1956 (Sales): The writers…
Filed Under…
- Album Reviews
- Awards Discussions
- Blockbuster Albums
- Blurbs
- Book Reviews
- Charts
- Classic Rewind
- Country Heritage
- Decade In Review
- Discussions
- Editorials
- Everything Else
- Fellow Travelers
- Giveaways
- Interviews
- Live Reviews
- News
- Opry Legends
- Playlist
- Retro Reviews
- Single Reviews
- Spotlight Artist
- Wish lists
- Year In Review
Popular artists…
Alabama
Alan Jackson
Alison Krauss
Barbara Mandrell
Bill Anderson
Blake Shelton
Bobby Bare
Brad Paisley
Brooks & Dunn
Buck Owens
Carl Smith
Carrie Underwood
Charley Pride
Chris Stapleton
Chris Young
Clint Black
Connie Smith
Conway Twitty
Crystal Gayle
Dean Dillon
Dierks Bentley
Dixie Chicks
Dolly Parton
Don Williams
Dwight Yoakam
Earl Thomas Conley
Eddy Arnold
Elvis Presley
Emmylou Harris
Ernest Tubb
Faith Hill
Faron Young
Florida Georgia Line
Garth Brooks
Gene Watson
George Jones
George Strait
Glen Campbell
Hank Cochran
Hank Snow
Hank Williams
Hank Williams Jr
Harlan Howard
Jamey Johnson
Janie Fricke
Jason Aldean
Jim Lauderdale
Jim Reeves
Joey + Rory
John Anderson
John Conlee
Johnny Cash
Johnny Paycheck
Kathy Mattea
Keith Urban
Keith Whitley
Kenny Chesney
Kenny Rogers
Kitty Wells
Kris Kristofferson
Lady Antebellum
LeAnn Rimes
Lee Ann Womack
Lefty Frizzell
Linda Ronstadt
Little Big Town
Loretta Lynn
Lorrie Morgan
Luke Bryan
Mark Chesnutt
Martina McBride
Marty Robbins
Marty Stuart
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Matraca Berg
Mel Tillis
Merle Haggard
Miranda Lambert
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Pam Tillis
Patsy Cline
Patty Loveless
Porter Wagoner
Randy Travis
Rascal Flatts
Ray Price
Reba McEntire
Rhonda Vincent
Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Van Shelton
Rodney Crowell
Roger Miller
Ronnie Milsap
Rosanne Cash
Sam Hunt
Sara Evans
Shania Twain
Sonny James
Steve Wariner
Sugarland
Suzy Bogguss
Tammy Wynette
Tanya Tucker
Taylor Swift
The Judds
Tim McGraw
Toby Keith
Tom T Hall
Tony Brown
Trace Adkins
Tracy Lawrence
Travis Tritt
Trisha Yearwood
Vern Gosdin
Vince Gill
Waylon Jennings
Webb Pierce
Willie Nelson
Wynonna
Zac Brown Band
It’s always interesting to look at these #1 singles over the past decades. It’s crazy to see how fast quality dropped from 2006. “Settle For A Slowdown” isn’t one of my favorite Dierks Bentley songs but it’s still a good song. I wonder which song sold more back in the day “Heartbreak Hotel” or “Distant Drums” I know both were huge records!
I’d bet on the guy they call “the King.”
Heartbreak Hotel – no question about it.
Rule of thumb is that songs that cross over to multiple formats generally sell more units that those that are exclusive to the country genre. In the case of “Heartbreak Hotel” it topped the Billboard pop survey for 8 weeks and stayed at #1 for 17 weeks on the country chart. “Distant Drums” was a #1 country hit for 4 weeks and peaked at #45 pop. That song did earn Reeves his biggest UK hit but even that international popularity was not enough to surpass sales of Presley’s debut RCA Victor release a decade earlier.
Thanks for the info guys. Here’s another question for you. Out of all the songs that are listed, which one is your favorite?
I’d say the two that you started with–“Heartbreak Hotel” and “Distant Drums” are true classics of Americana (I’m using that word in its traditional sense, before it was co-opted by a music genre) and for the artists who recorded them. I’m a Cash fan, but I think “One Piece” is more of a novelty than essential. And Strait had so many #1 hits that “Blue Clear Sky” is not a standout, for me. I have nothing to say about the other entries.
“Blue Clear Sky” for me