List of Billboard Easy Listening number ones of 1973
Introduction The Carpenters ''(pictured with President Richard Nixon (left))'' had two number ones in 1973.|alt=A dark-haired older man in a suit, a young woman with long dark hair wearing a dress and a young man with mid-length hair wearing a jacket over a rollneck sweaterAdult Contemporary is a chart published by ''Billboard'' ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) market. In 1973, 26 songs topped the chart, then published under the title Easy Listening, based on playlists submitted by easy listening radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.In the first issue of ''Billboard'' of 1973, the band Bread retained the number one position from the final chart of the previous year with "Sweet Surrender", but the group held the top spot for only one further week before being replaced by "Been to Canaan" by Carole King. Helen Reddy had the highest total number of weeks at number one in 1973, spending two weeks in the top spot with "Delta Dawn" and four with "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)". The latter song tied with "All I Know" by Art Garfunkel for the year's longest unbroken run at number one. Reddy, The Carpenters and Tony Orlando and Dawn were the only acts with more than one chart-topper during the year. Among acts to top the Easy Listening chart for the first time in 1973 was English singer Elton John,   a singer who would achieve consistent success on the chart for more than 40 years. By 2016 he held the records for both the greatest number of hits and the largest amount of number ones on the chart, and five years earlier ''Billboard'' had named him the most successful act of the listing's first 50 years.The final number one of the year was "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce, which moved into the top spot in the issue of ''Billboard'' dated December 30.It was a posthumous chart-topper for the singer, who had died in an airplane crash three months earlier. The song also topped ''Billboard''s all-genre single chart, the Hot 100.In the early 1970s there was considerable crossover between the two charts, and seven of 1973's other Easy Listening number ones also reached the top spot on the Hot 100: "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" by Tony Orlando and Dawn, "My Love" by Paul McCartney and Wings, "Touch Me in the Morning" by Diana Ross, "Delta Dawn" by Helen Reddy, "The Most Beautiful Girl" by Charlie Rich, and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" by Stevie Wonder. Rich's song was a triple chart-topper, as it also reached number one on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Chart history alt=A dark-haired young woman in a black dress singing into a microphone"All I Know" by Art Garfunkel ''(pictured in 2017)'' was one of two songs to spend four weeks at number one.|alt=A balding older man wearing a blue sweaterElton John topped the chart for the first time with "Daniel". He would go on to be one of the most successful acts in the chart's history.|alt=A young man wearing an elaborate shiny costume with a high collar and pointed hat playing a piano+KeyIndicates best-performing easy listening song of 1973Issue dateTitleArtist(s)"Sweet Surrender"Bread"Been to Canaan""You're So Vain""Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend"Lobo"Dueling Banjos" and Steve Mandell"Last Song" Edward Bear"Danny's Song""Sing""Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree""Sing""Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree""You Are the Sunshine of My Life""Daniel""And I Love You So""My Love" and Wings"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy""Yesterday Once More" "Touch Me in the Morning""Delta Dawn" "Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose""Loves Me Like a Rock""My Maria""I'm Coming Home""All I Know""Paper Roses""The Most Beautiful Girl""Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)""Time in a Bottle"
References
See also *1973 in music*List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart