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 1975, 42 songs topped the chart, then published under the title Easy Listening, based on playlists submitted by easy listening radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores. [1]
The first number one of the year was "Mandy" by Barry Manilow, which retained its position from the last chart of 1974, [2] but held the top spot for only one week in 1975 before being replaced by Ringo Starr's recording of the 1950s song "Only You". Starr thus became the second former member of The Beatles to have an Easy Listening number one since the group's break-up, following Paul McCartney's success with "My Love" in 1973. [3] Manilow was one of three acts to achieve three Easy Listening chart-toppers in 1975, along with Olivia Newton-John and The Carpenters. Newton-John had the highest total number of weeks at number one of any act, spending seven weeks in the top spot. She also recorded the longest unbroken run atop the chart, as her songs "Please Mr. Please" and "Something Better to Do" each spent three consecutive weeks at number one, the only tracks to do so during the year. Easy Listening chart-toppers by Manilow, Netwon-John and The Carpenters also topped Billboard's all-genre singles chart, the Hot 100, [4] reflecting the fact that at the time mellower styles were popular across a range of demographics and on top 40 radio as well as the easy listening format. [5] Although it only topped the Easy Listening chart for a single week, Captain & Tennille's "Love Will Keep Us Together" was the biggest-selling single of 1975. [6]
Both "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell and "I'm Sorry" by John Denver were triple chart-toppers, as in addition to topping both the Easy Listening chart and the Hot 100, [7] both songs also topped the Hot Country Songs listing. [8] [9] At the time, the rise of the smooth style dubbed countrypolitan meant that there was considerable crossover between the country and easy listening radio formats. [10] Campbell and Denver were among four acts to achieve two Easy Listening number ones in 1975, along with Captain & Tennille and Helen Reddy. Two other singers achieved two chart-toppers in different guises. Art Garfunkel topped the chart with his solo single "I Only Have Eyes for You" as well as with "My Little Town" with erstwhile singing partner Paul Simon. The song was an unexpected reunion for Simon & Garfunkel, who had not recorded together since 1970. [11] Donny Osmond reached number one with "Morning Side of the Mountain", a duet with his sister Marie, and later returned to the top spot alongside his brothers in the group The Osmonds. "The Proud One" would prove to be the only Easy Listening chart-topper for the Osmonds, who had experienced major pop success earlier in the 1970s but had now passed their commercial peak. [12] [13] Glen Campbell's "Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in L.A.)" was the year's final number one.
† | Indicates best-performing easy listening song of 1975 [14] |
Country pop is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres like rock, pop, and country, continuing similar efforts that began in the late 1950s, known originally as the Nashville sound and later on as Countrypolitan. By the mid-1970s, many country artists were transitioning to the pop-country sound, which led to some records charting high on the mainstream top 40 and the Billboard country chart. In turn, many pop and easy listening artists crossed over to country charts during this time. After declining in popularity during the neotraditional movement of the 1980s, country pop had a comeback in the 1990s with a sound that drew more heavily on pop rock and adult contemporary. In the 2010s, country pop metamorphosized again with the addition of hip-hop beats and rap-style phrasing.
The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by Billboard magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to Billboard by stations that are members of the Adult Contemporary radio panel. The chart debuted in Billboard magazine on July 17, 1961. Over the years, the chart has gone under a series of name changes, being called Easy Listening(1961–1962; 1965–1979), Middle-Road Singles(1962–1964), Pop-Standard Singles(1964–1965), Hot Adult Contemporary(1984–1996) and Adult Contemporary(1979–1984, 1996–present) The current number-one song on the chart is "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus.
"I Write the Songs" is a popular song written by Bruce Johnston in 1975 and released on his album Going Public in 1977. Barry Manilow's version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1976 after spending two weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart in December 1975. It won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and was nominated for Record of the Year in 1977. Billboard ranked it as the No. 13 song of 1976.
"Brandy", later called "Mandy", is a song written by Scott English and Richard Kerr. It was originally recorded by English in 1971 and reached the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart.
"All I Have to Do Is Dream" is a song made famous by the Everly Brothers, written by Boudleaux Bryant of the husband-and-wife songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, and published in 1958. The song is ranked No. 141 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is in AABA form.
"Rhinestone Cowboy" is a song written and recorded by Larry Weiss in 1974, then popularized the next year by American country music singer Glen Campbell. When released on May 26, 1975, as the lead single and title track from his album Rhinestone Cowboy, it enjoyed huge popularity with both country and pop audiences.
"I Only Have Eyes for You" is a romantic love song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin, written for the film Dames (1934) when Dick Powell introduced it. Several successful recordings of the song were made in 1934; later, there were charted versions by the Flamingos (1959) and Art Garfunkel (1975).
"Love Will Keep Us Together" is a song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. It was first recorded by Sedaka in 1973. The brother-sister duo Mac and Katie Kissoon also recorded a version in 1973. American pop duo Captain & Tennille covered it in 1975, with instrumental backing almost entirely by “Captain” Daryl Dragon, with the exception of drums played by Hal Blaine; their version became a worldwide hit.
"Don't Pull Your Love" is the debut single by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds which became a top ten hit single in 1971. The song was written by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert.
"Galveston" is a song written by Jimmy Webb and popularized by American country music singer Glen Campbell who recorded it with the instrumental backing of members of The Wrecking Crew. In 2003, this song ranked number 8 in CMT's 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music. Campbell's version of the song also went to number 1 on the country music charts. On other charts, "Galveston" went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the "Easy Listening" charts. It was certified gold by the RIAA in October 1969.
"I'm Leaving It Up to You" is a song written by and originally performed by Don Harris and Dewey Terry in 1957. It was later popularized in 1963 by the American duo Dale and Grace, who took it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 1974, Donny and Marie Osmond reached the top five on the US Hot 100 chart and peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart with their cover.
"It's a Miracle" is a 1975 single by Barry Manilow and was the second release from his album, Barry Manilow II. "It's a Miracle" went to number twelve on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was Manilow's second number one on the U.S. Easy Listening chart, spending one week at number one in April 1975. The single also peaked at number fifteen on the disco/dance chart, and was the first of four entries on the chart. "It's a Miracle" was followed by "Could It Be Magic".
"Country Boy " is a song written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, and recorded by American country music singer Glen Campbell. It was released in October 1975 as the second and final single from the album, Rhinestone Cowboy.