List of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1978

Singer Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers had three number ones in 1978.

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.[1]

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.[2] Two of the most prominent exponents of the outlaw style, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson,[3] 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.[4] 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,[5] who reached number one with "Take This Job and Shove It", which would go on to become his most successful and best-known song.[5] 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.[6] 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",[7][8] and The Oak Ridge Boys with "I'll Be True to You".[9][10] Margo Smith had her first number one in February with "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You".[11] 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.[12] In April, Dottie West reached the top of the chart for the first time with her duet with Kenny Rogers.[13] She would go on to achieve further number ones both in collaboration with Rogers and in her own right.[13]

Chart history

A man wearing a black cowboy hat, black shirt, black vest and blue jeans, playing a guitar and singing into a microphone
Waylon Jennings spent a total of seven weeks at number one in 1978.
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.
Johnny Paycheck (center) topped the chart with his signature song "Take This Job and Shove It".
A blonde woman wearing dark clothing, holding a trophy in the shape of hands applauding
Dolly Parton had two chart-toppers which spent a combined five weeks at number one.
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 7 "Take This Job and Shove It" Johnny Paycheck [14]
January 14 [15]
January 21 "What a Difference You've Made in My Life" Ronnie Milsap [16]
January 28 "Out of My Head and Back in My Bed" Loretta Lynn [17]
February 4 [18]
February 11 "I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love" Larry Gatlin [19]
February 18 "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" Margo Smith [20]
February 25 [21]
March 4 "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson [22]
March 11 [23]
March 18 [24]
March 25 [25]
April 1 "Ready for the Times to Get Better" Crystal Gayle [26]
April 8 "Someone Loves You Honey" Charley Pride [27]
April 15 [28]
April 22 "Every Time Two Fools Collide" Kenny Rogers and Dottie West [29]
April 29 [30]
May 6 "It's All Wrong, But It's All Right" Dolly Parton [31]
May 13 [32]
May 20 "She Can Put Her Shoes Under my Bed (Anytime)" Johnny Duncan [33]
May 27 "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine" The Statler Brothers [34]
June 3 [35]
June 10 "Georgia on My Mind" Willie Nelson [36]
June 17 "Two More Bottles of Wine" Emmylou Harris [37]
June 24 "I'll Be True to You" The Oak Ridge Boys [38]
July 1 "It Only Hurts for a Little While" Margo Smith [39]
July 8 "I Believe in You" Mel Tillis [40]
July 15 "Only One Love in My Life" Ronnie Milsap [41]
July 22 [42]
July 29 [43]
August 5 "Love or Something Like It" Kenny Rogers [44]
August 12 "You Don't Love Me Anymore" Eddie Rabbitt [45]
August 19 "Talking in Your Sleep" Crystal Gayle [46]
August 26 [47]
September 2 "Blue Skies" Willie Nelson [48]
September 9 "I've Always Been Crazy" Waylon Jennings [49]
September 16 [50]
September 23 [51]
September 30 "Heartbreaker" Dolly Parton [52]
October 7 [53]
October 14 [54]
October 21 "Tear Time" Dave & Sugar [55]
October 28 "Let's Take the Long Way Around the World" Ronnie Milsap [56]
November 4 "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" Barbara Mandrell [57]
November 11 [58]
November 18 [59]
November 25 "Sweet Desire" / "Old Fashioned Love"[a] The Kendalls [60]
December 2 "I Just Want to Love You" Eddie Rabbitt [61]
December 9 "On My Knees" Charlie Rich and Janie Fricke [62]
December 16 "The Gambler" Kenny Rogers [63]
December 23 [64]
December 30 [65]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Double A-sided single

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944–2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN 9780898201659.
  2. ^ Szatmary, David P. (2014). Rockin' in Time: A Social History of Rock-and-roll. Pearson. p. 213. ISBN 9780205936243.
  3. ^ Gage, Jeff (January 12, 2018). "Country Music Hall of Fame Announces Massive Outlaw Country Exhibit". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Stardust – Willie Nelson". AllMusic. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Cooper, Dan. "Johnny Paycheck Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Billboard Books. p. 241. ISBN 9780823082896.
  7. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "The Statler Brothers: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  8. ^ Darden, Beville (February 13, 2008). "Emmylou Harris, Statler Brothers Inducted Into Hall of Fame". The Boot. Townsquare Media. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  9. ^ Huey, Steve. "The Oak Ridge Boys: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  10. ^ Betts, Stephen L. (March 15, 2015). "The Oak Ridge Boys Lead 2015 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  11. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Margo Smith: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  12. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Billboard Books. p. 297. ISBN 9780823082896.
  13. ^ a b Ankeny, Jason. "Dottie West: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  14. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 7, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  15. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 14, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  16. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 21, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  17. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 28, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  18. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 4, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  19. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 11, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  20. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 18, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  21. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 25, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  22. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 4, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  23. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 11, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  24. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 18, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  25. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 25, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  26. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 1, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  27. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 8, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  28. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 15, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  29. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 22, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  30. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 29, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  31. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 6, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  32. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 13, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  33. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 20, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  34. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 27, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  35. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 3, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  36. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 10, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  37. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 17, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  38. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 24, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  39. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 1, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  40. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 8, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  41. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 15, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  42. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 22, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  43. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 29, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  44. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 5, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  45. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 12, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  46. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 19, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  47. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 26, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  48. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 2, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  49. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 9, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  50. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 16, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  51. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 23, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  52. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 30, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  53. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 7, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  54. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 14, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  55. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 21, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  56. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 28, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  57. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 4, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  58. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 11, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  59. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 18, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  60. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 25, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  61. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 2, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  62. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 9, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  63. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 16, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  64. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 23, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  65. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 30, 1978". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2018.