Chart Listings: Billboard Top 40 'Adult Pop Songs' Ever

Beatz

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Fifteen years ago this week - in the March 16, 1996 issue - Billboard premiered the 40-position Nielsen BDS-based Adult Pop Songs radio airplay chart. To celebrate, our expert charts staff has compiled a new list of the chart's top 40 hottest hits over its history. Scroll to the bottom of this page to read exactly how the Top 40 Adult Pop Songs (1996-2011) tally was tabulated.

While Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's ballad "One Sweet Day" led the inaugural list back in 1996, before long the weekly chart would routinely boast No. 1s from such eventual alternative-leaning format mainstays as Matchbox Twenty and Nickelback. Today, uptempo dance/pop from Katy Perry and P!nk has become as much a part of the format's core texture.

The Adult Pop Songs chart "shows the variety of music that appeals to adults," says Pete Cosenza, Columbia Records senior VP/promotion, adult formats. "You can see how so many of the format's hit songs and artists are a big part of pop culture."

From smashes featured on "Grey's Anatomy" to "American Idol," to some of the best-selling downloads of the digital era, this list captures the top 40 titles from the Adult Pop Songs chart's first decade-and-a-half.

Count down from No. 40 to No. 1, as we recap the format's biggest songs so far. And, to quote the cut that places at No. 19, "Sing along with every song" you know.

1. Lifehouse - "You And Me" (2005)
2. Train - "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" (2001)
3. The Calling - "Wherever You Will Go" (2002)
4. Santana feat. Rob Thomas - "Smooth" (1999)
5. Matchbox Twenty - "Unwell" (2003)
6. Lifehouse - "Hanging By A Moment" (2001)
7. The Fray - "How to Save a Life" (2006)
8. Snow Patrol - "Chasing Cars" (2007)
9. Train - "Hey, Soul Sister" (2010)
10. Santana feat. Alex Band or Chad Kroeger - "Why Don't You and I" (2003)
11. The Fray - "Over My Head (Cable Car)" (2006)
12. Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours" (2008)
13. John Mayer - "Waiting on the World to Change" (2006)
14. 3 Doors Down - "Here Without You" (2003)
15. Sister Hazel - "All for You" (1997)
16. Hoobastank - "The Reason" (2004)
17. Vertical Horizon - "Everything You Want" (2000)
18. Goo Goo Dolls - "Slide" (1999)
19. Nickelback - "Photograph" (2005)
20. Nickelback - "Someday" (2004)
21. Maroon 5 - "She Will Be Loved" (2004)
22. The Script - "Breakeven" (2010)
23. Maroon 5 - "This Love" (2004)
24. Finger Eleven - "One Thing" (2004)
25. The Fray - "You Found Me" (2009)
26. Colbie Caillat - "Bubbly" (2007)
27. Avril Lavigne - "Complicated" (2002)
28. Matchbox Twenty - "Bright Lights" (2003)
29. Sara Bareilles - "Love Song" (2008)
30. Matchbox Twenty - "If You're Gone" (2001)
31. Goo Goo Dolls - "Iris" (1998)
32. Kings Of Leon - "Use Somebody" (2009)
33. Natasha Bedingfield - "Unwritten" (2006)
34. Nickelback - "How You Remind Me" (2002)
35. Rob Thomas - "Lonely No More" (2005)
36. Green Day - "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (2005)
37. Daniel Powter - "Bad Day" (2006)
38. Train - "Calling All Angels" (2003)
39. Rob Thomas - "Ever the Same" (2006)
40. P!nk - "Who Knew" (2007)

FULL CHART STORIES: http://www.billboard.com/#/column/ch...05077862.story

Do you guys listen to Adult Pop stations?

It's really relaxing when you're tired a bit from the mainstream stuff.

TakeItOff!

I didn't know Adult Pop Songs were that boring.

Beatz

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Originally posted by TakeItOff!

I didn't know Adult Pop Songs were that boring.

hahaha I find them relaxing lol but nowadays they are more poppy.

"Dynamite" was a top 10 hit

DvnR

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Originally posted by TakeItOff!

I didn't know Adult Pop Songs were that boring.

Some of these songs are amazing. "You and Me" is one of my favorite alternative songs ever. And Smooth is just amazing in every way.

Interesting listing.

tcatron565

2. Train - "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" (2001)
3. The Calling - "Wherever You Will Go" (2002)
4. Santana feat. Rob Thomas - "Smooth" (1999)
5. Matchbox Twenty - "Unwell" (2003)
9. Train - "Hey, Soul Sister" (2010)
10. Santana feat. Alex Band or Chad Kroeger - "Why Don't You and I" (2003)
11. The Fray - "Over My Head (Cable Car)" (2006)
12. Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours" (2008)
14. 3 Doors Down - "Here Without You" (2003)
16. Hoobastank - "The Reason" (2004)
17. Vertical Horizon - "Everything You Want" (2000)
19. Nickelback - "Photograph" (2005)
20. Nickelback - "Someday" (2004)

So many epic songs!

Total sausage fest, though. Not a girl in the bunch!

TakeItOff!

Waiting on the World to Change is probably my favorite song listed. I love Drops of Jupiter and and Smooth, it's ironic the other song charted from both these artists I completely hate.

ETA: The bottom half of the top 40.

Bubbly, Love Song, Unwritten.

Sporefan

Complicated and Who Knew

Beatz

Quote:

Originally posted by tcatron565

2. Train - "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" (2001)
3. The Calling - "Wherever You Will Go" (2002)
4. Santana feat. Rob Thomas - "Smooth" (1999)
5. Matchbox Twenty - "Unwell" (2003)
9. Train - "Hey, Soul Sister" (2010)
10. Santana feat. Alex Band or Chad Kroeger - "Why Don't You and I" (2003)
11. The Fray - "Over My Head (Cable Car)" (2006)
12. Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours" (2008)
14. 3 Doors Down - "Here Without You" (2003)
16. Hoobastank - "The Reason" (2004)
17. Vertical Horizon - "Everything You Want" (2000)
19. Nickelback - "Photograph" (2005)
20. Nickelback - "Someday" (2004)

So many epic songs!

Total sausage fest, though. Not a girl in the bunch!

I type the complete chart now!

Only P!nk, Natasha, Sara, Avril and Colbie!

jbstatic23

29. Sara Bareilles - "Love Song" (2008)

SarahWalker

Quote:

Originally posted by Beatz

1. Lifehouse - "You And Me" (2005)
4. Santana feat. Rob Thomas - "Smooth" (1999)
5. Matchbox Twenty - "Unwell" (2003)
6. Lifehouse - "Hanging By A Moment" (2001)
7. The Fray - "How to Save a Life" (2006)
8. Snow Patrol - "Chasing Cars" (2007)
12. Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours" (2008)
13. John Mayer - "Waiting on the World to Change" (2006)
16. Hoobastank - "The Reason" (2004)
18. Goo Goo Dolls - "Slide" (1999)
21. Maroon 5 - "She Will Be Loved" (2004)
23. Maroon 5 - "This Love" (2004)
25. The Fray - "You Found Me" (2009)
26. Colbie Caillat - "Bubbly" (2007)
27. Avril Lavigne - "Complicated" (2002)
28. Matchbox Twenty - "Bright Lights" (2003)
30. Matchbox Twenty - "If You're Gone" (2001)
31. Goo Goo Dolls - "Iris" (1998)
35. Rob Thomas - "Lonely No More" (2005)
36. Green Day - "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (2005)
39. Rob Thomas - "Ever the Same" (2006)

I like these

Though Smooth should have been #1

Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Life house, Maroon 5, etc... so many memories of late 90s and early 00s

highwind44029

Epic list.

missladygaygay

4. Santana feat. Rob Thomas - "Smooth" (1999)

6. Lifehouse - "Hanging By A Moment" (2001)

7. The Fray - "How to Save a Life" (2006)

14. 3 Doors Down - "Here Without You" (2003)

20. Nickelback - "Someday" (2004)

21. Maroon 5 - "She Will Be Loved" (2004) <--I still listen to this...almost daily

22. The Script - "Breakeven" (2010)

31. Goo Goo Dolls - "Iris" (1998)

40. P!nk - "Who Knew" (2007)

GaGaFan

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2. Train - "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" (2001)

This does not surprise me at all. They still play it 2x a day at least on my local HAC station

Mixirox2727

Adult Pop Songs > Mainstream Pop

Great list this is. I can't find a single weak song.

rvx

Not a bad list frankly

Katy V.!

40. P!nk - "Who Knew" (2007)

Beatz

Quote:

Originally posted by GaGaFan

This does not surprise me at all. They still play it 2x a day at least on my local HAC station

It was one of the biggest radio smashes of the past decade.

Quote:

Originally posted by Mixirox2727

Adult Pop Songs > Mainstream Pop

Great list this is. I can't find a single weak song.

I love both radio formats but yeah you only find great stuff on HAC!

.

MrPeanut

Lifehouse is like my Hot A/C weak point. I pretty much can't stand any of the songs on that list except theirs.

GaGaFan

Quote:

Originally posted by MrPeanut

Lifehouse is like my Hot A/C weak point. I pretty much can't stand any of the songs on that list except theirs.

When I get tired of listening to Top 40 radio, I think it is a refreshing break to go to a HAC channel. The songs are a little less.....intense.

fanoftalent

Who Knew

Adult listeners love P!nk. Her fanbase is not limited to tweens and teens