Morgan Wallen’s ‘You Proof’ Ties Record for Longest Leading Country Airplay No. 1
Written by djfrosty on December 21, 2022
Morgan Wallen claims a share of history on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “You Proof” hits a record-tying eight weeks atop the survey.
The song, up 5% to 25.1 million audience impressions Dec. 12-18, according to Luminate, matches the No. 1 Country Airplay runs of Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett’s “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” (2003) and Lonestar’s crossover hit “Amazed” (1999), dating to the chart’s start in 1990.
“You Proof,” released on Big Loud Records, is also the first Country Airplay No. 1 to withstand multiple other leaders amid its command. After it ruled for five weeks (Oct. 15-Nov. 12), Tyler Hubbard’s “5 Foot 9” topped the Nov. 19 chart, followed by Thomas Rhett’s “Half of Me,” featuring Riley Green (Nov. 26). After “You Proof” led again on the Dec. 3 tally, Bailey Zimmerman’s “Fall in Love” paced the Dec. 10 chart, ahead of the two latest weeks at No. 1 for “You Proof” (Dec. 17 and 24).
Wallen co-wrote “You Proof,” his seventh Country Airplay leader, with ERNEST, Ashley Gorley, Keith Smith and Charlie Handsome, the latter of whom also produced it with Joey Moi.
Concurrently, “You Proof” leads the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart for an 18th week, becoming one of only 10 singles to reign for at least that long (since the list became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958). It holds at the summit with 28.1 million in all-format radio audience, 12.6 million official streams and 2,000 downloads sold in the U.S. Dec. 9-15.
Barrett Moves ‘Up’
Gabby Barrett nets her third Country Airplay top 10 as “Pick Me Up,” which she co-wrote, pushes 11-9 (18 million, up 9%). Her first two entries (among four so far) each hit No. 1: “I Hope,” for a week in April 2020, and “The Good Ones,” for three frames starting in April 2021.
‘Tequila’ Talkin’
Jason Aldean scores his 36th Country Airplay top 10 as “That’s What Tequila Does” rises 12-10 (16.1 million, up 18%). The single follows “Trouble With a Heartbreak,” which became his 25th leader when it began a three-week reign in May. His first entry, “Hicktown,” marked his first top 10 (No. 10, 2005).
Aldean ties Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton for the ninth-most Country Airplay top 10s. George Strait leads all acts with 61, followed closely by Kenny Chesney (60) and Tim McGraw (59).