List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2003

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A bearded young man in a flannel shirt holding a microphone
Uncle Kracker's cover version of "Drift Away" held the number one position for 23 consecutive weeks.

Adult Contemporary is a chart published by Billboard ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) market. In 2003, eight different songs topped the chart in 52 issues of the magazine, based on weekly airplay data from radio stations compiled by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.

In the first issue of Billboard of the new year, the number one song was Josh Groban's rendition of the 19th century Christmas song "O Holy Night", which was in its second week atop the chart.[1] It held the top spot for a single week in 2003 before being replaced by "Cry" by country singer Faith Hill. Five of the year's eight chart-toppers featured female vocalists, including "Beautiful", which gave pop singer Christina Aguilera her first AC number one.[2] The song had been considered for release as the first single from Aguilera's album Stripped, but was passed over in favor of the uptempo, sexually-charged song "Dirrty".[3] When that single performed poorly,[3] "Beautiful", a ballad with themes of personal acceptance and inner beauty,[4] was released and went on to become one of the singer's signature tracks.[5] None of 2003's AC number ones topped Billboard's all-genre chart, the Hot 100;[6] Aguilera's "Beautiful" came the closest, peaking at number 2.[7] In 2003 the top spot on the Hot 100 was almost exclusively occupied by R&B and hip hop acts such as Beyoncé and 50 Cent.[6]

In the issue of Billboard dated June 7, Uncle Kracker reached the top spot on the AC listing with his rendition of "Drift Away", featuring additional vocals by Dobie Gray, who had achieved the biggest hit of his career with his version of the song in 1973.[8] It was the first AC number one for Kracker,[9] who had launched a solo career as a singer in 2000 after performing as the backing DJ for rap rock star Kid Rock.[10] Released as the lead single from Kracker's second solo album No Stranger to Shame,[11] his version of "Drift Away" topped the AC listing for 23 consecutive weeks, keeping it atop the chart into November. It would ultimately achieve a total of 28 weeks at number one, a new record for the AC chart which would stand until 2019 when it was broken by the band Maroon 5.[12] Despite this level of success, however, it would prove to be Kracker's only AC number one.[9] The year's final AC number one was "Unwell" by the band Matchbox Twenty.

Chart history[edit]

A man wearing a hat and dark clothing playing a guitar on stage
Santana (leader Carlos Santana pictured) had two spells at number one with "The Game of Love", featuring vocalist Michelle Branch.
A young woman with long blonde hair wearing a black dress, singing into a microphone
"Beautiful" was the first AC number one for Christina Aguilera.
A brown-haired woman wearing a black and white patterned dress, holding a trophy
Shania Twain topped the chart with "Forever and for Always".
American rock band Matchbox Twenty ended the year at number one with their song “Unwell”
Key
† Indicates best-performing AC song of 2003[13]


Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 4 "O Holy Night" Josh Groban [1]
January 11 "Cry" Faith Hill [14]
January 18 [15]
January 25 [16]
February 1 [17]
February 8 [18]
February 15 "Landslide" Dixie Chicks [19]
February 22 [20]
March 1 [21]
March 8 [22]
March 15 [23]
March 22 [24]
March 29 [25]
April 5 "The Game of Love" † Santana featuring Michelle Branch [26]
April 12 [27]
April 19 "Beautiful" Christina Aguilera [28]
April 26 [29]
May 3 [30]
May 10 [31]
May 17 [32]
May 24 "The Game of Love" † Santana featuring Michelle Branch [33]
May 31 [34]
June 7 "Drift Away" Uncle Kracker featuring Dobie Gray [35]
June 14 [36]
June 21 [37]
June 28 [38]
July 5 [39]
July 12 [40]
July 19 [41]
July 26 [42]
August 2 [43]
August 9 [44]
August 16 [45]
August 23 [46]
August 30 [47]
September 6 [48]
September 13 [49]
September 20 [50]
September 27 [51]
October 4 [52]
October 11 [53]
October 18 [54]
October 25 [55]
November 1 [56]
November 8 [57]
November 15 "Forever and for Always" Shania Twain [58]
November 22 "Drift Away" Uncle Kracker featuring Dobie Gray [59]
November 29 [60]
December 6 "Forever and for Always" Shania Twain [61]
December 13 [62]
December 20 "Unwell" Matchbox Twenty [63]
December 27 [64]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Adult Contemporary: Jan 04, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  2. ^ "Christina Aguilera Chart History: Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Brian Hiatt (November 1, 2002). "Rump Shaken". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  4. ^ "Beautiful by Christina Aguilera | Song Stories". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on March 27, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  5. ^ Sarah Godfrey, Sarah (November 12, 2012). "Album review: 'Lotus,' by Christina Aguilera". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "2003 Archive". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  7. ^ "Christina Aguilera Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  8. ^ Huey, Steve. "Dobie Gray Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Uncle Kracker". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  10. ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Uncle Kracker Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  11. ^ "No 'Shame' In New Uncle Kracker Album". Billboard. April 8, 2002. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  12. ^ McIntyre, Hugh (July 12, 2019). "Maroon 5 And Cardi B Are The First Artists To Hold At No. 1 For 30 Weeks On This Billboard Chart". Forbes. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  13. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 2003" (PDF). Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jan 11, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jan 18, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jan 25, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Feb 01, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Feb 08, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Feb 15, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Feb 22, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Mar 01, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Mar 08, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Mar 15, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Mar 22, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Mar 29, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Apr 05, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Apr 12, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Apr 19, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Apr 26, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 03, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 10, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 17, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 24, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 31, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jun 07, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jun 14, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jun 21, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jun 28, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jul 05, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jul 12, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jul 19, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Jul 26, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Aug 02, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Aug 09, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Aug 16, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Aug 23, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Aug 30, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Sep 06, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Sep 13, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Sep 20, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Sep 27, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Oct 04, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Oct 11, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Oct 18, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Oct 25, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Nov 01, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Nov 08, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Nov 15, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Nov 22, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  60. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Nov 29, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  61. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Dec 06, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  62. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Dec 13, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  63. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Dec 20, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  64. ^ "Adult Contemporary: Dec 27, 2003". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
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