Michael Ray
Sean HagwellMichael Ray nets his second No. 1 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart (dated Jan. 22) with “Whiskey and Rain.” The song gained by 4% to 27.3 million audience impressions in the week ending Jan. 16, according to MRC Data.
Penned by Jesse Frasure and Josh Thompson, the track is the lead single from Ray’s seven-track set Higher Education, released in August 2021.
“The journey of this song has been one of the wildest rides of my career,” says Ray. “To watch ‘Whiskey and Rain’ grow into my second Billboard No. 1 [after] recording it during quarantine, where we were forced to take a different approach to making music, is a highlight that lets me know I’m on the right path. This song truly feels like a turning point in my career, both sonically and stylistically. I’m so grateful for the way fans have gravitated toward the song and thankful to country radio. The way this song connected makes me eager to share what we have coming next.”
Ray, originally from Eustis, Fla., first topped Country Airplay with “Kiss You in the Morning” for a week in August 2015. He has notched two additional top 10s: “Think a Little Less” (No. 2, 2017) and “One That Got Away” (No. 3, 2019).
As “Whiskey” rules in its 65th week on Country Airplay, it ties for the longest journey to the summit since the chart began in 1990. Travis Denning’s “After a Few” also took 65 weeks on its way to No. 1 in June 2020.
On Billboard‘s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs list, “Whiskey” ranks at No. 7 (after hitting No. 6). It drew 4.6 million U.S. streams and sold 1,600 downloads in the week ending Jan. 13.
‘FANCY’ FOURTH Walker Hayes’ “Fancy Like” extends its Hot Country Songs domination to 24 weeks, tying for the fourth-longest reign since the chart became an all-encompassing genre songs tally in October 1958.
Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant to Be” (50 weeks, beginning in December 2017) holds the record, followed by Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Back Road” (34, starting in February 2017) and Gabby Barrett’s “I Hope” (27, beginning in July 2020). FGL’s debut hit “Cruise” also ruled for 24 weeks, starting in October 2012.
Co-written by Hayes, Cameron Bartolini, Josh Jenkins and Shane Stevens, “Fancy Like” drew 10.4 million streams and sold 5,000 downloads in the tracking week. It leads Country Streaming Songs for a 21st week, after topping Country Digital Song Sales for 25 frames. The track logged 20.8 million impressions in all-format radio audience in the tracking week; it crowned Country Airplay for a week in November.
Meanwhile, Hayes’ new single, “AA,” rises 3-1 on Country Digital Song Sales (5,500 sold), marking his second leader. It also drew 4.3 million streams. The track ranks at No. 22 on Hot Country Songs and No. 33 on Country Airplay (2.8 million, up 4%).
‘TOWN’ & COUNTRY Maren Morris achieves her ninth Hot Country Songs top 10, and her second debut in the tier, as “Circles Around This Town” rolls in at No. 9. Morris wrote the song with husband Ryan Hurd, Julia Michaels and Jimmy Robbins. (It references her breakout hits “My Church” and “80s Mercedes”: “Couple hundred songs and the ones that finally worked / Was the one about a car and the one about a church … that I wrote.”)
Released Jan. 7, the track tallied 3.5 million streams and sold 2,500 in its first week. It bounds onto Country Digital Song Sales at No. 6, granting Morris her 10th top 10. On Country Airplay, it places at No. 35 (2.5 million impressions).
The tune is the first single from Morris’ upcoming album, as well as her first new solo music since Girl, which opened at No. 1 on Top Country Albums in March 2019.
WELL DONE, ‘YOU’ Parker McCollum achieves his second career-opening Country Airplay top 10 as “To Be Loved by You” pushes 11-10 (16.3 million, up 6%). His maiden entry, “Pretty Heart,” led for a week in December 2020.
NEWS
There is no question that Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out made a serious impact and continues to hold weight. The project showed that hip hop is not limited by age and proved that a long-awaited return can still land in a major way regardless of the time away.
If you need a reminder, the Virginia duo’s fourth studio album debuted comfortably within the top five of the Hot 200. It secured the number four position and moved an impressive 118,000 units in its first week.
On top of that, it picked up a win at this year’s Grammys, earning Best Rap Performance for “Chains & Whips.” The album also received four additional nominations, including Best Music Video, Rap Album, and Album of the Year.
It is hard to believe the project will officially hit its one year mark this summer on July 11. Even so, Pusha T is making it clear that both supporters and critics should not be overlooking it anytime soon.
While performing at Coachella yesterday, King Push told the crowd that LGSEO still sits at the top, regardless of genre.
He said, “‘Let God Sort Em Out’ is still the album of the motherfckin year. Whole new year, still album of the year,” per Kurrco. “Album of the motherfcking year until we drop again. We don't care who dropping. It don't matter.”
That is a strong statement for obvious reasons, especially considering the recent claims surrounding Push himself.
Over the same weekend, hip hop social media lit up after several alleged reference tracks connected to Quentin Miller and Push began circulating. Three tracks surfaced in total, but one that drew the most attention was an alleged record titled “Real Gon’ Come.” It is said to come from the DAYTONA era, around 2017 to 2018.
The situation gained traction because fans remember the past tension between Drake and Pusha T before Drake’s clash with Kendrick Lamar. During that feud, Pusha accused Drake of using ghostwriters on tracks like “Infrared,” which appears on DAYTONA. On that song, he raps, “The bigger question is how the Russians did it /
It was written like Nas, but it came from Quentin.”
Reactions have been mixed. Some people argue it is not a major issue since Miller’s alleged contributions were limited to hooks. Others point out that the songs were never officially released, so they see no real problem. Meanwhile, critics view it as clear hypocrisy on Pusha T’s part, a perspective that DJ Akademiks has also supported.
