If that is the case, how did it make it to #1 on the R&B chart & #2 on the Hot 100? Same with others like:
Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder -
Ebony And Ivory
Stevie Wonder -
I Just Called To Say I Love You
Debby Boone -
You Light Up My Life
Whitney Houston -
Run To You
Sheriff -
When I'm With You
Barry Manilow -
I Write The Songs
Aerosmith -
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
Sheena Easton -
For You Eyes Only
REO Speedwagon -
Can't Fight This Feeling
the many "power ballad" hits by rock bands
Funny that these so-called "schmaltz" songs have always been popular with the mainstream audience, going all the way back to 1940s crooners like Perry Como.
The Lawarence Welk Show was in production for almost 30 years. Kenny G is probaly the biggest selling jazz artist in history. Just because rock fans and/or critics don't like them does not mean anything. The people have spoken with their wallets & radio requests.
Also there's a bit of sexism with that, since these types of songs tend to be more popular with women. It's no accident that adult contemporary ballads are often used in soap operas & romantic comedy movies, females are usually the majority of the audience for those. Notice that glam metal acts like Bon Jovi tended to have more female fans than regular metal acts that had a primarily male audience. Rock fans were also behind the 1970s "Disco Sucks" thing and the riot at the baseball game.