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List of Billboard Easy Listening number ones of 1970

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Two young men, one with blond hair and one with dark hair, singing into microphones on a stage
"Bridge over Troubled Water" was a chart-topper for Simon & Garfunkel.

In 1970, Billboard magazine published a chart ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the easy listening market. The chart, which in 1970 was entitled Easy Listening, has undergone various name changes and has been published since 1996 under the title Adult Contemporary.[1] In 1970, 16 songs topped the chart based on playlists submitted by easy listening radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.[1]

In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, the number one position was held by "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" by B. J. Thomas, which was in its third week in the top spot,[2] and in the same week moved in the top spot on Billboard's pop chart, the Hot 100.[3] It remained atop the Easy Listening chart for the first four weeks of the year before being replaced by "Without Love (There Is Nothing)" by the Welsh singer Tom Jones. Thomas and Jones returned to number one later in the year with "I Just Can't Help Believing" and "Daughter of Darkness", respectively, and were two of the four acts to achieve two Easy Listening number ones in 1970. Elvis Presley reached the top spot with both "The Wonder of You" and "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" and the Carpenters had number ones with both "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun". The former song was the breakthrough release for the Carpenters, also topping the Hot 100 and launching a period of international stardom for the brother-sister duo.[4][5] After spending six weeks in the top spot of the Easy Listening chart in July and August with "(They Long to Be) Close to You", the Carpenters spent a further seven weeks at number one in October and November with "We've Only Just Begun", the longest unbroken run of the year atop the chart. The duo's total of 13 weeks spent at number one was the most by any act in 1970.

In April, the Beatles achieved their first and only number one on the Easy Listening chart with "Let It Be".[6] Although the British quartet had achieved huge success in the United States, spearheading the so-called British Invasion of the American market,[7][8] few of their songs had been popular on easy listening radio; "Let it Be" was only their third song to appear on the chart.[6] Within days of the song topping the chart, Paul McCartney announced his departure from the group, instigating a split which was complete by the end of the year, bringing to an end the career of a band widely regarded as the most successful and influential of all time.[9][10][11] "Let It Be" also topped the Hot 100, as did "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel and "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens.[12] The final Easy Listening number one of the year was "It's Impossible" by Perry Como, which held the top spot for the final four weeks of 1970.

Chart history

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A young woman with long brown hair and a young man with mid-length brown hair, both smiling broadly
The Carpenters spent 13 weeks at number one, the most by any act.
A young woman with blonde hair, wearing an orange blouse and a black vest
Canadian singer Anne Murray spent six weeks at number one with "Snowbird".
Singer Perry Como
Perry Como had the year's final number one.
Singer Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens topped both the easy listening and pop charts with "Everything Is Beautiful".
Key
† Indicates number one on Billboard's year-end easy listening chart for 1970[13]
Chart history
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 3 "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" B. J. Thomas [2]
January 10 [14]
January 17 [15]
January 24 [16]
January 31 "Without Love (There Is Nothing)" Tom Jones [17]
February 7 "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" Dionne Warwick [18]
February 14 [19]
February 21 [20]
February 28 "Bridge over Troubled Water" Simon & Garfunkel [21]
March 7 [22]
March 14 [23]
March 21 [24]
March 28 [25]
April 4 [26]
April 11 "Let It Be" The Beatles [27]
April 18 [28]
April 25 [29]
May 2 [30]
May 9 "For the Love of Him" Bobbi Martin [31]
May 16 [32]
May 23 "Everything Is Beautiful" Ray Stevens [33]
May 30 [34]
June 6 [35]
June 13 "Daughter of Darkness" Tom Jones [36]
June 20 "The Wonder of You" Elvis Presley [37]
June 27 "A Song of Joy" Miguel Ríos [38]
July 4 [39]
July 11 "(They Long to Be) Close to You" † The Carpenters [40]
July 18 [41]
July 25 [42]
August 1 [43]
August 8 [44]
August 15 [45]
August 22 "I Just Can't Help Believing" B. J. Thomas [46]
August 29 "Snowbird" Anne Murray [47]
September 5 [48]
September 12 [49]
September 19 [50]
September 26 [51]
October 3 [52]
October 10 "We've Only Just Begun" The Carpenters [53]
October 17 [54]
October 24 [55]
October 31 [56]
November 7 [57]
November 14 [58]
November 21 [59]
November 28 "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" Elvis Presley [60]
December 5 "It's Impossible" Perry Como [61]
December 12 [62]
December 19 [63]
December 26 [64]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Whitburn 2007, p. vi.
  2. ^ a b "Adult Contemporary chart for January 3, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Whitburn 2005, p. 990.
  4. ^ Whitburn 2005, p. 108.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Carpenters Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 28, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Whitburn 2002, p. 30.
  7. ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (July 14, 1988). "The British Invasion: From the Beatles to the Stones, The Sixties Belonged to Britain". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 10, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  8. ^ "Pop/Rock » British Invasion » British Invasion". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 8, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  9. ^ Derdeyn, Stuart (July 3, 2019). "What makes The Beatles the most influential band of all time?". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  10. ^ "The top 15 most influential bands and artists ever…". Louder Than War. May 23, 2013. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  11. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "The Beatles Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  12. ^ Whitburn 2005, pp. 643, 677.
  13. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 10, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 17, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 28, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 24, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 31, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 12, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 7, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 14, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 21, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 28, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 7, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 14, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 21, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 28, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 4, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 11, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 18, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 25, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 2, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 9, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 16, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 23, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 30, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 6, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 27, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 13, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 20, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 27, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 4, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 11, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 18, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 25, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 1, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 8, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 12, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 15, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 22, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 29, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 5, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 12, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 19, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 26, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 3, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 10, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 17, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 24, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 31, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 7, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 14, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 21, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  60. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 28, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  61. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 5, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  62. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 12, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  63. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 19, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  64. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 26, 1970". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.

Works cited

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