Top Country Albums is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music albums in the United States, published by Billboard. In 1979, five different albums topped the chart, which was at the time published under the title Top Country LP's, based on sales reports submitted by a representative sample of stores nationwide.
In the issue of Billboard dated January 6, Willie Nelson reached number one with the live recording Willie and Family Live, which replaced the final chart-topper of 1978, I've Always Been Crazy by Waylon Jennings. After two weeks Nelson's album was displaced from the top of the chart by The Gambler by Kenny Rogers, who would go on to dominate the number one position during 1979. After spending 23 non-consecutive weeks in the top spot with The Gambler, Rogers would spend a further eight weeks atop the listing with Kenny, which reached the peak position in the issue of Billboard dated November 10 and would remain there for the remainder of the year and well into 1980. Rogers was at the peak of his career at the time, with the smooth production of his records appealing to both country and pop audiences. Between 1978 and 1980 he reached number one on the Hot Country Singles chart with five consecutive releases, including the title track from the album The Gambler.
Waylon Jennings spent fifteen non-consecutive weeks at number one beginning in June with his album Greatest Hits. Jennings was one of the mainstays of the outlaw country movement, which rejected the slick production values evident in popular country music of the early 1970s and added a rock music influence and a counterculture attitude. The compilation was his biggest-selling album, and was ultimately certified quintuple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album's time at number one was twice interrupted by Million Mile Reflections, the first number one for the Charlie Daniels Band, which featured the group's chart-topping single "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". Although Daniels would remain a popular concert attraction for decades, he would not achieve any further number ones on either chart.
Chart history
Issue date | Title | Artist(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
January 6 | Willie and Family Live | Willie Nelson | |
January 13 | |||
January 20 | The Gambler | Kenny Rogers | |
January 27 | |||
February 3 | |||
February 10 | |||
February 17 | |||
February 24 | |||
March 3 | |||
March 10 | |||
March 17 | |||
March 24 | |||
March 31 | |||
April 7 | |||
April 14 | |||
April 21 | |||
April 28 | |||
May 5 | |||
May 12 | |||
May 19 | |||
May 26 | |||
June 2 | Greatest Hits | Waylon Jennings | |
June 9 | The Gambler | Kenny Rogers | |
June 16 | |||
June 23 | |||
June 30 | |||
July 7 | Greatest Hits | Waylon Jennings | |
July 14 | |||
July 21 | |||
July 28 | |||
August 4 | |||
August 11 | |||
August 18 | |||
August 25 | |||
September 1 | Million Mile Reflections | Charlie Daniels Band | |
September 8 | Greatest Hits | Waylon Jennings | |
September 15 | |||
September 22 | Million Mile Reflections | Charlie Daniels Band | |
September 29 | |||
October 6 | |||
October 13 | Greatest Hits | Waylon Jennings | |
October 20 | |||
October 27 | |||
November 3 | |||
November 10 | Kenny | Kenny Rogers | |
November 17 | |||
November 24 | |||
December 1 | |||
December 8 | |||
December 15 | |||
December 22 | |||
December 29 |
References
- Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN 9780898201734.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for January 6, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ Vinopal, David. "Kenny Rogers Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- Morrison, Craig. "Outlaw music". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
- Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 125. ISBN 9780898201734.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Charlie Daniels Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 72. ISBN 9780898201734.
- Whitburn, Joel (2005). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill Publications Inc. pp. 87–88. ISBN 9780823082896.
- "Country Albums chart for January 13, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for January 20, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for January 27, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for February 3, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for February 10, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for February 17, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for February 24, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for March 3, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for March 10, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for March 17, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for March 24, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for March 31, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for April 7, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for April 14, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for April 21, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for April 28, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for May 5, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for May 12, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for May 19, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for May 26, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for June 2, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for June 9, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for June 16, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for June 23, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for June 30, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for July 7, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for July 14, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for July 21, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for July 28, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for August 4, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for August 11, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for August 18, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for August 25, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for September 1, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for September 8, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for September 15, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for September 22, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for September 29, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for October 6, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for October 13, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for October 20, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for October 27, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for November 3, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for November 10, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for November 17, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for November 24, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for December 1, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for December 8, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for December 15, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for December 22, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Country Albums chart for December 29, 1979". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
Billboard number-one country albums | |
---|---|
1964–1979 | |
1980–1999 | |
2000–2019 | |
2020–present |