Adult Top 40

The Adult Pop Airplay (formerly known as Adult Pop Songs and Adult Top 40) chart is published weekly by Billboard magazine and ranks "the most popular adult top 40 as based on radio airplay detections measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems."^[1]

It is a format in which the genre is geared more towards an adult audience who are not into hard rock, hip hop, or adult contemporary fare. The main genres within this format are alternative rock and mainstream pop that is more adult-oriented. It is not to be confused with adult contemporary where rather lesser-known and more ballad-driven songs are played. The current number one song on the chart is "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus.^[2]

History

The chart was first published in the March 16, 1996, issue of Billboard; however, historically, the chart's introduction was in October 1995, when it began as a test chart.^[3]

The Adult Top 40 chart was formed following a split of the "Hot Adult Contemporary" chart due to the growing emergence of Adult Top 40 radio stations in the 1990s. These stations played a wider variety of artists and saw a faster turnover of songs compared to traditional adult contemporary radio. Songs by modern rock, dance, and R&B artists were mixed in with acts more closely associated with adult contemporary. According to Billboard, splitting the chart "better reflect[s] the music being played on adult contemporary and adult/top 40 stations."^[3]

The first number-one song on the Adult Top 40, from the test chart of October 7, 1995, was "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal.^[4] The first number-one song on the Adult Top 40, from the published chart of March 16, 1996, was "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.^[5]

Records and achievements

Most weeks at number one

25 weeks

• "Smooth" – Santana featuring Rob Thomas (1999–2000)

23 weeks

• "Wherever You Will Go" – The Calling (2001–02)

20 weeks

• "Blinding Lights" – The Weeknd (2020)

18 weeks

• "Unwell" – Matchbox Twenty (2003)
• "Photograph" – Nickelback (2005–06)

17 weeks

• "Iris" – Goo Goo Dolls (1998)

16 weeks

• "Complicated" – Avril Lavigne (2002)

15 weeks

• "Don't Speak" – No Doubt (1996–97)
• "How to Save a Life" – The Fray (2006–07)
• "High Hopes" – Panic! at the Disco (2018–19)

14 weeks

• "Torn" – Natalie Imbruglia (1998)
• "Everything You Want" – Vertical Horizon (2000)
• "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" – Train (2001)
• "Girls Like You" – Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B (2018)
• "Memories" – Maroon 5 (2019–20)

Sources:^[6][7]

Artists with the most number-one songs

Number	Artist	Source
15	Maroon 5	^[8]
10	Pink	^[9]
9	Taylor Swift	^[10]^[11]
8	Katy Perry	^[12]
7	Ed Sheeran	^[13]
6	Adele	^[14]
	Shawn Mendes	^[15]
5	Nickelback	^[16]
	Justin Bieber	^[17]

Artists with the most cumulative weeks at number one

Weeks	Artist	Source
101	Maroon 5	^[18]
54	Matchbox Twenty	^[19]
49	Ed Sheeran	^[20]
47	Santana	^[21]
45	Adele	^[22]
40	Rob Thomas	^[23]
	Taylor Swift	^[24]
38	Pink	^[25]
35	Nickelback	^[26]
34	Katy Perry	^[27]
27	Train	^[28]
	Kelly Clarkson	^[29]

Artists with the most top-ten songs

Number	Artist	Source
27	Maroon 5	^[30]
	Taylor Swift	^[31]
19	Pink	^[32]
16	Kelly Clarkson	^[33]
	Katy Perry	^[34]
15	Ed Sheeran	^[35]
14	Goo Goo Dolls	^[36]
	Train	^[37]
	Justin Bieber	^[38]
13	Matchbox Twenty	^[39]

Longest break between number ones

• Coldplay – eight years and eight months^[40]
• Train – six years, four months and one week
• Maroon 5 – five years, 10 months and one week

Additional achievements

• Shawn Mendes is the first artist to have four songs hit number one on the chart before age 20.^[41]

See also

• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Top 40 chart
• Adult Contemporary (chart)
• Mainstream Top 40

References

1. "Current Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
2. "Adult Pop Airplay". Billboard. April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
3. "Updated Charts: Heatseekers, AC". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 11. March 16, 1996. p. 109. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
4. "Adult Pop Songs chart". Billboard. October 7, 1995. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
5. "Adult Pop Songs chart". Billboard. March 16, 1996. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
6. Trust, Gary (March 25, 2019). "Panic! at the Disco's 'High Hopes' Is Longest-Leading Adult Pop Songs No. 1 This Decade". Billboard.
7. Trust, Gary (March 16, 2016). "Maroon 5 Top Artist, Santana's 'Smooth' Top Song of Adult Pop Songs Chart's First 20 Years". Billboard.
8. "Maroon 5 Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
9. "Pink Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
10. "Taylor Swift's 'Anti-Hero' Rules Hot 100 for Fifth Week, Mariah Carey Leads 'Christmas' Classics Back to Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
11. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
12. "Katy Perry Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
13. "Ed Sheeran Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
14. "Adele Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
15. "Shawn Mendes Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
16. "Nickelback Chart History (Adult Pop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
17. "Justin Bieber Chart History (Adult Pop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
18. "Maroon 5 Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
19. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
20. "Ed Sheeran Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
21. "Santana Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
22. "Adele Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
23. "Rob Thomas Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
24. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
25. "Pink Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
26. "Nickelback Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
27. "Katy Perry Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
28. "Train Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
29. "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
30. "Maroon 5 Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
31. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
32. "Pink Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
33. "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
34. "Katy Perry Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
35. "Ed Sheeran Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
36. "Goo Goo Dolls Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
37. "Train Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
38. "Justin Bieber Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
39. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
40. Trust, Gary (June 1, 2017). "Coldplay Ends Longest Break Between No. 1s on Adult Pop Songs Chart". billboard.com. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
41. Trust, Gary (31 July 2018). "Shawn Mendes Is the First Artist to Land Four No. 1s on the Adult Pop Songs Chart Before Age 20". billboard.com. Billboard Music. Retrieved 1 August 2018.

External links

• Current Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart