Country Airplay is a chart published weekly by
''Billboard'' magazine in the United States since January 20, 1990.
This chart lists the 60 most-listened-to records played on 150 mainstream
country radio stations across the country as monitored by
Nielsen BDS
Broadcast Data Systems (also known as BDS or Luminate BDS), is a service that tracks radio, television and internet airplay of songs. The service, which is a unit of MRC Data, is a contributing factor to North American charts published by co-owned ...
, weighted to each station's
Nielsen ratings.
The first
number-one song was "
Nobody's Home" by
Clint Black
Clint Patrick Black (born February 4, 1962) is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Signed to RCA Nashville in 1989, Black's debut album '' Killin' Time'' produced four straight number one singles on the ...
.
The current
number-one song, as of the chart dated December 24, 2022, is "
You Proof
"You Proof" is a song by American country music singer Morgan Wallen. It was released as a promotional single on May 13, 2022, before being released to country radio on July 18, 2022. The song was written by Wallen, along with Ashley Gorley, Erne ...
" by
Morgan Wallen.
History
Earlier versions
Throughout its history of ranking country songs by popularity, ''Billboard'' has had several different airplay-only charts to measure the top-played songs on radio stations. The first of these was called "Country & Western Records Most Played By Folk Disk Jockeys", and debuted with the December 10, 1949, issue.
Like the other charts of the time, the number of positions was not standardized; the chart had anywhere from eight to 15 positions, varying from week to week. The chart, which had several other names, continued until October 13, 1958, when it was merged with the "best sellers" chart to become the Hot Country Songs chart.
[
Starting with the October 20, 1984 issue, there were separate charts for radio airplay and singles sales, similar to the Hot 100 Airplay and Singles Sales charts that also debuted with this issue, it was a component chart that helped determine placement on the Hot Country Singles chart.
The airplay chart was discontinued in 1987 as Hot Country songs became solely based on disc jockey reports, but the sales chart continued until 1989.][
]
Current chart
The Nielsen BDS-monitored country airplay chart was initiated on January 20, 1990, as a new incarnation of ''Billboard''s long-running Hot Country Singles chart.[ The chart replaced the previous version of the Hot Country Singles chart, which had been based on manually reported station playlists combined with weekly singles sales. At this time the chart consisted of 75 positions.][ Four weeks later, on February 17, the chart was retitled "Hot Country Singles & Tracks".][ Beginning with the January 13, 2001, issue, the chart was cut from 75 to 60 positions, and effective April 30, 2005 the chart was renamed "Hot Country Songs".][
Beginning with the chart dated October 20, 2012, Billboard changed the methodology of Hot Country Songs to also incorporate digital sales and streaming instead of airplay alone. In addition, the airplay component of the chart now factored in airplay on stations from all genres instead of the previous genre-specific radio panel. At this point the 23-year-old airplay-only chart was retitled "Country Airplay".
]
Chart policies
As with most other ''Billboard'' charts, the Country Airplay chart features a rule for when a song enters recurrent rotation
In broadcasting, rotation is the repeated airing of a limited playlist of songs on a radio station or satellite radio channel, or music videos on a TV network. They are usually in a different order each time. However, they are not completely sh ...
. Starting with the chart week of December 2, 2006, a song is declared recurrent on the country charts if it has been on the charts longer than 20 weeks; is not gaining in spins or audience impressions; and is lower than 10 in rank for either audience impressions or spins. Since December 2008, any song that is ranked below #10 in spins or audience and has not shown an increase in audience or spins for more than two weeks is also declared recurrent, even if it has not charted for 20 weeks.
Chart achievements
Most weeks at number one
8 weeks
* "Amazed
"Amazed" is a song by American country music group Lonestar, released on March 22, 1999, for country radio as the second single from their third studio album '' Lonely Grill'' (1999). The power ballad is the band's longest-lasting number one sin ...
" – Lonestar (1999)
* "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" is a song performed by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett, and written by Jim "Moose" Brown and Don Rollins. It was released in June 2003 as the lead single from Jackson's 2003 compilation album '' Greatest Hits Volume ...
" – Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for blending traditional honky-tonk and mainstream country pop sounds (for a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country"), as well as penning many ...
and Jimmy Buffett (2003)
* "You Proof
"You Proof" is a song by American country music singer Morgan Wallen. It was released as a promotional single on May 13, 2022, before being released to country radio on July 18, 2022. The song was written by Wallen, along with Ashley Gorley, Erne ...
" – Morgan Wallen (2022)
7 weeks
* "The Good Stuff
"The Good Stuff" is a song written by Jim Collins and Craig Wiseman and recorded by the American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in May 2002 as the second single from his 2002 album '' No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems''.
The so ...
" – Kenny Chesney
Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs and Country ...
(2002)
* " Have You Forgotten?" – Darryl Worley
Darryl Wade Worley (born October 31, 1964) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1999, Worley released four albums for the label: ''Hard Rain Don't Last'' (2000), '' I Miss My Friend'' (20 ...
(2003)
* "There Goes My Life
"There Goes My Life" is a song written by Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher and recorded by American country music singer Kenny Chesney. It was released in October 2003 as the first single from Chesney's 2004 album '' When the Sun Goes Down''. The ...
" – Kenny Chesney (2003–2004)
* "Live Like You Were Dying
''Live Like You Were Dying'' is the eighth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on August 24, 2004, by Curb Records and was recorded in a mountaintop studio in upstate New York. It entered the ''Billboard'' 2 ...
" – Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...
(2004)
* "Beautiful Crazy
"Beautiful Crazy" is a song recorded by American country music singer Luke Combs. The song, which he wrote with Wyatt Durrette and Robert Williford, is a bonus track to his 2017 debut album '' This One's for You''. The song had gained viral attent ...
" – Luke Combs (2019)
6 weeks
* "It's Your Love
"It's Your Love" is a song written by Stephony Smith and originally recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in May 1997 as the first single from his album '' Everywhere''. The song, featuring wife Faith Hill, reached ...
" – Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...
with Faith Hill
Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide.
Hill' ...
(1997)
* "Just to See You Smile
"Just to See You Smile" is a song written by Mark Nesler and Tony Martin (songwriter), Tony Martin, and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in August 1997 as the third single from McGraw's fourth studio album ''Eve ...
" – Tim McGraw (1998)
* "How Forever Feels
"How Forever Feels" is a song written by Wendell Mobley and Tony Mullins and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in December 1998 as the first single from Chesney’s 1999 album '' Everywhere We Go''. The song ...
" – Kenny Chesney
Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs and Country ...
(1999)
* " Breathe" – Faith Hill (1999–2000)
* "Ain't Nothing 'bout You
"Ain't Nothing 'bout You" is a song written by Tom Shapiro and Rivers Rutherford and recorded by American country music duo Brooks & Dunn. It was released on February 12, 2001 as the first single from Brooks & Dunn’s album '' Steers & Stripes''. ...
" – Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn are an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, both of whom are vocalists and songwriters. The duo was founded in 1990 through the suggestion of Tim DuBois. Before their formation, both members were so ...
(2001)
* "I'm Already There
''I'm Already There'' is the fifth studio album released by American country music band Lonestar. Released in 2001 on BNA Records (see 2001 in country music), the album was certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of one million copies.
Serving ...
" – Lonestar (2001)
* "Somebody Like You
"Somebody Like You" is a song co-written and recorded by Australian country music singer Keith Urban. It was released in July 2002 as the first single from his third studio album, '' Golden Road'' (2002). The song became Urban's second number-on ...
" – Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...
(2002)
* "19 Somethin'
"19 Somethin'" is a song written by David Lee and Chris DuBois and recorded by American country music singer Mark Wills. It was released in September 2002 as the first single from his ''Greatest Hits'' compilation album and spent six weeks at num ...
" – Mark Wills
Mark Wills (born Daryl Mark Williams; August 8, 1973) is an American country music artist. Signed to Mercury Records between 1996 and 2003, he released five studio albums for the label – '' Mark Wills'', ''Wish You Were Here'', ''Permanently'' ...
(2003)
* "Beer for My Horses
"Beer for My Horses" is a song recorded by American country music artists Toby Keith and Willie Nelson. It was written by Keith and Scotty Emerick for Keith's seventh studio album, '' Unleashed''. The song was released as the album's fourth and f ...
" – Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's '' Toby Keith'', 1994's '' Boomtown'', 19 ...
duet with Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...
(2003)
* "As Good as I Once Was
"As Good as I Once Was" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Toby Keith that reached the top of the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart. This song and his 2003 single "Beer for My Horses" are both his longest-running ...
" – Toby Keith (2005)
* " Better Life" – Keith Urban (2005)
* "Jesus, Take the Wheel
"Jesus, Take the Wheel" is a song written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson, and recorded by American country music artist Carrie Underwood. It was released on October 18, 2005 as the first single from Underwood's debut album ' ...
" – Carrie Underwood (2006)
* " Our Song" – Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
(2007–2008)
* " Die a Happy Man" – Thomas Rhett
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
(2016)
* " Forever After All" – Luke Combs (2021)
* " Thinking 'Bout You" – Dustin Lynch
Dustin Charles Lynch (born May 14, 1985) is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Broken Bow Records. Lynch has released four albums and one EP for the label: a self-titled album in 2012, '' Where It's At'' in 2014, '' Curren ...
featuring MacKenzie Porter
MacKenzie Lea Porter (born January 29, 1990) is a Canadian country singer, songwriter, and actress. She has released one self-titled album and achieved four Canada Country number ones with " About You", "These Days", " Seeing Other People", and " ...
(2021–2022)
Sources:
Most number-ones
Most number-ones by female artists
Most number-ones by duos or groups
Most top 10 entries
Most top 10 entries by women
Most entries
See also
*List of years in country music
This page indexes the individual year in country music pages. Each year is annotated with a significant event as a reference point.
__NOTOC__
Pre-1920s -
1920s -
1930s -
1940s -
1950s -
1960s -
1970s -
1980s -
1990s -
2000s -
2010s ...
References
External links
Billboard Country Airplay chart
– online version.
{{Billboard, state=collapsed
American country music
Billboard charts