In 1964, the name changed again, this time to Pop-Standard Singles. The chart was known as the Easy Listening chart until 1962, when it was renamed Middle-Road Singles. Currently the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart is compiled in much the same way as for other radio formats.

By the early 1990s, automatic song detection and barcode sales information had begun to be the norm for most of the Billboard charts, although by this time the AC chart was based entirely on radio airplay and no longer incorporated retail sales reports. ( Record World's equivalent 'non-rock' chart followed the same criteria from 1967 through 1971.) Beginning in 1965, the Easy Listening chart would begin to be compiled by a method similar to the one used for other Billboard singles charts: reported playlists from radio stations airing the format as well as sales data submitted by record stores. įrom 1961 to 1965, this chart was compiled from the Billboard Hot 100 chart by removing songs that were deemed rock and roll by the magazine and re-ranking the remaining songs. 1 song on the Billboard Easy Listening chart was ' The Boll Weevil Song' by Brook Benton. The magazine offered an 'Easy Listening' programming guide beginning January 9, 1961, which continued until the numbered chart appeared in July. Billboard had written articles about this trend during the time, and the magazine's editors decided to publish a separate chart for these songs beginning in 1961. The Billboard Easy listening chart, as it was first known, was born of a desire by some radio stations in the late 1950s and early 1960s to continue playing current hit songs but distinguish themselves from being branded as ' rock and roll' stations. The current number-one song on the chart is ' Flowers' by Miley Cyrus.

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 chart debuted in Billboard magazine on July 17, 1961. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to Billboard by stations that are members of the Adult Contemporary radio panel. 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. For other uses, see Adult contemporary (disambiguation).

Favorite easy listening songs