Blake Shelton's "Every Time I Hear That Song" ascends 2-1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart (dated July 15), increasing 8 percent to 46.4 million audience impressions in the tracking week ending July 2, according to Nielsen Music.
"All I've ever wanted to be is a country singer, and having a No. 1 song is thrilling," Shelton tells Billboard. "Thank you to the fans for supporting me and being part of this journey. And a special salute to the first responders and the servicemen and women, who allow us to celebrate freedom."
Written by Aimee Mayo, Chris Lindsey, Brad Warren and Brett Warren, "Time" is the fourth country radio single from Shelton's album If I'm Honest. It follows "A Guy With a Girl," which began a three-week reign on the Country Airplay chart dated Jan. 28; the No. 7-peaking "She's Got a Way With Words" (Sept. 10, 2016); and "Came Here to Forget," which led the June 11, 2016, list.
Another track from If I'm Honest, the inspirational "Savior's Shadow," has not been promoted to country radio but became Shelton's first charted title on Hot Christian Songs, reaching No. 14 in June 2016.
Shelton has now linked two straight Country Airplay leaders after "Words" stopped at No. 7; before that single, he had earned a record 17 consecutive No. 1s (counting only officially promoted, non-seasonal singles), from 2010's "Hillbilly Bone" (featuring Trace Adkins) through to "Forget."
HUNT'S HIGH FIVE: On Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, which blends airplay, streaming and sales data, Sam Hunt's "Body Like a Back Road" stretches its rule to 21 weeks at the summit, extending its mark for the longest reign by a soloist. It's second overall only to Florida Georgia Line's debut hit, "Cruise," which dominated for 24 weeks in 2012-13.
"Body" also tops Country Streaming Songs (16.7 million U.S. streams, up 3 percent) and Country Digital Song Sales (49,000, up 4 percent) also for a 21st week each.
Further aiding the song's domination is its success on Country Airplay, where it holds at No. 4 (37.2 million impressions, down less than 1 percent) and spends its 14th total week in the top five. Most notably, "Road" logs its eighth frame after ranking at No. 1 for three weeks (May 6, 13 and 20). That eight-week stay in the top five following a No. 1 run sets a new longevity record, surpassing Rascal Flatts' 2006 hit "My Wish," which led the tally dated Dec. 16, 2006, and remained in the top five for seven more frames.
What has been key to "Road" remaining in the Country Airplay top five for so long? Says KKBQ Houston program director Johnny Chiang, "In these days of every record label taking a turn at the top spot of the chart, claiming every song to be a hit, 'Body' really stands out. [It] really shows that [a major] hit song needs to be played, regardless of its chart position. It happens too many times that a song reaches No. 1, followed by way too many stations dropping it too early."
NEW TOP 10s: Dustin Lynch's "Small Town Boy" rises 13-10 on Hot Country Songs, becoming his sixth top 10. Helping the cause, "Boy" rumbles 19-15 for a new Country Airplay peak, surging 31 percent to 18.6 million impressions. It also gains by 2 percent to 6.2 million U.S. streams ... On Country Airplay, Cole Swindell collects his seventh top 10, as "Flatliner" climbs 13-10 (29.1 million in audience, up 12 percent) ... Lady Antebellum lands its 13th Country Airplay top 10 and first since 2014, when "Bartender" became the trio's ninth No. 1, as "You Look Good" pushes 11-10 (29 million, up 2 percent).
