Adult Alternative Airplay Explained

Adult Alternative Airplay (also known as Triple A or Triple A Airplay, and formerly Adult Alternative Songs and Triple A Songs) is a record chart currently published by Billboard that ranks the most popular songs on adult album alternative radio stations. The 40-position^[1] chart is formulated based on each song's weekly radio spins, as measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.^[2] The current number-one song on the chart is "Call Me (Whatever You Like)" by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.^[3]

History

The earliest incarnation of the chart was first published on January 20, 1996,^[4] as a feature in Billboard sister publication Airplay Monitor. In 2006, Airplay Monitor ceased publication after Billboard parent company VNU Media's acquisition of rival radio trade magazine Radio & Records,^[5] which then subsequently incorporated Airplay Monitors Nielsen-based Triple A chart.^{[6] [7]}

Billboard itself began publishing the Triple A chart in the issue dated July 5, 2008, through their Billboard.biz website,^[8] appropriating the same airplay data as Radio & Records.^[6] Radio & Records closed in June 2009, leaving Billboard as the sole publisher of the chart.^[9] In February 2014, the chart's reporting panel was expanded from 23 to 32 stations, including non-commercial reporters for the first time.^[10]

Following a re-design of their website, Billboard officially incorporated the history of the Airplay Monitor/Nielsen chart from 1996 to 2008 into their Adult Alternative Songs chart. The Billboard website and its official chart archive now show the first Adult Alternative Songs chart as having been published on January 20, 1996, with "The World I Know" by Collective Soul as its first number one single.^[11] Radio And Records first charted their Adult Alternative chart in the September 22, 1995, issue. It was a 30 position chart, and "Til I Hear It from You" by the Gin Blossoms was the first number one.

All-time achievements

In 2021, for the 25th anniversary of the chart, Billboard compiled a ranking of the 50 best-performing songs and artists on the chart over the 25 years. "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers was ranked as the #1 song, while Dave Matthews Band was ranked as the #1 artist.^[12] Listed below are the top 10 songs and the top 10 artists.

Top 10 Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs (1996 - 2021)

Rank	Single	Year released	Artist(s)	Peak and duration
	"One Headlight"		The Wallflowers	1 for 14 weeks
	"Clocks"		Coldplay	1 for 15 weeks
	"3AM"		Matchbox 20	1 for 14 weeks
	"Feel It Still"		Portugal. The Man	1 for 11 weeks
	"Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)"		Train	1 for 14 weeks
	"Babylon"		David Gray	1 for 2 weeks
	"It's Time"		Imagine Dragons	2 for 5 weeks
	"See The World"		Gomez	1 for 4 weeks
	"Rolling in the Deep"		Adele	1 for 14 weeks
	"Beautiful Day"		U2	1 for 16 weeks

Source:^[13]

Top 10 Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Artists (1996 - 2021)

Rank	Artist
	Dave Matthews Band
	U2
	Coldplay
	Jack Johnson
	Sheryl Crow
	John Mayer
	Mumford & Sons
	Counting Crows
	Death Cab for Cutie
	Snow Patrol

Source:^[14]

Song records

Most weeks at number one

Number of weeks	Artist	Song	Year(s)	Source
16	U2	"Beautiful Day"	2000 - 01	[15]
15	Coldplay	"Clocks"	2003	[16]
Kings of Leon	"Waste a Moment"	2016 - 17	[17]
14	The Wallflowers	"One Headlight"	1996 - 97	[18]
Matchbox Twenty	"3AM"	1997 - 98	[19]
Matchbox Twenty	"Bent"	2000
Train	"Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)"	2001	[20]
Adele	"Rolling in the Deep"	2011	[21]
13	Santana featuring Rob Thomas	"Smooth"	1999	[22]
Jack Johnson	"Upside Down"	2006	[23]
Pearl Jam	"Just Breathe"	2010	[24]
Gotye featuring Kimbra	"Somebody That I Used to Know"	2012	[25]
12	Dave Matthews Band	"Funny the Way It Is"	2009	[26]
Beck	"Dreams"	2015	[27]
11	KT Tunstall	"Hold On"	2007	[28]
Coldplay	"Viva la Vida"	2008
Jack Johnson	"You and Your Heart"	2010
Mumford & Sons	"I Will Wait"	2012	[29]
The Lumineers	"Ophelia"	2016	[30]
Portugal. The Man	"Feel It Still"	2017	[31]
10	Sarah McLachlan	"Building a Mystery"	1997	[32]
Jack Johnson	"Good People"	2005
Death Cab For Cutie	"Soul Meets Body"	2005 - 06	[33]
Jack Johnson	"If I Had Eyes"	2008
David Gray	"Fugitive"	2009	[34]
The Black Keys	"Fever"	2014	[35]
George Ezra	"Budapest"	2014 - 15	[36]
Mumford & Sons	"Guiding Light"	2018 - 19
Hozier	"Too Sweet"	2024	[37]

Most weeks on the chart

Number of weeks	Artist	Song	Year(s)	Source
52	Kings of Leon	"Use Somebody"	2009 - 10
51	John Mayer	"No Such Thing"	2001 - 02	[38]
48	James Morrison	"Nothing Ever Hurt Like You"	2008 - 09	[39]
47	Imagine Dragons	"It's Time"	2012 - 13	[40]
46	Coldplay	"Clocks"	2002 - 03
The Head and the Heart	"Lost in My Mind"	2011 - 12	[41]
44	David Gray	"Babylon"	2000 - 01
43	Los Lonely Boys	"Heaven"	2003 - 04	[42]
42	Fitz and the Tantrums	"Out of My League"	2013 - 14	[43]
41	One eskimO	"Kandi"	2009 - 10	[44]

Highest debut

Debut Position	Artist	Song	Debut Date	Source
No. 1	U2	"Get On Your Boots"	February 7, 2009	[45]
No. 2	Hootie & the Blowfish	"Old Man & Me (When I Get to Heaven)"	April 20, 1996	[46]
Coldplay	"Speed of Sound"	May 7, 2005	[47]
No. 3	The Rolling Stones	"Anybody Seen My Baby?"	September 20, 1997	[48]
No. 4	Gin Blossoms	"Follow You Down"	February 10, 1996	[49]
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers	"Walls"	August 3, 1996	[50]
Coldplay	"Adventure of a Lifetime"	November 28, 2015	[51]
No. 5	Natalie Merchant	"Kind & Generous"	May 16, 1998	[52]
Coldplay	"Violet Hill"	May 17, 2008	[53]
Mumford & Sons	"Believe"	March 28, 2015	[54]

Artist records

Most number-one singles

Number of singles	Artist	Source
14		[55]
13
11	Dave Matthews[56]
8
7
	Nathaniel Rateliff[57]

Most top 10 singles

Number of singles	Artist	Source
28
26	Dave Matthews[58]
25
19
15
		[59]
14		[60]
13	Nathaniel Rateliff[61]		[62]
		[63]

Most chart entries

Number of entries	Artist	Source
36	Dave Matthews[64]
33
30
27
25
20
18

See also

• List of Radio & Records number-one adult alternative singles of the 1990s
• List of Billboard number-one adult alternative singles of the 2000s
• List of Billboard number-one adult alternative singles of the 2010s
• List of Billboard number-one adult alternative singles of the 2020s

External links

• Adult Alternative Songs at Billboard

Notes and References

1. Nothing More Scores First Billboard Chart-Topper With 'Go to War'. . . November 21, 2017. November 22, 2017. Rutherford, Kevin.
2. Triple A . . . May 13, 2014 . subscription .
3. Adult Alternative Airplay. December 7, 2024. Billboard. December 4, 2024.
4. Triple A Radio Breaking Rookie Stars . . . July 17, 2012 . May 13, 2014 . Trust, Gary.
5. VNU To Acquire Radio & Records . . . July 6, 2006 . May 17, 2014.
6. Web site: 'Billboard' Breaks Down, Dials Up Triple-A . . October 9, 2008 . May 13, 2014 . Shipley, Al.
7. Nielsen BDS Expands Service . . . September 21, 2006 . May 17, 2014 . Tucker, Ken.
8. Billboard's Charts Get Makeover; Price Matters . . 120 . 28 . . July 12, 2008 . May 13, 2014 . Mayfield, Geoff . 37.
9. Chart Beat: Pink, Black Eyed Peas, Shinedown . . . June 10, 2009 . June 28, 2013 . Trust, Gary.
10. Billboard's Triple A Chart Gets a Makeover . . . February 21, 2014 . May 13, 2014 . Trust, Gary.
11. Adult Alternative Songs: January 20, 1996. Billboard. 9 February 2018.
12. Web site: Dave Matthews Band & The Wallflowers’ ‘One Headlight’ Top Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Charts. Billboard.com. February 18, 2021. October 21, 2024.
13. Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 18, 2021. October 21, 2024.
14. Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Artists. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 18, 2021. October 21, 2024.
15. Web site: U2 Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
16. Web site: Coldplay Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
17. Web site: Kings Of Leon Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
18. Web site: The Wallflowers Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
19. Web site: Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
20. Web site: Train Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
21. Web site: Adele Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
22. Web site: Santana Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
23. Web site: Jack Johnson Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
24. Web site: Pearl Jam Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
25. Web site: Gotye Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
26. Web site: Dave Matthews Band Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
27. Web site: Beck Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
28. Web site: KT Tunstall Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
29. Web site: Mumford & Sons Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
30. Web site: The Lumineers Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
31. Web site: Portugal. The Man Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
32. Web site: Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
33. Web site: Death Cab For Cutie Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
34. Web site: David Gray Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
35. Web site: The Black Keys Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
36. Web site: George Ezra Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
37. Web site: Hozier Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
38. Web site: John Mayer Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
39. Web site: James Morrison Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
40. Web site: Imagine Dragons Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
41. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of March 3, 2012 . Billboard. October 19, 2024.
42. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of October 30, 2004 . Billboard. October 19, 2024.
43. Web site: Fitz And The Tantrums Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
44. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of October 2, 2010 . Billboard. October 19, 2024.
45. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of February 7, 2009 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
46. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of April 20, 1996 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
47. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of May 7, 2005 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
48. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of September 20, 1997 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
49. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of February 10, 1996 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
50. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of August 3, 1996 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
51. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of November 28, 2015 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
52. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of May 16, 1998 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
53. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of May 17, 2008 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
54. Web site: Adult Alternative Airplay, Week of March 28, 2015 . Billboard. November 15, 2024.
55. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats Top Adult Alternative Airplay With ‘Call Me (Whatever You Like)’. Billboard. Rutherford. Kevin. December 3, 2024. December 4, 2024.
56. Solo and with Dave Matthews Band
57. Solo and with The Night Sweats
58. Solo and with Dave Matthews Band
59. Web site: Counting Crows Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
60. Web site: Sheryl Crow Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
61. Solo and with The Night Sweats
62. Web site: Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
63. Web site: R.E.M. Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay). Billboard. October 19, 2024.
64. Solo and with Dave Matthews Band