Jon Pardi claims his fifth No. 1 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart as “Last Night Lonely” ascends to the top of the list dated Sept. 3. In the tracking week ending Aug. 28, the track gained by 9% to 25.3 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.
The song was penned by Jimi Bell, Joe Fox and Dylan Marlowe, all of whom top Country Airplay for the first time as writers. It’s the lead single from Pardi’s album Mr. Saturday Night, due Sept. 2.
“I love the way ‘Last Night Lonely’ [was] written, and when I first heard it I knew it was one I wanted, for sure, on the new record,” Pardi tells Billboard. “The response to the song has been really amazing to watch. We knew we felt good about it, but it’s really connected with our fans. It’s incredibly cool to have it be the first No. 1 for the writers, too. I’m so excited for them.”
On the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart, “Last” lifts 8-7. It drew 5.3 million official U.S. streams and sold 1,000 downloads in the Aug 19-25 tracking week.
The 37-year-old Pardi, from Dixon, Calif., last led Country Airplay as featured on Thomas Rhett’s “Beer Can’t Fix,” for a week in May 2020. The song followed Pardi’s first three No. 1s: “Heartache Medication” (one week, February 2020), “Dirt on My Boots” (three, March-April 2017) and “Head Over Boots,” (one, August 2016). Pardi boasts nine top 10s on the tally, including, between his two latest leaders, “Tequila Little Time” (No. 5, this January) and “Ain’t Always the Cowboy” (No. 3, December 2020).
‘Ends’ Begins
Bailey Zimmerman’s “Where It Ends” enters Hot Country Songs at No. 7, marking his second top 10 debut and third top 10 overall, after “Rock and a Hard Place” opened at its No. 2 high in June and “Fall in Love” rose to its No. 6 best in July. (“Fall” and “Rock” rank at Nos. 6 and 10, respectively, on the Sept. 3 chart.)
Released Aug. 19, “Ends” drew 10.4 million streams and sold 6,000 in its first week. It arrives atop Country Digital Song Sales, becoming Zimmerman’s second No. 1, after “Rock.”
Meanwhile on Country Airplay, “Fall” climbs 22-16 (7.9 million, up 16%).
Proven Hit
Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof,” which debuted atop the May 28-dated Hot Country Songs chart, rebounds for its second week at the summit. It attracted 14.6 million streams, as it tops Country Streaming Songs for a 10th week, and sold 4,000 downloads in the latest tracking week. On Country Airplay, “Proof” pushes 10-7 (19.2 million, up 15%).
Ingrid Andress’ “Wishful Drinking,” with Sam Hunt, bumps 11-9 on Country Airplay (16.1 million, up 9%). The song, from Andress’ sophomore album Good Person, released Aug. 26, becomes her second top 10 on the chart, after her launch single “More Hearts Than Mine” hit No. 3 in May 2020.
Hunt adds his 11th Country Airplay top 10 and first since “23,” which became his ninth No. 1 in April. Meanwhile, his own “Water Under the Bridge” rises 33-31 (3 million, up 5%).
New Heights
Tyler Hubbard achieves his first Country Airplay top 10 as a soloist as “5 Foot 9” climbs 12-10 (15.3 million, up 7%).
Florida Georgia Line – the duo of Hubbard and Brian Kelley – has rolled up 19 Country Airplay top 10s, including 16 No. 1s. Most recently, the pair reigned as featured on Chase Rice’s “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” for a week last August.
Hubbard previously hit Country Airplay apart from FGL with “Undivided,” his team-up with Tim McGraw that hit No. 16 in May 2021.
