Walker Hayes‘ “Fancy Like” banks its 20th week in the penthouse on Billboard‘s airplay-, sales- and streaming-sales based Hot Country Songs chart. It’s just the sixth song in the list’s history to reign for 20 or more frames.
The Nashville-based Hayes, originally from Mobile, Ala., co-wrote the song with Cameron Bartolini, Josh Jenkins and Shane Stevens.
Buzz for Walker’s ode to life’s simpler pleasures, including Applebee’s date nights (which sparked a commercial synch with the chain), grew early thanks to TikTok, where Hayes — whose following on the platform has surged to over 2 million — has posted multiple clips dancing to the song with his six children and others.
Here’s a recap of the longest leading No. 1s since Hot Country Songs began as an all-encompassing genre songs ranking in October 1958 (with nine having reigned since the chart adopted its current multi-metric methodology in October 2012):
Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs:
50, “Meant to Be,” Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, beginning Dec. 16, 2017
34, “Body Like a Back Road,” Sam Hunt, Feb. 25, 2017
27, “I Hope,” Gabby Barrett, July 25, 2020
24, “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line, Dec. 22, 2012
21, “10,000 Hours,” Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber, Oct. 19, 2019
20, “Fancy Like,” Walker Hayes, July 24, 2021
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
“Fancy Like” continues its Hot Country Songs command (atop the Dec. 25-dated chart) with a 32% gain to 9,000 in sales in the Dec. 10-16 tracking week, according to MRC Data, sparked in part by Hayes’ performance of the hit on the season finale of NBC’s The Voice Dec. 14. The song also drew 21.6 million impressions in all-format radio audience, helped by pop and adult crossover play, and 10.2 million U.S. streams.
The track has logged 22 weeks at No. 1 on Country Digital Song Sales and 19 weeks atop Country Streaming Songs and became Hayes’ first Country Airplay leader on the survey dated Nov. 13.
“Fancy Like” is from Hayes’ EP Country Stuff, which debuted at its No. 4 high on Top Country Albums in September. He’ll release the full-length Country Stuff, with seven additional tracks, Jan. 21.
Meanwhile, follow-up single “AA” jumps 40-31 for a new high in its fourth week on Country Airplay, up 38% to 2.6 million impressions. The track, which Hayes co-wrote, also hops 33-28 on Hot Country Songs, with a 4% gain to 2 million streams.
Wallen Returns to Top 10: Morgan Wallen, the No. 1 act on Billboard‘s 2021 Top Country Artists chart, returns to the weekly Country Airplay tally’s top 10, as “Sand in My Boots” rises 11-9, up 12% to 16.5 million impressions in the week ending Dec. 19.
Wallen last placed in the Country Airplay top 10 on the chart dated Dec. 12, 2020 (a year and two weeks ago), when former leader “More Than My Hometown” ranked at No. 7.
His next single, “7 Summers,” peaked at No. 15 this February. On Feb. 2, a video emerged revealing Wallen using a racial slur. He later issued an apology, although his music was removed from many high-profile playlists on streaming services by multiple radio groups.
“Sand,” which Ashley Gorley, HARDY and Josh Osborne co-wrote, is from Wallen’s Dangerous the Double Album, the top title on the 2021 year-end all-genre Billboard 200 Albums recap.
“Sand” marks Wallen’s fifth Country Airplay top 10, following four straight No. 1s: “More Than My Hometown” (one week on top, November 2020); “Chasin’ You” (one, May 2020); “Whiskey Glasses” (three weeks, June 2019); and “Up Down,” featuring Florida Georgia Line (one, June 2018).
