Blake Shelton has achieved a significant career milestone, securing his 30th No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with his single “Stay Country or Die Tryin’.” The track ascended two positions to claim the top spot on the chart dated January 17, driven by a substantial 29.5 million audience impressions during the January 2-8 tracking week, marking a 13% increase. This successful single, penned by Beau Bailey, Graham Barham, Sam Ellis, and Drew Parker, also signifies another collaborative effort with his long-standing producer, Scott Hendricks.

Prior to this latest achievement, Shelton had last reached the pinnacle of the chart in October 2024 as a featured artist on Post Malone’s “Pour Me a Drink,” which spent three weeks at No. 1. Earlier in 2020, he saw two of his collaborations with Gwen Stefani, “Happy Anywhere” and “Nobody but You,” also rule the charts. “Stay Country or Die Tryin’” marks Shelton's first solo No. 1 single since “God’s Country” in 2019. His debut single, “Austin,” which first topped the chart for five weeks in 2001, remains his longest-held No. 1 to date.

With 30 Country Airplay chart-toppers, Blake Shelton now stands alone in second place on the chart’s all-time leaderboard since its inception in 1990, a remarkable feat that places him just behind Kenny Chesney, who holds 33 No. 1s. This achievement positions Shelton ahead of other country music titans such as Tim McGraw, who has 29 No. 1s. Other notable artists and their respective No. 1 counts include Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson, and George Strait, each with 26; Jason Aldean with 25; Keith Urban and Thomas Rhett, each with 21; and Brooks & Dunn, Toby Keith, and Brad Paisley, all with 20. Following them are Garth Brooks, Luke Combs, and Morgan Wallen, each with 19 chart-toppers, with Dierks Bentley having 18, and Florida Georgia Line and Carrie Underwood both with 16.

In other Country Airplay news, Hudson Westbrook’s single “House Again” has made a return to the chart’s top 10, moving from No. 11 to No. 10 with 19.6 million audience impressions, a 6% increase. Westbrook notably became the fifth and final act of 2024 to achieve a top 10 hit for the first time. He joins a group of other artists who also celebrated their inaugural top 10 successes in 2024, including Hootie & the Blowfish with “Bottle Rockets” (featuring Scotty McCreery), John Morgan with “Friends Like That” (featuring Jason Aldean), Josh Ross with “Single Again,” and Zach Top with “I Never Lie.”

The year 2024 proved to be a significant period for emerging talent on the Country Airplay chart, as a total of 16 acts logged their first top 10 entries throughout the year, highlighting a dynamic landscape for new and rising stars in country music.