 11 | 2 | Decca |
| Chris Bartley | The Sweetest Thing This Side Of Heaven | 1967 | 10 | 32 | Vando |
| Beginning Of The End | Funky Nassau Part 1 | 1971 | 7 | 15 | Atlantic |
| Madeline Bell | I'm Gonna Make You Love Me | 1968 | 32 | 26 | Philips |
| Reuben Bell | I Hear You Knocking (It's Too Late) | 1972 | 38 | - | DeLuxe |
| Belle Epoque | Miss Broadway | 1978 | 26 | - | Big Tree |
| The Bell Notes | I've Had It | 1959 | 19 | 6 | Time |
| Joe Bennett & The Sparkletones | Black Slacks | 1957 | 11 | 17 | ABC-Paramount |
| Chuck Bernard | Funny Changes | 1966 | 36 | - | Satellite |
| Rod Bernard | This Should Go On Forever | 1959 | 12 | 20 | Argo |
| Big Maceo | Things Have Changed | 1945 | 4 | - | Bluebird |
| The Big Three Trio | You Sure Look Good To Me | 1948 | 10 | - | Columbia |
| Billy & Lilly | La Dee Dah | 1958 | 6 | 9 | Swan |
| Birdlegs & Pauline | Spring | 1963 | 18 | 94 | Vee-Jay |
| Larry Birdsong | Pleadin' For Love | 1956 | 11 | - | Excello |
| Marion Black | Go On Fool | 1971 | 39 | 124 | Avco |
| Billy Bland | Let The Girl Dance | 1960 | 11 | 7 | Old Town |
| Marcie Blane | Bobby's Girl | 1962 | 14 | 3 | Seville |
| The Blues Woman | Voo-It! Voo-It! | 1946 | 4 | - | Juke Box |
| Eddie Bo | Hook And Sling (Part 1) | 1969 | 13 | 73 | Scram |
| The Bobbettes | Mr. Lee | 1957 | 1 | 6 | Atlantic |
| Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans | Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah | 1962 | 7 | 8 | Philles |
| Boiling Point | Let's Get Funktified (Part 1) | 1978 | 35 | - | Bullet |
| Angelo Bond | Reach For The Moon (Poor People) | 1975 | 32 | - | ABC |
| Boogalo & His Gallent Crew | Cops And Robbers | 1956 | 9 | - | Crest |
| James Booker | Gonzo | 1960 | 3 | 43 | Peacock |
| Boone's Jumpin' Jacks | Please Be Careful (If You Can't Be Good) | 1943 | 4 | - | Decca |
| Bea Booze | See See Rider Blues | 1942 | 1 | - | Decca |
| The Boys In The Band | Money Music | 1970 | 34 | 103 | Spring |
| Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats | Rocket "88" | 1951 | 1 | - | Chess |
| Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers | It's Love Baby (24 Hours a Day) | 1955 | 2 | - | Excello |
| Brother Bones & His Shadows | Sweet Georgia Brown | 1949 | 9 | 10 | Tempo |
| Brotherly Love | Mama's Little Baby (Loves Lovin') | 1972 | 20 | - | Music Merchant |
| Brothers Of Soul | I Guess That Don't Make Me A Loser | 1968 | 32 | - | Boo |
| Al Brown's Tunetoppers | The Madison | 1960 | 14 | 23 | Amy |
| Cleo Brown | Cook That Stuff | 1949 | 13 | - | Capitol |
| Wini Brown & Her Boyfriends | Be Anything - Be Mine | 1952 | 10 | - | Mercury |
| Buchanan & Goodman | The Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2) | 1956 | 4 | 3 | Luniverse |
| Buddy & Claudia | I Wanna Hug Ya, Kiss Ya, Squeeze Ya | 1955 | 14 | - | Chess |
| Bull & The Matadors | The Funky Judge | 1968 | 9 | 39 | Toddlin' Town |
| Ceelle Burke & His Orchestra | From Twilight 'Till Dawn | 1943 | 4 | - | Capitol |
| Harold Burrage | Got To Find A Way | 1965 | 31 | 128 | M-pac! |
| The Capris | There's A Moon Out Tonight | 1961 | 11 | 3 | Old Town |
| Wynona Carr | Should I Ever Love Again | 1957 | 15 | - | Specialty |
| The Carter Brothers | Southern Country Boy | 1965 | 21 | 133 | Jewel |
| The Chakachas | Jungle Fever | 1972 | 11 | 8 | Polydor |
| The Chanters | No, No, No | 1961 | 9 | 41 | DeLuxe |
| Jimmy Charles & The Revelletts | A Million To One | 1960 | 8 | 5 | Promo |
| The Chords | Sh-Boom | 1954 | 2 | 5 | Cat |
| The Chubukos | Witch Doctor Bump | 1973 | 39 | - | Mainstream |
| Claudine Clark | Party Lights | 1962 | 3 | 5 | Chancellor |
| Classic Sullivans | I Don't Want To Lose You | 1973 | 34 | - | Kwanza |
| The C.O.D.'s | Michael | 1965 | 5 | 41 | Kellmac |
| The Colts | Adorable | 1955 | 11 | - | Vita |
| Consumer Rapport | Ease On Down The Road | 1975 | 19 | 42 | Wing & A Prayer |
| Les Cooper & The Soul Rockers | Wiggle Wobble | 1962 | 12 | 22 | Everlast |
| Vivian Copeland | He Knows My Key (Is Always In The Mailbox) | 1969 | 38 | - | D'Oro |
| Cornbread & Biscuits | The Big Time Spender (Parts I & II) | 1960 | 25 | 75 | Maske |
| The Coronets | Nadine | 1953 | 3 | - | Chess |
| The Counts | Darling Dear | 1954 | 6 | - | Dot |
| The Crescendos | Oh Julie | 1958 | 4 | 5 | Nasco |
| The Crickets | You're Mine | 1953 | 10 | - | MGM |
| G.L. Crockett | It's A Man Down There | 1965 | 10 | 67 | 4 Brothers |
| The Crows | Gee | 1954 | 2 | 14 | Rama |
| Louis Curry | A Toast To You | 1968 | 27 | - | M-S |
| The Danderliers | Chop Chop Boom | 1955 | 10 | - | States |
| The Dandleers | One Summer Night | 1958 | 4 | 7 | Mercury |
| Bonnie Davis | Don't Stop Now | 1943 | 1 | - | Savoy |
| Bobby Day | Rockin Robin/Over And Over | 1958 | 1 | 2 | Class |
| The Deacons | Sock It To Me Part 1 | 1968 | 24 | 121 | Shama |
| Jimmy Delphs | Don't Sign The Paper Baby (I Want You Back) | 1968 | 29 | 96 | Karen |
| The Diablos | The Way You Fool Around | 1956 | 12 | - | Fortune |
| The Dixieaires | Go Long | 1948 | 9 | - | Gotham |
| The Dixiebelles | (Down At) Papa Joe's | 1963 | 9 | *Hot | Sound Stage 7 |
| Do Ray And Me | Wrapped Up In A Dream | 1948 | 2 | - | Commodore |
| Harold Dorman | Mountain Of Love | 1960 | 7 | 21 | Rita |
| Dottie & Ray | I Love You Baby | 1965 | 35 | 126 | LeSage |
| Carol Douglas | Doctor's Orders | 1974 | 9 | 11 | Midland I. |
| Eddie Drennon & B.B.S. Unlimited | Let's Do The Latin Hustle | 1975 | 36 | - | Friends & Co. |
| Jack Dupree & Mr. Bear | Walking The Blues | 1955 | 6 | - | King |
| Eddie & Ernie | Time Waits For No One | 1965 | 34 | - | Eastern |
| The Electric Express | It's The Real Thing - Pt. 1 | 1971 | 15 | 81 | Linco |
| The Emperor's | Karate | 1966 | 30 | 55 | Mala |
| The Entertainers IV | Temptation Walk (People Don't Look No More) | 1966 | 29 | - | Dore |
| Warren Evans | I Wonder | 1945 | 6 | - | National |
| The Exits | Under The Street Lamp | 1967 | 34 | 116 | Gemini |
| Bill Farrell | You've Changed | 1949 | 12 | - | MGM |
| Helena Ferguson | Where Is The Party | 1967 | 27 | 90 | Compass |
| Herb Fischer & His Trio | I'm Yours To Keep | 1950 | 4 | - | Modern |
| The Five Du-Tones | Shake A Tail Feather | 1963 | 28 | 51 | One-derful! |
| The Flares | Foot Stomping - Part 1 | 1961 | 20 | 25 | Felsted |
| Dusty Fletcher |
Open The Door, Richard (Parts 1 & 2) |
1947 | 2 | 3 | National |
| Frankie Ford | Sea Cruise | 1959 | 11 | 14 | Ace |
| Earl Forest | Whoopin' And Hollerin' | 1953 | 7 | - | Duke |
| The Four Buddies | I Will Wait | 1951 | 2 | - | Savoy |
| The Four Fellows | Soldier Boy | 1955 | 4 | - | Glory |
| The Four Jacks | I Challenge Your Kiss | 1949 | 8 |