List of number-one R&B singles of 1996 (U.S.)
These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1996:
Chart history
| Issue Date | Song | Artist |
| January 6 | "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" | Whitney Houston |
| January 13 | "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" | Whitney Houston |
| January 20 | "Before You Walk out of My Life" / "Like This and Like That" | Monica |
| January 27 | "Before You Walk out of My Life" / "Like This and Like That" | Monica |
| February 3 | "Not Gon' Cry" | Mary J. Blige |
| February 10 | "Not Gon' Cry" | Mary J. Blige |
| February 17 | "Not Gon' Cry" | Mary J. Blige |
| February 24 | "Not Gon' Cry" | Mary J. Blige |
| March 2 | "Not Gon' Cry" | Mary J. Blige |
| March 9 | "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" | R. Kelly featuring Ronald Isley |
| March 16 | "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" | R. Kelly featuring Ronald Isley |
| March 23 | "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" | R. Kelly featuring Ronald Isley |
| March 30 | "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" | R. Kelly featuring Ronald Isley |
| April 6 | "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" | R. Kelly featuring Ronald Isley |
| April 13 | "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" | R. Kelly featuring Ronald Isley |
| April 20 | "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" | R. Kelly featuring Ronald Isley |
| April 27 | "You're the One" | SWV |
| May 4 | "Always Be My Baby" | Mariah Carey |
| May 11 | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs N Harmony |
| May 18 | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs N Harmony |
| May 25 | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs N Harmony |
| June 1 | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs N Harmony |
| June 8 | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs N Harmony |
| June 15 | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs N Harmony |
| June 22 | "Tha Crossroads" | Bone Thugs N Harmony |
| June 29 | "You're Makin' Me High" / "Let It Flow" | Toni Braxton |
| July 6 | "How Do U Want It" / "California Love" | 2Pac featuring K-Ci & JoJo / featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman |
| July 13 | "How Do U Want It" / "California Love" | 2Pac featuring K-Ci & JoJo / featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman |
| July 20 | "How Do U Want It" / "California Love" | 2Pac featuring K-Ci & JoJo / featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman |
| July 27 | "You're Makin' Me High" / "Let It Flow" | Toni Braxton |
| August 3 | "I Can't Sleep Baby (If I)" | R. Kelly |
| August 10 | "I Can't Sleep Baby (If I)" | R. Kelly |
| August 17 | "Twisted" | Keith Sweat |
| August 24 | "Twisted" | Keith Sweat |
| August 31 | "Hit Me Off" | New Edition |
| September 7 | "Hit Me Off" | New Edition |
| September 14 | "Hit Me Off" | New Edition |
| September 21 | "Twisted" | Keith Sweat |
| September 28 | "If Your Girl Only Knew" | Aaliyah |
| October 5 | "If Your Girl Only Knew" | Aaliyah |
| October 12 | "Last Night" | Az Yet |
| October 19 | "No Diggity" | Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre |
| October 26 | "No Diggity" | Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre |
| November 2 | "No Diggity" | Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre |
| November 9 | "No Diggity" | Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre |
| November 16 | "Pony" | Ginuwine |
| November 23 | "Pony" | Ginuwine |
| November 30 | "Nobody" | Keith Sweat featuring Athena Cage |
| December 7 | "Nobody" | Keith Sweat featuring Athena Cage |
| December 14 | "Nobody" | Keith Sweat featuring Athena Cage |
| December 21 | "I Believe I Can Fly" | R. Kelly |
| December 28 | "I Believe I Can Fly" | R. Kelly |
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See also
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| | 1942–1959 | |
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| | 1960–1979 | |
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| | 1980–1999 | |
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| | 2000–present | |
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