List of Hot Adult Contemporary number ones of 1992

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 1992, 19 songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Adult Contemporary, based on playlists submitted by radio stations.[1]

Singer Elton John
Elton John's "The One" was the year's longest-running number one.

At the start of the year, Richard Marx was at number one with "Keep Coming Back", retaining a position which the song had occupied at the end of 1991.[2] The track topped the chart for the first two weeks of 1992 before being displaced by Mariah Carey's "Can't Let Go". Marx and Carey were among several acts to achieve two chart-toppers in 1992, along with Michael Bolton, Celine Dion and Elton John, who topped the chart with his solo single "The One" and also made a guest appearance on George Michael's version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which John himself had originally recorded in 1974.[3] John's "The One" had the year's longest unbroken run at number one, spending six weeks in the top spot, and the British singer tied with Bolton for the highest total number of weeks atop the chart by an artist, each spending eight weeks at number one. Two of 1992's number ones originated as performances on the MTV Unplugged television series: Carey's rendition of "I'll Be There", originally performed by the Jackson 5, and Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven".[4][5]

The final number one of the year was "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston,[2] from the soundtrack of the film The Bodyguard, in which she starred.[6] The song held the top spot for the final two weeks of 1992. It was among three of 1992's Hot Adult Contemporary number ones to also top Billboard's all-genre chart, the Hot 100, along with "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and "Save the Best for Last" by Vanessa Williams,[7] which was a triple chart-topper as it also reached the top spot on the Hot Soul Singles (now Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) listing.[8] Williams had achieved previous number ones on that chart,[8] but "Save the Best for Last" was her first AC chart-topper.[9] Michael W. Smith, a successful singer in the contemporary Christian music genre since the early 1980s,[10] gained his first Hot Adult Contemporary number one with "I Will Be Here for You". Patty Smyth, the former lead singer of the rock group Scandal,[11] was also a first-time AC chart-topper in 1992 with "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough", a duet with Don Henley.[12]

Chart history edit

 
Michael Bolton had two number ones in 1992.
 
Patty Smyth topped the chart with "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough", a duet with Don Henley.
 
British singer Paul Young reached number one with his version of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted".
Key
Indicates best-performing AC song of 1992[13]


Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 4 "Keep Coming Back" Richard Marx [2]
January 11 [14]
January 18 "Can't Let Go" Mariah Carey [15]
January 25 [16]
February 1 [17]
February 8 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" George Michael featuring Elton John [18]
February 15 [19]
February 22 "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" Paul Young [20]
February 29 [21]
March 7 "Missing You Now" Michael Bolton featuring Kenny G [22]
March 14 [23]
March 21 [24]
March 28 "Save the Best for Last" † Vanessa Williams [25]
April 4 [26]
April 11 [27]
April 18 "Tears in Heaven" Eric Clapton [28]
April 25 [29]
May 2 [30]
May 9 "Hazard" Richard Marx [31]
May 16 "Hold on My Heart" Genesis [32]
May 23 [33]
May 30 [34]
June 6 [35]
June 13 [36]
June 20 "If You Asked Me To" Celine Dion [37]
June 27 [38]
July 4 [39]
July 11 "I'll Be There" Mariah Carey [40]
July 18 [41]
July 25 "The One" Elton John [42]
August 1 [43]
August 8 [44]
August 15 [45]
August 22 [46]
August 29 [47]
September 5 "Restless Heart" Peter Cetera [48]
September 12 [49]
September 19 "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" Patty Smyth with Don Henley [50]
September 26 [51]
October 3 [52]
October 10 [53]
October 17 "Nothing Broken but My Heart" Celine Dion [54]
October 24 "Am I the Same Girl" Swing Out Sister [55]
October 31 "I Will Be Here for You" Michael W. Smith [56]
November 7 [57]
November 14 "To Love Somebody" Michael Bolton [58]
November 21 [59]
November 28 [60]
December 5 [61]
December 12 [62]
December 19 "I Will Always Love You" Whitney Houston [63]
December 26 [64]

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 c "Adult Contemporary: January 4, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  3. ^ Miller, Matt (December 30, 2018). "The Tragic Story Behind Elton John's Tearful George Michael Tribute". Esquire. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  4. ^ Serota, Maggie (October 9, 2019). "8 MTV Unplugged Performances That Should Get Vinyl Reissues". Spin. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  5. ^ Cook-Wilson, Winston (October 28, 2016). "Eric Clapton is Being Sued for Attributing Unplugged's "Alberta" to the Wrong Blues Singer". Spin. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  6. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Bodyguard [Original Soundtrack Album]". AllMusic. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's Top Adult Contemporary, 1961-2001. Record Research Incorporated. pp. 45, 169, 260. ISBN 9780898201499.
  8. ^ a b "Vanessa Williams Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  9. ^ "Vanessa Williams Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  10. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Michael W. Smith Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  11. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Patty Smyth Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  12. ^ "Patty Smyth Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  13. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 1992" (PDF). Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary: January 11, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary: January 18, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary: January 25, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary: February 1, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary: February 8, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary: February 15, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary: February 22, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary: February 29, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary: March 7, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary: March 14, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary: March 21, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary: March 28, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary: April 4, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary: April 11, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary: April 18, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary: April 25, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 2, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 9, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 16, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 23, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary: May 30, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary: June 6, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary: June 13, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary: June 20, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary: June 27, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary: July 4, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary: July 11, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary: July 18, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary: July 25, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary: August 1, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary: August 8, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary: August 15, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary: August 22, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary: August 29, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary: September 5, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary: September 12, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary: September 19, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary: September 26, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary: October 3, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary: October 10, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary: October 17, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary: October 24, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary: October 31, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary: November 7, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary: November 14, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary: November 21, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  60. ^ "Adult Contemporary: November 28, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  61. ^ "Adult Contemporary: December 5, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  62. ^ "Adult Contemporary: December 12, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  63. ^ "Adult Contemporary: December 19, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  64. ^ "Adult Contemporary: December 26, 1992". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2019.

See also edit