List of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1974
Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1974, 41 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]
At the start of the year, the number one song on the chart was "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard, which had been at the top of the chart since the issue of Billboard dated December 22, 1973. Charlie Rich had the most number ones of 1974, taking five different songs to the top spot, followed by Dolly Parton, who had three solo chart-toppers and one in collaboration with her long-time mentor Porter Wagoner. Wagoner and Parton had achieved a string of duet hits since 1967,[2] but "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" was their only number one as a duo.[3] In 1973, Parton had taken the decision to end her working relationship with Wagoner, which served as the inspiration for the song "I Will Always Love You",[4] one of her three solo number ones of 1974. In 1982 she re-recorded the song and it once again went to number one, making her the first artist to top the country chart with two different recordings of the same song.[5] Wagoner and Parton's chart-topper was one of two male-female duets to reach number one in 1974, the other being "As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone" by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn; all the year's other number ones were by solo artists.
Charlie Rich also spent the highest total number of weeks at number one during the year, spending eight weeks in the top spot with "There Won't Be Anymore", "A Very Special Love Song", "I Don't See Me in Your Eyes Anymore", "I Love My Friend" and "She Called Me Baby", all of which also crossed over to Billboard's all-genre singles chart, the Hot 100.[6] "A Very Special Love Song" was the only song of the year to spend more than two weeks at number one on the Hot Country Singles chart. In June, Ronnie Milsap had his first number one with "Pure Love".[7] He would go on to become one of the most successful country performers of the 1970s and 1980s, topping the Hot Country Singles chart 40 times.[7] In the same month, Waylon Jennings reached number one for the first time with "This Time".[8] Jennings would go on to become one of the mainstays of the successful outlaw country movement of the late 1970s and, like Milsap, is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.[9][10][11] A third future Hall of Fame inductee to top the chart for the first time in 1974 was Bobby Bare,[12] who achieved the only number one of his lengthy career in July with "Marie Laveau".[13] Mickey Gilley, Billy Swan, Melba Montgomery and Billy "Crash" Craddock were also first-time chart-toppers in 1974.[14][15][16][17] The final number one of the year was "What a Man My Man Is" by Lynn Anderson.
Chart history
See also
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN 9780898201659.
- ^ Vinopal, David. "Dolly Parton Biography & History". Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ "Porter Wagoner Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ Paulson, David (December 26, 2015). "Dolly Parton remembers writing 'I Will Always Love You'". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ Ellison, Curtis W. (1995). Country Music Culture: From Hard Times to Heaven. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 195. ISBN 9781604739343.
- ^ "Charlie Rich Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ a b "Top 10 Ronnie Milsap Songs". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. January 25, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ The Comprehensive Country Music Encyclopedia. Times Books. 1994. p. 184. ISBN 9780812922479.
- ^ Gage, Jeff (January 12, 2018). "Country Music Hall of Fame Announces Massive Outlaw Country Exhibit". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Dansby, Andrew (February 14, 2002). "Waylon Jennings Dead at Sixty-four". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Betts, Stephen L. (January 12, 2015). "Ronnie Milsap to Be Focus of Country Hall of Fame Exhibit". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Morris, Edward (October 28, 2013). "Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare, Jack Clement Inducted Into Country Music Hall of Fame". CMT. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Betts, Stephen L.; Leahey, Andrew; Newman, Melinda; Hudak, Joseph; Manning, Erin; Dunkerley, Beville; Gold, Adam; Moss, Marissa R. (February 13, 2015). "Booting Ass and Taking Names: Country's 20 Best Revenge Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Jurek, Thom. "Room Full of Roses/Gilley's Smokin'". AllMusic. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ "Billy Swan Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Melba Montgomery Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Huey, Steve. "Billy "Crash" Craddock Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 5, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 12, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 19, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 26, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 2, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 9, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 16, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 23, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 2, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 9, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 16, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 23, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 30, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 6, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 13, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 20, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 27, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 4, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 11, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 18, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 25, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 1, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 8, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 15, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 22, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 29, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 6, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 13, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 20, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 27, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 3, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 10, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 17, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 24, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 31, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 7, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 14, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 21, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 28, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 5, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 12, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 19, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 26, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 2, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 9, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 16, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 23, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 30, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 7, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 14, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 21, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 28, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2018.