In 1962, Billboard magazine published a chart ranking the top-performing songs in the United States which were considered to be "easy listening" or "middle of the road". The chart has undergone various name changes and since 1996 has been published under the title Adult Contemporary.[1] Until 1965, the listing was compiled simply by extracting from Billboard's pop music chart, the Hot 100, those songs which were deemed by the magazine's staff to be of an appropriate style, and ranking them according to their positions on the Hot 100.[2] In 1962, 15 different songs topped the chart in 52 issues of the magazine. The chart was published under the title Easy Listening through the issue of Billboard dated October 27, after which it was renamed Middle-Road Singles.[1]
Ray Charles was the only artist with more than one number one in 1962. He reached the top with two tracks from his album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which is considered to have been an innovative and highly influential record for its fusion of genres.[3][4][5] "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "You Don't Know Me" spent a total of eight weeks in the top spot, the most for any artist. The former song also reached number one on the Hot 100,[6] as well as the Hot R&B Sides chart.[7] When Connie Francis reached number one with "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" in March, she became the first act to top the Easy Listening chart twice, having spent a single week in the top spot in 1961 with "Together".[8]
The longest unbroken run at number one on the Easy Listening/Middle-Road chart in 1962 was achieved by Acker Bilk, who spent seven consecutive weeks atop the listing with the instrumental "Stranger on the Shore". The track also reached number one on the Hot 100, the first time this feat had been achieved by a British artist.[9] Bilk was one of two British band leaders associated with an early 1960s revival in the popularity of trad jazz to top the Easy Listening/Middle-Road chart in 1962;[10] his number one came a month after Kenny Ball spent three weeks at number one with "Midnight in Moscow". Ball was one of a number of acts with an Easy Listening/Middle-Road number one in 1962 who never topped the Hot 100 during their careers,[11] along with the Lettermen, Burl Ives, Frank Ifield and Gene Pitney.[12] In addition to "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "Stranger on the Shore", three other songs which topped the Easy Listening/Middle-Road chart in 1962 also reached the peak position on the Hot 100. "The Stripper" by David Rose and "Roses Are Red (My Love)" by Bobby Vinton achieved the feat during July and August.[13] The final Middle-Road number one of the year, "Go Away Little Girl" by Steve Lawrence, topped the Hot 100 early the following year.[13]
Chart history
See also
References
Works cited
- Hughes, Charles L. (2015). Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South. UNC Press Books. ISBN 9781469622446.
- Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's Top Adult Contemporary, 1961–2001. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-149-9.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-160-4.
- Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955–2002. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-155-0.
- Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-169-7.