Tyler Hubbard earns his second No. 1 as a soloist on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Back Then Right Now” ascends to the summit on the May 25-dated list. The single increased 6% to 29.5 million audience impressions May 10-16, according to Luminate.
Hubbard co-authored the song with Jessie Jo Dillon, David Garcia and Geoff Warburton, and co-produced it with Jordan Schmidt. It’s the lead single from Hubbard’s sophomore LP, Strong, which launched at its No. 35 high on Top Country Albums in April.
The track follows Hubbard’s “Dancin’ in the Country,” which hit No. 2 on Country Airplay in May 2023, becoming his second of three top 10s. “5 Foot 9” led for a week in November 2022.
Hubbard, 37, from Monroe, Ga., made 16 previous trips to No. 1 on Country Airplay as half Florida Georgia Line with Brian Kelley, who is also working solo.
Post Malone, Wallen Soar to Top 10
In its second week on Country Airplay – after it debuted from just one day of play the week before – Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen, hits the top 10 (18-9; 15.8 million May 10-16; up from 10.4 million May 9). The song, a contender for No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated May 25, is Post Malone’s second Country Airplay entry, following his featured turn on the late Joe Diffie’s “Pickup Man” (No. 44, January). Wallen adds his 15th top 10.
“Help” is the first song to reach the Country Airplay top 10 in two or fewer weeks since Garth Brooks’ “More Than a Memory” launched at No. 1 in September 2007. It’s also the first to do so not by Garth Brooks, dating to the chart’s 1990 start.
Songs to Reach the Country Airplay Top 10 in Two or Fewer Weeks:
- Garth Brooks, “More Than a Memory,” Sept. 15, 2007, one – the only song to debut at No. 1
- Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help,” May 25, 2024, two
- Garth Brooks, “It’s Your Song,” Nov. 21, 1998, two
- Garth Brooks, “Longneck Bottle,” Nov. 29, 1997, two
- Garth Brooks, “She’s Every Woman,” Sept. 16, 1995, two
- Garth Brooks, “The Thunder Rolls,” May 25, 1991, two
Of the five songs above prior to “I Had Some Help,” four hit No. 1 on Country Airplay; “It’s Your Song” peaked at No. 9.
Martin’s ‘Ride’ Rolls On
Plus, Bryan Martin, who hails from Logansport, La., and worked on an oil rig before pivoting to music, hits the Country Airplay top 10 with his first entry, “We Ride” (11-10; 15.5 million, up 2%). It’s from his third LP, Poets & Old Souls, released in March 2023.
