“I went through a lot when I wrote it, and I just sat down and then I wrote these thoughts,” Chayce Beckham he said American songwriter on creating his breakthrough radio hit, “23,” in 2020. “I wrote that song in about 15, 20 minutes. There is no magic formula for this. It's just my thoughts on the structure of a song and people connected to it.”
“23” climbs to No. 1 on Advertising signCountry Airplay chart dated April 6 – marking the first chart-topper by an artist who exclusively wrote and recorded it in more than 11 years since Taylor Swift's “Ours” topped the chart on March 31, 2012.
Since Country Airplay began with the chart dated January 20, 1990 (as Advertising sign's first airplay research based on electronically tracked data, which is now provided at Advertising sign by Luminate, as measured by Mediabase), 938 songs have reached No. 1. Only 38 – or 4% – were written solely by the soloists who recorded them. When eight more No. 1s from duos or groups written by a member of those acts are included, the share rises to a further exclusive 5%.
By comparison, of the five songs other than “23” that spent their first weeks at No. 1 on Country Airplay in 2024, an average of 3.8 writers wrote them.
Only five solo acts have scored that many No. 1s, while a duo or group has done so through one member. Another 12 soloists won one each and three other groups led with a song each written by one of their members.
Breaking down the stats by decade, 24 of the 46 Country Airplay No.1s written solely by performing acts dominated in the 1990s. 17 in the 2000s; four in the 10s; and now, one, in the 20s.
“This song has changed my life in so many ways,” Beckham reflected on “23.” American songwriter. “It's such a cool thing. Gotta get back to that scribble, write songs sometimes and just put my thoughts down. Sometimes the best things come when you don't try too hard.”
Which artists boast the most exclusive autographed Country Airplay No. 1 during the chart's 34-year history? Browse the list below, spanning from chart-topper Clint Black's 'Nobody's Home' to the most recent.
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11, Alan Jackson
Jackson leads with 11 exclusively written Country Airplay No. 1. In chronological order: “I'd Love You All Over Again” (1991), “Livin' on Love” (1994), “I'll Try” (1996), “There Goes” (1997), “Where I Come From, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” (both 2001), “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” (2002), “Remember When” (2004), “Small Town Southern Man”, “Good Time” (both 2008) and “Country Boy” (2009).
For the 9/11-inspired “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” Jackson said Advertising sign in 2001, “It was Sunday, October 28. I played a show in Georgia on Saturday night, and flew home late. I got up [at] 3 or 4 in the morning, and then the song [came], just out of nowhere. I got up and put it on a digital recorder. I just sang it, I wasn't even playing guitar. I sang exactly the tune and lyrics and went back to bed. I got up the next morning, and so did the girls [his wife, Denise, and their three daughters] went to Sunday school [while] I'm done writing the lyrics.
“It just came out. I think it was a gift and I'm just a messenger for it. It's a very special song.”
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5, Toby Keith
The late star is tied for the second-most Country Airplay No. 1 written by the deed that recorded them. He wrote his first of five with his first hit “Should've Been a Cowboy” in 1993 and followed it up with “Who's That Man” (1994), “You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This” (2001), ” Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” and “Who's Your Daddy?” (both 2002).
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5, Taylor Swift
Swift has also scored five Country Airplay No. 1 without collaborators, including her 2007 lead single “Our Song.” He repeated the feat with “Should've Said No” (2008), “Love Story” (2008), “Sparks Fly” (2011)” and “Ours” (2012).
(Click here for a rundown of the more than 50 songs in Swift's self-penned back catalog.)
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5, Ronnie Dunn, of Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn are the only non-solo act with multiple Country Airplay No. 1 written solely by a duo or group member. Ronnie Dunn single-handedly wrote five of the pair's chart-toppers: “Neon Moon,” “Boot Scootin' Boogie” (both 1992), “She Used To Be Mine” (1993), “She's Not the Cheatin' Kind” (1994) and “Little Miss Honky Tonk” (1995).
(Tandem's Kix Brooks maintains close ties to the chart as host Countdown to American Country.)
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3, Clint Black
Black closed out the '90s with a self-penned Country Airplay No. 1, with an interlude. His three: “Nobody's Home” (1990), “Loving Blind” (1991) and “When I Said I Do” (1999).
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2, Travis Tritt
Tritt has scored two Country Airplay No. 1s without other writing partners: “Foolish Pride” (1994) and “Best of Intentions” (2000).
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Act with one each
Meanwhile, 12 solo artists have topped Country Airplay with self-penned songs. In addition, three groups have reached No. 1 with songs written by one of their members. Here's a look at all of these leaders.
Soloist:
- Chase Beckham: “23” (2024)
- Mary Chapin Carpenter: “Shut Up and Kiss Me” (1994)
- Lionel Cartwright: “Leap of Faith” (1991)
- Kenny Chesney: “Beer in Mexico” (2007)
- Anita Cochran: “What If I Said” (duet with Steve Wariner, 1998)
- Vince Gill: “Tryin' To Get Over You” (1994)
- Mac McAnally: “Down the Road” (with Kenny Chesney, 2009)
- David Lee Murphy: “Dust on the Bottle” (1995)
- Brad Paisley: “Letter to Me” (2008)
- Eddie Rabbit: On Second Thought (1990)
- Dan Sills: “Love on Arrival” (1990)
- Clay Walker: “Live Till I Die” (1994)
Teams:
- The Band Perry: “If I Die Young”, written by Kimberly Perry (2010)
- LANCO: Greatest Love Story, written by Brandon Lancaster (2017)
- Sawyer Brown: “Some Girls Do”, screenplay by Marc Miller (1992)
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/country-airplay-number-ones-written-artists/
