Country Airplay

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Country Airplay is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States since October 20, 2012, although the magazine also retrospectively recognizes the Hot Country Songs charts from January 20, 1990, through October 13, 2012, as part of the history of the Country Airplay listing. The chart lists the 60 most-listened-to records played on 150 mainstream country radio stations across the country as monitored by Nielsen BDS, weighted to each station's Nielsen ratings.

The first number-one song actually published under the Country Airplay banner was "Take a Little Ride" by Jason Aldean; but as Billboard also recognizes the history of the Hot Country Songs chart since 1990 as part of this chart, the magazine recognizes the first chart-topper as "Nobody's Home" by Clint Black.[1]

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.[2] 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.[2]

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.[2]

With effect from the issue dated January 20, 1990, the Hot Country Singles chart began to be based solely on country music radio airplay as opposed to a combination of airplay and physical sales.[2] At this time the chart consisted of 75 positions.[2] Four weeks later, on February 17, the chart was retitled "Hot Country Singles & Tracks" to reflect the fact that songs which had not been released as singles could chart based on airplay.[2] 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".[2]

Current chart

Beginning with the chart dated October 20, 2012, Billboard changed the methodology of Hot Country Songs to again incorporate sales and now also include streaming. In addition, the airplay component of the chart now factored in plays on stations of all genres instead of the previous genre-specific radio panel. At this point a second chart called Country Airplay was launched, based only on country radio airplay. Billboard now recognizes the Hot Country Songs charts from January 20, 1990, until October 13, 2012, as part of the history of both listings.[3]

Chart policies

As with most other Billboard charts, the Country Airplay chart features a rule for when a song enters recurrent rotation. 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

Chart achievements listed below cover Country Airplay since its launch in 2012 as well as Hot Country Songs between 1990 and 2012.

Most weeks at number one

TotalSongArtist(s)Year(s)ref
10"You Proof"Morgan Wallen2022–2023[4]
"World on Fire"Nate Smith2023–2024[5]
8"Amazed"Lonestar1999[6]
"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett2003[7]
"Last Night"Morgan Wallen2023[4]
7"I'm the Problem"Morgan Wallen2025[4]
"The Good Stuff"Kenny Chesney2002[8]
"Have You Forgotten?"Darryl Worley2003[9]
"There Goes My Life"Kenny Chesney2003–2004[8]
"Live Like You Were Dying"Tim McGraw2004[10]
"Beautiful Crazy"Luke Combs2019[11]
"A Bar Song (Tipsy)"Shaboozey2024[12]

Most number-ones

TotalArtistSource(s)
33Kenny Chesney[8]
30Blake Shelton[13]
29Tim McGraw[14][10]
26Alan Jackson[7]
George Strait[14]
Luke Bryan[15]
Jason Aldean[16]
21Keith Urban[17]
Thomas Rhett[18]
20Brad Paisley[19]
Morgan Wallen[20]
Luke Combs[21]

Most number-ones by female artists

TotalArtistSource(s)
16Carrie Underwood[22][23]
11Reba McEntire[24][22]
9Faith Hill[25]
7Shania Twain[25]
Taylor Swift[25]
Miranda Lambert[26]
6Dixie Chicks[27]
5Trisha Yearwood[28]
Martina McBride[29]
Sara Evans[30]
Kelsea Ballerini[31]
Lainey Wilson[32]

Most entries by male artists

TotalArtistSource
100George Strait[33]
99Kenny Chesney[8]
93Garth Brooks[34]
90Tim McGraw[10]
82Alan Jackson[7]
65Blake Shelton[13]
62Brooks & Dunn[35]
55Brad Paisley[19]
55Rascal Flatts[36]
52Keith Urban[17]

Most number-ones by duos or groups

TotalDuo/GroupSource(s)
20Brooks & Dunn[37]
16Florida Georgia Line[38]
14Rascal Flatts[36][37]
13Zac Brown Band[37]
11Lady Antebellum[39]
9Lonestar[6]
8Dan+Shay[40]
7Alabama[41]
Old Dominion[42]
6Dixie Chicks[27]

Most Top-10 by duos or groups

TotalDuo/GroupSource
41Brooks & Dunn[43]
32Rascal Flatts[36]
24Alabama[41]
19Florida Georgia Line[38]
18Lonestar[6]
17Zac Brown Band[44]
15Lady Antebellum[45]
14Dixie Chicks[27]
12Dan+Shay[40]
11Sugarland[46]

Most Entries by duos or groups

TotalDuo/GroupSource(s)
62Brooks & Dunn[43]
55Rascal Flatts[36]
45Alabama[41]
37Lonestar[6]
33Lady Antebellum[45]
28Zac Brown Band[44]
27Dixie Chicks[27]
26Florida Georgia Line[38]
23Sugarland[46]
20Old Dominion[42]

Most top 10 entries

TotalArtistSource
61George Strait[33]
Kenny Chesney[8]
Tim McGraw[10]
51Alan Jackson[7]
44Keith Urban[17]
41Brooks & Dunn[35]
41Jason Aldean[16]
39Blake Shelton[13]
37Reba McEntire[24]
37Luke Bryan[15]

Most top 10 entries by males

TotalArtistSource
61George Strait[33]
Kenny Chesney[8]
Tim McGraw[10]
51Alan Jackson[7]
44Keith Urban[17]
41Brooks & Dunn[35]
40Jason Aldean[16]
39Blake Shelton[13]
37Luke Bryan[15]
36Garth Brooks[34]

Most top 10 entries by women

TotalArtistSource
37Reba McEntire[24]
31Carrie Underwood[47]
23Faith Hill[48]
20Martina McBride[29]
19Trisha Yearwood[28]
18Taylor Swift[49]
16Shania Twain[50]
15Miranda Lambert[26]
14Dixie Chicks[27]
12LeAnn Rimes[51]

Most entries by women

TotalArtist
72Reba McEntire[24]
56Martina McBride[29]
51Trisha Yearwood[28]
50Carrie Underwood[47]
48Faith Hill[52]
39Miranda Lambert[26]
Taylor Swift[49]
35LeAnn Rimes[51]
Shania Twain[50]
28Dolly Parton[53]

Most entries

TotalArtistSource
100George Strait[33]
99Kenny Chesney[8]
93Garth Brooks[34]
90Tim McGraw[10]
82Alan Jackson[7]
72Reba McEntire[24]
65Blake Shelton[13]
62Brooks & Dunn[35]
55Brad Paisley[19]
Rascal Flatts[36]

Use in media

Since September 2017, the Country Airplay chart has served as the data source for the weekly radio program American Country Countdown.[54]

See also

References

External links

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