Aretha Franklin’s first single was “You Grow Closer” in 1956, released when she was still a teenager. Her first major breakthrough single was “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” in 1967.

Quick note

If you mean her first recorded/released single overall , it was “You Grow Closer.” If you mean her first big hit single , it was “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).”

Why this matters

A lot of people ask this because Aretha had an earlier gospel-focused start before her Atlantic Records breakthrough. That’s why sources often distinguish between her first release and her first hit.