Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1985, 51 different songs 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] Only "Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)" by Ronnie Milsap managed a second week at the top of the chart.
Alabama, one of the most successful bands in country music history,[2] had the highest number of chart-toppers by a single act in 1985, with four: "(There's A) Fire in the Night", "There's No Way", "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')" and "Can't Keep a Good Man Down". When the group achieved its third number one of the year in August, Billboard regarded it as Alabama's seventeenth consecutive Hot Country number one, breaking the record for consecutive chart-toppers previously held by Sonny James.[3] Alabama had released a Christmas single in late 1982 which only peaked at number 35, but the magazine disregarded this for the purposes of the band's number one streak, stating "only a Scrooge would count that against them".[3] The band would eventually extend its streak of consecutive number ones to 21 before its popularity began to wane in the 1990s.[2][4] Earl Thomas Conley, Exile, the Judds and the Oak Ridge Boys each had three number ones in 1985. Additionally Willie Nelson achieved one solo number one, one in collaboration with Ray Charles, and one as a member of the supergroup the Highwaymen, in which he was joined by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson.[5]
Having appeared regularly on the Hot Country chart since 1976, Mel McDaniel achieved his first and only number one in 1985 with "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On".[6] Ray Charles also topped the chart for the only time in 1985.[7] Although he was far more associated with the soul and rhythm and blues genres during his lengthy career,[8][9] Charles placed several songs on the country chart during the mid-1980s. He went all the way to the top spot with the Willie Nelson collaboration "Seven Spanish Angels", taken from the album Friendship, on which Charles duetted with a range of contemporary country singers.[10] Gary Morris and Sawyer Brown were also first-time chart-toppers in 1985, with "Baby Bye Bye" and "Step That Step" respectively.[11][12] "Have Mercy" by The Judds was the final number one of the year.
Chart history
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN 9780898201659.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Alabama Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- ^ a b Grein, Paul (August 3, 1985). "Chart Beat". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ Houghton, Cillea (April 23, 2017). "Dixieland Delight: See Alabama Through the Years". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on January 29, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- ^ Thompson, Gayle (December 6, 2017). "33 Years Ago: Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson record 'Highwayman'". The Boot. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ "Mel McDaniel Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ "Ray Charles Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Ray Charles Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 26, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ "Ray Charles". The Independent. June 12, 2004. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ Erlewine, Steven Thomas. "Friendship review". AllMusic. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ "Gary Morris Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ "Sawyer Brown Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 5, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 12, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 19, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 26, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 2, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 9, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 16, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 23, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 2, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 9, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 9, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 16, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 23, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 13, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 30, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 6, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 13, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 20, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 27, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 4, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 11, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 18, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 25, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 1, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 8, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 15, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 13, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 22, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 2, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 29, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 6, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 13, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 29, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 20, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 29, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 27, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 3, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 10, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 17, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 24, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 31, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 7, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 14, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 21, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 28, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 5, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 12, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 19, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 26, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 29, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 2, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 9, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 16, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 23, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 30, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 29, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 7, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 14, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 21, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 28, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2010.