Adult Album Alternative (AAA): Top 100+ Songs from 1996 to 2021

Adult Alternative, 1996-2021: Top 100+ Songs

In 1996, Billboard magazine lanched the adult album alternative (AAA) chart. The radio format is a spinoff of the album-oriented radio format rooted in music from the ‘60s and ‘70s. AAA includes some of that genre’s most noted acts (Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen), but expands to include a variety of genres generally broader than most other radio formats, encompassing alternative rock, alt country, folk, jazz, and blues. Here are the top 100+ AAA songs based on most weeks at #1. Songs with the same number of weeks on top are ranked based on most points in Dave’s Music Database. All songs spending five or weeks on top have been included on this list. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 16 weeks: U2 “Beautiful Day” (2000) 15 weeks: Coldplay “Clocks” (2002) Kings of Leon “Waste a Moment” (2016) 14 weeks: Adele “Rolling in the Deep” (2010) The Wallflowers “One Headlight” (1996) Matchbox 20 “Bent” (2000) Matchbox 20 “3 A.M.” (1996) 13 weeks: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” (2011) Santana with Rob Thomas “Smooth” (1999) Jack Johnson “Upside Down” (2006) Pearl Jam “Just Breathe” (2009) 12 weeks: Train “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” (2001) Beck “Dreams” (2015) Dave Matthews Band “Funny the Way It Is” (2009) 11 weeks: Coldplay “Viva La Vida” (2008) Portugal, the Man “Feel It Still” (2017) Mumford & Sons “I Will Wait” (2012) The Lumineers “Ophelia” (2016) Jack Johnson “You and Your Heart” (2010) KT Tunstall “Hold On” (2007) 10 weeks: Sarah McLachlan “Building a Mystery” (1997) George Ezra “Budapest” (2013) The Black Keys “Fever” (2014) Death Cab for Cutie “Soul Meets Body” (2005) Jack Johnson “If I Had Eyes” (2007) Jack Johnson “Good People” (2005) David Gray “Fugitive” (2009) 9 weeks: U2 “Vertigo” (2004) Coldplay “Speed of Sound” (2005) Train “Calling All Angels” (2003) Hootie & the Blowfish “Old Man & Me (When I Get to Heaven)” (1996) The Black Keys “Go” (2019) Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats “You Worry Me” (2018) 8 weeks: Lorde “Royals” (2013) Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (2004) Snow Patrol “Chasing Cars” (2006) The Lumineers “Ho Hey” (2012) Coldplay “Paradise” (2011) Milky Chance “Stolen Dance” (2013) R.E.M. “The Great Beyond” (1999) Michael Franti & Spearhead “The Sound of Sunshine” (2010) Counting Crows “Hanginaround” (1999) The Lumineers “Stubborn Love” (2012) The Head and the Heart “All We Ever Knew” (2016) Norah Jones “Sunrise” (2004) Tracy Chapman “Telling Stories (There Is Friction in the Space Between)” (2000) Death Cab for Cutie “You Are a Tourist” (2011) Death Cab for Cutie “Gold Rush” (2018) David Gray “You’re the World to Me” (2007) Serena Ryder “Stompa” (2013) Nathaniel Rateliff “And It’s Still Alright” (2020) 7 weeks: The Fray “You Found Me” (2008) The Black Keys “Lonely Boy” (2011) New Radicals “You Get What You Give” (1998) Sheryl Crow “Soak Up the Sun” (2002) Eric Clapton “My Father’s Eyes” (1998) U2 “Staring at the Sun” (1997) U2 “Window in the Skies” (2006) Coldplay “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” (2011) Kings of Leon “Radioactive” (2010) Dave Matthews Band “Stay (Wasting Time)” (1998) Vampire Weekend “Harmony Hall” (2019) U2 “You’re the Best Thing About Me” (2017) Dave Matthews Band “Where Are You Going?” (2002) Natalie Merchant “Kind and Generous” (1998) Dave Matthews Band “Everyday” (2001) Spoon “Hot Thoughts” (2017) Snow Patrol “Crack the Shutters” (2008) John Butler Trio “Better Than” (2007) Ray LaMontagne “Strong Enough” (2020) 6 weeks: Gnarls Barkley “Crazy” (2006) Sam Smith “Stay with Me” (2014) Phillip Phillips “Home” (2012) John Mayer “Waiting on the World to Change” (2006) Goo Goo Dolls “Slide” (1998) John Mellencamp “Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)” (1996) Arcade Fire “Everything Now” (2017) U2 “Electrical Storm” (2002) Sheryl Crow “A Change Would Do You Good” (1996) The Killers “Read My Mind” (2006) Jack Johnson “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” (2005) Mumford & Sons “Guiding Light” (2018) Blues Traveler “Most Precarious” (1997) Norah Jones “Chasing Pirates” (2009) David Gray “The One I Love” (2005) Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs “Beg, Steal or Borrow” (2010) Pete Yorn “Life on a Chain” (2001) Kings of Leon “The Bandit” (2021) Caamp “Officer of Love” (2020) 5 weeks: The Verve Pipe “The Freshmen” (1996) Primitive Radio Gods “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand” (1996) U2 “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own” (2004) Death Cab for Cutie “I Will Possess Your Heart” (2008) Coldplay “Adventure of a Lifetime” (2015) Rag ‘n’ Bone Man “Human” (2016) Gin Blossoms “Follow You Down” (1996) Mumford & Sons “Believe” (2015) Sheryl Crow “My Favorite Mistake” (1998) The Black Keys “Lo/Hi” (2019) Counting Crows “Accidentally in Love” (2004) Sarah McLachlan “Fallen” (2003) Collective Soul “Run” (1999) The Lumineers “Gloria” (2019) John Mellencamp with India.Arie “Peaceful World” (2001) R.E.M. “Supernatural Superserious” (2008) Shery Crow “Anything But Down” (1998) Dave Matthews Band “I Did It” (2001) John Mayer “Bigger Than My Body” (2003) The Avett Brothers “Ain’t No Man” (2016) Beck “Uneventful Days” (2019) Paolo Nutini “New Shoes” (2006) John Mayer “Who Says” (2009) Leon Bridges “Bad Bad News” (2019) My Morning Jacket “Feel You” (2020) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists" Dave’s Music Database (4/24/2020). “Adult Alternative, 1990-1996” Wikipedia.org “List of Billboard number-one adult alternative singles of the 2000s” Wikipedia.org “List of Billboard number-one adult alternative singles of the 2010s” Wikipedia.org “List of Billboard number-one adult alternative singles of the 2020s” First posted 12/10/2017; last updated 5/8/2021.

Adult Album Alternative (AAA) Acts: Top 100

Adult Album Alternative: Top 100 Acts

In 1996, Billboard magazine lanched the adult album alternative (AAA) chart. The radio format is a spinoff of the album-oriented radio format rooted in music from the ‘60s and ‘70s. AAA includes some of that genre’s most noted acts (Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen), but expands to include a variety of genres generally broader than most other radio formats, encompassing alternative rock, alt country, folk, jazz, and blues. On December 10, 2017, a top 100 list was published on Billboard. A top 50 list was updated on February 18, 2021. The list below reflects the top 50 from 2021 and then the remaining artists from the 2017 top 100 list. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre. Dave Matthews Band 1. Dave Matthews (solo and with band) 2. U2 3. Coldplay 4. Jack Johnson 5. Sheryl Crow 6. John Mayer 7. Mumford & Sons 8. Counting Crows 9. Death Cab for Cutie 10. Snow Patrol 11. Beck 12. The Wallflowers 13. R.E.M. 14. Ray LaMontagne 15. The Lumineers 16. David Gray 17. The Head & the Heart 18. Train 19. The Black Keys 20. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats 21. Norah Jones 22. Cage the Elephant 23. Florence + the Machine 24. Hozier 25. Of Monsters & Men 26. Matchbox 20 27. Adele 28. Ryan Adams 29. Imagine Dragons 30. Kings of Leon 31. Red Hot Chili Peppers 32. Tom Petty (solo & with Heartbreakers & Mudcrutch) 33. Sting 34. John Mellencamp 35. Eric Clapton 36. Pearl Jam 37. KT Tunstall 38. Ben Harper 39. Goo Goo Dolls 40. Spoon 41. The Fray 42. Leon Bridges 43. Sarah McLachlan 44. The Killers 45. Pete Yorn 46. The Decemberists 47. Bruce Springsteen 48. Green Day 49. Chris Isaak 50. Keane 51. Collective Soul 52. Wilco 53. Barenaked Ladies 54. Lenny Kravitz 55. Tracy Chapman 56. Melissa Etheridge 57. The Avett Brothers 58. Guster 59. Jason Mraz 60. Michael Franti 61. Bonnie Raitt 62. The Rolling Stones 63. Matt Nathanson 64. Alanis Morissette 65. Indigo Girls 66. Blues Traveler 67. Mark Knopfler 68. Tori Amos 69. Shawn Colvin 70. Jonny Lang 71. Amos Lee 72. Phish 73. Shawn Mullins 74. Brandi Carlile 75. Van Morrison 76. Robert Plant 77. Dawes 78. Arcade Fire 79. Foo Fighters 80. Neil Young 81. Grace Potter 82. John Hiatt 83. Lorde 84. Alabama Shakes 85. Pretenders 86. Mat Kearney 87. Natalie Merchant 88. Phillip Phillips 89. Santana 90. Paul Simon 91. Fitz & the Tantrums 92. Jewel 93. Michael Kiwanuka 94. Ingrid Michaelson 95. Brett Dennen 96. Paolo Nutini 97. Jackson Browne 98. John Bulter Trio 99. Old 97’s 100. Feist 101. Vance Joy 102. One Republic Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre Billboard (2/18/2021). “Greatest of All Time: Adult Alternative Artists” First posted 12/10/2017; last updated 2/18/2021.

 

Adult Album Alternative (AAA): Top 100, 1990-1996

First posted 4/24/2020.

Adult Album Alternative: Top 100 Songs, 1990-1996

In 1996, Billboard magazine lanched the adult album alternative (AAA) chart. The radio format is a spinoff of the album-oriented radio stations focused on classic rock from the ‘60s and ‘70s. While artists like Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen are staples of classic rock, their current material was largely neglected by those stations. Alongside these heritage acts, AAA played mainstream-rock-oriented alternative acts like the Gin Blossoms, Goo Goo Dolls, Hootie & the Blowfish, Matchbox 20, Dave Matthews Band, and Alanis Morissette. As is usually the case with a new chart, though, the format was already well established before Billboard started tracking. This list, therefore, is an effort to represent those songs preceded the chart. Eligibilty for this list was determined by acts who had later AAA chart hits, but songs from 1990 to 1996 which didn’t make that chart. 1. R.E.M. “Losing My Religion” (1991) 2. Oasis “Wonderwall” (1995) 3. U2 “One” (1992) 4. No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (1995) 5. Radiohead “Creep” (1993) 6. Seal “Kiss from a Rose” (1994) 7. Eric Clapton “Tears in Heaven” (1992) 8. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Under the Bridge” (1991) 9. Beck “Loser” (1993) 10. Sheryl Crow “All I Wanna Do” (1994) 11. Alanis Morissette “You Oughta Know” (1995) 12. Bruce Springsteen “Streets of Philadelphia” (1994) 13. Pearl Jam “Jeremy” (1991) 14. R.E.M. “Everybody Hurts’ (1992) 15. Alanis Morissette “Ironic” (1995) 16. Oasis “Live Forever” (1994) 17. Eric Clapton “Change the World” (1996) 18. Jewel “You Were Meant for Me” (1995) 19. Oasis “Don’t Look Back in Anger” (1995) 20. Smashing Pumpkins “1979” (1995) 21. Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories “Stay (I Missed You)” (1994) 22. Tracy Chapman “Give Me One Reason” (1995) 23. Shawn Colvin “Sunny Came Home” (1996) 24. Alanis Morissette “You Learn” (1995) 25. Oasis “Champagne Supernova” (1995) 26. Green Day “Basket Case” (1994) 27. The Rembrandts “I’ll Be There for You” (1995) 28. Joan Osborne “One of Us” (1995) 29. Jewel “Foolish Games” (1995) 30. Pearl Jam “Alive” (1991) 31. Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun” (1994) 32. Sting “Fields of Gold” (1993) 33. The Cranberries “Zombie” (1994) 34. Radiohead “Fake Plastic Trees” (1995) 35. Soul Asylum “Runaway Train” (1992) 36. Eric Clapton ““Layla” (Unplugged version, 1992) 37. Green Day “Longview” (1994) 38. Hootie & the Blowfish “Only Wanna Be with You” (1994) 39. Counting Crows “Mr. Jones” (1993) 40. Alanis Morissette “Head Over Feet” (1995) 41. Sting “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” (1993) 42. Pearl Jam “Daughter” (1993) 43. U2 “Night and Day” (1990) 44. Weezer “Buddy Holly” (1994) 45. The Black Crowes “Hard to Handle” (1990) 46. Live “Lightning Crashes” (1994) 47. R.E.M. “Man on the Moon” (1992) 48. Bonnie Raitt “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (1991) 49. U2 “Mysterious Ways” (1991) 50. The Cranberries “Linger” (1993) 51. Green Day “When I Come Around” (1994) 52. Beck “Where It’s At” (1996) 53. Bonnie Raitt “Something to Talk About” (1991) 54. Collective Soul “Shine” (1993) 55. Smashing Pumpkins “Disarm” (1993) 56. Lenny Kravitz “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” (1993) 57. Stone Temple Pilots “Interstate Love Song” (1994) 58. Dave Matthews Band “Crash into Me” (1996) 59. Spin Doctors “Two Princes” (1991) 60. Collective Soul “December” (1995) 61. Smashing Pumpkins “Tonight Tonight” (1995) 62. Stone Temple Pilot “Plush” (1992) 63. R.E.M. “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” (1994) 64. Seal “Crazy” (1990) 65. Blues Traveler “Run Around” (1994) 66. Sting “All This Time” (1990) 67. Smashing Pumpkins “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” (1995) 68. Sheryl Crow “Everyday Is a Winding Road” (1996) 69. Crowded House “Weather with You” (1991) 70. Collective Soul “the World I Know” (1995) 71. Goo Goo Dolls “Name” (1995) 72. R.E.M. “Drive” (1992) 73. Bruce Springsteen “Human Touch” (1992) 74. Gin Blossoms “‘Til I Hear It from You” (1995) 75. U2 “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” (1995) 76. INXS “Suicide Blonde” (1990) 77. U2 “Even Better Than the Real Thing” (1991) 78. R.E.M. “Shiny Happy People” (1991) 79. Alanis Morissette “Hand in My Pocket” (1995) 80. Radiohead “High and Dry” (1995) 81. Bonnie Raitt “Love Sneakin’ Up on You” (1994) 82. Hootie & the Blowfish “Let Her Cry” (1994) 83. Sheryl Crow “If It Makes You Happy” (1996) 84. Live “Selling the Drama” (1994) 85. Hootie & the Blowfish “Time” (1994) 86. Paula Cole “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” (1996) 87. The Cranberries “Dreams” (1992) 88. Pearl Jam “Better Man” (1994) 89. Jewel “Who Will Save Your Soul?” (1995) 90. Paula Cole “I Don’t Want to Wait” (1996) 91. Silverchair “Tomorrow” (1994) 92. Pearl Jam “Black” (1991) 93. Smashing Pumpkins “Today” (1993) 94. Bruce Springsteen “Secret Garden” (1995) 95. Sheryl Crow “Strong Enough” (1993) 96. John Mellencamp & Me’Shell Ndegeocello “Wild Night” (1994) 97. Sarah McLachlan “I Will Remember You” (1995) 98. Hootie & the Blowfish “Hold My Hand” (1994) 99. Matchbox 20 “Push” (1996) 100. Melissa Etheridge “I’m the Only One” (1993) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database (4/15/2020). “Adult Alternative, 1996-2020”