adult contemporary music

adult contemporary music, a style of music that blends elements of pop with soft rock, folk rock, smooth soul, and other genres such as jazz, country, and rhythm and blues (R&B). A popular radio format, adult contemporary music is known for its easy-flowing rhythms, gentle instrumentation, vocal virtuosity, and romantic lyrics. Often reviled by critics who call it too safe and sentimental, its intended appeal is indeed “middle of the road” (i.e., mainstream). Adult contemporary music was initially marketed to adult listeners, especially those of the baby boom generation. In the 21st century, however, it has attracted many younger fans, including the teen demographic.

The style was defined by such recording artists as Anne Murray, Carly Simon, Elton John, the Carpenters, Barry Manilow, and Dionne Warwick. Other singers who exemplify the polished harmonies and warm pop ballads of adult contemporary include Céline Dion, Gloria Estefan, Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, Michael Bolton, Adele, Michael Bublé, and Maroon 5.

From easy listening to adult contemporary

Adult contemporary music takes its roots from the easy listening genre of the 1960s, a style that stood in contrast to the brash cacophony and rebellious energy of rock and roll. While loud electric guitar-amplified rock groups such as the Rolling Stones filled arenas and provided the soundtrack for the growing counterculture, other artists in the mode of Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis were popular, laid-back alternatives. Billboard magazine debuted its Easy Listening chart in 1961; it went through several name changes during the decade, including Middle-Road Singles and Pop-Standard Singles.

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By the 1970s adult contemporary had emerged as a style of its own in response to an increase in radio airplay of hard rock. It was initially labeled “chicken rock” by radio programmers as a humorous way to refer to stations that dabbled in rock music but avoided playing songs representing its harder edge. DJs would select mellow-sounding hits from the top 40 charts for their playlists to appeal to adult audiences who wanted to appear as trendy as younger fans but preferred their rock on the quieter side. The style was eventually branded adult contemporary, and in 1979 Billboard debuted its Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart (changed to Adult Contemporary in 1983).

Rising popularity in the power ballad era

In the 1980s adult contemporary evolved with the changing tastes of the baby boom demographic (the generation born between 1946 and 1964). Various subgenres were incorporated into adult contemporary radio playlists, helping the format become one of the most popular of the decade. In the era of the power ballad, stations promoted artists whose music featured synthesizers and digital drums, including Whitney Houston, Christopher Cross, and Amy Grant.

To ensure that their singles got more airplay, classic rock artists and bands, such as Eric Clapton, Phil Collins (formerly of Genesis), Heart, Foreigner, and Chicago, adapted their music to align with the adult contemporary radio format. Some jazz, country, and Latin artists also released tracks that veered into adult contemporary, among them saxophonist Kenny G, country singers Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, and Cuban American singer Gloria Estefan and her band, Miami Sound Machine.

The trend continued into the 1990s, as did the genre’s relevance. During the 1992 U.S. presidential election Democratic contender Bill Clinton used Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 song “Don’t Stop” as his campaign theme song to appeal to his fellow baby boomers. The British-American band began in the late 1960s as a bluesy rock band, but by the 1980s its music had become a stalwart on the adult contemporary chart.

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Changes in radio programming

Adult contemporary began receiving less airplay in the late 1990s after the Telecommunications Act of 1996 led to the consolidation of media outlets. Since media companies were no longer limited to the number of radio stations they could own, some companies purchased hundreds of stations and began programming all of them from one centralized office rather than using local programmers. The central programmers tightened their playlists to make room for more commercials, which resulted in heavy repetition of popular songs and a decline in top 40 programming. Radio listening also began to decline, clearing the way for the streaming services that have dominated media in the 21st century.

Adult contemporary in the 21st century

Nevertheless, there was still a strong demand for the relaxing melodies and vocal prowess of adult contemporary music, and it remained popular into the 21st century. Younger fans took growing interest in it. For example, in 2018 the adult contemporary radio format was the third most popular format (after pop contemporary and country) for listeners between 12 and 17 years old. Younger artists followed suit. James Blunt, John Mayer, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Adele were among those who recorded songs that fit right in the adult contemporary genre. The style has also merged with other genres to create the specialized and sometime nebulous formats urban contemporary, adult alternative, indie adult contemporary, and Christian adult contemporary.

Adult contemporary playlist

Several artists were instrumental in the development of adult contemporary music, and succeeding generations of singers and musicians kept the love for the genre alive. The following is a playlist of chart-toppers by key artists since the 1970s.

The 1980s and ’90s

Lionel Richie: “All Night Long (All Night)” (1983), “Hello” (1983), and “Say You, Say Me” (1985)

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton: “Islands in the Stream” (1983)

George Michael: “Careless Whisper” (1984) and “One More Try” (1988)

Phil Collins: “One More Night” (1985), “Two Hearts” (1988), and “Another Day in Paradise” (1989)

Whitney Houston: “Greatest Love of All” (1986), “I Will Always Love You” (1992), and “I Have Nothing” (1993)

Gloria Estefan: “Words Get in the Way” (1986), “Here We Are” (1989), and “Coming Out of the Dark” (1991)

Fleetwood Mac: “Everywhere” (1987) and “Little Lies” (1987)

Céline Dion: “The Power of Love” (1993), “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” (1996), “All by Myself” (1996), and “My Heart Will Go On” (1997)

Backstreet Boys: “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” (1998) and “I Want It That Way” (1999)