Top 40

American

[top fawr-tee] / ˈtɒp ˈfɔr ti /

Or Top Forty,

plural noun

(sometimes lowercase) the 40 most popular or best-selling recordings, songs, etc., within a stated time period.

adjective

pertaining to, designating, or being the Top 40.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Zutons released three studio albums between 2004 and 2008, and celebrated nine UK Top 40 singles.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Top 40 programming pumped through AM radios in affordable cars helped midwife rock ’n’ roll: A new youth-driven pop culture, powered by television, teenage spending and a rapidly transforming media landscape.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

It scored just one Top 40 hit, 1987’s “Touch of Grey,” but fostered a legion of devoted fans, known as Dead Heads.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Every time someone asks their smart speaker to play Christmas songs, Kylie is played first - and every stream counts towards the Top 40.

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2025

His album didn’t take off because he couldn’t get his first single played on Top 40 radio.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023