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.
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.
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. At this time the chart consisted of 75 positions. 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. 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".
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.
Music historian Joel Whitburn, in the 2017 edition of his Top Country Singles books which tabulate every artist and song to have made the Billboard country music charts, observed that after the split of Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay in 2012, the country music industry generally favored the latter chart. In particular, he cited the fact that "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift spent ten weeks at number one on Hot Country Songs but peaked at number 13 on Country Airplay due to poor reception at country radio. He also observed that the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association continue to cite Country Airplay positions, and that the syndicated radio show American Country Countdown also continues to use the Country Airplay chart. By comparison, Whitburn observed that the Hot Country Songs chart often includes "album cuts from superstar album releases and songs from reality show contestants" which "tend to have very little lasting impact on audiences and are almost completely ignored by radio stations that depend on strong ratings to survive."
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 Total Song Artist(s) Year(s) ref10 "You Proof" Morgan Wallen 2022–2023 "World on Fire" Nate Smith 2023–20248 "Amazed" Lonestar 1999 "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett 2003 "Last Night" Morgan Wallen 2023 "I'm the Problem" 2025 7 "The Good Stuff" Kenny Chesney 2002 "Have You Forgotten?" Darryl Worley 2003 "There Goes My Life" Kenny Chesney 2003–2004 "Live Like You Were Dying" Tim McGraw 2004 "Beautiful Crazy" Luke Combs 2019 "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" Shaboozey 2024
Longest climbs to number-one Total Song Artist Year ref 67 "Time's Ticking" Justin Moore 2026 65 "After a Few" Travis Denning 2020 "Whiskey and Rain" Michael Ray 2022 63 "In Between" Scotty McCreery 2020 62 "Can't Have Mine" Dylan Scott 2023 60 "23" Chayce Beckham 2024 58 "Make Me Want To" Jimmie Allen 2020 56 "Single Saturday Night" Cole Swindell 2021 "To Be Loved by You" Parker McCollum 2022 "Gonna Love You" Parmalee 2024
Most number-ones Total Artist Source(s) 34 Kenny Chesney 30 Blake Shelton 29 Tim McGraw 27 Jason Aldean 26 Alan Jackson George Strait Luke Bryan 22 Morgan Wallen 21 Keith Urban Thomas Rhett Luke Combs
Most number-ones by women Total Artist Source(s) 16 Carrie Underwood 11 Reba McEntire 9 Faith Hill 7 Shania Twain Taylor Swift Miranda Lambert 6 Dixie Chicks 5 Trisha Yearwood Martina McBride Sara Evans Kelsea Ballerini Lainey Wilson Ella Langley
Most number-ones by duos or groups Total Duo/Group Source(s) 20 Brooks & Dunn 16 Florida Georgia Line 14 Rascal Flatts 13 Zac Brown Band 11 Lady Antebellum 9 Lonestar8 Dan + Shay7 Alabama Old Dominion 6 Dixie Chicks
Most top 10 entries Total Artist Source 61 George Strait Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw 51 Alan Jackson 44 Keith Urban 42 Jason Aldean 41 Brooks & Dunn 39 Blake Shelton 37 Reba McEntire 37 Luke Bryan
Most top 10 entries by men Total Artist Source 61 George Strait Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw 51 Alan Jackson 44 Keith Urban 42 Jason Aldean 41 Brooks & Dunn 39 Blake Shelton 37 Luke Bryan 36 Garth Brooks
Most top 10 entries by women Total Artist Source 37 Reba McEntire 31 Carrie Underwood 23 Faith Hill 20 Martina McBride 19 Trisha Yearwood Taylor Swift 16 Shania Twain 15 Miranda Lambert 14 Dixie Chicks Patty Loveless
Most top 10 entries by duos or groups Total Duo/Group Source 41 Brooks & Dunn 32 Rascal Flatts 24 Alabama 19 Diamond Rio Florida Georgia Line 18 Lonestar 17 Zac Brown Band 16 Montgomery Gentry 15 Lady Antebellum 14 Dixie Chicks
Most entries Total Artist Source100 George Strait Kenny Chesney 93 Garth Brooks 90 Tim McGraw 82 Alan Jackson 73 Reba McEntire 65 Blake Shelton 62 Brooks & Dunn 56 Martina McBride 55 Brad Paisley Rascal Flatts
Most entries by women Total Artist Source 73 Reba McEntire 56 Martina McBride 51 Trisha Yearwood 50 Carrie Underwood 48 Faith Hill 40 Taylor Swift 39 Miranda Lambert 35 LeAnn Rimes Shania Twain 34 Patty Loveless
Most entries by men Total Artist Source100 George Strait Kenny Chesney 93 Garth Brooks 90 Tim McGraw 82 Alan Jackson 65 Blake Shelton 62 Brooks & Dunn 55 Brad Paisley 55 Rascal Flatts 52 Keith Urban
Most entries by duos or groups Total Duo/Group Source(s) 62 Brooks & Dunn 55 Rascal Flatts 45 Alabama 37 Lonestar 33 Diamond Rio Lady Antebellum 32 Montgomery Gentry 31 Little Big Town 28 Zac Brown Band 27 Dixie Chicks
Use in media Since September 2017, the Country Airplay chart has served as the data source for the weekly radio program American Country Countdown.
See also List of years in country music
Notes
References
External links Billboard Country Airplay chart – online version.