If anyone could do this in 2023, it would easily be Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen.
For the first time since 1981, two country songs are sitting at the #1 and #2 spots on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, with Morgan remaining at #1 with “Last Night” and Luke slowly inching closer to the top with his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”:
The #Hot100 top 10 (chart dated July 1, 2023)
— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) June 26, 2023
The last time two country songs were in the top two spots on the mainstream, Top 40 Billboard chart was 42 years ago with Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love A Rainy Night” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”:
The last time was “I Love a Rainy Night” by Eddie Rabbitt (#1) and “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton (#2).
— Chris Owen (@FiddleSabre) June 26, 2023
Morgan has been on a helluva run with his already #1 hit single “Last Night,” which has remained at the top spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for 13-straight weeks now, and Luke’s cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” has been whizzing up the charts at an insane pace, well on its way to becoming a #1 hit here very soon.
Luke sent the single from his most recent album Gettin’ Old to country radio, but also to Top 40 pop and Hot Adult Contemporary radio as well after it organically started charting like crazy and putting up massive streaming numbers.
It’s recently surpassed Tracy’s peak at #6 with the original, and it now sitting at the #2 spot on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart (one of two country charts labels use to officially track their songs performance, along with Mediabase where he’s at #3).
When it’s all said and done, it will likely be the biggest hit of his career so far, which is saying a lot, because he already has over a dozen #1 hits to his name:
“Fast Car” by @lukecombs climbs 3 spots to #2 on Billboard Country Airplay this week.
Only 10 weeks charting. Less than 8 weeks charting on Mediabase country, where it should be #3 on Sunday.
— Chris Owen (@FiddleSabre) June 23, 2023
This is the eight straight week that “Last Night” is at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart:
“Last Night” by @MorganWallen is the #1 song on Billboard Country Airplay for the 8th straight week.
Morgan now has the only two singles to spend 8 or more weeks at #1 on Billboard Country Airplay in nearly 20 years (“You Proof”).
— Chris Owen (@FiddleSabre) June 23, 2023
A few weeks ago, Luke and Morgan also became the first artists in 23 years to have two country songs simultaneously in the Top 5, which last happened in the year 2000, so they’re basically breaking their own record this week.
And of course, pretty much anything Luke or Morgan sends to country radio these days eventually hits the top spot, but it’s pretty damn cool to see them crushing it at mainstream Top 40 radio and bringing country music to the masses. Dare I say, country music is, in fact, “cool again” if you will…
I mean, if you’re more than holding your own against Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, SZA and more, you’re clearly doing something right.
I don’t think there’s any arguing that this is the summer of Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen, as they’re also both out on massive world tours, selling out stadiums all over the country while they’re at it.
And funny enough, right now, it’s lookin’ like the only thing that will knock Morgan from the #1 spot at Top 40 radio is his good buddy and fellow country superstar Luke Combs, probably in the next week or two… stay tuned.
“Last Night”
“Fast Car”
