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Franklin's Atlantic debut is the place where gospel music collided with R&B and rock & roll and became soul. The Detroit-born preacher's daughter was about $80,000 in debt to her previous label, Columbia, when Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler signed her in 1966. "I took her to church," Wexler said, "sat her down at the piano and let her be herself." She immediately cut the album's title hit, a slow fire of ferocious sexuality, while her storefront-church cover of Otis Redding's "Respect" -- Franklin's first Number One pop single -- became the marching song for the women's and civil-rights movements.
Total album sales: 500,000
Peak chart position: 2