Adult Top 40: Top 100+ Songs

Adult Top 40, 1996-2021: Top 100+ Songs

In 2016, Billboard magazine celebrated its 20th anniversary of the Adult Pop Songs chart, a chart which it referred to as “Top 40 for people over 25.” They published a list of the top 50 “Greatest Of All Time Adult Pop Songs.” Dave’s Music Database has reworked the list to rank the songs based on most weeks at #1 and then, for ties, by overall points in Dave’s Music Database. All songs which spent at least 5 weeks at #1 are in the list below, pushing this a few notches past a top 100 list. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 25 weeks: Santana with Rob Thomas “Smooth” (1999) 23 weeks: The Calling “Wherever You Will Go” (2001) 20 weeks: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” (2019) 18 weeks: Nickelback “Photograph” (2005) Matchbox 20 “Unwell” (2002) 17 weeks: Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” (1998) 16 weeks: Avril Lavigne “Complicated” (2002) 15 weeks: The Fray “How to Save a Life” (2005) Panic! At the Disco “High Hopes” (2018) 14 weeks: No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (1995) Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017) Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” (1997) Train “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” (2001) Maroon 5 “Memories” (2019) Vertical Horizon “Everything You Want’ (1999) 13 weeks: Adele “Rolling in the Deep” (2010) Maroon 5 “This Love” (2002) 3 Doors Down “Here Without You” (2002) Matchbox 20 “Bent” (2000) Maroon 5 “She Will Be Loved” (2002) Colbie Caillat “Bubbly” (2007) Matchbox 20 “If You’re Gone” (2000) Santana with Michelle Branch “The Game of Love” (2002) 12 weeks: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” (2017) Celine Dion “Because You Loved Me” (1996) Daniel Powter “Bad Day” (2005) 11 weeks: Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (2004) Kings of Leon “Use Somebody” (2008) Pink with Nate Ruess “Just Give Me a Reason” (2012) 10 weeks: Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love” (2007) Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day” (1995) Hoobastank “The Reason” (2003) Sugar Ray “Every Morning” (1998) Avirl Lavigne “I’m with You” (2002) Rob Thomas “Lonely No More” (2005) KT Tunstall “Black Horse & the Cherry Tree” (2004) Matchbox 20 “3 A.M.” (1996) Daughtry “Home” (2007) 9 weeks: Ed Sheeran with Beyoncé “Perfect” (2017) Adele “Someone Like You (2011) Justin Timberlake “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (2016) Lady Antebellum “Need You Now” (2009) Katy Perry with Snoop Dogg “California Gurls” (2010) Sara Bareilles “Love Song” (2007) Kelly Clarkson “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” (2011) Jonas Brothers “Sucker” (2019) Smash Mouth “All Star” (1999) The Fray “You Found Me” (2008) Lifehouse “You and Me” (2005) Dido “Thank You” (2000) Maroon 5 with Kendrick Lamar “Don’t Wanna Know” (2016) Sheryl Crow “Soak Up the Sun” (2002) Daughtry “It’s Not Over” (2006) Santana with Chad Kroeger or Alex Band “Why Don’t You and I?” (2002) 8 weeks: Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” (2008) Taylor Swift “Shake It Off” (2014) The Lumineers “Ho Hey” (2012) Donna Lewis “I Love You Always Forever” (1996) Creed “With Arms Wide Open” (1999) Maroon 5 “One More Night” (2012) Walk the Moon “Shut Up and Dance” (2014) Tracy Chapman “Give Me One Reason” (1995) Shawn Mullins “Lullaby (Rock-a-Bye)” (1998) Ava Max “Kings & Queens” (2020) Kelly Clarkson “Already Gone” (2009) Goo Goo Dolls “Give a Little Bit” (2004) 7 weeks: Adele “Hello” (2015) Sia with Sean Paul “Cheap Thrills” (2016) One Republic “Counting Stars” (2013) Fergie “Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal)” (2006) The Chainsmokers with Coldplay “Something Just Like This” (2017) Eric Clapton “Change the World” (1996) Pink “Raise Your Glass” (2010) Ed Sheeran with Justin Bieber “I Don’t Care” (2019) Imagine Dragons “Thunder” (2017) Shawn Colvin “Sunny Came Home” (1996) Zedd with Meren Morris & Grey “The Middle” (2018) Sarah McLachlan “Angel” (1997) Shinedown “Second Chance” (2008) Pink “Fuckin’ Perfect” (2010) The Script “Breakeven” (2008) Sister Hazel “All for You” (1997) Sophie B. Hawkins “As I Lay Me Down” (1995) 6 weeks: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” (2011) Pharrell Williams “Happy” (2013) Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines” (2013) Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” (2014) Coldplay “Viva La Vida” (2008) Seal “Kiss from a Rose” (1994) Taylor Swift “Blank Space” (2014) One Republic with Timbaland “Apologize” (2006) Ricky Martin “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (1999) Train “Hey, Soul Sister” (2009) Maroon 5 with Wiz Khalifa “Payphone” (2012) Jewel “You Were Meant for Me” (1995) Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved” (2018) Imagine Dragons “Believer” (2017) Shawn Mendes “Treat You Better” (2016) Ed Sheeran “Photograph” (2014) Paula Cole “I Don’t Want to Wait” (1996) Nickelback “If Everyone Cared” (2005) Kelly Clarkson “Mr. Know It All” (2011) 5 weeks: Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)” (2010) Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” (2015) Katy Perry “Firework” (2010) Katy Perry “Roar” (2013) James Blunt “You’re Beautiful” (2004) Magic! “Rude” (2013) Chumbawamba “Tubthumping” (1997) Lifehouse “Hanging by a Moment” (2000) The Wallflowers “One Headlight” (1996) Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now” (2019) Jewel “Foolish Games” (1995) Nickelback “Far Away” (2005) Shawn Mendes “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” (2016) Benny Blanco with Halsey & Khalid “Eastside” (2018) Pink “Blow Me One Last Kiss” (2012) Train “Calling All Angels” (2003) Kelly Clarkson “Behind These Hazel Eyes” (2004) Nickelback “Gotta Be Somebody” (2008) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” Wikipedia: “Billboard Top 40 #1 Songs” First posted 4/28/2019; last updated 5/8/2021.

The Top 50 Adult Top 40 Acts

Adult Top 40: Top 50 Acts

Wikipedia says the Adult Pop, or Adult Top 40, format is “a format in which the genre is geared more towards an adult audience who are not into hard rock, hip hop, or soft adult contemporary fare” the latter of which is typically more ballad-driven). “The main genres within this format are a mix of soft and energetic adult contemporary music alongside adult alternative rock and adult-oriented pop music.” These all-time rankings are based on actual performance on the weekly Adult Pop Songs chart (also known as Adult Top 40), from its launch in Billboard magazine dated March 16, 1996, through March 12, 2016. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre. Maroon 5 1. Maroon 5 2. Matchbox 20 3. Train 4. Nickelback 5. Pink 6. Kelly Clarkson 7. Katy Perry 8. Goo Goo Dolls 9. Daughtry 10. Taylor Swift 11. Lifehouse 12. John Mayer 13. Rob Thomas 14. One Republic 15. The Fray 16. 3 Doors Down 17. Bruno Mars 18. Colbie Caillat 19. Sheryl Crow 20. Adele 21. Coldplay 22. Avril Lavigne 23. Jewel 24. Ed Sheeran 25. Alanis Morissette 26. Santana 27. Sarah McLachlan 28. Smash Mouth 29. Sugar Ray 30. Jason Mraz 31. The Script 32. Sara Bareilles 33. Gavin DeGraw 34. No Doubt 35. Creed 36. Imagine Dragons 37. Third Eye Blind 38. Lady Gaga 39. Dave Matthews Band 40. Green Day 41. Fun. 42. Phillip Phillips 43. Celine Dion 44. Five for Fighting 45. Uncle Kracker 46. Vertical Horizon 47. Neon Trees 48. Lenny Kravitz 49. Justin Timberlake 50. Rihanna Resources/Related Links: Billboard: Greatest of All Time Adult Pop Songs Artists Wikipedia: Adult Pop Airplay Top 100 Adult Top 40 Songs Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre First posted 6/29/2026.

The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey” charted

Ho Hey The Lumineers

Writer(s): Wesley Schultz, Jeremy Fraites (see lyrics here) Released: June 4, 2012 First Charted: April 21, 2012 Peak: 3 US, 2 RR, 18 AC, 18 A40, 18 AA, 12 MR, 8 UK, 2 CN, 3 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 0.89 UK, 7.69 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 388.6 video, 1038.34 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The late 2000s saw a mini-folk-rock revival led by groups like Fleet Foxes and Mumford & Sons, capped by the latter’s Album of the Year Grammy win for 2012’s Babel. It was then that the Lumineers came riding onto the scene with arguably the most successful song of the movement – “Ho Hey.” The song first emerged in December 2011 when it was used in a television episode for Hart of Dixie. It was released as a single the next February. SF It gained another push in June because of its appearance in the Bing “Discovering Hawaii” commercial. SF It was also used in promoting the Oscar-winning film Silver Linings Playbook and in the United Kingdom for a television advertising campaign for E.On energy. SF Not only did the song reach #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, but hit #1 on the alternative, adult pop, and adult alternative song charts. The song’s 62 weeks on the Hot 100 was of the longest chart runs ever. WK Outside of the U.S., the song was a top 10 hit in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, France Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. It hit #1 in Poland and Portugal. The band wrote the song as “a kiss-off to disinterested concert-goers,” punctuated by the famous “ho hey” shouts of the song to get attention. SF That gave the song a campfire sing-a-long vibe. Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio said “It’s darn refreshing to sit back and take in some genuine, straightforward music that comes from the heart.” WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for The Lumineers SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 2/28/2021; last updated 7/23/2023.

 

Snow Patrol chart with “Chasing Cars”

Chasing Cars Snow Patrol

Writer(s): Gary Lightbody, Jonny Quinn, Nathan Connolly, Tom Simpson, Paul Wilson (see lyrics here) Released: June 3, 2006 First Charted: June 6, 2006 Peak: 5 US, 9 RR, 13 AC, 12 A40, 18 AA, 8 MR, 6 UK, 18 CN, 53 AU, 7 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 1.2 UK, 7.14 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.6 radio, 473.9 video, 1118.57 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The rock band Snow Patrol formed in Dundee, Scotland in 1994. They didn’t really find success until their third album, 2003’s Final Straw. The album reached #3 and sold 1.8 million in the UK. Their next album, 2006’s Eyes Open, was even more successful, landing at #1 and selling 2.4 million copies in the UK. The album also gave the band success in the United States, where it went platinum. The album’s second single, “Chasing Cars,” was the band’s breakthrough hit in the U.S. While it was Snow Patrol’s third UK top 10, it was the band’s first chart entry on Billboard’s Hot 100, going all the way to #5. The song’s success owed a debt to American television. On May 3, 2006, it was used in the third-season finale of One Tree Hill. On May 15, it was used in the second-season finale of the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. WK Lead singer Gary Lightbody told Rolling Stone “it’s the purest love song that I’ve ever written. There’s no knife-in-the-back twist…All the other love songs I’ve written have a dark edge.” WK The phrase “chasing cars” came from his father, who told his son he was “like a dog chasing a car” in regards to being infatuated with a girl. “You’ll never catch it and you just wouldn’t know what to do with it if you did.” WK In the UK, the song was announced in 2009 as the most played song of the decade. Ten years later, it was declared UK radio’s most-played song of the 21st century. WK It spent 111 weeks on the UK charts, bested – at the time – only by Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” (124 weeks). WK The song was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Song and for a Brit Award for Best British Single. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Snow Patrol SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 2/27/2021; last updated 7/24/2023.

Train charted with “Drops of Jupiter”

Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) Train

Writer(s): Train, Patrick Monahan (see lyrics here) Released: February 20, 2001 First Charted: February 17, 2001 Peak: 5 US, 3 RR, 8 AC, 114 A40, 112 AA, 19 AR, 11 MR, 10 UK, 5 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 8.0 US, 1.2 UK, 9.62 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.8 radio, 344.16 video, 817.16 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The rock band Train formed in San Francisco in 1993. Their self-titled debut came five years later with single “Meet Virginia” making a splash as a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. However, they really broke through with 2001’s Drops of Jupiter. The lead single, “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me),” was a top 5 hit in the United States, Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. It also went top 10 in Demark, Italy, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. The song also took the longest time to reach the top 10 – 49 weeks – of any song on the adult contemporary chart. WK Lead singer Patrick Monahan said the song was inspired by his late mother, who died from lung cancer in December 1998. When the band were working on their sophomore album, Monahan went back to his childhood home in Pennsylvania home and got the inspiration for “Drops of Jupiter.” He said, “I woke up from a dream…with the words ‘back in the atmosphere’…it was just her way of saying what it was like – she was swimming through the planets and came to me with drops of Jupiter in her hair.” WK In another interview, he said, “Loss of the most important person in my life was heavy on my mind, and the thought of ‘what if no one ever really leaves?” SF When he played a demo of the song Donnie Ienner, president of Columbia Records, Ienner told him it was his Grammy Song. It did, in fact, win two Grammys – for Best Rock Song and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). It was also nominated for Grammys for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It won for Billboard’s Chuck Taylor said the song “demonstrates a truly artistic lyrical bent that merits instant acceptance.” WK He called it “a runaway track for Train” with its “splendid orchestral backdrop and a vocal shimmering with passion and personality.” WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Train SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 2/28/2021; last updated 4/16/2024.