Adult Contemporary is a chart published by Billboard ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) market. In 2011, eight different songs topped the chart in 52 issues of the magazine, based on weekly airplay data from radio stations compiled by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.
On the first chart of the year, the number one spot was held by Mariah Carey with "Oh Santa!", the song's third consecutive week at number one. [1] It remained at the top of the chart for one further week before being replaced by the band Train's song "Hey, Soul Sister". Train's song had spent 19 weeks at number one during the previous year, and its return to the top spot took its total of 22 weeks at number one, the second-highest figure at the time for the AC listing behind only Uncle Kracker's version of "Drift Away", which spent 28 weeks in the top spot in 2003 and 2004. [2]
Two artists held the top spot between them from early February to early November, with the exception of a single week. Bruno Mars topped the chart for 20 non-consecutive weeks with "Just the Way You Are" and Adele spent 19 consecutive weeks at number one with "Rolling in the Deep". Both songs also topped Billboard's all-genres chart, the Hot 100, as did Katy Perry's "Firework", the only song to interrupt Mars and Adele's nine-month domination of the AC number one position. [3] [4] [5] All three songs topped the AC chart several months after peaking on the Hot 100, reflecting a trend for songs to cross over to the slower-moving adult contemporary radio format after their pop success had peaked. [6] "Just the Way You Are"'s 20-week run at number one set a new record for the longest spell atop the AC chart by an artist's debut single, breaking a record previously jointly held by Colbie Caillat and Daniel Powter. [7] Adele returned to the top spot for a single week in the issue of Billboard dated December 3 with "Someone like You", making her the only artist to have two AC number ones in 2011, and tying Mars for the highest number of weeks spent at number one by an act during the year. Having begun with a Christmas-themed song by Mariah Carey at number one, 2011 ended with a cover version of another in the top spot, as Michael Bublé 's recording of Carey's 1994 song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" topped the chart for the last four weeks of the year. The song was part of a long-running trend of Christmas-themed songs topping the AC chart at the end of the year, reflecting the fact that adult contemporary radio stations usually switch to playing exclusively festive songs in December. [8] [9]
![]() | Indicates best-performing AC song of 2011 [10] |
Issue date | Title | Artist(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
January 1 | "Oh Santa!" | Mariah Carey | [1] |
January 8 | [11] | ||
January 15 | "Hey, Soul Sister" | Train | [12] |
January 22 | [13] | ||
January 29 | [14] | ||
February 5 | "Just the Way You Are" ![]() | Bruno Mars | [15] |
February 12 | [16] | ||
February 19 | [17] | ||
February 26 | [18] | ||
March 5 | [19] | ||
March 12 | [20] | ||
March 19 | [21] | ||
March 26 | [22] | ||
April 2 | [23] | ||
April 9 | [24] | ||
April 16 | [25] | ||
April 23 | [26] | ||
April 30 | [27] | ||
May 7 | [28] | ||
May 14 | [29] | ||
May 21 | [30] | ||
May 28 | "Firework" | Katy Perry | [31] |
June 4 | "Just the Way You Are" ![]() | Bruno Mars | [32] |
June 11 | [33] | ||
June 18 | [34] | ||
June 25 | [35] | ||
July 2 | "Rolling in the Deep" | Adele | [36] |
July 9 | [37] | ||
July 16 | [38] | ||
July 23 | [39] | ||
July 30 | [40] | ||
August 6 | [41] | ||
August 13 | [42] | ||
August 20 | [43] | ||
August 27 | [44] | ||
September 3 | [45] | ||
September 10 | [46] | ||
September 17 | [47] | ||
September 24 | [48] | ||
October 1 | [49] | ||
October 8 | [50] | ||
October 15 | [51] | ||
October 22 | [52] | ||
October 29 | [53] | ||
November 5 | [54] | ||
November 12 | "If I Die Young" | The Band Perry | [55] |
November 19 | [56] | ||
November 26 | [57] | ||
December 3 | "Someone like You" | Adele | [58] |
December 10 | "All I Want for Christmas Is You" | Michael Bublé | [59] |
December 17 | [60] | ||
December 24 | [61] | ||
December 31 | [62] |
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by Billboard magazine. Although it originally started tracking song sales the week of October 30, 2004, it officially debuted in the issue dated January 22, 2005, and merged all versions of a song sold from digital music distributors. Its data was incorporated in the Hot 100 three weeks later. Since October 2004, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboard's music singles charts. The decision was based on the dramatic increase of the digital market while commercial single sales in a physical format were becoming negligible.
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by Billboard magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a new chart is compiled and officially released to the public by Billboard every Tuesday.
"Homesick" is a song by Christian rock band MercyMe. Written by Bart Millard, the song is an expression of grief and longing that was written after the band experienced the deaths of nine people they were connected to in a short period of time. "Homesick" was included on MercyMe's third studio album Undone and was released as the second single from that album.
"Here with Me" is a song by Christian rock band, MercyMe. Written and composed by the band, as well as Peter Kipely, Dan Muckala and Brad Russell, "Here with Me" is a ballad with a musical vibe influenced by worship, pop and rock music; the overall sound has been compared to that of alternative rock band, Coldplay. "Here with Me" lyrically discusses the omnipotence of God.
"The Time of My Life" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter David Cook, released through RCA Records and 19 Entertainment on May 22, 2008 after Cook won the seventh season of American Idol. It was written by Regie Hamm and produced by Steve Lipson. The song is included as a bonus track on his self-titled debut major-label album.
Peace on Earth is the first Christmas album by American Christian rock band Casting Crowns. Produced by Mark Hall and Mark A. Miller, it was released on October 7, 2008. Intended by Hall to bring out the worshipful aspect of Christmas, the album does not have songs relating to secular Christmas traditions, instead featuring a mix of traditional Christmas carols and original songs. As co-producer, Hall attempted to differentiate the album from their previous ones by attempting to use creative ideas they had not tried before, and he also wanted to utilize the band's female members in a broader and more visible role on the album.
"If I Die Young" is a song written by Kimberly Perry, and recorded by American country music trio the Band Perry. It was released on June 8, 2010, as the second single from the group's self-titled debut album, which was released on October 12, 2010.
"Rolling in the Deep" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her second studio album, 21 (2011). It is the lead single and opening track on the album. The song was written by Adele and Paul Epworth. The singer herself describes it as a "dark blues-y gospel disco tune". In 2011 it was reportedly the biggest crossover hit in the United States since 1985; "Rolling in the Deep" gained radio airplay from many different radio formats. It was first released on 29 November 2010 as the lead single from 21 in digital download format. The lyrics describe the emotions of a scorned lover.
"Set Fire to the Rain" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her second studio album, 21 (2011). The song was written by Adele and Fraser T. Smith while the production was handled by the latter. It became Adele's third consecutive US number-one single from 21 and reached the top ten in most of other foreign markets. It is a power pop ballad with lush instrumentation and a swelling string arrangement, in contrast to the understated production of most songs on the album. The song has received acclaim from various critics with many complimenting on Adele's vocals but received comparisons to Bruno Mars's song "Grenade". "Set Fire to the Rain" was voted by readers of Billboard as their favorite number one hit of 2012. Though no official music video was released for the song, a live performance from the DVD Live at the Royal Albert Hall was uploaded to video-sharing website YouTube. This rendition won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.
Come to the Well is the fifth studio album by American contemporary Christian band Casting Crowns, released on October 18, 2011, through Beach Street and Reunion Records. The album, which has a predominantly pop rock and rock sound, was based on the Biblical story of the woman at the well. In writing the album, lead vocalist Mark Hall collaborated with songwriters Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West, and Tom Douglas. The album received mostly positive reviews from critics, many of whom praised the album's songwriting, and received the award for Top Christian Album at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.