Music Metrics Vault

Adult standards

Most popular artists in Adult standards

This chart is based on the monthly listeners metric for all artists tagged with the genre adult standards by Spotify. It may contain some errors or some data may not be up to date. You can check the artist profile to update data if necessary.

# Artist Monthly Listeners Followers
1
20,081,278
7,547,208
2
18,954,705
6,438,831
3
11,255,591
3,011,812
4
10,606,349
2,389,734
5
10,470,957
2,328,204
6
9,898,927
1,761,659
7
9,761,497
496,028
8
9,118,716
1,643,414
9
8,995,996
2,098,544
10
7,794,647
662,611
11
7,539,008
2,932,602
12
7,311,694
650,808
13
7,276,377
323,238
14
7,170,633
400,180
15
6,929,887
1,932,338
16
6,545,643
1,941,692
17
6,476,630
3,399,062
18
6,192,607
2,555,952
19
5,700,176
1,035,668
20
5,471,415
733,940
21
5,417,247
652,164
22
5,077,482
548,041
23
4,487,115
1,010,939
24
4,358,576
1,732,085
25
4,190,955
1,961,358
26
4,143,944
1,573,695
27
4,047,300
973,764
28
4,038,873
572,575
29
3,919,078
526,197
30
3,883,185
538,860
31
Bing Crosby
3,853,766
535,247
32
3,832,998
1,720,676
33
3,811,158
955,719
34
2,888,092
559,042
35
2,856,172
778,248
36
2,845,000
984,414
37
2,788,143
791,079
38
2,760,204
464,220
39
2,402,729
703,854
40
2,334,384
493,646
41
2,167,818
225,858
42
Burl Ives
1,963,399
102,451
43
The Andrews Sisters
1,896,023
206,203
44
1,885,519
208,261
45
1,754,437
530,614
46
1,746,197
468,768
47
1,701,960
541,133
48
Cliff Richard
1,526,341
361,073
49
1,507,839
793,579
50
Connie Francis
1,459,141
455,263
51
1,393,168
432,761
52
Johnny Mathis
1,262,428
425,584
53
B.J. Thomas
1,255,389
248,993
54
Art Garfunkel
1,244,157
578,351
55
Petula Clark
1,239,317
333,708
56
Benny Goodman
1,071,789
390,695
57
Nat King Cole Trio
1,051,958
187,461
58
Bobby Vinton
994,639
278,870
59
Shirley Bassey
957,807
292,569
60
Judy Garland
934,134
265,169
61
Tony Orlando & Dawn
851,848
160,707
62
Mel Tormé
798,950
184,936
63
769,986
306,652
64
Tommy Dorsey
759,001
133,586
65
Sammy Davis Jr.
678,527
526,273
66
Rita Coolidge
668,198
246,176
67
Harry Connick, Jr.
650,035
544,272
68
Etta Jones
571,821
223,807
69
Bobby Goldsboro
547,442
141,516
70
Bobby Vee
534,295
217,247
71
Wayne Newton
508,852
62,431
72
Danny Kaye
481,001
47,720
73
Helen Reddy
479,359
346,585
74
Frankie Avalon
470,162
176,563
75
Matt Monro
469,324
277,573
76
Gene Kelly
433,292
101,054
77
Rosemary Clooney
413,707
133,748
78
Fred Astaire
407,749
155,838
79
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
368,855
256,160
80
Patti Page
365,232
157,534
81
Burt Bacharach
350,800
228,840
82
Pat Boone
318,335
209,159
83
Gene Pitney
258,071
243,392
84
Jerry Vale
248,248
78,031
85
Al Martino
243,208
126,347
86
Frankie Laine
243,175
93,528
87
Jimmy Durante
241,350
110,415
88
Glenn Miller Orchestra
233,683
125,178
89
Johnnie Ray
204,974
50,399
90
Debbie Reynolds
195,034
53,787
91
Vic Damone
182,026
86,648
92
The Osmonds
159,850
107,849
93
David Cassidy
159,449
116,561
94
The Four Aces
154,879
68,069
95
Dinah Shore
151,640
85,072
96
Steve Lawrence
150,373
60,801
97
Jack Jones
135,261
79,598
98
Liza Minnelli
124,881
211,051
99
Bobby Rydell
97,213
99,248
100
Eddie Fisher
96,441
40,672
101
Benny Goodman Quartet
94,045
53,143
102
The Lettermen
87,324
138,452
103
Frank Sinatra Jr.
64,706
32,111
104
Jimmy Dorsey
64,576
54,789
105
Donny & Marie Osmond
52,692
72,383
106
Robert Goulet
47,019
34,860
107
The Rat Pack
15,284
109,368

Some info about adult standards

Adult Standards, also known as the American Songbook, the Great American Songbook, or simply Standards, is a music genre beloved for its rich collection of mid-20th-century American popular music. Comprising mostly of ballads and dance numbers from Broadway theatre, musical theatre, and Hollywood musical films, these songs became entrenched in the musical identity of the United States and, to a significant extent, the wider Western musical culture.

The genesis of Adult Standards can be traced back to the 1920s through the 1960s, a period often seen as the golden age of this genre. It was an era marked by an outpouring of American musical creativity, particularly well-captured in the works of composers like George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers. These artists crafted songs that had broad appeal, characterized by sophisticated lyrics, intricate melodies, and an emotional depth that resonated with mainstream audiences.

Adult Standards became synonymous with the voice of iconic crooners and songstresses such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday. Sinatra, in particular, exemplified the adult standards vocalist with his smooth, resonant voice that effortlessly interpreted the emotional depth of these compositions. His interpretations seemed to unveil the soul of the American ethos, dramatically influencing popular culture.

The genre enjoys popularity predominantly in the United States and Europe, propelled in part by periodic revivals through media, film soundtracks, and cover versions by contemporary artists. This continuity has helped maintain a fervent base of enthusiasts and a substantial presence on radio stations dedicated to the genre.

Radio formats dedicated to Adult Standards typically feature a mix of these timeless tracks interspersed with contemporaneous vocal recordings and softer tracks by bands from adjacent genres, such as soft rock and folk. The audience for these stations often consists of older adults who grew up with these songs, alongside younger listeners who discover the genre through familial connections or a general affinity for vintage musical styles.

In recent years, the genre has seen a resurgence as artists like Michael Bublé, Diana Krall, and Harry Connick Jr. have embraced the traditional pop standards while also contributing their fresh perspectives and modern flair. This "new guard" respects the foundational elements of the genre while also ensuring its relevance to the contemporary music scene.

Internationally, Adult Standards hold a special allure as well, evoking a nostalgia for the American golden age of music, with Japan and the UK being notable markets with a sustained interest. The timeless quality of these songs, along with their association with the nostalgia of early to mid-20th century Americana, allows them to transcend generational and cultural boundaries, providing a soothing connection to the past for listeners worldwide.

Adult Standards remain relevant not only as a testament to the artistic heights of American music but also as a bridge across generations, continually bringing new audiences into its fold through its inherent elegance and emotional depth. For music enthusiasts, the genre offers not only aural pleasure but also a vibrant portal to America's rich musical heritage.