Bailey Zimmerman‘s “Fall in Love” becomes the first rookie single to top Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart in 2022. The song, released on Elektra/Warner Music Nashville/WEA, jumps from No. 5 to No. 1 on the survey dated Dec. 10, up 16% to 26.5 million audience impressions in the week ending Dec. 4, according to Luminate.
The track – which Zimmerman co-authored with Gavin Lucas and Austin Shawn, who also solely produced it – marks the first Country Airplay leader for a freshman single since the chart dated Oct. 23, 2021, when Elvie Shane’s “My Boy” reached the summit.
“Two years ago, I quit my job to make music and now we have a No. 1 song,” says Zimmerman. “All I got to say is God is good and I’m very thankful for country radio and all the fans that support me and my music. Love y’all a lot!”
“Fall in Love” is the first single from Zimmerman’s debut collection Leave the Light On, which arrived on Top Country Albums at its No. 2 peak in October. The set has spent its first seven weeks in the top 10, ranking at No. 8 on the Dec. 10 tally with 17,000 equivalent album units earned Nov. 25-Dec. 1.
The 22-year-old from Louisville, Ill., worked at a meat processing plant and on a gas pipeline, among other jobs, before segueing to a career in music. He gained traction by posting videos on social media and now boasts 1.8 million followers on TikTok.
In September, Zimmerman made history when he became the first act to place three career-opening entries in the Hot Country Songs top 10 simultaneously, since the chart began as an all-encompassing genre ranking in October 1958, as “Fall in Love” accompanied “Rock and a Hard Place” and “Where It Ends.”
On the Dec. 10 Hot Country Songs chart, “Fall in Love” pushes 7-5 for a new best. It collected 7.2 million official U.S. streams and sold 2,000 downloads in the latest tracking week.
Meanwhile, “Rock” ranks at No. 9 on Hot Country Songs after it opened at its No. 2 best in June. It drew 10.8 million clicks and sold 1,000 in the latest frame. The song also rises to a new No. 44 high on Country Airplay (1.6 million, up 18%) and is now being promoted as the radio follow-up to “Fall in Love.”
‘Whiskey’ Straight Up
Nate Smith scores his first Country Airplay top 10 as his initial entry “Whiskey on You” pushes 12-10, up 8% to 18.2 million in audience.
The single, which Smith co-penned, ranks at No. 13 on Hot Country Songs after it reached No. 11 in October. It corralled 4.8 million streams and sold 1,000 downloads in the latest tracking week.
Like Zimmerman, the 23-year-old Smith, from Paradise, Calif., also scored early success on TikTok prior to signing to Sony Music Nashville’s Arista Nashville roster in November 2021.
Bryan Does ‘Good’
Zach Bryan scores his first No. 1 on Country Digital Song Sales as “The Good I’ll Do” blasts in atop the list. It sold 5,000 downloads Nov. 25-Dec. 1. The song is Bryan’s second top 10 in as many appearances, after “Something in the Orange” hit No. 4 in November.
