Parmalee & Blanco Brown Top Country Airplay Chart: ‘This Song Is About Celebrating the Women in Our Lives’
Parmalee and Blanco Brown's "Just the Way" ascends to No. 1 in its 43rd week on Billboard's Country Airplay…
Parmalee and Blanco Brown‘s “Just the Way” ascends to No. 1 in its 43rd week on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart (dated March 20). In the week ending March 14, the song increased by 7% to 30.9 million audience impressions, according to MRC Data.
Parmalee achieves its second Country Airplay No. 1, after “Carolina” led for a week in December 2013. The group has scored two additional top 10s: “Close Your Eyes” (No. 4, December 2014) and “Already Callin’ You Mine” (No. 10, December 2015).
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Meanwhile, Brown’s second Country Airplay entry becomes his first No. 1. His breakthrough hit “The Git Up” peaked at No. 44 in August 2019, although it dominated the airplay-, sales- and streaming-based Hot Country Songs chart for 12 weeks beginning in July 2019. The viral hit also topped Country Streaming Songs for 15 weeks.
“Way,” released on Stoney Creek, was written by Parmalee frontman Matt Thomas, Kevin Bard and Nolan Sipe and produced by David Fanning (also the band’s manager). Parmalee is rounded out by Scott Thomas (Matt’s brother), Barry Knox and Josh McSwain.
“It’s been so exciting to see ‘Just the Way’ take us to our next No. 1,” Matt Thomas tells Billboard. “We’re so thankful to everyone that helped get it there: our team, country radio and the fans, especially. This song is all about celebrating the women in our lives, so it’s even more special that it’s going No. 1 during Women’s History Month.”
Brown survived a near-fatal accident in Atlanta last Aug. 31 when his motorcycle collided head-on with a pickup truck. He broke both of his arms, wrists and legs and his pelvis, underwent a 12-hour surgery and spent almost a month recovering in the hospital.
“When dreams meet reality, passion meets purpose,” Brown muses. “I’m blessed to do what I love for a living. A No. 1 on the radio at a time when there are so many other great songs and gifted individuals is unreal. Parmalee, we did it!”
“LADY” LUCK Brett Young scores his seventh top 10 on Billboard‘s multi-metric Hot Country Songs top 10 as “Lady” rises 11-10.
On Country Airplay, the single, which Young co-wrote, hops 6-3 for a new high, up by 13% to 26 million impressions. It also drew 4.5 million U.S. streams and sold 8,000 downloads in the tracking week.
Young has yet to miss the Hot Country Songs top 10, encompassing all his proper singles promoted to country radio. “Lady” follows “Catch,” which peaked at No. 5 last April. The song became Young’s fifth No. 1 on Country Airplay the same month.
Young’s first Hot Country Songs entry, “Sleep Without You,” reached No. 3 (and No. 2 on Country Airplay) in December 2016.
LADY A’S BEST ARRIVAL Lady A achieves its highest career debut on Country Airplay as “Like a Lady” flies in at No. 24. Released to country radio March 12, the song by the trio, which comprises Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott, drew 7.6 million audience impressions in its first three days, helped by hourly plays on participating iHeartMedia stations on its first day.
Co-written by Scott, Lady A’s 31st Country Airplay entry bests two prior songs by the act that each started at No. 25: “Downtown,” in February 2013 before leading for two weeks starting that April, and “What If I Never Get Over You,” in May 2019 before it reigned for a week in January 2020.
“Like a Lady” follows “Champagne Night,” which led Country Airplay for two frames this January, becoming Lady A’s 11th No. 1, a sum that includes 15 top 10s.