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Morgan Wallen, Garth Brooks Lead All Artists With Most Weeks Spent At #1 On Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart
With Morgan Wallen spending his 13th straight week at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart with his record-breaking LP, I’m The Problem, this frame, the “Last Night” singer has extended his record lead with most weeks spent at #1 with a staggering 199.
Billboard’s Top Country Album chart recently celebrated its 61st anniversary back in January, with it first being created (and subsequently topped by Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire [The Best of Johnny Cash]) on Jan. 11, 1964. Throughout the chart’s history, it has been topped by a countless number of country legends, ranging from George Strait and Willie Nelson to Chris Stapleton and Eric Church. With that being said, however, there have only been 21 artists in history to top the charts for more than 50 weeks.
The 21 artists with the most weeks spent at #1 on the chart include the following:
#21 Kenny Chesney
Total weeks at #1: 50
Total #1 albums: 17
Longest-running #1: When the Sun Goes Down (14 weeks)
The most recent member of the Country Music Hall of Fame has notched 17 #1 albums throughout his career, including the 5x platinum record, No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem. The “Don’t Blink” singer, who is the sixth highest-selling country artist of all time, also has two #1 live albums.
#20 LeAnn Rimes
Total weeks at #1: 50
Total #1 albums: 5
Longest-running #1: Blue (28 weeks)
Despite only having five #1 albums, one of the lowest among the artists present on this list, Rimes amassed a total of 50 weeks at #1 on the chart. This is thanks in part to the success of her major-label debut, Blue, which spent 28 weeks at the top of the chart in 1996 through 1997. Blue’s success also propelled Rimes to become the youngest-ever winner of Best New Artist at the Grammys at only 14 years old.
#19 Eddy Arnold
Total weeks at #1: 51
Total #1 albums: 9
Longest-running #1: My World (17 weeks)
As a staple of the genre in the late 1950s and 1960s, Eddy Arnold dominated the infant stages of country charts. His longest-running #1 album, My World, became the first country album to receive a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. He is also second behind only George Jones with the most songs charted on various Billboard country charts with 146.
#18 Glen Campbell
Total weeks at #1: 51
Total #1 albums: 9
Longest-running #1: Wichita Lineman (20 weeks)
The Rhinestone Cowboy scored a total of nine #1 albums throughout his over 60-year career. The biggest of which is none other than Wichita Lineman, which spent 20 weeks at the top of the chart. Other #1 albums for Campbell include iconic records such as Gentle on My Mind and Galveston.
#17 Merle Haggard
Total weeks at #1: 51
Total #1 albums: 16
Longest-running #1: Pancho & Lefty (8 weeks)
From Okie From Muskogee and The Fightin’ Side of Me to Sing Me Back Home and Hag, Merle Haggard is undoubtedly one of the greatest of all time. Throughout his career, he spent a total of 51 weeks atop the Top Country Albums chart. His longest-running #1 album is his classic collaboration with Willie Nelson in 1983, Pancho & Lefty.
#16 Johnny Cash
Total weeks at #1: 57
Total #1 albums: 11
Longest-running #1: Johnny Cash at San Quentin (20 weeks)
The Man in Black is the only country artist in history to have #1 albums spanning over 50 years, most recently scoring a #1 in 2014 with the posthumous record, Out Among the Stars. Among his 11 #1 LPs, his longest-running one was none other than the iconic live album, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, which tied Glen Campbell’s Wichita Lineman as the longest-running #1 of the 1960s.
#15 Buck Owens
Total weeks at #1: 60
Total #1 albums: 16
Longest-running #1: I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail (15 weeks)
Another staple of the genre in the 1960s, Buck Owens dominated the early days of country music charts. With 21 #1 singles, including “Act Naturally” and “Made in Japan,” Owens was a giant in his time. His 16 chart-topping albums have spent 60 total weeks at #1, with the 1965 album, I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail, spending 15 weeks atop the chart.
#14 George Strait
Total weeks at #1: 61
Total #1 albums: 27
Longest-running #1: Ocean Front Property/Carrying Your Love With Me (6 weeks)
Despite the King having the most #1 hits in history with 60 (44 on Billboard’s charts), Strait has not quite had the same sprawling success album-wise in terms of weeks on the chart. With that being said, however, he still has a staggering 27 #1 albums, which have spent a total of 61 weeks on top. Interestingly, he’s the only artist on this list who doesn’t have an album that spent longer than six weeks at #1 at any point.
#13 The Chicks
Total weeks at #1: 73
Total #1 albums: 5
Longest-running #1: Fly (36 weeks)
Formerly known as the Dixie Chicks before their 2020 rebrand, The Chicks are one of two groups on this list. Boosted by the success of their 11x platinum album, Fly, which spent 36 weeks at #1 from 1999 to 2000, the Chicks have spent 73 total weeks atop the album chart.
#12 Waylon Jennings
Total weeks at #1: 76
Total #1 albums: 11
Longest-running #1: Greatest Hits (16 weeks)
Waylon’s legendary career is truly hard to understate. As a driving force of the outlaw movement and a key member of the Highwaymen, he scored 11 #1 albums throughout his four-decade career. Between ‘Ol Waylon, Are You Ready for the Country and his longest-running Greatest Hits record from 1979, Waylon spent 76 weeks atop the chart throughout his career.
#11 Tim McGraw
Total weeks at #1: 76
Total #1 albums: 17
Longest-running #1: Not a Moment Too Soon (29 weeks)
McGraw, who is the seventh highest-selling country artist of all time, was arguably the gold standard for country artists in the 1990s and 2000s. His 1994 breakout record, Not a Moment Too Soon, spent a staggering 29 straight weeks at #1. Additionally, McGraw is one of the few country artists to score a #1 album on the chart in four separate decades, with his most recent #1 being Here on Earth in 2020.
#10 Randy Travis
Total weeks at #1: 80
Total #1 albums: 5
Longest-running #1: Always & Forever (43 weeks)
Slotting into the Top 10 is none other than Randy Travis. Propelled by the massive success of his 1987 album, Always & Forever, the “Three Wooden Crosses” singer spent 43 weeks at #1 from 1987-1988, good for the longest run of any country album in the 1980s. In total, Travis spent a total of 80 weeks at #1 throughout his career.
#9 Charley Pride
Total weeks at #1: 85
Total #1 albums: 12
Longest-running #1: Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs/The Best of Charley Pride, Volume 2 (16 weeks)
Pride, who is undoubtedly one of the most important artists on this list, spent a total of 85 weeks at #1 throughout his career. Most notably, his two longest-running albums, Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs and The Best of Charley Pride (16 weeks each), were scored consecutively, meaning he spent a total of 32 straight weeks at #1 in 1972.
#8 Luke Combs
Total weeks at #1: 89
Total #1 albums: 4
Longest-running #1: This One’s for You (50 weeks)
Combs, who was recently named the second-highest selling country artist of all time by the RIAA, slots in at #8 on the list with 89 weeks at #1. This is thanks in part to the incredible 50 weeks his debut album, This One’s For You, spent atop the chart from 2017-2018. Couple that with a huge 37-week #1 run from What You See Is What You Get, and Combs skyrocketed into a Top 10 placement.
#7 Shania Twain
Total weeks at #1: 97
Total #1 albums: 5
Longest-running #1: Come on Over (50 weeks)
As the second-highest ranking woman on the list, Twain has spent nearly 100 weeks atop the chart throughout her career. Like Combs, this is thanks to the 2x diamond record, Come on Over, which also spent a staggering 50 weeks. Interestingly, Come on Over spent time at #1 for four straight years from 1997-2001. The Woman in Me, another Twain record which achieved diamond status, also spent an impressive 29 weeks at #1.
#6 Kenny Rogers
Total weeks at #1: 99
Total #1 albums: 12
Longest-running #1: Kenny (25 weeks)
Between the success of Kenny, The Gambler and Eyes That See in the Dark in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rogers absolutely dominated the albums chart with a combined total of 64 weeks at #1 between the three records. Kenny, which spent 25 weeks atop the chart, was the longest-running #1 country album of the 1970s. Just missing the 100 mark, the “Islands in the Stream” singer notched 99 weeks at #1 throughout his six-decade career.
#5 Taylor Swift
Total weeks at #1: 101
Total #1 albums: 8
Longest-running #1: Fearless (35 weeks)
As the highest-charting woman on the chart, Swift amassed a staggering 101 weeks atop the chart throughout her career as a country artist. Though the number is a bit inflated due to her subsequent “Taylor’s Version” re-releases of her early albums, Swift still spent a combined 72 weeks at #1 with her first three albums, Taylor Swift, Fearless and Speak Now. Overall, Swift is one of just five artists to spend 100+ weeks at #1.
#4 Willie Nelson
Total weeks at #1: 107
Total #1 albums: 18
Longest-running #1: Always on My Mind (22 weeks)
The living legend himself has released well over 100 studio albums throughout his career. Among them are 18 #1s, including the likes of Stardust, Always on My Mind, City of New Orleans, as well as collaborations such as Willie + Waylon and Pancho & Lefty. Fun fact: Stardust is the longest-running album on the Top Country Albums chart with a total of 551 weeks spent on the chart since its release back in 1978.
#3 Alabama
Total weeks at #1: 125
Total #1 albums: 11
Longest-running #1: Feels So Right/Mountain Music (28 weeks)
As the most-awarded and highest-selling country band of all time, Alabama being at #3 on the list shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Completely dominating the 1980s, Alabama spent a total of 114 weeks at #1 from 1981 to 1986 with Feels So Right, Mountain Music and The Closer You Get all spending over 20 weeks atop the chart respectively.
#2 Garth Brooks
Total weeks at #1: 173
Total #1 albums: 17
Longest-running #1: No Fences (41 weeks)
The highest-selling country artist of all time, with an impressive 162.5 million units sold in the U.S., Garth Brooks slots in at #2. With No Fences and Ropin’ The Wind both spending 41 and 33 weeks at #1, respectively, in 1990 and 1991, Brooks dominated the 90s. Couple that with The Chase and Sevens’ success and the “Friends in Low Places” singer spent 146 total weeks atop the chart throughout the decade.
#1 Morgan Wallen
Total weeks at #1: 199
Total #1 albums: 4
Longest-running #1: Dangerous: The Double Album (97 weeks)
To no one’s surprise, Morgan Wallen tops the list with a mind-boggling 199 weeks at #1 since If I Know Me topped the chart on August 15, 2020. To put that into perspective, there have been 262 total weeks since its debut. This means that Wallen has had the #1 country album approximately 75% of the time over the past five years. It should also come as no surprise that the “Last Night” singer has the two longest-running #1 albums in the chart’s history, with Dangerous: The Double Album spending 97 weeks and One Thing at a Time spending 87 weeks atop it over the past four years.The post Morgan Wallen, Garth Brooks Lead All Artists With Most Weeks Spent At #1 On Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart first appeared on Whiskey Riff.
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