List of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1978
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File:Kenny Rogers (7787975438).jpg had three number ones in 1978.|alt=Singer Kenny Rogers]]
Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1978, 31 different singles topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.{{cite book|title=Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944–2005|page=ix|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|authorlink=Joel Whitburn|publisher=Record Research|date=2005|isbn=9780898201659}}
Several number ones of 1978 came from artists associated with the so-called outlaw country subgenre, which had emerged as a more hard-edged alternative to the slick production values seen in country music earlier in the 1970s.{{Cite book|title = Rockin' in Time: A Social History of Rock-and-roll|last = Szatmary|first = David P.|publisher = Pearson|year = 2014|isbn=9780205936243|page = 213}} Two of the most prominent exponents of the outlaw style, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/country/news/country-music-hall-of-fame-announces-outlaw-country-exhibit-w515380|title=Country Music Hall of Fame Announces Massive Outlaw Country Exhibit|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Jeff|last=Gage|date=January 12, 2018|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=March 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319004320/https://www.rollingstone.com/country/news/country-music-hall-of-fame-announces-outlaw-country-exhibit-w515380|url-status=live}} collaborated on the longest-running number one of the year, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys", which spent four weeks atop the chart; each also reached number one individually. Jennings' total of seven weeks spent in the top spot was the most by any artist. Nelson was one of only two artists to take three different singles to number one during the year, as he also reached number one with his recordings of two pre-World War II songs, "Georgia on My Mind" and "Blue Skies", taken from Stardust, an album on which he covered a range of pop standards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/stardust-mw0000177347|title=Stardust – Willie Nelson|publisher=AllMusic|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|access-date=March 12, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112001259/https://www.allmusic.com/album/stardust-mw0000177347|url-status=live}} Kenny Rogers also achieved three number ones, as he topped the listing with "Love or Something Like It", "The Gambler" and "Every Time Two Fools Collide", a collaboration with Dottie West.
Another artist linked to the outlaw movement who topped the chart in 1978 was Johnny Paycheck,{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-paycheck-mn0000251375/biography|title=Johnny Paycheck Biography & History|publisher=AllMusic|first=Dan|last=Cooper|access-date=April 12, 2020|archive-date=April 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412075140/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-paycheck-mn0000251375/biography|url-status=live}} who reached number one with "Take This Job and Shove It", which would go on to become his most successful and best-known song. The song, which topped the chart in Billboard{{'}}s first issue of the year, marked his first and only appearance at the top of the Hot Country chart.{{cite book|title=The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|authorlink=Joel Whitburn|page=241|publisher=Billboard Books|date=1996|isbn=9780823082896}} In May and June, two vocal groups which would both go on to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame reached number one for the first time: The Statler Brothers with "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine",{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-statler-brothers-mn0000578031/biography|title=The Statler Brothers: Biography & History|work=AllMusic|first=Jason|last=Ankeny|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=March 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319004301/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-statler-brothers-mn0000578031/biography|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Emmylou Harris, Statler Brothers Inducted Into Hall of Fame|url=https://theboot.com/emmylou-harris-statler-brothers-inducted-into-hall-of-fame/|work=The Boot|publisher=Townsquare Media|first=Beville|last=Darden|date=February 13, 2008|access-date=April 12, 2020|archive-date=April 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412080304/https://theboot.com/emmylou-harris-statler-brothers-inducted-into-hall-of-fame/|url-status=live}} and The Oak Ridge Boys with "I'll Be True to You".{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-oak-ridge-boys-mn0000887348/biography|title=The Oak Ridge Boys: Biography & History|work=AllMusic|first=Steve|last=Huey|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=February 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216025235/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-oak-ridge-boys-mn0000887348/biography|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/the-oak-ridge-boys-lead-2015-country-music-hall-of-fame-inductees-191873/|title=The Oak Ridge Boys Lead 2015 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees|first=Stephen L.|last=Betts|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=March 15, 2015|access-date=April 12, 2020|archive-date=April 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412080301/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/the-oak-ridge-boys-lead-2015-country-music-hall-of-fame-inductees-191873/|url-status=live}} Margo Smith had her first number one in February with "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You".{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/margo-smith-mn0000675718|title=Margo Smith: Biography & History|work=AllMusic|first=Sandra|last=Brennan|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=March 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319004236/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/margo-smith-mn0000675718|url-status=live}} She followed it up with another chart-topper in July with "It Only Hurts for a Little While", but these would prove to be her only number one singles.{{cite book|title=The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|authorlink=Joel Whitburn|page=297|publisher=Billboard Books|date=1996|isbn=9780823082896}} In April, Dottie West reached the top of the chart for the first time with her duet with Kenny Rogers.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dottie-west-mn0000190632/biography|title=Dottie West: Biography & History|work=AllMusic|first=Jason|last=Ankeny|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=March 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319004057/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dottie-west-mn0000190632/biography|url-status=live}} She would go on to achieve further number ones both in collaboration with Rogers and in her own right.
Chart history
File:Waylon Jennings 1.jpg spent a total of seven weeks at number one in 1978.|alt=A man wearing a black cowboy hat, black shirt, black vest and blue jeans, playing a guitar and singing into a microphone]]
File:Johnny Paycheck.jpg (center) topped the chart with his signature song "Take This Job and Shove It".|alt=A group of three men with their arms round each other. The man on the left has a beard and is wearing a cowboy hat and a light-coloured vest. The one in the center has long hair and a beard and is wearing a bandana tied around his forehead, a red T-shirt and suspenders. The one on the right is wearing a white shirt and a dark vest.]]
File:Dolly Parton accepting Liseberg Applause Award 2010 portrait.jpg
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
!scope=col|Issue date !scope=col|Title !scope=col|Artist(s) !scope=col class=unsortable|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|January 7}}
| rowspan=2|"Take This Job and Shove It" |rowspan=2|{{sortname|Johnny|Paycheck}} |
|---|
| scope=row|{{dts|January 14}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|January 21}}
|"What a Difference You've Made in My Life" |{{sortname|Ronnie|Milsap}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|January 28}}
| rowspan=2|"Out of My Head and Back in My Bed" |rowspan=2|{{sortname|Loretta|Lynn}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|February 4}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|February 11}}
|"I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love" |{{sortname|Larry|Gatlin}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|February 18}}
| rowspan=2|"Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" |rowspan=2|{{sortname|Margo|Smith}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|February 25}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|March 4}}
| rowspan=4|"Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" |rowspan=4|{{sortname|Waylon|Jennings}} and Willie Nelson |
| scope=row|{{dts|March 11}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|March 18}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|March 25}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|April 1}}
|"Ready for the Times to Get Better" |{{sortname|Crystal|Gayle}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|April 8}}
| rowspan=2|"Someone Loves You Honey" |rowspan=2|{{sortname|Charley|Pride}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|April 15}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|April 22}}
| rowspan=2|"Every Time Two Fools Collide" |rowspan=2|{{sortname|Kenny|Rogers}} and Dottie West |
| scope=row|{{dts|April 29}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|May 6}}
| rowspan=2|"It's All Wrong, But It's All Right" |rowspan=2|{{sortname|Dolly|Parton}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|May 13}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|May 20}}
|"She Can Put Her Shoes Under My Bed (Anytime)" |{{sortname|Johnny|Duncan|Johnny Duncan (country music artist)}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|May 27}}
| rowspan=2|"Do You Know You Are My Sunshine" |rowspan=2|{{sort|Statler|The Statler Brothers}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|June 3}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|June 10}}
|{{sortname|Willie|Nelson}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|June 17}}
|{{sortname|Emmylou|Harris}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|June 24}}
|{{sort|Oak|The Oak Ridge Boys}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|July 1}}
|"It Only Hurts for a Little While" |{{sortname|Margo|Smith}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|July 8}}
|{{sortname|Mel|Tillis}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|July 15}}
| rowspan=3|"Only One Love in My Life" |rowspan=3|{{sortname|Ronnie|Milsap}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|July 22}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|July 29}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|August 5}}
|{{sortname|Kenny|Rogers}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|August 12}}
|{{sortname|Eddie|Rabbitt}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|August 19}}
| rowspan=2|"Talking in Your Sleep" |rowspan=2|{{sortname|Crystal|Gayle}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|August 26}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|September 2}}
|"Blue Skies" |{{sortname|Willie|Nelson}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|September 9}}
| rowspan=3|"I've Always Been Crazy" |rowspan=3|{{sortname|Waylon|Jennings}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|September 16}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|September 23}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|September 30}}
| rowspan=3|"Heartbreaker" |rowspan=3|{{sortname|Dolly|Parton}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|October 7}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|October 14}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|October 21}}
|"Tear Time" |
| scope=row|{{dts|October 28}}
|"Let's Take the Long Way Around the World" |{{sortname|Ronnie|Milsap}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|November 4}}
| rowspan=3|"Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" |rowspan=3|{{sortname|Barbara|Mandrell}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|November 11}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|November 18}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|November 25}}
|"Sweet Desire" / "Old Fashioned Love"{{#tag:ref|Double A-sided single|group=lower-alpha}} |{{sort|Kendalls|The Kendalls}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|December 2}}
|{{sortname|Eddie|Rabbitt}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|December 9}}
|"On My Knees" |{{sortname|Charlie|Rich}} and Janie Fricke |
| scope=row|{{dts|December 16}}
| rowspan=3|"The Gambler" |rowspan=3|{{sortname|Kenny|Rogers}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|December 23}} |
| scope=row|{{dts|December 30}} |
See also
Notes
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}