List of Billboard number-one country songs of 2020
{{Short description|none}}
{{italic title|string=Billboard}}
File:Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani at US-Italy State Dinner.jpg (second left) and his partner, pop/rock singer Gwen Stefani (right), collaborated on two Country Airplay number ones in 2020.|alt=Singers Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani]]
Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay are charts that rank the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. Hot Country Songs ranks songs based on digital downloads, streaming, and airplay not only from country stations but from stations of all formats, a methodology introduced in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/27/arts/music/billboards-chart-changes-draw-fire.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|title=Changes to Charts by Billboard Draw Fire|work=The New York Times|last=McKinley, Jr.|first=James C.|date=October 26, 2012|access-date=December 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103005222/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/27/arts/music/billboards-chart-changes-draw-fire.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|archive-date=November 3, 2012|url-status=live}} Country Airplay, which began being published in 2012, is based solely on country radio airplay, a methodology that had previously been used from 1990 to 2012 for Hot Country Songs.
Both charts began the year with songs at number one that had been in the top spot in the last chart of 2019; "10,000 Hours" by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber holding the top spot on the Hot Country Songs chart, and "Even Though I'm Leaving" by Luke Combs atop the Country Airplay chart. Having spent the last 11 weeks of 2019 at number one on Hot Country Songs, "10,000 Hours" went on to spend its 15th consecutive week in the top spot in the issue of Billboard dated January 25, and in the same week topped the Country Airplay listing for the first time. The song remained at number one on Hot Country Songs until March 14, when it was displaced by "The Bones" by Maren Morris. It was the first number one on the chart for Morris and made her the first female artist to top the chart without an accompanying male act since Kelsea Ballerini with "Peter Pan" in September 2016.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9331413/maren-morris-the-bones-kane-brown-homesick-top-country-charts|title=Maren Morris Scores First No. 1 on Hot Country Songs Chart, Kane Brown Crowns Country Airplay|last=Asker|first=Jim|date=March 10, 2020|access-date=March 10, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327054129/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9331413/maren-morris-the-bones-kane-brown-homesick-top-country-charts|url-status=live}} In May, "The Bones" spent its 11th week at number one on Hot Country Songs, surpassing Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" as the longest-lasting number one by a solo female artist on that chart.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/maren-morris-beats-taylor-swifts-hot-country-songs/story?id=70783775|title=Maren Morris beats Taylor Swift's Hot Country Songs chart record|last=Dresdale|first=Andrea|date=May 20, 2020|access-date=May 20, 2020|work=ABC News|archive-date=May 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200520182055/https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/maren-morris-beats-taylor-swifts-hot-country-songs/story?id=70783775|url-status=live}} The song ultimately spent 19 weeks at number one.
When Jimmie Allen's "Make Me Want To" reached number one in its 58th chart week on the Country Airplay chart dated March 7, it set two records: the slowest climb to number one in that chart's history,{{cite web|url=https://tasteofcountry.com/jimmie-allen-make-me-want-to-charts/|title=Jimmie Allen's 'Make Me Want To' Claims No. 1 Spot on Country Radio After History-Making Climb|last=Reichard|first=Ryan|date=March 3, 2020|access-date=March 6, 2020|work=Taste of Country|publisher=Townsquare Media|archive-date=March 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305165831/https://tasteofcountry.com/jimmie-allen-make-me-want-to-charts/|url-status=live}} as well as the longest chart run. In June, Travis Denning set a new mark for the longest time taken to reach the top spot when "After a Few" reached number one in its 65th week.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/1821861/after-a-65-week-climb-to-no-1-travis-denning-sets-two-chart-records/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902081846/http://www.cmt.com/news/1821861/after-a-65-week-climb-to-no-1-travis-denning-sets-two-chart-records/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-09-02|title=After a 65-Week Climb to No. 1, Travis Denning Sets Two Chart Records|publisher=CMT|date=June 8, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2020}} Denning was one of a number of acts who achieved their first career number ones in 2020, along with former American Idol finalist Gabby Barrett, whose debut single "I Hope" spent one week at number one on Country Airplay in April.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/gabby-barrett-debut-album-goldmine-993184/|title=Gabby Barrett Details Debut Album 'Goldmine'|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Jon|last=Freeman|date=May 1, 2020|access-date=December 12, 2020|archive-date=October 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028170829/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/gabby-barrett-debut-album-goldmine-993184/|url-status=live}} The song spent 21 non-consecutive weeks in the peak position on Hot Country Songs beginning in July, surpassing the new record set by Morris earlier in the year for the longest-running number one by a solo female artist.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9499854/gabby-barrett-i-hope-breaks-hot-country-songs-record/|title=Gabby Barrett's 'I Hope' Breaks Record With 20th Week Atop Hot Country Songs|first=Jim|last=Asker|magazine=Billboard|date=December 15, 2020|access-date=December 15, 2020|archive-date=December 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215190833/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9499854/gabby-barrett-i-hope-breaks-hot-country-songs-record/|url-status=live}} The song achieved exceptional levels of success on streaming platforms for a country song, boosted by a remix featuring pop singer Charlie Puth.{{cite news|title=With streaming success and a debut hit, 'American Idol' finalist Gabby Barrett has become a country music anomaly|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/11/11/gabby-barrett-charlie-puth-i-hope/|newspaper=Washington Post|first=Emily|last=Yahr|date=November 11, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2020|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119133656/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/11/11/gabby-barrett-charlie-puth-i-hope/|url-status=live}} Pop singer Gwen Stefani scored her first two number one singles on the Country Airplay chart with "Nobody but You" and "Happy Anywhere",{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/gwen-stefani/chart-history/csa/|title=Gwen Stefani Chart History: Country Airplay|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428111118/https://www.billboard.com/music/gwen-stefani/chart-history/CSA|access-date=December 11, 2020|archive-date=2021-04-28}} both of which were collaborations with her boyfriend (subsequently fiancé) Blake Shelton.{{Cite web|url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2020/10/27/blake-shelton-and-gwen-stefani-engaged/3749747001/|title='I heard a YES': Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are engaged|work=USA Today|first=Gary|last=Dinges|date=October 27, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2020|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101141748/https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2020/10/27/blake-shelton-and-gwen-stefani-engaged/3749747001/|url-status=live}} Other first-time chart toppers included Jameson Rodgers with his debut single "Some Girls",{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/1826781/from-mississippi-to-music-row-jameson-rodgers-reaches-the-top/|title=From Mississippi to Music Row, Jameson Rodgers Reaches the Top|publisher=CMT|first=Craig|last=Shelburne|date=November 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102233010/http://www.cmt.com/news/1826781/from-mississippi-to-music-row-jameson-rodgers-reaches-the-top/|access-date=December 12, 2020|archive-date=2020-11-02}} Hardy with "One Beer", which was also the first number one for featured vocalist Devin Dawson,{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/1827975/hardy-hits-no-1-with-lauren-alaina-devin-dawson-and-one-beer/|title=HARDY Hits No. 1 With Lauren Alaina, Devin Dawson and "One Beer"|publisher=CMT|first=Craig|last=Shelburne|date=November 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130224502/http://www.cmt.com/news/1827975/hardy-hits-no-1-with-lauren-alaina-devin-dawson-and-one-beer/|access-date=December 12, 2020|archive-date=2020-11-30}} and Parker McCollum with "Pretty Heart", which ended the year at number one.{{cite web|url=https://tasteofcountry.com/parker-mccollum-pretty-heart-no-1-charts/|title=Parker McCollum Lands His First Country Radio No.1 with 'Pretty Heart'|work=Taste of Country|publisher=Townsquare Media|date=December 22, 2020|access-date=December 22, 2020|first=Philip|last=Trapp|archive-date=December 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222180631/https://tasteofcountry.com/parker-mccollum-pretty-heart-no-1-charts/|url-status=live}} The longest-lasting number one on the Country Airplay chart was Luke Combs's "Lovin' on You", which spent four weeks at number one in September. Combs spent a total of seven weeks at number one during the year and had three chart-topping songs, both more than any other act. Jon Pardi, Sam Hunt, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Morgan Wallen, and Lee Brice each reached the top with two different songs.
Chart history
File:Maren Morris 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg" by Maren Morris became the longest-running number one by a female solo artist on the Hot Country Songs chart.|alt=Singer Maren Morris]]
File:Gabby....jpg" by former American Idol contestant Gabby Barrett broke the record set by Morris.]]
File:Justin Bieber in 2015.jpg collaborated with country duo Dan + Shay on the song "10,000 Hours", which topped both charts.]]
File:Lady A - Charlotte 12-27-12-29.jpg topped the Country Airplay chart in January with "What If I Never Get Over You". The group would shorten its name to Lady A later in the year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53005676|title=Lady Antebellum: US band change name to Lady A over slave-era links|publisher=BBC News|date=June 11, 2020|access-date=December 12, 2020}}]]
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Hot Country Songs}}
{{featured list}}