In 1974, Billboard magazine published a chart ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the easy listening market. The chart, which in 1974 was entitled Easy Listening, has undergone various name changes and has been published under the title Adult Contemporary since 1996. In 1974, 35 songs topped the chart based on playlists submitted by radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.

In the issue dated January 5, 1974, the number-one position on the chart was held by "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce for a second consecutive week. It was a posthumous chart-topper for the singer, who had died in an airplane crash in September of the previous year. Croce achieved a second posthumous number one in April with "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song". Chicago, Gordon Lightfoot, Anne Murray and Charlie Rich also achieved two number ones in 1974, as did the Three Degrees, who had one chart-topper in their own right and another as featured vocalists on the song "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB, the theme tune to the syndicated television show Soul Train. John Denver and Helen Reddy each had three number ones during 1974, with Denver's total of seven weeks in the top spot being the highest by any act. The country-rock singer Denver was at the peak of his career in 1974, selling millions of records and achieving number ones on the pop, easy listening and country charts.

Many of 1974's Easy Listening number ones also topped Billboards pop singles chart, the Hot 100, reflecting the fact that at the time mellower styles were popular across a range of demographics and on pop music radio as well as the easy listening format. Songs by Croce, Barbra Streisand, the Love Unlimited Orchestra, Terry Jacks, MFSB featuring the Three Degrees, Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Olivia Newton-John and Reddy all topped both listings. The final easy listening number one of the year was "Mandy" by Barry Manilow, which would go on to top the Hot 100 in 1975 and prove to be the breakthrough song for an artist who would become one of the most successful acts in the easy listening field.

Chart history

+Issue dateTitleArtist(s)"Time in a Bottle"Jim Croce"""Love's Theme""""Last Time I Saw Him""Seasons in the Sun""Sunshine on My Shoulders""""Keep On Singing""I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song""TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)"MFSB featuring the Three Degrees"""Help Me""I Won't Last a Day Without You""Sundown""You Won't See Me""Annie's Song""You and Me Against the World""Please Come to Boston""Feel Like Makin' Love""Call on Me"Chicago"I'm Leaving It Up to You" and Marie Osmond"I Love My Friend""I Honestly Love You""Tin Man"America"Stop and Smell the Roses""Carefree Highway""Back Home Again""My Melody of Love""Longfellow Serenade""Laughter in the Rain""Angie Baby""When Will I See You Again""Wishing You Were Here"Chicago"Mandy"

See also 1974 in music List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart

References

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