Involved in the degradation of salicylate via a pathway involving coenzyme A derivative. Catalyzes the conversion of salicylate to salicyloyl-CoA via the formation of a salicylate-adenylate intermediate. The substrate specificity is strong, since benzoate, 3-hydroxybenzoate, 4-hydroxybenzoate, gentisate, 2-aminobenzoate, aminobenzoate, salicylamide, salicylaldoxime and 2-hydroxyphenyl acetate cannot substitute for salicylate. ATP + CoA + salicylate = 2-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA + AMP + diphosphate By salicylate. Cells lacking this gene are unable to degrade salicylate. Belongs to the ATP-dependent AMP-binding enzyme family.