Blake Shelton Tops Country Airplay Chart With ‘Gonna’
He scores his 21st leader, and sweet 16th in-a-row. Plus, moves for Parmalee, Luke Bryan, Jana Kramer & more.
Blake Shelton notches his 21st topper on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart (dated Dec. 26), as “Gonna,” the fourth single from Bringing Back the Sunshine, rises 2-1 with a 3 percent increase to 49 million audience impressions, according to Nielsen Music.
Blake Shelton Sings ‘Gonna’ at 2015 CMAs
With his latest coronation, Shelton passes Brooks & Dunn and Toby Keith for sole possession of fifth place for most No. 1s in the chart’s history (which dates to 1990). He trails only Tim McGraw (27), Alan Jackson, George Strait and Kenny Chesney (each with 26). “Gonna” sets another benchmark. It extends Shelton’s streak to 16 consecutive Country Airplay No. 1s (counting non-seasonal promoted singles). His lead is substantial: The next best active streak is Luke Bryan‘s five, followed by Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney and Brett Eldredge (four each).
“I am literally beside myself,” Shelton tells Billboard. “I have to say thank you to country radio and the fans for an incredible ride.”
In addition to its home on Bringing Back the Sunshine, “Gonna” appears on Shelton’s album Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits, which debuted at No. 2 on Top Country Albums in November. As Billboard correctly forecasted at the time, the set now needs an updated title, Reloaded: 21 #1 Hits, as it includes his first 20 Country Airplay No. 1s, as well as new leader “Gonna,” now on equal footing with the rest of the album’s tracks.
THREE FOR PARMALEE: In its 45th week on Country Airplay, Parmalee‘s “Already Callin’ You Mine” marches 12-10 (30 million, up 12 percent). It’s the third top 10 from the band’s debut album Feels Like Carolina, following the No. 1 “Carolina” and No. 4-peaking “Close Your Eyes.” Parmalee is the first group (of at least three members) to earn three or more top 10s from a debut set since the Band Perry (2010-12).
“Our mission was to finish strong on this album,” says Stoney Creek VP of promotion Chris Loss. “The guys have upped their game on their next project, with a lead single coming in 2016.”
LUKE LEAPS: On Hot Country Songs, Bryan’s “Home Alone Tonight,” featuring Little Big Town‘s Karen Fairchild, flies 14-8. The collab climbs 9-7 on Country Digital Songs (20,000 downloads sold, up 21 percent); jumps 16-13 as the Greatest Gainer on Country Airplay (27 million, up 21 percent); and debuts at No. 23 on Country Streaming Songs (1.1 million U.S. streams, up 25 percent). Bryan notches his 20th Hot Country Songs top 10, while Fairchild lands her first solo top 10 (in addition to seven with LBT).
BIG ‘BOY’: Also new to the Hot Country Songs top tier, Jana Kramer pushes 11-10 with “I Got the Boy,” her second top 10. (Jamie Lynn spears co-wrote the song.) She first reached the region with “Why Ya Wanna,” which rose to No. 3 in 2012.
CLOCKING IN: Finally, Emily Ann Roberts, a top-four finalist on NBC’s The Voice (whose season finale airs tonight) brings the Dolly Parton classic “9 to 5” (No. 1, 1981) back to Hot Country Songs for the first time since the original. Roberts’ version leaps in at No. 25; on Country Digital Songs, it arrives at No. 2 (35,000). Fellow Voice finalists Zach Seabaugh (“The Climb,” No. 30), Barrett Baber (“Ghost,” No. 32) and Shelby Brown (“Even God Must Get the Blues,” No. 47) also debut on Hot Country Songs.
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