Top Country Albums is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music albums in the United States, published by Billboard. In 1974, 12 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.[1]
In the issue of Billboard dated January 6, Charlie Rich was at number one with his album Behind Closed Doors. The album had spent four weeks at number one in June and July of the previous year.[2] Five months after it left the top spot, it returned to number one in December, in the same week that Rich's song "The Most Beautiful Girl" reached number one on Billboard's all-genre singles chart, the Hot 100.[3] The album would have several spells atop the chart in 1974 and eventually spend a total of 21 weeks at number one, a new record total for an album.[2] Rich also spent time at number one with There Won't Be Anymore and Very Special Love Songs during the year, and in total spent 21 weeks atop the chart in 1974, the most by any artist. Problems in his personal life, however, would soon contribute to a decline in his career.[4]
Two artists other than Rich achieved more than one number one in 1974. Conway Twitty topped the chart with Honky Tonk Angel and Country Partners, the latter a collaboration with Loretta Lynn. The two singers had a run of success with duet recordings in the early 1970s alongside their ongoing solo careers.[5] Olivia Newton-John spent time in the top spot with both Let Me Be There and If You Love Me, Let Me Know, her first two charting albums.[6] The success of the Anglo-Australian singer, who came from a pop music background, was controversial within the country music industry, and when she won the Female Vocalist of the Year award from the Country Music Association, some members of the organization resigned in protest.[7][8] Her focus on the country genre would be brief, however;[8] after 1979 she would not appear on the country albums chart again for nearly 20 years.[6] The year's final number one album was Back Home Again by John Denver, a country-folk performer whose broad appeal made him the biggest-selling artist in America at the time.[9] First reaching the top spot in August, the album would have four separate runs at number one during the remainder of the year, spending a total of 12 weeks atop the listing.
Chart history
editReferences
edit- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN 9780898201734.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. pp. 333–334. ISBN 9780898201734.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (April 30, 2019). "The Number Ones: Charlie Rich's "The Most Beautiful Girl"". Stereogum. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Charlie Rich Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Conway Twitty Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 179. ISBN 9780898201734.
- ^ Windeler, Robert (July 31, 1978). "Ohh Sandy! – Olivia Newton-John". People. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Olivia Newton-John Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "John Denver Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 99. ISBN 9780898201734.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for January 5, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for January 12, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for January 19, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for January 26, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for February 2, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for February 9, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for February 16, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for February 23, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for March 2, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for March 9, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for March 16, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for March 23, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for March 30, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for April 6, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for April 13, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for April 20, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for April 27, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for May 4, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for May 11, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for May 18, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for May 25, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for June 1, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for June 8, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for June 15, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for June 22, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for June 29, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for July 6, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for July 13, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for July 20, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for July 27, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for August 3, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for August 10, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for August 17, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for August 24, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for August 31, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for September 7, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for September 14, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for September 21, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for September 28, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for October 5, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for October 12, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for October 19, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for October 26, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for November 2, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for November 9, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for November 16, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for November 23, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for November 30, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for December 7, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for December 14, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for December 21, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Country Albums chart for December 28, 1974". Billboard. Retrieved February 16, 2020.