ISBN: 978-0-89820-169-7
Our thorough record research of essential facts and figures is applied to the history of Billboard magazine’s “Adult Contemporary” and “Adult Top 40” charts. This fourth edition of the book previously known as “Top Adult Contemporary” and “Top Easy Listening,” now includes the “Adult Top 40 chart – where modern rock, dance and R&B artists rub shoulders with traditional Adult Contemporary acts.
Top Adult Songs 1961-2006 is an artist-by-artist listing covers the 8,500+ songs and 2,000+ artists that appeared on Billboard’s “Easy Listening,” “Adult Contemporary” singles charts from July 17, 1961 through July 29, 2006 and the 1,200+ songs and 500+ artists that appeared on Billboard’s “Adult Top 40” singles chart from March 16, 1996 through July 29, 2006.
Essential Chart Data …
Peak chart position • Chart debut date • Total weeks charted • Original label and number • Total weeks at #1, #2 or #3 • RIAA Platinum/Gold certification
Features & Facts on Songs & Artists…
If a song made the “Adult Contemporary” and “Adult Top 40” charts, the title is listed once with its complete chart data from both charts with its higher peak position listed first • Adult Top 40 hits are indicated with a special symbol • Songwriters are shown for every title • Top artists’ rankings of all time and by decade shown with bio • Title notes now show the Grammy-award winning “Record of the Year” and “Song of the Year,” and “Hall of Fame” inductees • The biggest chart hit of any artist with 10 or more hits is in heavy, bold type • All #1 hits are easy-to-spot • A photo of every Top 100 artist appears by their listing • All-new artist biographies explore the lives and careers of many newer “Adult Contemporary” artists • Previous artist biographies have been further researched and updated for even greater accuracy • Title notes reveal additional information about charted “Adult” hits • Re-entries (re-charted singles) or special types of singles, such as Novelty, Comedy, Christmas or Instrumental singles are indicated with a special symbol • Names of artists mentioned in the bios or title notes who have their own listings elsewhere in the book are highlighted in bold type
Bonus Sections for Adult Contemporary:
All-Time Top 200 Artist Ranking • Top 50 #1 Hits • Top 50 #1 Hits by Decade • Songs Of Longevity by Decade • Top 20 Artists by Decade • Top Artist Achievements: Most Chart Hits, Most Top 20 Hits, Most Top 10 Hits, Most #1 Hits, Most Weeks at #1 • #1 Hits in Chronological Order
Bonus Sections for Adult Top 40:
All-Time Top 40 Artist Ranking • Top 20 Artists by Decade (1996-99, 2000-2006) • Top 50 #1 Hits • Top 40 Hits by Decade • #1 Hits in Chronological Order
Plus …
A-Z Song Title Cross Reference Section • Top 40 Hit List for each year from 1955-1961 as compiled from Billboard’s “Hot 100” and earlier Pop charts (“Best Sellers,” “Disc Jockey,” “Juke Box” and “Top 100”)
From pastime to passion to profitable enterprise, the growth of Record Research has been the outgrowth of Joel Whitburn’s hobby. Joel began collecting records as a teenager in the 1950s. As his collection grew, he began to sort, categorize and file each record according to the highest position it reached on Billboard magazine's charts. He went on to publish this information — first on individual artists’ cards, then in book form in 1970 — and a business was born.
Over the nearly six decades since, Record Research has created data of the life of a recording on America's major music charts, publishing 189 reference books in print. Joel also collaborated with Warner/Rhino Records in creating a series of 150 CD albums, plus five CD albums with Curb Records.
The Joel Whitburn Music Archive remains unrivaled and includes every charted Hot 100 and pop single (back to 1936), every charted pop album (back to 1945), collections of nearly every charted Country, R&B, Bubbling Under The Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary records. The collection also boasts one of the world’s largest picture sleeve collections, many of which are displayed in the series of books (Top 40 Hits, Top 40 Albums, Top 40 Country Hits, Top 40 R&B Hits) he authored for Billboard’s book division.
The world's most authoritative historian on charted music passed away in 2022, still researching the charts until his final day. His Record Research legacy continues.
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