Top Country Albums
Top Country Albumsis a chart published weekly byBillboardmagazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popularcountry musicalbums in the country, calculated weekly byBroadcast Data Systemsbased on physical sales along with digital sales and streaming. The chart was first published in the issue ofBillboarddated January 11, 1964, under the title Hot Country Albums, when the number one album wasRing of Fire: The Best of Johnny CashbyJohnny Cash.[1]
The chart changed its name to Top Country LP's in the issue ofBillboarddated January 13, 1968, Top Country LPs (with no apostrophe) in the issue dated May 31, 1980, and Top Country Albums in the issue dated October 20, 1984. The record for the highest number of weeks spent at number one by an album is held byDangerous: The Double AlbumbyMorgan Wallen,which spent a total of 97 non-consecutive weeks atop the chart.
Methodology
[edit]From its launch until May 1991, the chart was compiled based on sales reports submitted by a representative sample of record stores nationwide. In 1991 the sales reports were replaced by electronic point of sale data.[1]Since February 2017 the chart has been "based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums)".[2]
Chart records
[edit]Albums with most weeks at number one
[edit]
The following albums have spent more than 30 weeks at number one, as of the chart dated October 5, 2024:
| Weeks | First year at number one |
Artist | Album | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | 2021 | Morgan Wallen | Dangerous: The Double Album | [3] |
| 58 | 2023 | One Thing at a Time | [3] | |
| 50 | 1997 | Shania Twain | Come On Over | [4][5] |
| 2017 | Luke Combs | This One's for You | [4][5] | |
| 43 | 1987 | Randy Travis | Always & Forever | [6] |
| 41 | 1990 | Garth Brooks | No Fences | [7] |
| 37 | 2019 | Luke Combs | What You See Is What You Get | [8] |
| 36 | 2002 | Dixie Chicks | Fly | [7] |
| 35 | 2000 | Original soundtrack | O Brother, Where Art Thou? | [9] |
| 2008 | Taylor Swift | Fearless | [10] | |
| 34 | 1992 | Billy Ray Cyrus | Some Gave All | [7] |
| 33 | 1991 | Garth Brooks | Ropin' The Wind | [7] |
| 31 | 2010 | Lady Antebellum | Need You Now | [11] |
The figure for "Fearless" by Taylor Swift does not include the weeks spent at number one byFearless (Taylor's Version),her 2021 complete re-recording of the album. Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum subsequently changed their names to The Chicks and Lady A respectively.
Artist with most number ones
[edit]The following acts have had more than 15 number ones as of the chart dated October 5, 2024:
| Number ones | First year at number one |
Artist | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1984 | George Strait | [12][13] |
| 18 | 1975 | Willie Nelson | [14] |
| 17 | 1990 | Garth Brooks | [15] |
| 2000 | Kenny Chesney | [16] | |
| 1994 | Tim McGraw | [17] | |
| 16 | 1966 | Merle Haggard |
Artists with most cumulative weeks at number one
[edit]
The followings acts have achieved at least 50 weeks at number one, as of the chart dated October 5, 2024.
| Weeks at number one |
Artist | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 173 | Garth Brooks | [15] |
| 157 | Morgan Wallen | [3] |
| 125 | Alabama | [18] |
| 101 | Willie Nelson | [14] |
| 101 | Taylor Swift | [10] |
| 99 | Kenny Rogers | [19] |
| 97 | Shania Twain | [20] |
| 88 | Luke Combs | [8] |
| 85 | Charley Pride | [21] |
| 80 | Randy Travis | [22] |
| 76 | Tim McGraw | [17] |
| 76 | Waylon Jennings | [23] |
| 73 | The Chicks | [24][25] |
| 61 | George Strait | [12] |
| 60 | Buck Owens | [26] |
| 57 | Johnny Cash | [27] |
| 51 | Glen Campbell | [28] |
| 51 | Merle Haggard | |
| 51 | Eddy Arnold | [29] |
| 50 | LeAnn Rimes | |
| 50 | Kenny Chesney | [16] |
The total for The Chicks consists of 71 weeks under the band's previous name, Dixie Chicks, and 2 under its new name.
Artists with most consecutive number one albums
[edit]The following artists have garnered the most consecutive number one albums on the Top Country Albums chart.
| Artist | Consecutive number ones |
Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kenny Chesney | 12 | |
| Carrie Underwood | 9 | [30] |
| Garth Brooks | 8 | |
| Rascal Flatts | 8 | |
| Taylor Swift | 8 | |
| Miranda Lambert | 7 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abWhitburn, Joel (2008).Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007.Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6.ISBN9780898201734.
- ^Asker, Jim (March 28, 2022)."Morgan Wallen's 'Dangerous' Rewrites Record for Most Weeks at No. 1 on Top Country Albums Chart".Billboard.RetrievedMarch 29,2022.
- ^abc"Morgan Wallen".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 4,2023.
- ^abMcIntyre, Hugh (November 4, 2019)."Luke Combs' Debut Is Now Tied As The Longest-Running No. 1 Country Album Ever".Forbes.RetrievedNovember 21,2019.
- ^abHermanson, Wendy (October 28, 2019)."Luke Combs Ties Shania Twain For Longest No.1 Country Album".Taste of Country.Townsquare Media.RetrievedNovember 20,2019.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (2008).Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007.Record Research, Incorporated. p. 336.ISBN9780898201734.
- ^abcdWhitburn, Joel (2008).Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007.Record Research, Incorporated. p. 337.ISBN9780898201734.
- ^ab"Luke Combs".Billboard.RetrievedFebruary 1,2022.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (2008).Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007.Record Research, Incorporated. p. 338.ISBN9780898201734.
- ^ab"Taylor Swift".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"11 Years Ago: Lady A Release 'Need You Now' Album".The Boot.Townsquare Media.January 26, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 1,2022.
- ^ab"George Strait".Billboard.RetrievedFebruary 2,2022.
- ^Cerio, Michael (April 10, 2019)."George Strait scores his 27th number one album".AOL.RetrievedNovember 20,2019.
- ^ab"Willie Nelson".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^ab"Garth Brooks".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^ab"Kenny Chesney".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^ab"Tim McGraw".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"Alabama".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"Kenny Rogers".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"Shania Twain".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"Charley Pride".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"Randy Travis".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"Waylon Jennings".Billboard.RetrievedFebruary 2,2022.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (2008).Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007.Record Research, Incorporated. p. 81.ISBN9780898201734.
- ^"Country Albums chart for August 8, 2020".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 4,2020.
- ^"Buck Owens".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"Johnny Cash".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^Whitburn, Joel (2008).Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007.Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6.ISBN9780898201734.
- ^"Eddy Arnold".Billboard.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
- ^"Carrie Underwood 'My Savior' debuts at No 1".The Music Universe.2021-04-06.Retrieved2021-04-08.