Saturday, May 9, 2015

The Top Billboard Adult Contemporary Artists of 1976 - 1985 [Part 3 of 3]


In an earlier post, I listed the 50 acts that had at least ten singles debut on the Billboard Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary charts in the years 1976-85.  I then posed the question: who had the most hits premiere on the AC charts during that time period?  Let's count down to the answer:


Number 9
BILLY JOEL
19 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 286 weeks on the charts.

6 Number One AC singles, 1976-85: Just the Way You Are, Don't Ask Me Why, Tell Her About It, An Innocent Man, The Longest Time, Leave a Tender Moment Alone


Number 6 (tie)
JOHN DENVER
20 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 207 weeks on the charts.

3 Number One AC Singles, 1976-85: Looking for Space, Like a Sad Song, Shanghai Breezes

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
 
 20 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 280 weeks on the charts.

4 Number One AC Singles, 1976-85: Come On Over, Don't Stop Believin', Sam, Magic

LINDA RONSTADT
 
 20 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 210 weeks on the charts.

No Number One AC Singles, 1976-85


Number 4 (tie)
NEIL DIAMOND
21 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 310 weeks on the charts.

 5 Number One AC Singles, 1976-85: If You Know What I Mean, Desiree, America, Yesterday's Songs, Heartlight

BARBRA STREISAND
21 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 314 weeks on the charts. 

6 Number One AC Singles, 1976-85: Love Theme from "A Star is Born" (Evergreen), My Heart Belongs to Me, Songbird, Woman in Love, What Kind of Fool, The Way He Makes Me Feel


Number 3
ANNE MURRAY
 25 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 368 weeks on the charts.

 4 Number One AC Singles, 1976-85: I Just Fall in Love Again, Shadows in the Moonlight, Broken Hearted Me, Daydream Believer


Number 2
BARRY MANILOW
 28 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 405 weeks on the charts
 
10 Number One AC Singles, 1976-85: Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again, This One's for You, Weekend in New England, Looks Like We Made It, Can't Smile Without You, Even Now, When I Wanted You, The Old Songs, Somewhere Down the Road, Read 'Em and Weep


Number 1
KENNY ROGERS
 31 AC singles during 1976-85, a total of 484 weeks in the Top 40.

8 Number One AC Singles, 1976-85: She Believes in Me, Lady, I Don't Need You, Share Your Love With Me, Through the Years, Love Will Turn You Around, Islands in the Stream, What About Me?



2 comments :

  1. Another educational and entertaining trip through Your Favorite Decade.

    A very agreeable and endearing Top 9 featuring many of my favorite artists. And Barbra Streisand.

    For an alternate view I ran the Top 9 through My Own Personal Favorite Decade (1974-1983) filter, adding two years to the front end and taking two years off the backend of Your Favorite Decade. Here's the outcome:

    #9 Billy Joel
    17 singles/4 #1s/231 wks on chart

    #8 Barbra Streisand
    19 / 6 / 278

    #6 (tie) Neil Diamond
    22 / 7 / 328

    #6 (tie) Linda Ronstadt
    22 / - / 232

    #5 Kenny Rogers
    23 / 7 / 376

    #3 (tie) John Denver
    24 / 9 / 284

    #3 (tie) Anne Murray
    24 / 5 / 332

    #2 Olivia Newton-John
    25 / 9 / 357

    #1 Barry Manilow
    27 / 13 / 412

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  2. Mark and also Herc, very interesting. So for basically a dozen years, these nine artists ruled the AC charts. It shows the power of good, solid, consistent performers.

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