List of Top Country Albums number ones of 1987

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Randy Travis dominated the number one position in 1987 with his album Always & Forever. RandyTravisCollage1-1000.jpg
Randy Travis dominated the number one position in 1987 with his album Always & Forever .

Top Country Albums is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music albums in the United States, published by Billboard . In 1987, 12 different albums topped the chart, based on sales reports submitted by a representative sample of stores nationwide. [1]

The number one position was occupied for nearly half the year by Always & Forever by Randy Travis. First topping the chart in the issue of Billboard dated June 20, by the end of the year the album would spend 25 weeks at number one in three separate runs. It would add a further 18 weeks to its tally the following year for a final total of 43 weeks atop the listing, beating by a considerable amount the previous record of 28 weeks set by Alabama with both Feels So Right and Mountain Music between 1981 and 1983. [2] Travis was one of the main artists identified with the neotraditional country trend, which moved away from the pop music-influenced style which dominated the country charts in the earlier part of the decade in favour of a sound closer to the genre's roots. [3] [4] [5] Having first topped the chart the previous year with his first major-label album Storms of Life , [6] Travis would continue to experience huge success for the remainder of the decade before his chart performance began to decline in the 1990s. [7]

Three acts achieved more than one number one in 1987. In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, the band Alabama was at number one with the album The Touch , its eighth week in the top spot. [8] Later in the year, the band spent a single week in the top spot with Just Us , the group's eighth chart-topper of the number ones. [9] George Strait spent six non-consecutive weeks at number one in the spring with Ocean Front Property and returned to the top of the chart for a single week in November with the compilation album Greatest Hits Volume Two . Hank Williams Jr spent one week atop the chart in April with Hank Live and a second week at number one in August with Born to Boogie , bringing his run of consecutive chart-toppers since 1984 to six. [10] In April, the band Restless Heart achieved its only number one with Wheels , which spent one week at number one. The band experienced a period of great chart success for the remainder of the decade, but its fortunes declined after lead vocalist Larry Stewart left in 1990 and it disbanded in 1994. [11]

Chart history

Hank Williams Jr. had two number ones in 1987. Hank212.JPG
Hank Williams Jr. had two number ones in 1987.
George Strait also had two chart-toppers during the year. George Strait 2014 1.jpg
George Strait also had two chart-toppers during the year.
Linda Ronstadt (left) and Emmylou Harris (center) both achieved their first number-one album since 1977 when they collaborated with Dolly Parton on the album Trio. RonstadtHarris2009.jpg
Linda Ronstadt (left) and Emmylou Harris (center) both achieved their first number-one album since 1977 when they collaborated with Dolly Parton on the album Trio .
Issue dateTitleArtist(s)Ref.
January 3 The Touch Alabama [8]
January 10 [13]
January 17 [14]
January 24 What Am I Gonna Do About You Reba McEntire [15]
January 31 [16]
February 7 [17]
February 14 Ocean Front Property George Strait [18]
February 21 [19]
February 28 [20]
March 7 [21]
March 14 [22]
March 21 Heartland The Judds [23]
March 28 [24]
April 4 [25]
April 11 Hank Live Hank Williams Jr. [26]
April 18 Wheels Restless Heart [27]
April 25 Ocean Front Property George Strait [28]
May 2 Trio Dolly Parton , Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris [29]
May 9 [30]
May 16 [31]
May 23 [32]
May 30 [33]
June 6 Hillbilly Deluxe Dwight Yoakam [34]
June 13 [35]
June 20 Always & Forever Randy Travis [36]
June 27 [37]
July 4 [38]
July 11 [39]
July 18 [40]
July 25 [41]
August 1 [42]
August 8 [43]
August 15 [44]
August 22 [45]
August 29 Born to Boogie Hank Williams Jr. [46]
September 5 Always & Forever Randy Travis [47]
September 12 [48]
September 19 [49]
September 26 [50]
October 3 [51]
October 10 [52]
October 17 [53]
October 24 [54]
October 31 [55]
November 7 Greatest Hits Volume Two George Strait [56]
November 14 Always & Forever Randy Travis [57]
November 21 Just Us Alabama [58]
November 28 Always & Forever Randy Travis [59]
December 5 [60]
December 12 [61]
December 19 [62]
December 2 [63]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Top Country Albums</span> Weekly country music rankings published by Billboard magazine in the United States

Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales along with digital sales and streaming. The chart was first published in the issue of Billboard dated January 11, 1964, under the title Hot Country Albums, when the number one album was Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash by Johnny Cash.

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN   9780898201734.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 336. ISBN   9780898201734.
  3. Wolff, Kurt (2000). Country Music: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides. p. 458. ISBN   9781858285344.
  4. Thompson, William Forde (2014). Music in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Encyclopedia. SAGE Publications. p. 274. ISBN   9781452283029.
  5. Weisbard, Eric (2004). Top 40 Democracy: The Rival Mainstreams of American Music. University of Chicago Press. p. 104. ISBN   9780226896182.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 251. ISBN   9780898201734.
  7. Mansfield, Brian. "Randy Travis Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Country Albums chart for January 3, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  9. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 16. ISBN   9780898201734.
  10. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 276. ISBN   9780898201734.
  11. Huey, Steve. "Restless Heart Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  12. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. pp. 111, 219. ISBN   9780898201734.
  13. "Country Albums chart for January 10, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  14. "Country Albums chart for January 17, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  15. "Country Albums chart for January 24, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  16. "Country Albums chart for January 31, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  17. "Country Albums chart for February 7, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  18. "Country Albums chart for February 14, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  19. "Country Albums chart for February 21, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  20. "Country Albums chart for February 28, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  21. "Country Albums chart for March 7, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  22. "Country Albums chart for March 14, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  23. "Country Albums chart for March 21, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  24. "Country Albums chart for March 28, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  25. "Country Albums chart for April 4, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  26. "Country Albums chart for April 11, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  27. "Country Albums chart for April 18, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  28. "Country Albums chart for April 25, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  29. "Country Albums chart for May 2, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  30. "Country Albums chart for May 9, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  31. "Country Albums chart for May 16, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  32. "Country Albums chart for May 23, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  33. "Country Albums chart for May 30, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  34. "Country Albums chart for June 6, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  35. "Country Albums chart for June 13, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  36. "Country Albums chart for June 20, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  37. "Country Albums chart for June 27, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  38. "Country Albums chart for July 4, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  39. "Country Albums chart for July 11, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  40. "Country Albums chart for July 18, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  41. "Country Albums chart for July 25, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  42. "Country Albums chart for August 1, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  43. "Country Albums chart for August 8, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  44. "Country Albums chart for August 15, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  45. "Country Albums chart for August 22, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  46. "Country Albums chart for August 29, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  47. "Country Albums chart for September 5, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  48. "Country Albums chart for September 12, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  49. "Country Albums chart for September 19, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  50. "Country Albums chart for September 26, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  51. "Country Albums chart for October 3, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  52. "Country Albums chart for October 10, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  53. "Country Albums chart for October 17, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  54. "Country Albums chart for October 24, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  55. "Country Albums chart for October 31, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  56. "Country Albums chart for November 7, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  57. "Country Albums chart for November 14, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  58. "Country Albums chart for November 21, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  59. "Country Albums chart for November 28, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  60. "Country Albums chart for December 5, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  61. "Country Albums chart for December 12, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  62. "Country Albums chart for December 19, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  63. "Country Albums chart for December 2, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved March 26, 2020.