Top 40 Adult Contemporary Songs

Below are the Nolan Method Top 40 Adult Contemporary charts from the early 60’s through today.  These charts are based on 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. 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 Tracks (1979–1982) and Adult Contemporary (1983–present).

The Nolan Method ranking system was formulated by lead Top40Weekly contributor Jarrett Nolan and is based on a point system for an artist’s weekly chart performance on Billboard during the year. 

1961
1 MichaelThe Highwaymen
2 Mexico Bob Moore & His Orchestra
3 Wooden Heart Joe Dowell
4 Sad MoviesSue Thompson
5 HurtTimi Yuro
6 Water BoyDon Shirley Trio
7 Take FiveThe Dave Brubeck Quartet
8 (Marie’s the Name) His Latest FlameElvis Presley
9 Big Bad JohnJimmy Dean
10 The Way You Look TonightThe Lettermen
11 Don’t Bet Money HoneyLinda Scott
12 As If I Didn’t KnowAdam Wade
13 TogetherConnie Francis
14 NeverThe Chordettes
15 The Boll Weevil SongBrook Benton
16 Big Cold WindPat Boone
17 Moon RiverJerry Butler
18 More Money for You and MeThe Four Preps
19 I Fall to PiecesPatsy Cline
20 My Kind of GirlMatt Monro
21 Frankie and JohnnyBrook Benton
22 Just Out of my Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)Solomon Burke
23 Missing YouRay Peterson
24 San Antonio RoseFloyd Cramer
25 I’ll Never Smile AgainThe Platters
26 September in the RainDinah Washington
27 CrazyPatsy Cline
28 Yellow BirdArthur Lyman Group
29 TonightFerrante and Teicher
30 The Astronaut (Parts 1 & 2)Jose Jimenez
31 Moon RiverHenry Mancini
32 Moody RiverPat Boone
33 The BridgeJoe Dowell
34 Now and ForeverBert Kaempfert & His Orchestra
35 I’ll Be Seeing YouFrank Sinatra
36 It’s Just a House Without YouBrook Benton
37 Should IThe String-A-Longs
38 Tears on My PillowThe McGuire Sisters
39 Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)The Lennon Sisters
40 It’s Your WorldMarty Robbins
1962
1  Stranger on the Shore Mr. Acker Bilk
2  I Left My Heart In San FranciscoTony Bennett
3  All Alone Am IBrenda Lee
4 Ramblin RoseNat King Cole
5  Midnight in MoscowKenny Ball and his Jazzmen
6  I Can’t Stop Loving YouRay Charles
7  Only Love Can Break a HeartGene Pitney
8  Wolverton MountainClaude King
9  Don’t Break the Heart that Loves YouConnie Francis
10  The StripperDavid Rose
11  Cotton FieldsThe Highwaymen
12  A Little Bitty TearBurl Ives
13  Alley CatBent Fabric and his Piano
14  Theme from Dr. KildareRichard Chamberlain
15  She’s Got YouPatsy Cline
16  You Don’t Know MeRay Charles
17  Ai DI LaEmilio Pericoli
18  Moon RiverHenry Mancini
19  P.T 109Jimmy Dean
20  GinaJohnny Mathis
21  Everybody Loves MeBrenda Lee
22  Funny Way of Laughin’Burl Ives
23  What Kind of Fool Am ISammy Davis Jr.
24  Can’t Help Falling In LoveElvis Presley
25  Where Have All the Flowers GoneThe Kingston Trio
26  Snap Your FingersJoe Henderson
27  Swingin’ SafariBilly Vaughn
28  CaterinaPerry Como
29  Old RiversWalter Brennan
30  DesafinadoStan Genz/Charlie Byrd
31  She’s Not YouElvis Presley
32  Close to CathyMike Clifford
33  Come Back Silly GirlThe Lettermen
34  I Remember YouFrank Ifield
35  That’s Old Fashioned WayThe Everly Brothers
36  Teenage IdolRick Nelson
37  Roses are RedBobby Vinton
38  Nothing Can Change This LoveSam Cooke
39  Heart in HandBrenda Lee
40  Rain Rain Go AwayBobby Vinton
1963
1   The End of the WorldSkeeter Davis
2   Go Away Little Girl Steve Lawrence
3   Can’t Get Used to Losing YouAndy Williams
4   Blue Velvet Bobby Vinton
5   Blowin’ in the WindPeter, Paul, and Mary
6   Puff (The Magic Dragon)Peter, Paul, and Mary
7   SukiyakiKyu Sakamoto
8   Walk Right InThe Rooftop Singers
9   My DadPaul Petersen
10   I Wanna Be AroundTony  Bennett
11   Rhythm of the RainThe Cascades
12   MoreKai Winding and Orchestra
13   I Love You BecauseAl Martino
14   I Can’t Stay MadSkeeter Davis
15   Fly Me to the Moon- Bossa Nova Joe Harnell and his Orchestra
16   StillBill Anderson
17   Days of Wine and RosesHenry Mancini
18 It’s Up to You Rick Nelson
19   The Night has a Thousand EyesBobby Vee
20   Blue on BlueBobby Vinton
21   Our Winter LoveBill Pursell
22   Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of SummerNat King Cole
23   Losing YouBrenda Lee
24   What Will Mary SayJohnny Mathis
25   Tie Me Kangaroo DownRolf Harris
26   That Sunday, That SummerNat King Cole
27  Painted, Tainted RoseAl Martino
28   Young LoversPaul and Paula
29   Maria ElenaLos Indios Tabajaras
30   HopelessAndy Williams
31   Detroit CityBobby Bare
32   Don’t Think Twice, Its All RightPeter, Paul, and Mary
33   Cast Your Fate in the WindVince Guaraldi Trio
34   Talk to Me by  SunnyThe Sunglows
35   Washington SquareThe Village Stompers
36   Danke SchoenWayne Newton and the Newton Brothers
37   Frankie and JohnnySam Cooke
38   The Good LifeTony Bennett
39   Green, GreenThe New Christy Minstrels
40   MeccaGene Pitney
1964
1 Hello Dolly!Louis Armstrong and the All-Stars2 We’ll Sing in the SunshineGale Garnett3 Everybody Loves SomebodyDean Martin4 PeopleBarbra Streisand5 Love Me with All Your HeartThe Ray Charles Singers6 JavaAl Hirt7 Don’t Let the Rain Come DownThe Serendipity Singers8 A Summer SongChad and Jeremy9 There! I’ve Said it AgainBobby Vinton
10 DianeThe Bachelors
11 Navy BlueDiane Renay
12 In the Misty MoonlightJerry Wallace
13 White on WhiteDanny Williams
14 Popsicles and IciclesThe Murmaids
15 TodayThe New Christy Minstrels
16 Cotton CandyAl Hirt
17 The Girl from IpanemaGetz/Gilberto
18 Forget HimBobby Rydell
19 Shangri-laRobert Maxwell
20 I Love You More and More EverydayAl Martino
21 The Door is Still Open to My HeartDean Martin
22 Softly, As I Leave YouFrank Sinatra
23 Since I Fell for YouLenny Welch
24 As UsualBrenda Lee
25 DominiqueThe Singing Sun
26 My Heart Belongs to YouBobby Vinton
27 See the Funny Little ClownBobby Goldsboro
28 Anyone Who Had a HeartDionne Warwick
29 You Don’t Have to Be a Baby to CryThe Caravelles
30 ThinkBrenda Lee
31 For YouRick Nelson
32 Talk back Trembling LipsJohnny Tilotson
33 Always TogetherAl Martino
34 Who Can I Turn ToTony Bennett
35 The Shelter of Your ArmsSammy Davis Jr.
36 A Fool Never LearnsAndy Williams
37 Tell Me WhyBobby Vinton
38 Invisible TearsRay Conniff Singers
39 You Don’t Know How Glad I amNancy Wilson
40 Clinging VineBobby Vinton
1965
1 You Were on my MindWe Five
2 King of the RoadRoger Miller
3 Crying in the ChapelElvis Presley and The Jordaines
4 Hold me, Thrill me, Kiss meMel Carter
5 Cast Your Fate in the WindSounds Orchestral
6 I’m YoursElvis Presley
7 Red Roses for a Blue LadyBert Kaempfert
8 Baby, The Rain Must FallGlenn Yarbrough
9 A Walk in the Black ForestHorst Janowski
10 GoldfingerShirley Bassey
11 Hush Hush Sweet CharlottePatti Page
12 Too Many RiversBrenda Lee
13 Red Roses for a BlueLady Vic Dana
14 Taste of HoneyHerp Albert
15 I’ll Make all your Dreams Come TrueRonnie Dave
16 Send Me the Pillow You Dream onDean Martin
17 You Better Come HomePetula Clark
18 Dear HeartAndy Williams
19 Theme “A Summer Place”The Lettermen
20 The WeddingJulie Rogers
21 Engine Engine #9Roger Miller
22 MarieThe Bachelors
23 Moon over NaplesBert Kaempfert
24 The Race is OnJack Jones
25 You’re Nobody till Somebody Loves YouDean Martin
26 With These HandsTom Jones
27 Dream on Little DreamerPerry Como
28 A World of our OwnThe Seekers
29 Willow Weep for MeChad and Jeremy
30 Have you Looked into your HeartJerry Vale
31 My Love, Forgive MeRobert Goulet
32 Dear HeartJack Jones
33 A Little Bit of HeavenRonnie Dave
34 Save your Heart for MeGary Lewis and The Playboys
35 Moonlight and RosesVic Dana
36 Heartaches by the NumberJohnny Tilotson
37 If I Loved YouChad and Jeremy
38 Red Roses for a Blue LadyWayne Newton
39 Hawaii TattooThe Waikikis
40 Somewhere in your HeartFrank Sinatra
1966
1 The Impossible Dream (The Quest)Jack Jones
2 Born FreeRoger Williams
3 Strangers In The NightFrank Sinatra
4 Somewhere my LoveRay Conniff
5 Crying TimeRay Charles
6 Call MeChris Montez
7 In The Arms of LoveAndy Williams
8 Spanish EyesAl Martino
9 It Was a Very Good YearFrank Sinatra
10 The More I See YouChris Montez
11 Summer SambaWalter Wanderley
12 Zorba the GreekHerb Alpert
13 Lara’s theme from Dr. ZhivagoRoger Williams
14 I Want to Go With YouEddy Arnold
15 The Wheel of HurtMargaret Whiting
16 Summer WindFrank Sinatra
17 Mas Que Nada SergioMendes and Brasil 66′
18 My LovePetula Clark
19 The Ballad of the Green BeretsSsgt Barry Sadler
20 Somewhere There’s a SomeoneDean Martin
21 Love Me With All of Your HeartThe Bachelors
22 Make the World Go AwayEddy Arnold
23 Strangers in the NightBert Kaempfert
24 Husbands and WivesRoger Williams
25 GuantanameraThe Sandpipers
26 The Work SongHerp Albert and the Tijuana brass
27 I Couldn’t Live Without Your LovePetula Clark
28 MameBobby Darin
29 I’m Comin’ Home, CindyTrini Lopez
30 ThunderballTom Jones
31 What Now my LoveHerp Albert
32 Where am I Going?Barbra Streisand
33 A Time for LoveTony Bennett
34 Come Running BackDean Martin
35 MameLouis Armstrong
36 Bye Bye BluesBert Kaempfer
37 Think I’ll Go Somewhere and Cry Myself to SleepAl Martino
38 Second Hand RoseBarbra Streisand
39 Dommage, DommageJerry Vale
40 The Men in my Little Girls LifeMike Douglas
1967
1 My Cup Runneth OverEd Ames
2 Somethin’ StupidNancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra
3 LadyJack Jones
4 It Must be HimVikki Carr
5 Stop! And Think it OverPerry Como
6 I’ll Take Care of Your CaresFrankie Laine
7 Wish me a RainbowThe Gunter Kallmann Chorus
8 Mary in the MorningAl Martino
9 Time, TimeEd Ames
10 The World We Knew (Over and Over)Frank Sinatra
11 Casino RoyaleHerb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass
12 More and MoreAndy Williams
13 You Only Live TwiceNancy Sinatra
14 This is My SongPetula Clark
15 Love me ForeverRoger Williams
16 Daddy’s Little GirlAl Martino
17 Only Love Can Break a HeartMargaret Whiting
18 Music to Watch GirlsBob Crewe Generation
19 Little by Little and Bit by BitThe Ray Charles Singers
20 Sugar TownNancy Sinatra
21 More Than a MiracleRoger Williams
22 It’s Such a Pretty World TodayAndy Russell
23 That’s LifeFrank Sinatra
24 Turn the World AroundEddy Arnold
25 I Love You (And You Love Me)The Billy Vaughn Singers
26 Sunrise, SunsetRoger Williams
27 Stout-Hearted ManBarbra Streisand
28 A BandaHerb Alpert and The Tijuana brass
29 People Like YouEddie Fisher
30 Music to Watch GirlsAndy Williams
31 MameHerp Albert and The Tijuana Brass
32 A Strange SongHarry Belafonte
33 It Hurts to Say GoodbyeVera Lynn
34 Don’t Sleep in the SubwayPetula Clark
35 More Than the Eye Can SeeAl Martino
36 Making MemoriesFrankie Laine
37 AllJames Darren
38 Anything GoesHarpers Bizarre
39 Sweet MariaThe Billy Vaughn Singers
40 The 59th Street Bridge SongHarpers Bizarre
1968
1 Love is BluePaul Mauriat
2 The Good, The Bad, and The UglyHugo Montenegro and his Orchestra and Chorus
3 This Guy’s In Love With YouHerb Alpert
4 The Look of LoveSergio Mendes and Brasil ’66
5 Turn Around, Look at MeThe Vogues
6 The Fool on the HillSergio Mendes and Brasil 66
7 Classical GasMason Williams
8 HoneyBobby Goldsboro
9 Ame Caline (Soul Coaxing)Raymond Lefevre
10 A Man Without LoveEngelbert Humperdinck
11 MasterJack Four Jacks and a Jill
12 Sweet MemoriesAndy Williams
13 Dream a Little Dream of MeMama Cass /Mamas and Papas
14 My Special AngelThe Vogues
15 Autumn of my LifeBobby Goldsboro
16 Hang em HighHugo Montenegro, his Orchestra and Chorus
17 Mrs. RobinsonSimon and Garfunkel
18 Don’t Give UpPetula Clark
19 Goin’ Out of my HeadThe Lettermen
20 Cab DriverThe Mills Brothers
21 The Impossible DreamRoger Williams
22 My Way of LifeFrank Sinatra
23 Help YourselfTom Jones
24 Do You Know The Way to San JoseDionne Warwick
25 The UnicornThe Irish Rovers
26 In the Misty MoonlightDean Martin
27 Love is BlueAl Martino
28 You’ve Still Got a Place In my HeartDean Martin
29 Am I That Easy to ForgetEngelbert Humperdinck
30 The Other Man’s Grass, is Always GreenerPetula Clark
31 My Shy VioletThe Mills Brothers
32 Those Were the DaysMary Hopkin
33 Over YouGary Puckett and The Union Gap
34 I’ve Gotta be MeSteve Lawrence
35 Theme from ” Valley of the Dolls”Dionne Warwick
36 Chattanooga Choo ChooHarpers Bizarre
37 The LessonVikki Carr
38 Kiss me GoodbyePetula Clark
39 HollyAndy Williams
40 Dreams of the Everyday HousewifeGlen Campbell
1969
1 Hurt so BadThe Lettermen
2 I’ve Gotta be MeSammy Davis Jr. with The Mike Curb Congregation
3 Love Theme from Romeo and JulietHenry Mancini
4 You Gave me a MountainFrankie Laine
5 With Pen in HandVikki Carr
6 JeanOliver
7 My WayFrank Sinatra
8 Wichita LinemanGlen Campbell
9 Happy HeartAndy Williams
10 SeattlePerry Como
11 GalvestonGlen Campbell
12 I’ll Never Fall in Love AgainTom Jones
13 Johnny One TimeBrenda Lee
14 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine inThe 5th Dimension
15 This Girl’s in Love With YouDionne Warwick
16 Sweet Caroline (Sweet Times Never Seemed so Good)Neil Diamond
17 I Love How you Love MeBobby Vinton
18 A Minute of Your TimeTom Jones
19 Put a Little Love in Your HeartJackie DeShannon
20 Love (Can Make you Happy)Mercy
21 Lo Mucho Que e QuieroRene and Rene
22 Love me TonightTom Jones
23 Is That All There IsPeggy Lee
24 Soulful StrutYoung-Hult Unlimited
25 Quentin’s Theme The Charles Randolph Grean Sound
26 Rain in my HeartFrank Sinatra
27 The Way it Used to beEngelbert Humperdinck
28 My Cherie AmourStevie Wonder
29 Kum Ba YahTommy Leonetti
30 Everybody’s TalkinNilsson
31 Goodmorning StarshineOliver
32 Spinning WheelBlood, Sweat, and Tears
33 This Girl is a Woman NowGarry Pucket and The Union Gap
34 Goodnight my LovePaul Anka
35 Scarborough FairSergio Mendes and Brasil 66
36 Wedding Bell BluesThe 5th Dimension
37 Yesterday When I Was YoungRoy Clark
38 My Favorite ThingsHerb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass
39 Both Sides NowJudy Collins
40 In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)Zager and Evans