1. GET ME #1: Thomas Rhett scores the second #1 hit of his career this week with Get Me Some Of That. It follows It Goes Like This from last year. He is batting 50% with his singles going to the top as his first two, Something To Do With My Hands hit #15 in 2012 and Beer With Jesus peaked at #19 in 2013.
2. STILL AT #11: Bigger Picture announced last week they were shutting down operations. However, that has not stopped Craig Campbell from being at the #11 spot for a second week with his biggest hit to date, Keep Them Kisses Comin'.
3. A FAST NIGHT: Love And Theft have the fastest climbing song of the week with Night That You'll Never Forget. It goes up five to #45.
4. FROM #11 TO #51: Dan + Shay's debut single, 19 You + Me peaked at #11. Their second single grabs Hot Shot Debut honors at #51 with Show You Off.
5. #1 HITS: These were the chart topping songs in 2009, 2004, 1999, 1994, and 1989:
2009: She's Country-Jason Aldean-Broken Bow
2004: You'll Think Of Me-Keith Urban-Capitol
1999: Please Remember Me-Tim McGraw-Curb
1994: If Bubba Can Dance I Can Too-Shenandoah-RCA
1989: Is It Still Over-Randy Travis-Warner Bros.
6. MILESTONE TOP TEN CHART: George Strait topped the chart for five weeks in 1997 with his second biggest hit, One Night At A Time. In the process, three artists had to settle for second place. In order, they are: Collin Raye with On The Verge, Alabama with Sad Lookin' Moon, and Tracy Lawrence with Better Man, Better Off. First up is Raye with On The Verge.
On The Verge was the SIXTH single of Raye's 1995 CD, I Think About You. It started on a #2 note with One Boy, One Girl (I Like It, I Love It by Tim McGraw was #1). Not That Different kicked off Raye's 1996 on a #3 note while the title track also peaked at #3. Love Remains hit #12, breaking a streak of 14 consecutive top tens for Raye. Fifth single, What If Jesus Comes Back Like That failed to hit the top twenty at #21, his worst showing since 1991's All I Can Be Is A Sweet Memory (#29). Epic decided to release a sixth single from I Think About You. It was On The Verge. Released in February 1997, it was #2 for two weeks while Strait was on top during his second and third weeks with One Night At A Time. Chart wise, On The Verge is Raye's biggest #2 hit. Raye's next CD was a greatest hits CD called The Best Of Collin Raye: Direct Hits. While On The Verge was absent from this CD, two new songs became hits: What The Heart Wants (#2 in 1997) and Little Red Rodeo (#3 in 1998). His version of Journey's Open Arms is on the CD. His last chart appearance was in 2007 with A Soldier's Prayer (#59). His last CD was released last year called Still On The Line The Songs Of Glen Campbell. On The Verge is on his 2002 hits CD, 16 Biggest Hits.
Sad Lookin' Moon was the lead single to Alabama's 1997 CD, Dancin' On The Boulevard. The single was released in February (with the Raye single) and found its way to #2 behind Strait during his fourth week at #1. Sad Lookin' Moon was Alabama's fifth #2 hit and their second biggest #2 hit (Here We Are from 1991 is their biggest). Dancin', Shaggin' On The Boulevard proceeded to a #3 peak. They faltered a bit with the next two releases: Of Course I'm Alright (1997-#22) and She's Got That Look In Her Eyes (1998-#21). Sad Lookin' Moon was repeated on their next CD, For The Record: 41 Number One Hits. That CD yielded two more hits for Alabama: How Do You Fall In Love (1998-#2) and Keepin' Up (1999-#14). Their last chart appearance was their chart topping duet with Brad Paisley on Old Alabama in 2011. Their last CD was released last year called Country: Alabama (minus a Christmas CD released that year as well).
Lastly, Lawrence's single, Better Man, Better Off, like Alabama's was the lead single to his CD, The Coast Is Clear. Released in March, it found a home at #2 while Strait was enjoying his final week at #1. It was his sixth and final #2 hit (Is That A Tear from 1997 is his biggest). How A Cowgirl Says Goodbye followed and it peaked at #4. The title track hit #26. The fourth single failed to chart, the first time that happened in Lawrence's career: One Step Ahead Of The Storm. The era ended on a #46 note, While You Sleep. Better Man, Better Off appeared on his next CD, a greatest hits CD called The Best Of Tracy Lawrence. Lawrence's last chart appearance was in 2009 with Up To Him (#47). His last CD was released last year called Headlights, Taillights, And Radios.
Well, Raye, Alabama, and Lawrence could not top Strait, so who did? Why, it's Bryan White. He did it with his fourth single from Between Now And Forever. It also became his fourth and final #1, Sittin' On Go. This is what the chart looked like back then:
BILLBOARD TOP TEN FOR WEEK ENDING MAY 17, 1997:
1. One Night At A Time-George Strait-MCA
2. SAD LOOKIN' MOON-ALABAMA-RCA
3. BETTER MAN, BETTER OFF-TRACY LAWRENCE-ATLANTIC
4. ON THE VERGE-COLLIN RAYE-EPIC
5. Good As I Was To You-Lorrie Morgan-BNA
6. I Miss You A Little-John Michael Montgomery-Atlantic
7. Sittin' On Go-Bryan White-Asylum
8. She's Sure Taking It Well-Kevin Sharp-Asylum
9. A Girl's Gotta Do What A Girl's Gotta Do-Mindy McCready-BNA
10. A Little More Love-Vince Gill-MCA
Videos:
On The Verge:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCx0bP3DWi8Sad Lookin' Moon:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmF-wy_sJMEBetter Man, Better Off:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtrSHLyihag