List of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1964

Last updated
Lefty Frizzell had achieved a string of top 10 singles in the early 1950s but had experienced only sporadic success since then. In 1964 "Saginaw, Michigan" became his final number one. Lefty Frizzell landscape.jpg
Lefty Frizzell had achieved a string of top 10 singles in the early 1950s but had experienced only sporadic success since then. In 1964 "Saginaw, Michigan" became his final number one.

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1964, 11 different singles topped the chart, published at the time under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine. Chart placings were based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores. [1]

Contents

In the issue of Billboard dated January 4, the number one position was held by "Love's Gonna Live Here" by Buck Owens, the song's twelfth week in the top spot; [2] the song would remain at number one through the issue dated February 1 for a total run of sixteen consecutive weeks in the top spot. This set a new record for the longest unbroken run at number one on the Hot Country chart which would stand until 2013 when Florida Georgia Line spent a seventeenth consecutive week atop the chart with "Cruise". [3] [4] Owens had three further number ones in 1964, "My Heart Skips a Beat", "Together Again" and "I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)" and spent a total of twenty weeks at number one during the year, more than twice as many as any other artist. He was the only artist to take more than one single to number one in 1964 and twice replaced himself in the top spot when "My Heart Skips a Beat" was displaced from the top of the chart by "Together Again" before regaining the peak position two weeks later.

Two acts had the first Hot Country number ones of their respective careers in 1964. Roger Miller spent six weeks atop the listing in July and August with his first chart-topper, the humorous song "Dang Me", [5] and Connie Smith went to number one for the first time in November with "Once a Day", [6] which remained in the top spot until the end of the year. Smith's song eventually spent eight consecutive weeks at number one, a record for a female singer which stood until 2012 when Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" remained atop the chart for nine weeks. [7] In March 1964 Lefty Frizzell, one of country music's most influential vocalists, gained his final number one with "Saginaw, Michigan". [8] One of the biggest country stars of the early 1950s, his career had been in decline for a number of years and he had not reached the top ten since 1959, but in 1964 he returned to number one for four weeks with "Saginaw, Michigan". [8] [9] Frizzell could not repeat this single's success, however; he would never again reach the top ten and alcoholism led to his death in 1975. [8] [9] In August 1964 "I Guess I'm Crazy" gave Jim Reeves the first of six number ones which he achieved posthumously; the singer had been killed in a plane crash the previous month. [10] [11]

Chart history

Johnny Cash had a six-week run at number one with "Understand Your Man". J Cash.jpg
Johnny Cash had a six-week run at number one with "Understand Your Man".
Roger Miller had his first chart-topper with "Dang Me". Roger Miller 1975.jpg
Roger Miller had his first chart-topper with "Dang Me".
Connie Smith ended the year at number one with "Once a Day". Connie Smith Opry 2.jpg
Connie Smith ended the year at number one with "Once a Day".
Hot Country Singles number ones of 1965
Issue dateTitleArtist(s)Ref.
January 4"Love's Gonna Live Here" Buck Owens [2]
January 11 [12]
January 18 [13]
January 25 [14]
February 1 [15]
February 8"Begging to You" Marty Robbins [16]
February 15"B.J. the D.J." Stonewall Jackson [17]
February 22"Begging to You" Marty Robbins [18]
February 29 [19]
March 7"Saginaw, Michigan" Lefty Frizzell [20]
March 14 [21]
March 21 [22]
March 28 [23]
April 4"Understand Your Man" Johnny Cash [24]
April 11 [25]
April 18 [26]
April 25 [27]
May 2 [28]
May 9 [29]
May 16"My Heart Skips a Beat" Buck Owens [30]
May 23 [31]
May 30 [32]
June 6"Together Again" [33]
June 13 [34]
June 20"My Heart Skips a Beat" [35]
June 27 [36]
July 4 [37]
July 11 [38]
July 18"Dang Me" Roger Miller [39]
July 25 [40]
August 1 [41]
August 8 [42]
August 15 [43]
August 22 [44]
August 29"I Guess I'm Crazy" Jim Reeves [45]
September 5 [46]
September 12 [47]
September 19 [48]
September 26 [49]
October 3 [50]
October 10 [51]
October 17"I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)" Buck Owens [52]
October 24 [53]
October 31 [54]
November 7 [55]
November 14 [56]
November 21 [57]
November 28"Once a Day" Connie Smith [58]
December 5 [59]
December 12 [60]
December 19 [61]
December 26 [62]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot Country Songs</span> Weekly chart published by Billboard

Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN   9780898201659.
  2. 1 2 "Hot Country Songs chart for January 4, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  3. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN   9780857125958.
  4. Vinson, Christina (July 2, 2013). "Florida Georgia Line's 'Cruise' Sets 50-Year Chart Record". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  5. Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 210. ISBN   9780823082896.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 296. ISBN   9780823082896.
  7. Thanki, Juli (March 27, 2017). "Connie Smith's 'Once a Day' recording launched a legendary career". The Tennessean . Archived from the original on September 12, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Lefty Frizzell Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  9. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 118. ISBN   9780823082896.
  10. Vinopal, David. "Jim Reeves Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  11. Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 264. ISBN   9780823082896.
  12. "Hot Country Songs chart for January 11, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  13. "Hot Country Songs chart for January 18, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  14. "Hot Country Songs chart for January 25, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  15. "Hot Country Songs chart for February 1, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  16. "Hot Country Songs chart for February 8, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  17. "Hot Country Songs chart for February 15, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  18. "Hot Country Songs chart for February 22, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  19. "Hot Country Songs chart for February 29, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  20. "Hot Country Songs chart for March 7, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  21. "Hot Country Songs chart for March 14, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  22. "Hot Country Songs chart for March 21, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  23. "Hot Country Songs chart for March 28, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  24. "Hot Country Songs chart for April 4, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  25. "Hot Country Songs chart for April 11, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  26. "Hot Country Songs chart for April 18, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  27. "Hot Country Songs chart for April 25, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  28. "Hot Country Songs chart for May 2, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  29. "Hot Country Songs chart for May 9, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  30. "Hot Country Songs chart for May 16, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  31. "Hot Country Songs chart for May 23, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  32. "Hot Country Songs chart for May 30, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  33. "Hot Country Songs chart for June 6, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  34. "Hot Country Songs chart for June 13, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  35. "Hot Country Songs chart for June 20, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  36. "Hot Country Songs chart for June 27, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  37. "Hot Country Songs chart for July 4, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  38. "Hot Country Songs chart for July 11, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  39. "Hot Country Songs chart for July 18, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  40. "Hot Country Songs chart for July 25, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  41. "Hot Country Songs chart for August 1, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  42. "Hot Country Songs chart for August 8, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  43. "Hot Country Songs chart for August 15, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  44. "Hot Country Songs chart for August 22, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  45. "Hot Country Songs chart for August 29, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  46. "Hot Country Songs chart for September 5, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  47. "Hot Country Songs chart for September 12, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  48. "Hot Country Songs chart for September 19, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  49. "Hot Country Songs chart for September 26, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  50. "Hot Country Songs chart for October 3, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  51. "Hot Country Songs chart for October 10, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  52. "Hot Country Songs chart for October 17, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  53. "Hot Country Songs chart for October 24, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  54. "Hot Country Songs chart for October 31, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  55. "Hot Country Songs chart for November 7, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  56. "Hot Country Songs chart for November 14, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  57. "Hot Country Songs chart for November 21, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  58. "Hot Country Songs chart for November 28, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  59. "Hot Country Songs chart for December 5, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  60. "Hot Country Songs chart for December 12, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  61. "Hot Country Songs chart for December 19, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  62. "Hot Country Songs chart for December 26, 1964". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.