George's 50 Number One's Album

[bamafan2102]

Just saw the track listing for the double disc release on Country Stars. com and saw that We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This is on there. I know this song did not reach number one if it even reached the top 10. How many other of the songs on there were not number one's? I am not being picky because I really like George but if it didn't go to number one why say that it did. Just call the album the Ultimate Greatest Hits Collection or something.

[WhySoSerious?]

Did it go #1 on R&R? It peaked at #4 on Billboard.

[Marv]

'WRSBDT' did not hit #1 in R&R, of that I am certain.

I believe that the '50 #1s' designation came from numerous publications, since his #1 total at R&R is in the mid-thirties, with 'She'll Leave You With A Smile' his most recent #1 in R&R.

When the CD comes out on October 5th, I'm hoping for a clarification in the CD insert or packaging.

[Marv]

I've also noticed that 'Run' is on the CD, which never hit #1 either.  It was stick at #2 for at least three weeks by Alan Jackson's 'Where Were You', before both songs were overtaken by Steve Holy's 'Good Morning Beautiful'.

[drock89]

Well, make it 51 #1s. "I Hate Everything" went #1 Billboard. This set will sell over 200K first week. Wonder, when it is certified, will it go as a 2-disc set?

[jimmy74747]

shaniagotchagood said:

Well, make it 51 #1s. "I Hate Everything" went #1 Billboard. This set will sell over 200K first week. Wonder, when it is certified, will it go as a 2-disc set?

HDD is not saying this will top 300,000 in sales. I expect this album to do well amongst casual Strait fans (like myself) and the die hards. Combine that with the holiday rush this should sell 2 million copies by the end of the year, which would make it 4x platinum.

[Free2Bme]

I bought this set for under $15. IMO, 51 #1's is well worth the price. I just put it in the cd player and let it roll. But, so many of my favorite songs aren't there. Like:

Amarillo by Morning
Cowboy Rides Away
Desperately

[EvanJ]

www.billboard.com/bb/chartbeat/chat.jsp

39 DOWN, 11 TO GO

Fred,

George Strait's album "50 Number Ones" debuted this week at No. 1 on both The Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums. By my count however, only 38 of these songs actually hit No. 1 on [Billboard's] Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart. By what measure are the other 12 songs considered "Number Ones"?

Bob Visser
Mississauga, Ontario

Dear Bob,

You wrote your e-mail before "I Hate Everything" became George Strait's 39th No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart, though the album was released before that became a fait accompli.

After I received your letter, I dug out my copy of the CD to read the liner notes thinking there might be an explanation. There wasn't any, so I don't know how they came up with the number 50, except it makes for a better title. Perhaps some of the songs were No. 1 on various radio station playlists?

I may subscribe to the saying that it ain't No. 1 'til it's No. 1 in Billboard, but that doesn't mean we were the source for the title.

[gcook]

Thanks for posting that. That clears things up a smudge. ;)

[Marv]

There are other periodicals which also have their own charts, so I'm guessing that his label used some of those charts in 'determinig' that he's actually had 50 #1 singles.

Tim McGraw has had 17 charttoppers @ R&R since 1997, starting with 'It's Your Love', and that's more than anybody else.

George, AJ, B&D, & TK are next, but I'm not sure about the order.

[Topay]

Some of those miscellaneous charts must have also been used for Conway, being as he had 49 #1s (40 of them from Billboard) before "She'll Leave You With A Smile" gave George his 50th #1.

[Marv]

I just saw in the new BB that George is one behind Conway for the most #1s, but I thought that either Ronnie Milsap, Sonny James, or Alabama had had the most chartoppers; I recall Milsap had something like 16 #1s in a row at one point, and Alabama held the record, with 26 or thereabouts.

[VictoriaRR]

Arthur's George Strait site points out where all 51 of these songs landed #1... and yes, each and every one did, just not on each chart.

www.geocities.com/Nashville/2600/No1Singles.html

[Marv]

I believe George has had 39 at BB & 33 at R&R.

Tim has his 22nd charttopper at R&R as 'Back When' hits the top in today's year-end wrapup issue; if it gets to #1 in BB, that will be #21 for him over there.