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?
Another educational and entertaining trip through Your Favorite Decade.
ReplyDeleteA 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
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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