Global InformationAdult contemporary music information
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| Adult contemporary | |
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| Stylistic origins |
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| Cultural origins | 1960s, United States |
| Subgenres | |
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Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music[1] to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet storm and rock influence.[2][3][4] Adult contemporary is generally a continuation of the easy listening and soft rock style that became popular in the 1960s and 1970s with some adjustments that reflect the evolution of pop/rock music.[5]
Adult contemporary tends to have lush, soothing and highly polished qualities where emphasis on melody and harmonies is accentuated. It is usually melodic enough to get a listener's attention, abstains from profanity or complex lyricism, and is most commonly used as background music in heavily-frequented family areas such as supermarkets, shopping malls, convention centers, or restaurants.[6] Like most of pop music, its songs tend to be written in a basic format employing a verse–chorus structure.[7] The format is heavy on romantic sentimental ballads which use acoustic instruments such as pianos, saxophones, and sometimes an orchestral set. However, electric guitars and bass is also usually used, with the electric guitar sound relatively faint and high-pitched. Additionally post-80s adult contemporary music may feature synthesizers (and other electronics, such as drum machines).[8]
An AC radio station may play mainstream music, but it usually excludes hip hop, house/techno or electronic dance music and some forms of dance-pop and teen pop, as these are less popular among adults, the target demographic. AC radio often targets the 25–44 age group,[9] the demographic that has received the most attention from advertisers since the 1960s. A common practice in recent years of adult contemporary stations is to play less newer music and more hits of the past, even some songs that never even charted the AC charts. This de-emphasis on new songs slows the progression of the AC chart.[10]
Over the years, AC has spawned subgenres including "hot AC" (also known as "modern AC"), "soft AC" (also known as "lite AC"), "urban AC" (a softer type of urban contemporary music), "rhythmic AC" (a softer type of rhythmic contemporary), and "Christian AC" (a softer type of contemporary Christian music). Some stations play only "hot AC", "soft AC", or only one of the variety of subgenres. Therefore, it is not usually considered a specific genre of music; it is merely an assemblage of selected songs from artists of many different genres.
- ^ "Oldies Music Glossary: "Adult Contemporary"". Archived from the original on February 2, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
- ^ "Soft Rock Music – What is Soft Rock? – Oldies Music Songs and Artists". Oldies.about.com. September 6, 2012. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary : Significant Albums, Artists and Songs, Most Viewed". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
- ^ Starr, Larry (December 6, 2006). "Chapter 11: Key Terms and Definitions". American Popular Music: From Minstrelsy to MP3 (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-530053-6. OCLC 70259055. Archived from the original on January 2, 2011.
- ^ Browne, R. B.; Browne, P., eds. (2001). The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Popular Press. p. 687. ISBN 0-87972-821-3.
- ^ "What the hell is Adult Contemporary?". January 2, 2008.
- ^ "Pop Music – What Is Pop Music – A Definition and Brief History". Top40.about.com. September 7, 2012. Archived from the original on October 20, 2005. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
- ^ Curtis, J. M. (1987). Rock eras: interpretations of music and society, 1954–1984. Popular Press. p. 236.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary's Demographic Fault Line Is Now 45". All Access. August 3, 2012.
- ^ Brecht, Robert M. (May 31, 2011). "Advertising Shifting to Targeting Older Demographic Segments". DMN3 Blog. DMN3. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2012.