Gabby Barrett’s “I Hope” tops Billboard’s airplay-, streaming- and sales-powered Hot Country Songs chart for a 20th week (on the list dated Dec. 19). The song surpasses Maren Morris’ “The Bones,” which “Hope” dethroned in July, for the longest leading Hot Country Songs No. 1 by a woman and no accompanying acts since the chart began as an all-encompassing genre ranking in October 1958.
Bebe Rexha retains the crown as the woman with the longest ruling title overall, as “Meant to Be” — with Florida Georgia Line — led for a record 50 frames in 2017-18.
Here’s a look at the longest leading Hot Country Songs No. 1s since October 1958.
Longest Leading Hot Country Songs No. 1s
Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist(s), Date Reached No. 1
50, “Meant to Be,” Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, Dec. 16, 2017
34, “Body Like a Back Road,” Sam Hunt, Feb. 25, 2017
24, “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line, Dec. 22, 2012
21, “10,000 Hours,” Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber, Oct. 19, 2019
20, “I Hope,” Gabby Barrett, July 25, 2020
19, “The Bones,” Maren Morris, March 14, 2020
19, “Walk On By,” Leroy Van Dyke, Sept. 25, 1961
18, “H.O.L.Y.,” Florida Georgia Line, May 21, 2016
17, “Die a Happy Man,” Thomas Rhett, Nov. 14, 2015
16, “Love’s Gonna Live Here,” Buck Owens, Oct. 19, 1963
“Hope” drew 64.1 million in all-format airplay audience and 8.8 million U.S. streams and sold 4,000 downloads in the latest tracking week, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
The song led the Country Airplay chart for a week in April and, aided by its Charlie Puth remix released that month, has crossed to adult and pop radio. It crowned the all-genre Radio Songs chart for a week in October; topped Adult Pop Songs for four weeks beginning that month; and has hit No. 3 on both Pop Songs and Adult Contemporary.
NEW TOP 10s Jon Pardi nabs his eighth Hot Country Songs top 10 as “Ain’t Always a Cowboy” hops 13-9. It rises 6-3 on Country Airplay (27.8 million impressions, up 15%) and corralled 5.8 million streams and sold 1,000 in the tracking week.
Plus, Kelly Clarkson and Brett Eldredge’s “Under the Mistletoe” dashes 15-10 on Hot Country Songs, marking Clarkson’s third top 10 and Eldredge’s ninth. The carol, which the twosome performed on NBC’s The Voice Dec. 8, is up 18% to 10.3 million streams and 121% to 3,000 sold.
