Only 18 different songs made it to the #1 stop on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart in 2023, and it sounds like we all listened to the same music this year.
Where I’m from in the U.K., we make statements with music. For example, one year we were all sick of “X Factor” winners getting the #1 song at Christmas, so we all went out and bought “Killing In The Name Of” by Rage Against the Machine. It quickly became our Christmas #1 song in protest and brought all Britons a little bit closer together.
Music has the power to unite people who would never otherwise know what they have in common. So when I noticed only 18 songs placed in the #1 spot on one of Billboard’s most popular charts, I knew we were all onto something.
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Congrats @aintgottadollar and @johnrich
Everyone needs to surrender to Christ ASAP https://t.co/EntASo5HhN
— KAY SMYTHE (@KaySmythe) August 11, 2023
The top song of the year, “Last Night,” went to Morgan Wallen. He was joined by Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and Bailey Zimmerman, who was virtually unknown a year ago.
“I think we have a couple things happening,” Bo Matthews, the program director for Alpha Media KBAY San Jose, told Billboard. “The pop music cycle is not strong currently, and clearly, country music is the winner. Consumption is higher with country music, and programmers are being smart, playing what their listeners want, and embracing new country stars. What a great time to be in country music. We have the rock stars right now.”
Since the chart launched in 1990, almost 1,000 songs have hit #1, with an average of 27.5 songs per year. With so few in 2023, it feels like we’re all turning to our favorite tracks to get us through what was another year defined by domestic and international chaos. (RELATED: Morgan Wallen Breaks Major Record With Latest Album)
So while the mainstream corporate entertainment industry tries to alienate you from your neighbors, based on arbitrary demographic differences that are mostly aesthetic and politically driven, please remember that most Americans like the same art. We sing the same songs. We go to the same artists to take the edge off during these long nights. No matter what, no one can take that away from us … so before jumping to conclusions about people, just imagine what else we might have in common.