| The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1961 |
| TOP 50 R&B SINGLES (As published in the December 30, 1961, issue) |
| POS | TITLE – Artist (Label) |
| 1 | TOSSIN’ AND TURNIN’ – Bobby Lewis (Beltone) |
| 2 | WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW – The Shirelles (Scepter) |
| 3 | MOTHER-IN-LAW – Ernie K-Doe (Minit) |
| 4 | LAST NIGHT – The Mar-Keys (Satellite) |
| 5 | IT’S GONNA WORK OUT FINE – Ike & Tina Turner (Sue) |
| 6 | SHOP AROUND – The Miracles (Tamla) |
| 7 | DON’T CRY NO MORE – Bobby Bland (Duke) |
| 8 | RAINDROPS – Dee Clark (Vee-Jay) |
| 9 | I LIKE IT LIKE THAT (pt. 1) – Chris Kenner (Instant) |
| 10 | ALL IN MY MIND – Maxine Brown (Nomar) |
| 11 | PONY TIME – Chubby Checker (Parkway) |
| 12 | THE BOLL WEEVIL SONG – Brook Benton (Mercury) |
| 13 | QUARTER TO THREE – Gary (U.S.) Bonds (Legrand) |
| 14 | (I Don’t Know Why) BUT I DO – Clarence “Frogman” Henry (Argo) |
| 15 | STAND BY ME – Ben E. King (Atco) |
| 16 | RAININ’ IN MY HEART – Slim Harpo (Excello) |
| 17 | MY TRUE STORY – The Jive Five (Beltone) |
| 18 | DADDY’S HOME – Shep & The Limelites (Hull) |
| 19 | ONE MINT JULEP – Ray Charles (Impulse) |
| 20 | I PITY THE FOOL – Bobby Bland (Duke) |
| 21 | BLUE MOON – The Marcels (Colpix) |
| 22 | ANGEL BABY – Rosie & The Originals (Highland) |
| 23 | GEE WHIZ (Look At His Eyes) – Carla Thomas (Atlantic) |
| 24 | YOU CAN HAVE HER – Roy Hamilton (Epic) |
| 25 | HE WILL BREAK YOUR HEART – Jerry Butler (Vee-Jay) |
| 26 | AT LAST – Etta James (Argo) |
| 27 | FOR MY BABY – Brook Benton (Mercury) |
| 28 | THE WATUSI – The Vibrations (Checker) |
| 29 | DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE – The Shirelles (Scepter) |
| 30 | LET’S TWIST AGAIN – Chubby Checker (Parkway) |
| 31 | THE HOOCHI COOCHI COO – Hank Ballard & The Midnighters (King) |
| 32 | A HUNDRED POUNDS OF CLAY – Gene McDaniels (Liberty) |
| 33 | THERE’S A MOON OUT TONIGHT – The Capris (Old Town) |
| 34 | DON’T CRY, BABY – Etta James (Argo) |
| 35 | MAMA SAID – The Shirelles (Scepter) |
| 36 | SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL – The Drifters (Atlantic) |
| 37 | EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART – [Gladys Knight &] The Pips (Vee-Jay / Fury) |
| 38 | YA YA – Lee Dorsey (Fury) |
| 39 | FIND ANOTHER GIRL – Jerry Butler (Vee-Jay) |
| 40 | SCHOOL IS OUT – Gary (U.S.) Bonds (Legrand) |
| 41 | RUNAWAY – Del Shannon (Big Top) |
| 42 | LET’S GO, LET’S GO, LET’S GO – Hank Ballard & The Midnighters (King) |
| 43 | HIT THE ROAD JACK – Ray Charles (ABC-Paramount) |
| 44 | I COUNT THE TEARS – The Drifters (Atlantic) |
| 45 | SPANISH HARLEM – Ben E. King (Atco) |
| 46 | A LITTLE BIT OF SOAP – The Jarmels (Laurie) |
| 47 | CUPID – Sam Cooke (RCA Victor) |
| 48 | I IDOLIZE YOU – Ike & Tina Turner (Sue) |
| 49 | THINK TWICE – Brook Benton (Mercury) |
| 50 | TRUST IN ME – Etta James (Argo) |