AM pop was the dominant sound of Top 40 AM radio during the '70s. At the start of the decade, AM radio was by far the more commercially profitable format; by decade's end, that status would shift to FM, thanks in large part to its willingness to play album tracks and longer songs (which earned it a devoted audience in the era of album rock).

AM pop was the dominant sound of Top 40 AM radio during the '70s. At the start of the decade, AM radio was by far the more commercially profitable format; by decade's end, that status would shift to FM, thanks in large part to its willingness to play album tracks and longer songs (which earned it a devoted audience in the era of album rock). AM was the more tightly programmed, singles-oriented band on the dial, and it played the sort of fluffy, disposable pop that has since become synonymous with the era. Some AM pop singles appeal to modern ears only as embarrassingly kitschy artifacts of their time, far too dippily cheerful (or maudlin, as the case may be) for their own good. But some of it - though irretrievably tied to its era by its production techniques - does hold up well as good-time, mainstream pop music (for those who aren't ashamed of that). Part of the reason why is that AM pop wasn't just about bubblegum and mellow pop - there was also room for post-psychedelic pop, country-rock and country-pop, folk-rock, and even occasional hard rock (provided it was concise, catchy, and not too heavy). Rhino's extensive compilation series Have a Nice Day: Super Hits of the '70s provides a definitive look at the style.