The UK Country Airplay chart is a weekly music chart based on the radio airplay of country music singles on radio stations in the United Kingdom. It serves as the UK equivalent to the American Billboard Country Airplay chart.
Announced on 8 March 2024, the debut chart was revealed a few days later on 10 March to coincide with the final day of the 2024 C2C: Country to Country music festival, with the official top 20 being posted each week on the UK-based country publication Holler. The chart, which is the first genre-specific radio chart in the UK, aims to serve as a key measure of which songs are being enjoyed most frequently by listeners across the country and is produced in collaboration with music company Radiomonitor, and the UK branch of the Country Music Association. [1]
The first number-one song on the UK Country Airplay chart was "Creek Will Rise" by Conner Smith. [2] The current number one single is "Your Place" by Ashley Cooke.
The creation of the chart was spearheaded by the increase in popularity of country music within the UK and was described by Milly Olykan, vice president of international relations and development for the CMA, as a “pivotal initiative in a move towards more mainstream moments for the genre” and noting how the consumption of country music in the UK increased by 40% in 2023. In a statement following the announcement of the chart, Olkyan explained “This is an incredibly exciting time for country music in the UK. From the genre experiencing a 40% growth in consumption throughout the last year, to the volume of tickets sold to Country festivals and tours increasing at a record pace, it's apparent the Country is broadening significantly into the mainstream in the UK. This new radio chart will provide another exposure opportunity to further elevate Country artists and allow for greater engagement with fans. As the premier trade association supporting the growth of the Country Music industry, CMA's focus in the UK is to continue to identify how we can move towards more mainstream moments for the genre, and this is another pivotal initiative.”
Alexa Hannaby, head of Big Machine Records in the UK and leader of the project, stated "I'm thrilled for the launch of the UK Country Radio Airplay Chart, a significant milestone for Country music in the UK. This achievement is truly a testament to the incredible teamwork and collaboration between industry experts and Radiomonitor. Together, we're paving the way for increased recognition and exposure for country artists in the UK and I'm excited to see its impact unfold. [3]
The first ever top 10 was revealed on 10 March 2024:
Each weekly iteration of the chart will consist of the Top 20 songs being heard on the radio, taken from a pool of new releases, with anything that was made available more than three years ago discounted. This will help to ensure the chart is an accurate reflection of current trends and interests within the genre. Data is compiled from a plethora of UK country radio stations, including Absolute Radio Country, BBC Radio 2 - The Country Show with Bob Harris, CountryLine: The Big 615, Downtown Country Radio, and Smooth Country Radio. [4]
No. | nth singe to top the UK Country Airplay chart |
---|---|
re | Return of a single to number one |
No. | Artist | Song | Record label | Reached number one | Weeks at number one | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Conner Smith | "Creek Will Rise" | Valory Music Co. | 11 March 2024 | 1 | [5] |
2 | Cody Johnson | "The Painter" | Mercury Nashville | 17 March 2024 | 1 | [6] |
re | Conner Smith | "Creek Will Rise" | Valory Music Co. | 24 March 2024 | 2 | [7] |
3 | Jordan Davis | "Tucson Too Late" | MCA Nashville | 7 April 2024 | 1 | [8] |
4 | Parker McCollum | "Burn It Down" | 14 April 2024 | 1 | ||
5 | Dasha | "Austin" | Warner Records | 21 April 2024 | 1 | |
6 | Sam Hunt | "Outskirts" | MCA Nashville | 28 April 2024 | 1 | |
7 | Ashley Cooke | "Your Place" | Big Loud | 5 May 2024 | 1 | [9] |
re | Sam Hunt | "Outskirts" | MCA Nashville | 12 May 2024 | 1 | |
Ashley Cooke | "Your Place" | Big Loud | 19 May 2024 | 1 | ||
8 | Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen | "I Had Some Help" | Republic Nashville/Mercury Nashville | 26 May 2024 | 1 | |
re | Ashley Cooke | "Your Place" | Big Loud | 2 June 2024 | 2 |
Artist | Weeks at number one |
---|---|
Ashley Cooke | 4 |
Conner Smith | 3 |
Billy Joe Royal was an American country soul singer. His most successful record was "Down in the Boondocks" in 1965.
Alternative Airplay is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played songs on alternative and modern rock radio stations. Introduced as Modern Rock Tracks, the chart served as a companion to the Mainstream Rock chart, and its creation was prompted by the explosion of alternative music on American radio in the late 1980s. During the first several years of the chart, it regularly featured music that did not receive commercial radio airplay anywhere but on a few modern rock and college rock radio stations. This included many electronic and post-punk artists. Gradually, as alternative rock became more mainstream, alternative and mainstream rock radio stations began playing many of the same songs. By the late 2000s, the genres became more fully differentiated with only limited crossover. The Alternative Airplay chart features more alternative rock, indie pop, and pop punk artists while the Mainstream Rock chart leans towards more guitar-tinged blues rock, hard rock, and heavy metal.
The Radio Songs chart is released weekly by Billboard magazine and measures the airplay of songs being played on radio stations throughout the United States across all musical genres. It is one of the three components, along with sales and streaming activity, that determine the chart positions of songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
Country pop is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres like rock, pop, and country, continuing similar efforts that began in the late 1950s, known originally as the Nashville sound and later on as Countrypolitan. By the mid-1970s, many country artists were transitioning to the pop-country sound, which led to some records charting high on the mainstream top 40 and the Billboard country chart. In turn, many pop and easy listening artists crossed over to country charts during this time. After declining in popularity during the neotraditional movement of the 1980s, country pop had a comeback in the 1990s with a sound that drew more heavily on pop rock and adult contemporary. In the 2010s, country pop metamorphosized again with the addition of hip-hop beats and rap-style phrasing.
Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in nightclubs and at discotheques between the 1940s and 1960s would also have airplay.
Little Big Town is an American country music vocal group from Homewood, Alabama. Founded in 1998, the group has had the same four members since its founding: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook. Their musical style relies heavily on four-part vocal harmonies, with all four members alternating as lead vocalists.
The UK music charts are a collection of charts that reflect the music-buying habits of people within the United Kingdom. Most of them are produced by the Official Charts Company.
Pop Airplay is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the United States. The rankings are based on radio airplay detections as measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, a subsidiary of the U.S.' leading marketing research company. Consumer researchers, Nielsen Audio, refers to the format as contemporary hit radio (CHR). The current number-one song on the chart is "Saturn" by SZA.
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 Shires are a British country music duo composed of singer-songwriters Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes. Earle sings harmony vocals, plays piano and guitar, and Rhodes is lead singer. The duo formed in 2013 and released their debut album Brave in 2015, becoming the first UK country act to chart in the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart. The group's second album, My Universe, became the fastest-selling UK country album in history when it was released in October 2016.
"Like a Cowboy" is a song recorded by American country music artist Randy Houser. It was released in May 2014 as the fourth single from his third studio album, How Country Feels. Houser wrote the song with Brice Long.
Cody Daniel Johnson is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has self-released six albums, including Gotta Be Me, which debuted at number two on Billboard's Country Albums chart, before releasing his first major-label album, Ain't Nothin' to It, in January 2019. He released his second major-label album, Human: The Double Album, in October 2021. Johnson's style is classified as contemporary country and neo-traditionalist country, drawing influences from artists like George Strait and Willie Nelson. His song "'Til You Can't" won two awards at the Country Music Association Awards in 2022.
"Biscuits" is a song recorded by American country music artist Kacey Musgraves that serves as the lead single from her second major label studio album, Pageant Material. It was released to country radio on March 16, 2015, through Mercury Nashville and was released to digital retailers the following day. The song was written and produced by Musgraves and Shane McAnally, with additional songwriting by Brandy Clark and additional production by Luke Laird. In December 2015, Billboard ranked "Biscuits" number one on its "10 Best Country Songs of 2015" list and number 16 on its list of the 25 best songs of 2015 across all genres.
Radiomonitor is a British music company that tracks the worldwide airplay of songs, with the information given to record labels and radio stations. They have established partnerships with several international companies located in Ireland, Australia and South Africa, and compiled several airplay charts in the United Kingdom in contrast to the Official Charts Company's physical sales-based UK Singles Chart.
The TurnTable Top 100 Songs is the music industry standard record chart in Nigeria for songs, published weekly by TurnTable magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and online streaming in Nigeria. In its opening year, TurnTable charts listed 50 positions, but later expanded its chart ranking to 100 on the second half of 2022.
Conner Smith is an American country music singer. He is signed to Big Machine Records' Valory label and has charted three singles.
"Burn It Down" is a song by American country music singer Parker McCollum. It was released on June 19, 2023, as the second single from his fourth studio album Never Enough. The song was written by McCollum and the Love Junkies and produced by Jon Randall.
"Pretty Little Poison" is a song by American country music singer Warren Zeiders, released on July 10, 2023 as the second single from his debut studio album of the same name (2023). It was written by Zeiders, Ryan Beaver and Jared Keim and produced by Ross Copperman.
"Creek Will Rise" is a song by American country music singer Conner Smith. It was released on April 3, 2023 as the lead single from his debut album Smoky Mountains. Smith co-wrote the song with Chris Lacorte, Chase McGill, and Parker Welling, and it was produced by Zach Crowell.
Baylen Leonard is an American British radio and TV broadcaster specialising in country music.