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 and Garfunkel.

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 1970, 16 songs topped the chart, then published under the title Easy Listening, based on playlists submitted by easy listening radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.[1]

On the first chart of 1970, the number one position was held by "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" by B. J. Thomas, which was in its third week atop the Easy Listening chart,[2] and also held the top spot on Billboard's all-genres listing, 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 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 hit for the Carpenters, also topping the Hot 100 and launching a period of international stardom for the brother-sister duo.[4] After spending six weeks in the top spot of the Easy Listening chart in the summer with "(They Long to Be) Close to You", the Carpenters spent a further seven weeks at number one in the fall 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".[5] Although the British quartet had achieved huge success in the United States, spearheading the so-called British Invasion of the American market,[6][7] few of their hits had crossed over to the Easy Listening market. Within days of their topping the chart, Paul McCartney announced his departure from the group, instigating a split which was complete by the end of the year, bringing the career of the most successful and influential band of all time to an end.[8] "Let It Be" also topped the Hot 100, as did "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel,[9] and "Everything is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens.[10] 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[edit]

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".
Key
† Indicates best-performing easy listening song of 1970[11]


Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 3 "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" B. J. Thomas [2]
January 10 [12]
January 17 [13]
January 24 [14]
January 31 "Without Love (There Is Nothing)" Tom Jones [15]
February 7 "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" Dionne Warwick [16]
February 14 [17]
February 21 [18]
February 28 "Bridge over Troubled Water" Simon and Garfunkel [19]
March 7 [20]
March 14 [21]
March 21 [22]
March 28 [23]
April 4 [24]
April 11 "Let It Be" The Beatles [25]
April 18 [26]
April 25 [27]
May 2 [28]
May 9 "For the Love of Him" Bobbi Martin [29]
May 16 [30]
May 23 "Everything Is Beautiful" Ray Stevens [31]
May 30 [32]
June 6 [33]
June 13 "Daughter of Darkness" Tom Jones [34]
June 20 "The Wonder of You" Elvis Presley [35]
June 27 "A Song of Joy" Miguel Ríos [36]
July 4 [37]
July 11 "(They Long to Be) Close to You" † The Carpenters [38]
July 18 [39]
July 25 [40]
August 1 [41]
August 8 [42]
August 15 [43]
August 22 "I Just Can't Help Believing" B. J. Thomas [44]
August 29 "Snowbird" Anne Murray [45]
September 5 [46]
September 12 [47]
September 19 [48]
September 26 [49]
October 3 [50]
October 10 "We've Only Just Begun" The Carpenters [51]
October 17 [52]
October 24 [53]
October 31 [54]
November 7 [55]
November 14 [56]
November 21 [57]
November 28 "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" Elvis Presley [58]
December 5 "It's Impossible" Perry Como [59]
December 12 [60]
December 19 [61]
December 26 [62]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961–2006. Record Research Incorporated. p. vi. ISBN 9780898201697.
  2. ^ a b "Adult Contemporary chart for January 3, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Breihan, Tom (January 2, 2019). "The Number Ones: B. J. Thomas' "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Carpenters Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  5. ^ "The Beatles Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  6. ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (July 14, 1988). "The British Invasion: From the Beatles to the Stones, The Sixties Belonged to Britain". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  7. ^ "Pop/Rock » British Invasion » British Invasion". AllMusic. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  8. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "The Beatles Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  9. ^ Breihan, Tom (December 18, 2018). "The Number Ones: Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  10. ^ Breihan, Tom (January 2, 2019). "The Number Ones: Ray Stevens' "Everything Is Beautiful"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  11. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 1970". Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  12. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 10, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  13. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 17, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 24, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 31, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 7, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 14, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 21, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 28, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 7, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 14, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 21, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 28, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 4, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 11, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 18, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 25, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 2, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 9, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 16, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 23, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 30, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 6, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 13, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 20, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 27, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 4, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 11, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 18, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 25, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 1, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 8, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 15, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 22, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 29, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 5, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 12, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 19, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 26, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 3, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 10, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 17, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 24, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 31, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 7, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 14, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 21, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 28, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 5, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  60. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 12, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  61. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 19, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  62. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 26, 1970". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2019.

See also[edit]

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