Maren Morris Achieves First Country Airplay No. 1 by a Woman in Over a Year With ‘Girl’
"I am so proud that 'Girl' is my third Billboard No. 1," says Morris. "The title of the song alone feels like poetic justice breaking this year-and-a-half streak of a woman not having a No. 1 on…
Maren Morris banks her third No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Girl” ascends 4-1 in its 28th week on the Aug. 3-dated list. It increases by 13% to 37.4 million audience impressions in the tracking week ending July 28, according to Nielsen Music.
“Girl” marks the first time that a solo female artist has topped the chart in well over a year. The last time was on the chart dated Feb. 24, 2018 when Kelsea Ballerini’s “Legends” led for one week, becoming the artist’s fourth Country Airplay No. 1.
“I am so proud that ‘Girl’ is my third Billboard No. 1,” says Morris. “The title of the song alone feels like poetic justice breaking this year-and-a-half streak of a woman not having a No. 1 on [Country Airplay], so let’s be hopeful we never see that dry spell again.”
It’s also the first time in 2019 that a woman has been atop the radio airplay fueled chart, in any fashion; including groups, duos or as a featured artist. The most recent was Jason Aldean’s “Drowns the Whiskey” which features Miranda Lambert. The collaboration topped Country Airplay for two frames starting on the chart dated Aug. 25, 2018.
By the way, Lambert’s new track “It All Comes Out in the Wash” romps 36-28 on Hot Country Songs, in its second week on the survey.
For the 29-year-old Morris who hails from Arlington, Texas, “Girl” is her third Country Airplay No. 1 among five top 10s, and her second No. 1 in as a solo artist. Her first visit to the summit was on the Feb. 22, 2017 dated chart when Thomas Rhett’s “Craving You” featuring Morris led for one week. “I Could Use a Love Song” marked Morris’ second No. 1 and her first as a solo act, as it ruled the Jan. 20, 2018 chart (one week).
Morris’ additional Country Airplay top 10’s include her debut single “My Church,” which peaked at No. 9 on May 21, 2016 and “Rich,” which reached No. 4 on Nov. 17.
Morris next single from the Girl album will be “The Bones” which ranks at No. 26 this week on the hybrid Hot Country Songs survey, powered by airplay, streaming and sales. Meanwhile, “Girl” bumps 9-8 for a new best.
“Girl,” which was written by Morris with Greg Kurstin and Sarah Aarons, is the title song from the album of the same name. The set, her second full-length studio album, debuted atop the Top Country Albums tally dated March 23 with 46,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week (with 25,000 of that sum in album sales).
ANOTHER RECORD FOR COMBS Luke Combs continues atop Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart, as his debut LP This One’s for You spends a 43rd week at No. 1. It reigns with 23,000 equivalent album units earned (up 1%) in the week ending July 25. Of that sum, 3,000 were in album sales.
The set ties Randy Travis’ Always & Forever, which ruled for 43 weeks beginning in June 1987 as the second-longest-leading album since the list launched in 1964. Among male artists, Travis and Combs are tied for first.
Just one title has spent more time at No. 1: Shania Twain’s Come on Over, which dominated for 50 weeks beginning in November 1997.
Meanwhile, Combs’ latest release, The Prequel, ranks at No. 3 on Top Country Albums (13,000, down 3%), after the five-track EP debuted atop the list dated June 22.