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The Adult Top 40 (also known as Adult Pop Songs) 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.

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.^[2]

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."^[2]

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.^[3] 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.^[4]

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)

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 (1996–1997)


• "How to Save a Life" – The Fray (2006–07)

14 weeks

• "Torn" – Natalie Imbruglia (1998)


• "Everything You Want" – Vertical Horizon (2000)


• "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" – Train (2001)

Source:^[5]

Artists with the most number-one singles

Artists with the most cumulative weeks at number one

Artists with the most top 10 singles

• 24 – Maroon 5^[19]
  


• 18 – Taylor Swift^[20]
  


• 16 – Kelly Clarkson^[21]
  


• 15 – Pink^[22]
  


• 14 – Goo Goo Dolls^[23], Train^[24], Katy Perry^[25]
  


• 13 – Matchbox Twenty^[26]
  

Longest break between number ones

• 
  Coldplay – eight years and eight months


• 
  Train – six years, four months and one week


• 
  Maroon 5 – five years, 10 months and one week

Source: ^[27]

Most weekly plays

Only 8 songs have topped the 5,000 weekly spins mark in the history of the chart

• 
  Lorde – "Royals" (5,380)


• 
  OneRepublic – "Counting Stars" (5,367)


• Katy Perry – Roar (5,309)^[28]
  


• 
  Avicii – "Wake Me Up" (5,230)


• 
  Passenger – "Let Her Go" (5,155)


• Adele – Rolling in The Deep (5,109)^[29]
  


• Pink featuring Nate Ruess – Just Give Me a Reason (5,040)^[30]
  


• Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell – Blurred Lines (5,023)^[31]
  

Additional achievements

• Shawn Mendes is the first artist to have four singles hit number 1 on the Adult Pop Songs Chart before Age 20.^[32]
  

See also

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


• Adult Contemporary (chart)


• Mainstream Top 40

References

External links

• Current Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart