Adult contemporary music

Adult contemporary music, frequently abbreviated to just AC, is a type of radio format that plays mainstream and pop music, without hip-hop or rap since, as per the name, it is geared more towards adults than teens. AC is generally divided into 2 groups; "Hot AC", also known as "Adult Top 40" or "Adult Alternative", and "Soft AC", also known as "Lite". Some radio stations play only Hot AC; some play only Soft AC, and some play both. It is not thus usually considered a specific genre of music, as it is merely an assembly of selected tracks of musicians of many different genres. On the other hand it is believed that many musicians will include a certain song on their album or release a certain single designed to "cross over" and get played on AC stations (such as Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful", Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" or Britney Spears' "Everytime", all three of which charted on the Hot and Soft AC charts).

Hot Adult Contemporary

Adult Top 40 was an American radio format which was reminiscent of pre-1995 Top 40 radio before rap music became a staple on playlists. Adult Top 40 radio was created to appeal to a demographic that liked pop music without the rap. Softer rock bands with melodic hooks and singer/songwriters thrive on adult top 40 radio. Bands played ranged from Matchbox 20 to Sheryl Crow to Madonna. It evolved into what is now called Hot Adult Contemporary or Hot AC.

Related Topics:
American - 1995 - Top 40 - Rap - Playlists - Pop music - Matchbox 20 - Sheryl Crow - Madonna

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Today, Hot AC radio stations tend towards slightly harder rock music, such as Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith, and may occasionally play dance hits, such as those by Paula Abdul, Kylie Minogue, and Nina Sky. Madonna's more upbeat songs "Music" and "Ray Of Light" were big hits on Hot AC, but were not played on Soft AC stations, which are more likely to play her songs "I'll Remember", "Crazy For You", or "Power Of Goodbye". Hot AC is slightly more alternative than Soft AC—Howie Day's "Collide" is a considerable Hot AC hit but is not played on Soft AC radio stations.

Related Topics:
Lenny Kravitz - Aerosmith - Paula Abdul - Kylie Minogue - Nina Sky - Madonna - Alternative - Howie Day

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