Kenny G "My Heart Will Go On"

Not just Celine Dion profited from "My Heart Will Go On", Kenny G also released an instrumental version of the popular ballad in 1998. Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz radio stations couldn't contain themselves and spun both tunes. While Celine's more popular version will go down in history, Kenny G's didn't fare as well: peaking at #19 on the Adult Contemporary Chart.

Celine Dion "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"

Canadian music radio stations have to play at least 35% of Canadian-born artists between the hours of 6am and 6pm. It's true. It might also explain why certain Canadian crooners released songs that might be considered "deep cuts". In the case of Celine Dion, I'd include her 1995 take on Aretha Franklin's "A Natural Woman". Even though the song never matched the success of the the many predecessors who've belted out the R&B standard, Celine was merely warming up for 1997 when the Titanic Soundtrack would make her a household name -- plus it gave Canadian radio stations another song to hit their 35% quota.

Jennifer Lopez "Alive"

A few months before Celine Dion tore up the Adult Contemporary Charts with "I'm Alive" we found Jennifer Lopez and her ballad "Alive". Just like Dion's "I'm Alive", J-Lo's tune also appeared on a movie soundtrack: Stuart Little 2 for Celine while J-Lo's "Alive" appeared on the soundtrack to Enough. Though not as big of a bomb as her next film, Gigli, Enough also crashed at the box office and the stresses of juggling her busy singing and acting career eventually caused J-Lo to suffer a nervous breakdown.

Celine Dion "I'm Alive"

Celine Dion recorded "I'm Alive" for the Stuart Little 2 Soundtrack and the uplifting tune went on to become one Celine's signature songs when she performs in Vegas.

Celine Dion "That's the Way It Is"

How do you know you've worked in Adult Contemporary radio too long? While walking out of work last week, Celine Dion's "That's The Way It Is" blared through the halls of Prudential Plaza. Immediately, I knew all the words...almost like a non-practicing Catholic can instantly recall the lyrics to "One Bread, One Body" once they step into a church.

Celine Dion "Because You Loved Me"

Suddenly, Phil Collins, Celine Dion and Michael Bolton are hot again! The year 2018 saw an influx of "soft" adult contemporary radio stations spring up all across the country. Their respective playlists focus on songs and artists featured right here on Growing Up Adult Contemporary -- ballads and artists who've been missing from the radio for well over a decade. With names like "The Breeze", "Easy" and "The Sound", soft Adult Contemporary radio stations are attracting older listeners and, in many cases, dominating in their respective markets. For example, the #1 radio station in Miami? Easy 93.1. I'll gladly accept credit for bring this music back into the mainstream. You're welcome.

Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On"

What do you remember about the Titanic? If your answer isn't: "It sunk!", then boy do I have a vacation idea for you! Clear your calendar because there's a new cruise boat called The Titanic II that promises to retrace the original 1912 route of the "boat that couldn't sink". This half-a-billion dollar vessel will set sail in 2022 from Dubai. You can be one of the 2,400 passengers (along with 900 crew members) on board when it definitely won't sink this time. 

Celine Dion & Clive Griffin "When I Fall in Love"

This July marks the 25th anniversary of the romantic comedy "Sleepless in Seattle" that centers on a boy who urges his widowed father to phone into a local radio show to talk about how much he misses his wife. The movie's soundtrack featured an updated version of the ballad "When I Fall in Love". Originally, Celine Dion was to sing alongside Stevie Wonder in the song--but the role later went to British pop singer Clive Griffin.

Celine Dion & Barbara Streisand "Tell Him"

Very few radio stations other than Adult Contemporary chose to play "Tell Him" from soft rock goddesses Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand. The sleepy ballad opens with Celine singing "I'm scared." -- sooooo you can probably guess why most stations didn't want to touch it. Despite the song headlining two queens of the soft rock genre, the song only peaked at #5 on the Adult Contemporary Chart in 1997-98.

Celine Dion "Think Twice"

If you need further proof of the varying tastes between US and UK audiences: aside from Celine Dion's signature ballad "My Heart Will Go On", Celine's biggest hit in the UK is the 1994 song "Think Twice". Barely a blip on the radar in the United States, the song peaked on the Hot 100 at a lackluster #95 and only managed to hit #21 on the Adult Contemporary Chart. By comparison, it went to be one of the UK's biggest selling records and topped the charts in the UK for seven weeks and even longer (9 weeks) in Ireland .

Hootie & The Blowfish "Hold My Hand"

Let's take a look at the top songs of 1994 on Top 40 radio:

• Ace of Base "The Sign"
• All-4-One "I Swear"
• Boyz II Men "I'll Make Love to You"
• Celine Dion "The Power of Love"
• Mariah Carey "Hero"

By 1994 standards, Top 40 radio heavily leaned on R&B and Hip-Hop artists and music. A peak further down the Top 100 of 1994 turned up music from artists such as Salt-n-Peppa, R. Kelly, Coolio, and Warren G. This gave the pop-rock group Hootie & The Blowfish some struggles to find a mainstream radio format to embrace the band. Somehow, the Adult Contemporary format answered the call and immediately helped launch Hootie's career. Within 12 months, AC radio stations playlists featured four songs from Cracked Rear View (Hootie's debut album) as well as "I Go Blind" (prominently featured on the TV show Friends). Soon, Top 40 added Hootie's music--though most song charted higher on the Adult Contemporary Chart than the Hot 100--and the band's over-saturation likely attributed to its demise. 

Celine Dion "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"

If Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" sounds like a song from Meat Loaf, that's because it is/was. Meat Loaf wanted to record the song for years, but the composer felt it would better be done by a woman. Enter Celine Dion. Her explosive rendition of the power ballad on her 1996 album Falling Into You topped the charts across the globe. A decade later, Meat Loaf finally saw his wish come true -- he recorded his own version of the song that, unlike Dion, turned the song into a duet with Marion Raven.

Faith Hill "There You'll Be"

Celine Dion reportedly didn't want to be known as the woman who sang all the tearjerker ballads in movies. She passed on the ballad "There You'll Be", a song destined for the Pearl Harbor Soundtrack. Along came Faith Hill who happily took the song and turned it into a #1 hit on the Adult Contemporary Chart in 2001.

Anne Murray "Could I Have This Dance"

Anne Murray was to '70s Adult Contemporary radio as Celine Dion was to '90s Adult Contemporary radio. With her country-pop ballads, Murray racked up a string of radio-friendly hits including the 1980 wedding reception favorite "Could I Have This Dance".

Cyndi Lauper "I Drove All Night"

Roy Orbison originally recorded "I Drove All Night" in 1987, but the song didn't get released until 1992 (post-humously for Orbison).  Credit Cyndi Lauper for making the song a hit in 1989.  Several years later, Chrysler paid Celine Dion $14 million to endorse their cars.  As part of the ad campaign, Dion re-made "I Drove All Night" and turned it into a Top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary Chart in 2003.

Gloria Estefan "Heaven's What I Feel"

With soaring melodies and a disco-like bassline, "Heaven's What I Feel" sounds like it was a Donna Summer tune plucked from the late-70s.  But, no.  The tune was originally given to Celine Dion, but she didn't think the upbeat ditty fit with her Let's Talk About Love album, so Gloria Estefan snatched it up and turned it into an Adult Contemporary hit in 1998.

Heart "Alone"

Heart wasn't the first band to record the song "Alone".  Three years prior to Heart's version, actor John Stamos recorded the power ballad with Valerie Stevenson.  Not to be outdone, Celine Dion later recorded a version of her own in 2007.

Celine Dion "Only One Road"

If there's such a thing as a Celine Dion "deep cut", her ballad "Only One Road" fits the bill.  The song only peaked at #27 on the Adult Contemporary Chart and #93 on the Hot 100 in 1995.  It's fitting as her record company tried to squeeze a fifth single from her The Colour of My Love album.

Patti LaBelle - "If You Asked Me To"

Three years before Celine Dion's version of "If You Asked Me To" made her a household name, Patti LaBelle recorded the song as part of the License to Kill Soundtrack.  The original ballad peaked at #11 on the Adult Contemporary Chart in 1989.  Dion's version (which sounded very similar to LaBelle's) went to #1 in 1992.

Celine Dion - "Misled"

Remember that summer when all kids at the clubs were dancing to Celine Dion?  You don't?  Wait, really...Celine Dion?  Yep, it happened in 1994 when a remixed version of Celine's "Misled" topped the Dance Club Play Chart.  Hey, if Kenny G could do it...why not Celine?