List of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1978

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Kenny Rogers had three number ones in 1978. Kenny Rogers (7787975438).jpg
Kenny Rogers had three number ones in 1978.

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1978, 31 different singles topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores. [1]

Contents

Several number ones of 1978 came from artists associated with the so-called outlaw country subgenre, which had emerged as a more hard-edged alternative to the slick production values seen in country music earlier in the 1970s. [2] Two of the most prominent exponents of the outlaw style, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, [3] collaborated on the longest-running number one of the year, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys", which spent four weeks atop the chart; each also reached number one individually. Jennings' total of seven weeks spent in the top spot was the most by any artist. Nelson was one of only two artists to take three different singles to number one during the year, as he also reached number one with his recordings of two pre-World War II songs, "Georgia on My Mind" and "Blue Skies", taken from Stardust , an album on which he covered a range of pop standards. [4] Kenny Rogers also achieved three number ones, as he topped the listing with "Love or Something Like It", "The Gambler" and "Every Time Two Fools Collide", a collaboration with Dottie West.

Another artist linked to the outlaw movement who topped the chart in 1978 was Johnny Paycheck, [5] who reached number one with "Take This Job and Shove It", which would go on to become his most successful and best-known song. [5] The song, which topped the chart in Billboard's first issue of the year, marked his first and only appearance at the top of the Hot Country chart. [6] In May and June, two vocal groups which would both go on to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame reached number one for the first time: The Statler Brothers with "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine", [7] [8] and The Oak Ridge Boys with "I'll Be True to You". [9] [10] Margo Smith had her first number one in February with "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You". [11] She followed it up with another chart-topper in July with "It Only Hurts for a Little While", but these would prove to be her only number one singles. [12] In April, Dottie West reached the top of the chart for the first time with her duet with Kenny Rogers. [13] She would go on to achieve further number ones both in collaboration with Rogers and in her own right. [13]

Chart history

Waylon Jennings spent a total of seven weeks at number one in 1978. Waylon Jennings 1.jpg
Waylon Jennings spent a total of seven weeks at number one in 1978.
Johnny Paycheck (center) topped the chart with his signature song "Take This Job and Shove It". Johnny Paycheck.jpg
Johnny Paycheck (center) topped the chart with his signature song "Take This Job and Shove It".
Dolly Parton had two chart-toppers which spent a combined five weeks at number one. Dolly Parton accepting Liseberg Applause Award 2010 portrait.jpg
Dolly Parton had two chart-toppers which spent a combined five weeks at number one.
Issue dateTitleArtist(s)Ref.
January 7"Take This Job and Shove It" Johnny Paycheck [14]
January 14 [15]
January 21"What a Difference You've Made in My Life" Ronnie Milsap [16]
January 28"Out of My Head and Back in My Bed" Loretta Lynn [17]
February 4 [18]
February 11"I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love" Larry Gatlin [19]
February 18"Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" Margo Smith [20]
February 25 [21]
March 4"Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson [22]
March 11 [23]
March 18 [24]
March 25 [25]
April 1"Ready for the Times to Get Better" Crystal Gayle [26]
April 8"Someone Loves You Honey" Charley Pride [27]
April 15 [28]
April 22"Every Time Two Fools Collide" Kenny Rogers and Dottie West [29]
April 29 [30]
May 6"It's All Wrong, But It's All Right" Dolly Parton [31]
May 13 [32]
May 20"She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed (Anytime)" Johnny Duncan [33]
May 27"Do You Know You Are My Sunshine" The Statler Brothers [34]
June 3 [35]
June 10"Georgia on My Mind" Willie Nelson [36]
June 17"Two More Bottles of Wine" Emmylou Harris [37]
June 24"I'll Be True to You" The Oak Ridge Boys [38]
July 1"It Only Hurts for a Little While" Margo Smith [39]
July 8"I Believe in You" Mel Tillis [40]
July 15"Only One Love in My Life" Ronnie Milsap [41]
July 22 [42]
July 29 [43]
August 5"Love or Something Like It" Kenny Rogers [44]
August 12"You Don't Love Me Anymore" Eddie Rabbitt [45]
August 19"Talking in Your Sleep" Crystal Gayle [46]
August 26 [47]
September 2"Blue Skies" Willie Nelson [48]
September 9"I've Always Been Crazy" Waylon Jennings [49]
September 16 [50]
September 23 [51]
September 30"Heartbreaker" Dolly Parton [52]
October 7 [53]
October 14 [54]
October 21"Tear Time" Dave & Sugar [55]
October 28"Let's Take the Long Way Around the World" Ronnie Milsap [56]
November 4"Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" Barbara Mandrell [57]
November 11 [58]
November 18 [59]
November 25"Sweet Desire" / "Old Fashioned Love" [lower-alpha 1] The Kendalls [60]
December 2"I Just Want to Love You" Eddie Rabbitt [61]
December 9"On My Knees" Charlie Rich and Janie Fricke [62]
December 16"The Gambler" Kenny Rogers [63]
December 23 [64]
December 30 [65]

See also

Notes

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References

  1. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944–2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN   9780898201659.
  2. ↑ Szatmary, David P. (2014). Rockin' in Time: A Social History of Rock-and-roll. Pearson. p. 213. ISBN   9780205936243.
  3. ↑ Gage, Jeff (January 12, 2018). "Country Music Hall of Fame Announces Massive Outlaw Country Exhibit". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on March 19, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  4. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Stardust – Willie Nelson". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  5. 1 2 Cooper, Dan. "Johnny Paycheck Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 12, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Billboard Books. p. 241. ISBN   9780823082896.
  7. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "The Statler Brothers: Biography & History". AllMusic . Archived from the original on March 19, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  8. ↑ Darden, Beville (February 13, 2008). "Emmylou Harris, Statler Brothers Inducted Into Hall of Fame". The Boot. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on April 12, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  9. ↑ Huey, Steve. "The Oak Ridge Boys: Biography & History". AllMusic . Archived from the original on February 16, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  10. ↑ Betts, Stephen L. (March 15, 2015). "The Oak Ridge Boys Lead 2015 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on April 12, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  11. ↑ Brennan, Sandra. "Margo Smith: Biography & History". AllMusic . Archived from the original on March 19, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Billboard Books. p. 297. ISBN   9780823082896.
  13. 1 2 Ankeny, Jason. "Dottie West: Biography & History". AllMusic . Archived from the original on March 19, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 7, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 14, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 21, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 28, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 4, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 11, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 18, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 25, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 4, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 11, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 18, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 25, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 1, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 8, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 15, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 22, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 29, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  31. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 6, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  32. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 13, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  33. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 20, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  34. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 27, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  35. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 3, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  36. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 10, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  37. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 17, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  38. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 24, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  39. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 1, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  40. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 8, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  41. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 15, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  42. ↑ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 22, 1978". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
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