Simple Q&A Pathfinder (By RAW) I

[Blisstake]

A26: The section in the core rule book explains this really well pages 213-214

We should clarify a few things here, an area affect spell is a spell that affects a given area rather than specified targets, that said in some cases this isn't true. A ray is an area affect spell but most often it targets a single creature.

Otherwise everything said thus far has been more or less correct.

I just re-read that section. Rays are mentioned right before area spells, but they do not appear to be classified as area spells.