Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' Hit No. 1 59 Years Ago Today

You probably already have this soulful legend's iconic tune in your head before I even have to type it. That's right; on this day, 59 years ago, Aretha Franklin's cover of "Respect" took the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it reigned for four weeks. It also peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's US Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart, remaining there for eight weeks. It established Franklin as an international star.

Franklin's signature song was an Otis Redding track. Redding released it in August 1965. The song sounded quite different, and it was thematically different, too. As NPR aptly put it, Redding's original "reinforced the traditional family structure of the time: Man works all day, brings money home to wife and demands her respect in return." This version peaked at No. 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 that year.

"Respect" didn't become the feminist anthem it is until Franklin recorded her cover. The singer-songwriter and pianist changed the gender, reworking the lyrics with the help of her sisters, Carolyn and Erma, who also sang the "Sock it to me" line. Franklin's musical rearrangement also includes her trademark "stop-and-stutter" syncopation. This infuses the song with an infectious vigor.

Franklin's cover of "Respect" was released as a single on April 10, 1967, with the B-side as "Dr. Feelgood." Both tracks appear on the legendary musical artist's ninth studio album, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Chart-wise, the record skyrocketed to No. 1 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it remained for 14 weeks. It peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

"Respect" went on to become an empowering anthem for the mounting Civil Rights and Women's Rights movements. It exemplifies the fight for equal rights and autonomy for both the Black community and women. The track also appears on numerous best-of lists and rankings, and in 2021, Rolling Stone ranked "Respect" at No. 1 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time." The publication ranked Franklin's cover again in 2025 on its "The 100 Best Protest Songs of All Time" list, where it sat at No. 4.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 10:35 AM.