Billboard began compiling an adult contemporary chart in July 1961. I’m calling this Middle-Road Singles of 1964. What they specifically called the category kept changing.
It went from Easy Listening to Middle-Road Singles in November 1962 to Pop-Standard Singles in May 1964, and back to Middle-Road Singles in November 1964.
Four of the five biggest AC hits were also #1 on the pop charts.
Hello, Dolly – Louis Armstrong, #1 AC for nine weeks AC, #1 for one week pop
Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin, #1 AC for eight weeks, #1 pop for one week. Dean’s NBC variety show began in September 1965 through May 1964, and this was the theme song for the program.
Ringo – Lorne Greene, #1 AC for six weeks, #1 pop for one week. Greene, a Canadian, played patriarch Ben Cartright on the TV western Bonanza starting in the autumn of 1959. After Bonanza moved from Saturday night to the sweet Sunday night slot, the ratings went from #17 (autumn 1960) to #2, #4, #2 (’63-’64), to #1 for three years running.
We’ll Sing In The Sunshine – Gale Garnett, #1 AC for 6 weeks, #4 pop
There! I Said It Again – Bobby Vinton, #1 AC for five weeks, #1 for four weeks pop
Fava – Al Hirt, #1 AC for 4 weeks, #4 pop. Instrumental. The theme of the 1966 ABC show The Green Hornet with Van Williams and Brice Lee was an arrangement of Flight Of The Bumble Bee played by Hirt
Love Me With All Your Heart (Cuando Caliente El Sol) – The Ray Charles Singers, #1 AC for four weeks AC, #3 pop. This Ray Charles was born Charles Raymond Offenberg in Chicago.
People – Barbra Streisand, #1 AC for three weeks, #5 pop
Teen idol
For You – Rick Nelson, #1 AC for two weeks, #6 pop. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet aired on ABC from 1952 to 1966, with the family, including Rick’s brother David playing themselves.
The Girl From Ipanema – Stan Getz/Astrud Gilberto, #1 AC for two weeks, #5 pop
The Door Is Still Open To My Heart – Dean Martin, #1 AC for two weeks, #6 pop
Navy Blue – Diane Renay, #1 AC for one week, #6 pop
Interestingly, though they dominated the pop charts in 1964, The Beatles were not represented on the AC roster. They didn’t appear on the AC charts until Something, #17 in 1969. Their only AC #1 was Let It Be in 1970.
