Joel Whitburn's all-time Top Country Artists list

[trebor]

Nov 2, 2015 17:37:49 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

Joe Nichols passes Michael Martin Murphy and Mary Chapin Carpenter moving to #14. (1940)

Buffalo*: Are you positive it's fourteen?

[onebuffalo]

Nov 2, 2015 17:41:31 GMT -5 trebor said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:37:49 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

Joe Nichols passes Michael Martin Murphy and Mary Chapin Carpenter moving to #14. (1940)

Buffalo*: Are you positive it's fourteen?

That's what Jordan said. #14.

[trebor]

Nov 2, 2015 17:41:54 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:41:31 GMT -5 trebor said:

Buffalo*: Are you positive it's fourteen?

That's what Jordan said. #14.

OK. I see. Sorry! It's definitely a typo...  :)

[Kanenrá:ke]

Nov 2, 2015 17:37:49 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

Joe Nichols passes Michael Martin Murphy and Mary Chapin Carpenter moving to #14. (1940)

I didn't know Joe Nichols made that many chart appearances to be at #14.

Scotty McCreery makes his debut at #484 where he passes The Warren Brothers and Kenny Starr. (512)

McCreerian will like that one.

Good point!
McCreerian

[onebuffalo]

I don't care if they all went to #1, there is no way Joe Nichols could have that many points for the 24 chart appearances he made between 1996-2015.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Nov 2, 2015 17:44:59 GMT -5 trebor said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:41:54 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

That's what Jordan said. #14.

OK. I see. Sorry! It's definitely a typo...  :)

it's fixed lol

[onebuffalo]

Nov 2, 2015 17:53:36 GMT -5 Kanenrá:ke said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:44:59 GMT -5 trebor said:

OK. I see. Sorry! It's definitely a typo...  :)

it's fixed lol

Thanks. I do believe the #174 is more accurate. I'm surprised he's in the top 200.

[Kanenrá:ke]

The Great George Showdown: George Strait is now 681 points away from George Jones' total. This "countdown" will be posted every time either George gains any points!

Tim's Top Ten Timer: Tim McGraw is 220 points from breaking into the top ten of all time!

Top 100 Watch:  Dierks Bentley is 191 points away from the top 100 of all time!

Tim McGraw becomes the 12th artist to cross 7700 points! (7700)

Keith Urban breaks his tie with Rascal Flatts for #53! (4383)

Jason Aldean makes it into the top 100 of all time! He knocks out Ricky Skaggs. (2944)

Luke Bryan passes Taylor Swift moving to #122. (2596)

Chris Young breaks his tie with Leon Everette and passes Freddie Fender, and The Everly Brothers moving to #237. (1411)

Justin Moore passes Jeane Pruett, Cristy Lane, The Band Perry, The Desert Rose Band, Hal Ketchum, Bryan White, Flatt & Scruggs, K.T. Oslin, Johnny Horton, Paul Overstreet, and Big & Rich moving to #272. While doing so he became the 282nd artist to cross 1200 points! (1228)

Big & Rich break their tie with Johnny Horton and Paul Overstreet for #273. (1217)

Thomas Rhett ties Kellie Pickler and Lionel Cartwright at #347. (826)

Easton Corbin breaks his tie with Lois Johnson and McBride & The Ride for #358, Brantley Gilbert now ties them for #359. (815) (814)

James Otto ties Gloriana at #430. (630)

Tyler Farr passes Charlie McCoy, Burl Ives, Kelly Clarkson, and Becky Hobbs moving to #448. (589)

---

Bubbling Under (509 pts. to chart)

01. Cole Swindell - 490
02. Sam Hunt - 434
03. Ronnie Dunn - 430
04. Parmalee - 421
05. Eric Paslay - 414
06. Jana Kramer - 396
07. Jon Pardi - 340
08. LoCash - 333
09. Chris Janson - 267
10. Dan + Shay - 259
11. Canaan Smith - 247
12. Lauren Alaina - 245
13. Brothers Osborne - 219
14. Kelsea Ballerini - 207
15. Michael Ray - 196
16. Cassadee Pope - 193
17. A Thousand Horses - 185
18. Old Dominion - 172
19. Chase Bryant - 166
20. Lindsay Ell - 127
21. Cam - 120
22. Mo Pitney - 109
23. Granger Smith - 62
24. Clare Dunn - 51
25. Lucy Angel - 43
26. William Michael Morgan - 39
27. Karen Fairchild - 31

[Kanenrá:ke]

Behind a bit, playing catch up now that my life is a bit calmed.

The Great George Showdown: George Strait is now 680 points away from George Jones' total. This "countdown" will be posted every time either George gains any points!

Tim's Top Ten Timer: Tim McGraw is 214 points from breaking into the top ten of all time!

Top 100 Watch: Dierks Bentley is 190 points away from the top 100 of all time!

Jason Aldean ties Lefty Frizzell at #99! (2945)

Luke Bryan becomes the 122nd artist to cross 2600 points! (2607)

Eric Church passes Tex Ritter, Razzy Bailey, and Michael Martin Murphy moving to #176. While doing so he became the 179th artist to cross 1900 points! (1937)

Little Big Town makes it into the top 200 as they tie Rodney Atkins at #200! (1651)

Chris Young passes Suzy Bogguss moving to #236. (1422)

Florida Georgia Line pass Johnny Russell, Jeannie C. Riley, Ty Herndon, Cowboy Copas, Claude Gray, Jacky Ward, John Schneider, and Merle Travis. They now tie David Allan Coe at #256. While doing all that they became the 258th artist to cross 1300 points! (1302)

Thomas Rhett breaks his tie with Kellie Pickler and Lionel Cartwright, passes Glenn Barber and now sits at #346. (832)

Easton Corbin ties Stephanie Winslow at #357. (816)

Brantley Gilbert breaks his tie with Lois Johnson and McBride & The Ride for #359. (815)

Brett Eldredge passes La Costa, Linda Davis, Doug Supernaw, Zella Lehr, Ted Daffan, Stella Parton, Marion Worth, Little David Wilkens, Dottsy, Chad Brock, Judy Rodman, and Thompson Square. He now ties Lari White at #398. While doing so he became the 403rd artist to cross 700 points! (714)

Scotty McCreery ties David Kersh at #483. (514)

---

Bubbling Under (509 pts. to chart)

01. Cole Swindell - 491
02. Sam Hunt - 440
03. Ronnie Dunn - 431
04. Parmalee - 422
05. Eric Paslay - 415
06. Jana Kramer - 402
07. Jon Pardi - 346
08. LoCash - 334
09. Dan + Shay - 270
10. Chris Janson - 268
11. Canaan Smith - 248
12. Lauren Alaina - 246
13. Brothers Osborne - 220
14. Kelsea Ballerini - 208
15. Michael Ray - 197
16. Cassadee Pope - 194
17. A Thousand Horses - 186
18. Old Dominion - 183
19. Chase Bryant - 167
20. Cam - 126
21. Mo Pitney - 110
22. Chris Stapleton - 87
23. Dylan Scott - 71
24. Granger Smith - 68
25. Clare Dunn - 52
26. Lucy Angel - 44
27. Karen Fairchild - 42
28. William Michael Morgan - 40

[onebuffalo]

Behind a bit, playing catch up now that my life is a bit calmed.

We love you, K.S.! Your updates are worth waiting for. Excellent job as always!

[Kanenrá:ke]

The Great George Showdown: George Strait is now 679 points away from George Jones' total. This "countdown" will be posted every time either George gains any points!

Tim's Top Ten Timer: Tim McGraw is 213 points from breaking into the top ten of all time!

Top 100 Watch: Dierks Bentley is 189 points away from the top 100 of all time!

Jason Aldean breaks his tie with Lefty Frizzell for #99. (2946)

Dierks Bentley ties John Conlee at #109. (2756)

Luke Bryan passes Jean Shepard moving to #121. (2613)

Zac Brown Band ties Dixie Chicks at #149. (2161)

Eric Church passes Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joe Nichols, Narvel Felts, Exile, and Billy Currington moving to #171. (1974)

Craig Morgan passes Lee Ann Womack and Doug Stone moving to #181. (1881)

Little Big Town break their tie with Rodney Atkins for #200. (1652)

Chris Young passes Lee Roy Parnell, Holly Dunn, and Little Texas moving to #233. (1443)

Florida Georgia Line break their tie with David Allan Coe and pass Shelly West moving to #255. (1308)

Jerrod Niemann ties Kellie Pickler and Lionel Cartwright at #348. (826)

Easton Corbin ties Wayne Kemp after breaking his tie with Stephanie Winslow at #356. (817)

Brantley Gilbert now ties Stephanie Winslow at #358. (816)

David Nail ties Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan at #367. (797)

Brett Eldredge breaks his tie with Lari White for #398. (720)

Kip Moore ties Lyle Lovett at #412. (672)

James Otto breaks his tie with Gloriana for #430. (631)

Scotty McCreery breaks his tie with David Kersh and now ties Brian Collins at #482. (515)

---

Bubbling Under (509 pts. to chart)

01. Cole Swindell - 492
02. Sam Hunt - 441
03. Parmalee - 423
04. Eric Paslay - 416
05. Jana Kramer - 403
06. Jon Pardi - 347
07. LoCash - 335
08. Chris Janson - 274
09. Dan + Shay - 271
10. Maddie & Tae - 253
11. Canaan Smith - 249
12. Lauren Alaina - 247
13. Brothers Osborne - 226
14. Kelsea Ballerini - 214
15. Michael Ray - 198
16. Cassadee Pope - 195
17. A Thousand Horses - 187
18. Old Dominion - 184
19. Chase Bryant - 168
20. Cam - 127
21. Mo Pitney - 111
22. Chris Stapleton - 93
23. Dylan Scott - 72
24. Granger Smith - 69
25. Karen Fairchild - 48
26. Lucy Angel - 45
27. William Michael Morgan - 41

[Kanenrá:ke]

The Great George Showdown: George Strait is now 678 points away from George Jones' total. This "countdown" will be posted every time either George gains any points!

Tim's Top Ten Timer: Tim McGraw is 212 points from breaking into the top ten of all time!

Top 100 Watch: Dierks Bentley is 188 points away from the top 100 of all time!

Carrie Underwood becomes the 87th artist to cross 3200 points! (3206)

Dierks Bentley breaks his tie with John Conlee for #109. (2757)

Zac Brown Band break their tie with Dixie Chicks and now tie Restless Heart at #148. (2167)

Craig Morgan ties Bob Luman at #180. (1882)

Chris Young passes Louise Mandrell and Melba Montgomery moving to #231. (1454)

Thomas Rhett passes Osbourne Brothers and David Wills moving to #344. (839)

Brantley Gilbert breaks his tie with Stephanie Winslow and passes Wayne Kemp, Easton Corbin, Daryle Singletary, Sons Of The Pioneers, and The Carlisles. He now ties Asleep At The Wheel, and Sweet Hearts Of The Rodeo at #351. (822)

Easton Corbin breaks his tie with Wayne Kemp and now ties Daryle Singletary at #356. (818)

David Nail breaks his tie with Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan and passes Arlene Harden and Jessi Colter. He now ties Baillie & The Boys at #364. He also became the 367th artist to cross 800 points! (803)

Brett Eldredge passes Mark Gray moving to #397. (726)

Kip Moore breaks his tie with Lyle Lovett for #412. (673)

Dustin Lynch ties Michael Peterson, T. Texas Tyler, and Tony Booth at #436. (615)

Frankie Ballard passes Sheryl Crow, The Kentucky Headhunters, Tom Wopat, Penny DeHaven, Dorsey Burnette, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Brandt, Ronnie Sessions, Keith Anderson, The O'Kanes, Trick Pony, Mike Reid, Charlie McCoy, Burl Ives, Kelly Clarkson, Becky Hobbs, and Mary Lou Turner moving to #448. (594)

Love And Theft debut at #480! They start by passing Kenny Starr, The Warren Brothers, David Kersh, Brian Collins, Scotty McCreery, The Lost Trailers, and Bandana! (521)

Scotty McCreery breaks his tie with Brian Collins for #483. (516)

---

Bubbling Under (509 pts. to chart)

01. Cole Swindell - 493
02. Sam Hunt - 447
03. Parmalee - 424
04. Eric Paslay - 417
05. Jana Kramer - 404
06. Jon Pardi - 348
07. LoCash - 336
08. Chris Janson - 275
09. Dan + Shay - 272
10. Maddie & Tae - 259
11. Canaan Smith - 250
12. Lauren Alaina - 248
13. Brothers Osborne - 227
14. Kelsea Ballerini - 215
15. Old Dominion - 215
16. Michael Ray - 199
17. Cassadee Pope - 196
18. A Thousand Horses - 188
19. Chase Bryant - 169
20. Cam - 128
21. Lindsay Ell - 128
22. Mo Pitney - 112
23. Chris Stapleton - 99
24. Dylan Scott - 73
25. Granger Smith - 70
26. Karen Fairchild - 49
27. William Michael Morgan - 42
28. Ashley Campbell - 31

[Kanenrá:ke]

The Great George Showdown: George Strait is now 677 points away from George Jones' total. This "countdown" will be posted every time either George gains any points!

Tim's Top Ten Timer: Tim McGraw is 211 points from breaking into the top ten of all time!

Top 100 Watch: Dierks Bentley is 187 points away from the top 100 of all time!

Blake Shelton passes Dottie West moving to #66! (3864)

Carrie Underwood passes Freddie Hart, Mark Chesnutt, and Connie Smith moving to #84! (3243)

Zac Brown Band break their tie with Restless Heart for #148. (2168)

Craig Morgan breaks his tie with Bob Luman for #180. (1883)

Chris Young passes Darryl Worley, and Highway 101 moving into a tie with Charlie Louvin for #228. (1465)

Thomas Rhett ties The Louvin Brothers at #343. (840)

Brantley Gilbert breaks his tie with Asleep At The Wheel, and Sweet Hearts Of The Rodeo for #351. (823)

Easton Corbin broke his tie with Daryle Singletary for a new tie with Sons Of The Pioneers at #355. (819)

David Nail breaks his tie with Baillie And The Boys and now ties Diana Trask at #363. (804)

Dustin Lynch breaks his tie with Michael Peterson, T. Texas Tyler, and Tony Booth for #436. (616)

Tyler Farr ties Steve Azar at #446. (598)

Scotty McCreery ties The Lost Trailers at #482. (517)

---

Bubbling Under (509 pts. to chart)

01. Sam Hunt - 448
02. Parmalee - 425
03. Eric Paslay - 418
04. Jana Kramer - 405
05. Jon Pardi - 349
06. LoCash - 342
07. Dan + Shay - 283
08. Chris Janson - 276
09. Maddie & Tae - 265
10. Canaan Smith - 251
11. Lauren Alaina - 249
12. Brothers Osborne - 228
13. Old Dominion - 221
14. Kelsea Ballerini - 216
15. Michael Ray - 205
16. Cassadee Pope - 197
17. A Thousand Horses - 189
18. Chase Bryant - 170
19. Cam - 129
20. Lindsay Ell - 129
21. Mo Pitney - 113
22. Chris Stapleton - 100
23. Dylan Scott - 79
24. Granger Smith - 71
25. Karen Fairchild - 55
26. William Michael Morgan - 43
27. Ashley Campbell - 32

[Jonsolo]

To answer the question that undoubtedly periodically floats around this messageboard: yes, there used to be a regular poster by the name of Jonsolo, who used to submit his "insights" and opinions on a frequent basis. He does in fact exist! But now he just pops his head up each December, and offers a flurry of posts all at once, in the form of an updated Whitburn Points list.

This post is a "milestone", as this is the 10th edition of my update of the Joel Whitburn points list for Top Country Artists, based on Billboard's Airplay charts. Of course, the first seven years were more special, when Joel was using the same airplay chart as I was. These last three years, not so much (with Joel following Billboard over to the mongrel chart). I'm not sure I want to see just how off-the-rails Joel's list has become, having to follow that mongrel nonsense. After the last month, it feels like Chris Stapleton would be in Joel's top 100 already, with as many tracks that he charted on the mongrel chart after the CMAs....!

Fun/depressing fact: There's been 33 #1s in the history of the mongrel chart, since its inception three years ago in October 2012. In just this year alone, there were 38 #1s on the "real"/Airplay Billboard chart. It's a no-brainer as to which one is more demonstrative of the variety of the current songs of country music, and their relative popularity and success. But when it comes to Billboard, "No-brainer" describes them perfectly.

My interest in persisting to update this list is continuing to wane, but I think I can at least finish off the decade, only four more years away. The enjoyment I get out of doing so still outweighs the weekly time investment cost of keeping it updated, and as long as the scales are still tipped in the "right" direction, I'll keep hammering away at it.

I'm glad to see that Zazie and Stacey are still active on this thread, and commenting on the Whitlist action dozens of times throughout the year. Zazie and I still collaborate right before these "year-end" posts, to ensure that we continue to match on all the point totals. There are mistakes made by both sides (Zazie believes it's more of a 70/30 split in his favor for mistakes made, but I counter that a few of mine can be doozies, where I totally forget to add a song to an artist's total for its entire chart run...). So even if I step away in four or five more years, there should still be a couple of "Stewards Of The Whitlist" left on this board!

After nine previous years of these updates, everyone should know what to expect now. The list is broken up into sections of 100 positions, and we're getting really close to having a complete "Top 500". And I throw in some artist summaries, detailing what the big-name artists accomplished during the year (and badmouth a few of them that released songs that I really disliked, or that I root against just on principle (Hello, Timmy!)). Then we end with the Top Artists of the year, and the Top Artists of the current decade. With the "revolving" door at the top spot this year, I really had to delve deep and figure out yearly totals for a lot of "newbie" artists, that aren't yet entrants on the full Whitlist/Contenders list. But that's why I get paid to do this job...

Enjoy!

[Jonsolo]

Joel Whitburn's Top Country Artist points list, updated for 2015



#1 to #100:

1. (#1 at the end of 2014) Eddy Arnold – 12667
2. (2) George Jones – 11976
3. (3) George Strait – 11301 (98 points gained in 2015)
4. (4) Johnny Cash – 9449
5. (5) Conway Twitty – 9101
6. (6) Merle Haggard – 9058
7. (7) Reba McEntire – 8500 (116)
8. (8) Dolly Parton – 8308
9. (9) Webb Pierce – 7975
10. (10) Willie Nelson – 7919
11. (11) Ray Price – 7773
12. (12) Tim McGraw – 7721 (218)
13. (13) Buck Owens – 7492
14. (14) Alan Jackson – 7409 (42)
15. (19) Kenny Chesney – 7382 (326)
16. (15) Marty Robbins – 7306
17. (16) Hank Williams Jr. – 7283 (39)
18 (17) Waylon Jennings – 7232
19. (18) Alabama – 7136
20. (20) Jim Reeves – 6843
21. (22) Toby Keith – 6560 (94)
22. (21) Ernest Tubb – 6474
23. (23) Charley Pride – 6422
24. (24) Loretta Lynn – 6316
25. (25) Garth Brooks – 6310 (6)
26. (26) Sonny James – 6205
27. (27) Faron Young – 6115
28. (28) Hank Snow – 6088
29. (29) Kenny Rogers – 6045
30. (30) Ronnie Milsap – 6025
31. (31) Carl Smith – 5901
32. (32) Tammy Wynette – 5836
33. (33) Brooks & Dunn – 5641
34. (34) Bill Anderson – 5621
35. (35) Mel Tillis – 5385
36. (36) Tanya Tucker – 5339
37. (37) Red Foley – 5326
38. (38) Elvis Presley – 5276
39. (39) Porter Wagoner – 5237
40. (40) Don Williams – 5211
41. (41) Kitty Wells – 5134
42. (42) Don Gibson – 5090
43. (43) Glen Campbell – 4971
44. (44) Statler Brothers – 4828
45. (45) Hank Thompson – 4813
46. (46) Steve Wariner – 4680
47. (47) Vince Gill – 4663
48. (50) Brad Paisley – 4660 (177)
49. (48) Crystal Gayle – 4522
50. (49) Clint Black – 4492
51. (51) Randy Travis – 4424
52. (60) Keith Urban - 4403 (295)
53. (52) Hank Williams – 4395
54. (54) Rascal Flatts – 4384 (99)
55. (53) Jerry Lee Lewis – 4365
56. (55) Martina McBride – 4278
57. (56) David Houston – 4250
58. (57) Bobby Bare – 4235
59. (58) Barbara Mandrell – 4217
60. (59) Oak Ridge Boys – 4217
61. (61) Mickey Gilley – 4076
62. (62) Lynn Anderson – 4021
63. (63) Eddie Rabbitt – 3990
64. (64) Anne Murray – 3901
65. (73) Blake Shelton - 3876 (312)
66. (65) Joe Stampley – 3866
67. (66) Dottie West – 3858
68. (67) John Anderson – 3810
69. (68) Emmylou Harris – 3801
70. (69) Faith Hill – 3800
71. (70) T.G. Sheppard – 3746
72. (71) Travis Tritt – 3682
73. (72) Sawyer Brown – 3608
74. (74) Bellamy Brothers – 3563
75. (75) Moe Bandy – 3537
76. (76) Tom T. Hall – 3536
77. (77) Billy Walker – 3493
78. (78) Earl Thomas Conley – 3482
79. (79) Patty Loveless – 3460
80. (80) Trisha Yearwood – 3417
81. (81) Ferlin Husky – 3355
82. (82) Johnny Paycheck – 3266
83. (96) Carrie Underwood - 3256 (283)
84. (83) Gene Watson – 3247
85. (84) Connie Smith – 3218
86. (85) Mark Chesnutt – 3217
87. (86) Freddie Hart – 3209
88. (87) Tracy Lawrence – 3151
89. (88) Johnny Rodriguez – 3145
90. (89) Jerry Reed – 3116
91. (90) Lonestar – 3085
92. (91) Charlie Rich – 3084
93. (92) J.M. Montgomery – 3084
94. (93) Clay Walker - 3067
95. (94) Larry Gatlin & Bros. – 3031
96. (95) Janie Fricke – 2993
97. (112) Jason Aldean - 2980 (295)
98. (97) Trace Adkins – 2965
99. (98) Jim Ed Brown – 2963
100. (99) Lefty Frizzell – 2945







Notes on the Top 100:

- One artist entered the top 100 this year, which continues to be our average for the last several years. We'll have one quick-moving artist for sure enter the top 100 in 2016, and might get one more if they have a great year.

- The transition from "national radio star" to "sporadic, regional airplay" can be a quick one, and a journey that every artist will eventually take. George Strait is certainly in that latter stage now, and it's personally taken some getting to use to (after averaging 350 points per year from 1981 to 2011, he's averaged only 110 the last four years). 98 points was the output for George this year, and for the first time in his career, a lead single from a new album clearly flopped (only a #46 for Let It Go back in June). I'm guessing that did delay the release of the album a few months, and the second single, Cold Beer Conversation, has only done a little better (trying its hardest to make the top 30, before going recurrent). I assume regardless of Cold Beer's fate, a third single will get released early next year, especially since it's only been three months since the album came out. It might not do much better than the first two, but should keep him as a chart presence in '16.

I guess I've also transitioned personally as a George fan, in that I now primarily just want to continue to hear new music from my all-time favorite artist, and will pity the national radio audience that never gets exposed to his still-solid offerings. George did pass over 11,300 points this year, and he should have at least four more charting songs left in him in his career, to reach the goal of 11,500 (that I stated here last year).

Finally, if he ever wanted to make a swing/bluegrass album, like he's talked about in the past, he might as well do so now. I was against him doing that in years past, when he was still capable of racking up the huge hits, as I didn't want to see him spend that valuable time in releasing music that wouldn't be successful on the charts. Now that there's no longer any great pressure to have that chart success, he might as well release that kind of album! I'd be first in line to buy it!

- Like George, Reba McEntire has also fully transitioned to the "late career" stage, and is just picking up points and chart appearances where she can find them. But she did a little better than George, getting 116 points during the year from her first two singles from the album Love Somebody (and stopping at the nicely round number of 8500). Those were her first points from non-holiday singles since December 2011. Going Out Like That was an excellent tune, and performed decently in reaching #28. Until They Don't Love You eked into the top 50 at a #48 peak. I was glad to see the Pulse news that she's got a third single on the way, Just Like Them Horses.

Reba's likely locked up the title forever as "highest ranked female singer" on the list over Dolly Parton. It's very unlikely she still has 560 more points left in her, to catch Merle Haggard for #6. I think a doable goal would be for her to get past the "halfway point" between Merle and Dolly, which is 8683. That's 183 points away, and she should get there before the end of the decade.

- After impressive 320+ point totals for both 2013 and 2014, it was perhaps a relief for me that my longtime nemesis, Tim McGraw, ended up with "only" 218 points in 2015. He started off the year with the 2nd and 3rd weeks at #1 for the admittedly solid Shotgun Rider. Diamond Rings And Old Barstools was a #3 and wrapped up his Sundown Heaven Town album, and the lead single from Damn Country Music, Top Of The World, is nearing the top 5. Both of those songs are also not bad, but Timmy's past transgressions of having horrible songs reach #1, force me to root against his songs that are decently good (of course, that rarely matters, and they still zip to the top...!). The reduction in points for Timmy this year did prevent him from catching Ray Price for #11 this year. He should do that in early spring 2016, when the second single from the new album comes out. And repeating his 2015 performance in 2016, would draw him very close to #10 Willie Nelson (sigh...).

- Hey, we had an Alan Jackson sighting! Well, kind of. Jim And Jack And Hank, the lead single from the album Angels And Alcohol, only made it to #50 during the summer, which was AJ's worst ever showing for an officially released single. Doesn't look like he's getting a second single, and we just have to be happy he got 42 points this year. I still think he'll eventually get the 84 points he needs to pass Buck Owens, and solidify a top 15 spot for a very long time. But it'll take a couple more low-peaking songs.

- Kenny Chesney had a big vacation in 2014, where he scored only 207 points, but he more than made up for it this year. His 326 points ranked as the 4th highest artist total. Til It's Gone finished off its quick run to #1 in January, the slightly sleepy and underwhelming Wild Child hit #1 in June, and the excellent Save It For A Rainy Day (boasting some of the best-looking water a music video has ever showcased) made The Big Revival 4 for 4 in producing #1s, in October. Oh, and there was a Christmas song that charted back in January. Will he go for a fifth #1 single from the album? Doesn't look like it. The three #1s and five total weeks at #1 tied Luke Bryan for the most in both categories in 2015 (Blake Shelton also had three #1s). Kenny's now also up to 26 Billboard (airplay) #1s, right on the heels of Timmy's 27, and tied with AJ. Doesn't look like anything's going to keep him from hitting 30. I'm just glad that, after 20 years on the charts, he's only 59% of the way to George Strait's total of 44 #1s...

Kenny had himself a huge jump on the Whitlist rankings, over Alabama, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr., and Marty Robbins, and into the top 15 all-time. The next chart appearance he makes, he'll pass AJ, and he'll easily get past Buck Owens as well next year. His pursuit of Timmy has started to get very interesting, and they'll likely settle their battle in the top 10, as the decade is winding down.

- Even though his career is a dozen years shorter than George's, Toby Keith is also now settling for table scraps wherever he can get them. He might be hating the "mongrel chart era" more than anyone, as he hasn't had a top 10 song since its creation in October 2012. His "I Love This Bar" sequel, Drunk Americans, ran out of steam after hitting #27 in January, the uninspired 35 MPH Town petered out at #42 in August, and Toby released a third single, Beautiful Stranger, just before the end of the year. That gave him 94 points in 2015, and he's now 23% of the way through the "Reeves-Tubb Gulch". With 280 points to go until he reaches Reeves, it's still questionable that he completes the journey. Won't happen for at least two more years, if it does.

- Brad Paisley's chart career continues to prematurely age, as he posts his first sub-200 total, 177 points, in 15 years. He did at least score his 19th career #1, Perfect Storm, back in January. I gotta think he won't be stuck on that number, and he's still got a 20th #1 within him somewhere. Crushin' It did make me smirk, with its lyric of "guess I've been in a dry spell". Brad and his co-writers, Kelley Lovelace and Lee Thomas Miller, have apparently been reading these yearly updates from me the last few years! He did finally drag it to the top 10 after a long 26-week rise, to #9, and the love child of "This Is Country Music" and "The Boys Of Fall", Country Nation, should hopefully get at least that high. But come on, Brad! No room for my "Aggies" in the lyrics?! We're definitely more "country" than Michigan and Notre Dame!

Brad passed Clint Black and Crystal Gayle, and should only be a week or so from passing Vince Gill. With his slowdown, I'm no longer confident he'll eventually make it to the top 30, but he should at least pass the Statler Brothers in 2016.

- Keith Urban first passed Rascal Flatts on the final week of September, had the Flatts pass him right back the following week, and got back ahead of them on the first week of November. I have to think that he should now be in front of them to stay. Keith gained 295 points, good for a tie for the 7th highest artist total in 2015. His duet with Eric Church, Raise 'Em Up, was an easy #1 in May, giving him 18 career #1s (a lot easier for him to reach 20 #1s, and beyond, than Brad). That was the 4th #1 from Fuse, the most he's had on an album. The lead single from his next album, the uber-catchy "John X 3" (much quicker writing it that way), was a three-week #2 in October, getting stonewalled by Kenny's Rainy Day. The follow-up Break On Me should be a top contender in March. In addition to the Flatts, Urban blasted past seven other artists to jump from #60 to #52 in 2015. Top 50 awaits him when his next single is released, and he should also edge past Crystal Gayle by the end of the year.

- Rascal Flatts was on the third and fourth singles from an album in 2015, so it was expected that their point production would drop quite a bit (203 in 2014, and down to 99 in 2015). Riot spent the first half of the year plodding toward a #20 peak, and went recurrent immediately after hitting that spot. As the year ended, I Like The Sound Of That was also nearing that top 20 mark. They only passed Jerry Lee Lewis, while getting passed themselves by Urban, so they stayed put at #54. It'll probably be about time for a new album in late 2016, which could get them close to Clint Black and his #50 spot (which will be #51 after Keith passes him first). Will they still be gaining points as the decade closes? I would think making it a full 20-year career, the same length that Brooks & Dunn got, would be an appropriate ending time.

- After averaging 426 points during the previous four years, the 312 in 2015 for Blake Shelton qualifies as a "slowdown" for him. Of course, that would be a career year for most artists. It qualified Blake for the 6th highest artist total. Blake's #1 streak is still alive and well, and approaching historical measures. The subdued Lonely Tonight hit the top in March, Sangria (with an annoyingly repetitive chorus) was a two-week #1 in July, and Gonna became his 16th straight #1 on the final chart week of the year. That streak is tied with Earl Thomas Conley and Sonny James for the second longest in history, and only behind the previously-thought-to-be untouchable 21 straight, by Alabama. I'm not betting against Blake reaching that mark, that's for sure. The three #1s at #1 in 2015 were of course in a three-way tie with Kenny and Luke for the most during the year. Oh, and The Voice is still chugging right along, into its ninth season with Blake an effective coach (4 wins in 8 seasons). I guess being a husband was the only thing Blake failed at in 2015...!

A quick aside on the awards front: I was glad to finally see Blake's stranglehold on the CMA Male Vocalist trophy end at five years (even if it was ended by someone 95% of the general public had never heard of). After thirteen years with only four different winners, it was time for some new blood. Back to the Whitlist, Blake passed eight artists to cruise into the top 70, and assuming he returns to a 350+ output in 2016 (I would think he'll be having a new album come out during the year), he'll be threatening the top 60 and Barbara Mandrell/The Oak Ridge Boys.

- A shocking fact on Carrie Underwood: it's been over three years since her last #1, Blown Away, in November 2012. Heck, the new queen of pop, Taylor Swift, has had one country #1 since then! Since that time, she's taken over Kenny's role as the "Chief Runner-up", with four #2 peakers, which gives her seven for her career. The first single from her first greatest hits album, Something In The Water, stopped at #3 in February, and the next single from that package, Little Toy Guns, became one of those runner-ups in July. Toy Guns also accomplished the rare feat of going recurrent from the #2 position on the chart. Her fifth studio album, Storyteller, came out a couple of months ago, and the lead single Smoke Break hit #2 a couple of weeks ago, before being dropped for the next single Heartbeat. Already in the top 30, maybe Heartbeat can break the #1 drought for her. There's nothing wrong with Carrie's point total in 2015, 283, which was the 9th highest artist total, and highest for female artists. It sent her up thirteen positions, and matching that point performance in 2016 would have her crack 3500 points.

- The one new entry into the top 100, Jason Aldean, passed that milestone in November. He finally (for the first time this decade!!) was not the 4th highest scoring artist of the year, on that "annual" list. Instead, his 295 points had him tied with Keith Urban for the 7th largest total. That also broke his streak of five straight 300+ point years. Just Gettin' Started hit #1 in March, and Tonight Looks Good On You reached the same plateau in August. Longtime readers of these updates will not be surprised that those two songs were automatic station-changers for me. Actually, I had to go listen to them again last week, as I couldn't remember any specifics about them, and couldn't tell them apart. That was similar to my memories with his previous #1, Burnin' It Up. When every song is interchangeable and forgettable, what's the point?

The fourth single from his Old Boots album, Gonna Know We Were Here, should hit #1 in January, and in terms of "high school sports rah-rah" songs, I'd take The Boys Of Fall any day over this one. Jason moved up fifteen spots in 2015, and he should get back over the 300-point mark in '16 (probably a new album on the way), which would push him into the top 85. Don't tell me I have to worry about him catching Paisley down the road?!

[Jonsolo]

#101 to #200:


101. (100) Ricky Skaggs – 2943
102. (101) Diamond Rio – 2938
103. (102) Joe Diffie – 2911
104. (103) Vern Gosdin – 2815
105. (104) Collin Raye – 2796
106. (105) Eddy Raven – 2793
107. (120) Dierks Bentley - 2790 (186)
108. (106) Billy Craddock – 2787
109. (107) Lee Greenwood – 2774
110. (108) John Conlee – 2756
111. (109) Stonewall Jackson – 2721
112. (110) Kathy Mattea – 2713
113. (111) Lorrie Morgan – 2709
114. (113) Del Reeves – 2666
115. (121) Montgomery Gentry – 2663 (64)
116. (114) Roy Drusky – 2658
117. (115) Dwight Yoakam – 2656
118. (116) Shania Twain – 2643
119. (117) Dave Dudley – 2629
120. (142) Luke Bryan - 2627 (421)
121. (118) Roger Miller – 2624
122. (119) Jean Shepard – 2612
123. (122) Taylor Swift - 2576
124. (123) Charly McClain – 2553
125. (124) The Judds – 2529
126. (125) Donna Fargo – 2517
127. (129) Gary Allan – 2462 (48)
128. (126) Roy Clark – 2427
129. (127) Ronnie McDowell - 2420
130. (128) Bob Wills – 2418
131. (130) Ricky Van Shelton – 2405
132. (131) Tracy Byrd – 2377
133. (132) Skeeter Davis – 2353
134. (133) George Hamilton IV – 2334
135. (134) Jack Greene – 2295
136. (135) Mel McDaniel – 2290
137. (136) Sara Evans – 2271
138. (137) Johnny Duncan – 2253
139. (138) Dan Seals – 2250
140. (139) Kendalls – 2235
141. (140) Roseanne Cash – 2223
142. (141) Sammy Kershaw – 2209
143. (154) Lady Antebellum - 2197 (92)
144. (143) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – 2174
145. (144) Aaron Tippin – 2173
146. (145) Jimmy Wakely – 2171
147. (146) Leann Rimes – 2170
148. (180) Zac Brown Band - 2170 (320)
149. (147) Restless Heart – 2167
150. (148) Dixie Chicks – 2161
151. (149) Shenandoah – 2141
152. (150) Tennessee Ernie Ford – 2126
153. (151) Johnny Lee – 2107
154. (152) Gary Morris – 2107
155. (153) Jo Dee Messina – 2106
156. (169) Miranda Lambert - 2106 (122)
157. (155) Gene Autry – 2101
158. (156) Wynonna – 2092
159. (157) Pam Tillis – 2072
160. (158) Neal McCoy – 2058
161. (159) Jimmy Newman – 2047
162. (160) Hank Locklin – 2044
163. (161) Wilburn Brothers – 2019
164. (162) George Morgan – 2015
165. (163) Slim Whitman – 1996
166. (164) Al Dexter – 1996
167. (165) Tommy Overstreet – 1995
168. (166) Ed Bruce – 1993
169. (167) Billie Jo Spears – 1993
170. (206) Eric Church - 1991 (384)
171. (168) Nat Stuckey – 1989
172. (183) Billy Currington - 1968 (153)
173. (170) Exile – 1952
174. (176) Joe Nichols – 1948 (61)
175. (171) Narvel Felts – 1947
176. (172) Mary C. Carpenter – 1939
177. (173) Michael M. Murphey – 1911
178. (174) Razzy Bailey – 1908
179. (175) Tex Ritter – 1901
180. (181) Craig Morgan – 1885 (35)
181. (177) Bob Luman – 1882
182. (178) Doug Stone – 1870
183. (179) Lee Ann Womack – 1852
184. (182) Terri Clark – 1835
185. (184) Sammy Smith – 1814
186. (185) Rex Allen Jr. – 1811
187. (186) Sugarland – 1801
188. (187) Brenda Lee – 1799
189. (188) Freddy Weller – 1784
190. (189) Marty Stuart – 1781
191. (190) Phil Vassar - 1764
192. (191) Jerry Wallace – 1761
193. (192) Claude King – 1754
194. (193) Billy Ray Cyrus – 1724
195. (194) Billy Dean – 1717
196. (195) Tex Williams – 1715
197. (196) Juice Newton – 1688
198. (197) David Rogers – 1675
199. (198) Wynn Stewart – 1670
200. (225) Little Big Town - 1657 (186)






Notes on #101 to #200:

- After no artists entered the top 200 during 2014, we had two artists jump in in 2015, with the last artist (Little Big Town) just making it in November. They actually kicked Rodney Atkins back out, as Rodney first entered the top 200 back in February, and resided there for nine months. In 2016, there's five artists (including Rodney) who could be in range of making the top 200, and we should at least have three enter.

- After a dozen years, we know what Dierks Bentley's ceiling is, and what to expect each year. He's apparently never going to win a major award (i.e., Male Vocalist Of The Year), but he's good for about one #1 per year, and doesn't release many outright flops. While he had his best Whitpoint year in a decade in 2014, he was back to his normal production this year, with 186 points (he averaged 199 points/year from 2007 to 2013). He got Say You Do to be his third #1 in a row, a two-weeker in May. Riser never really caught up fully, spending half the year rising, but only got to #24 before going recurrent on the final chart week of the year. Dierks did get some easy points with his inclusion on the charting Charles Kelley song in the last two weeks of the year, and we'll see if that one has longterm potential. Those offerings pushed Dierks up thirteen spots during the year, and he's on the doorstep of the top 100. If he hits that longtime average of his (199 points) in 2016, it'll just about get him there.

- Montgomery Gentry didn't gather a lot of points during the year, but they got a lot of bang for their collective buck. Getting their Headlights to #40 in January, and barely slipping Folks Like Us into the top 50, got them a meager 64 points. However, since they were right behind a group of artists, those points enabled them to move up six spots. They're still about 300 points away from the top 100, and it's unlikely they'll get there (especially with the bar being raised by Dierks, Luke, and other fast-moving artists as they entering that section first).

- And now we move on to the current biggest star on the country chart (in terms of Whitpoints), Luke Bryan. After posting the largest yearly point total in 2014 since I started doing these updates in 2006, he piled on 421 points this year, to easily repeat as the highest scoring artist. That gave him a towering two-year total of 976 points. That should be the highest two-year total since I started these Updates on this board (927 points for Blake in 2013-2014 was the second largest I found). Yeah, he's on a bit of a roll (and also collecting Entertainer Of The Year trophies). He was the third artist that got three #1s in 2015 (and tied Kenny five total weeks at the top). Those songs included I See You (which was a two-week #1 in February and also gave him five chart-toppers on the Crash My Party album), and Kick The Dust Up (which hit the top in August). Strip It Down was also lightning-fast, hitting the top after an eleven-week sprint, for two total weeks at #1 in October. Home Alone Tonight should be a cinch to hit the top in March, and Luke also pulled off a rarity, getting a non-promoted song to hit #20, just on its own (Games).

I didn't mind I See You and Strip It, which didn't introduce anything new, but were pleasant listens. But Kick The Dust joins That's My Kind Of Night and Country Girl Shake It, to form a "terrible trio", of songs that make my ears bleed. As his starpower continues to rise, I fear that group of terrible songs will start to grow even faster. Those points sent Luke up twenty-two positions, and it'd be a major surprise if he doesn't earn the 330 points he needs in 2016 to reach the top 100. It's likely he'll slot himself just in front of Janie Fricke with around 3000 points by next December.

- Gary Allan released a terrific lead single, Hangover Tonight, back in March, from a new album. Unfortunately, it didn't catch on, only reaching #41, and that new album is currently in limbo. I would think he'll try a second single from that "ghost album" in 2016. As for 2015, Hangover got him 48 points, and moved him up two spots. It's possible he'll eventually be able to land on #120, before the next stampede of young artists (Lady Ant, Zac Brown, Miranda) arrive to push him back.

- Lady Antebellum continues to see their starpower decrease from the stratospheric high point, and they'll never be as big as they were at the turn of the decade. It could be a classic case of a country act becoming too big, and getting the attention of the pop world for a few years, and seeing a big hangover with their country audience when the fickle pop audience moves on to The Next Big Thing. After having their lead single from the 747 album, Bartender, hit #1 in 2014, the two follow ups greatly underperformed, both topping out at #16. Freestyle made it to that spot in February, and Long Stretch Of Love ran out of gas in September. That gave Lady only 92 points, and moved them up eleven spots break into the top 150. There's a big question of what to expect in 2016, if they're done with the 747 album. If they move forward with a new album, they could probably hit 2400 points and the top 130 in '16.

- Zac Brown's vacation in 2014, when they only earned 106 points, was all over in 2015, and they tripled that output this year. Their 320 points was the 5th highest artist total for the year, and their best showing since 2011. Jekyll + Hyde's release in April powered them to two huge #1s, and another one that has a good chance of becoming a third. Homegrown was one of my favorite songs from the year, and it became a three-week smash in March. Loving You Easy was a #1 in August, and Beautiful Drug (now in the top 20) is on pace to hit the summit in April. "Drug" might be mining a tired analogy/cliche, but both it and Loving You are cut from the same cloth as other Zac songs, "easy on the ears", and will take a long time for me to get tired of them. Zac's year moved them up over thirty positions and into the top 150. More hits are sure to come from Jekyll next year, and I would think they should be aiming for around 2500 points, and the space between Donna Fargo and Gary Allan by the end of '16.

- Perhaps the best part of 2015 for Miranda Lambert was her continuing the ridiculous streak of winning the Female Vocalist Awards, at both the CMAs and the ACMs. That's now six straight wins at both shows. That helped distract her from the rest of her year, as she struggled on the charts, and of course on the "matrimonial" side of things in her personal life. After starting off the album Platinum with two top 10s, she had the grimace-inducing, eye-rollingly bad Little Red Wagon limp to #16 in April. Smokin' And Drinkin' (better, but just a bit too many auto-tune effects) flamed out at #33 in September. That got her 122 points, and she moved up thirteen spots. I would think a new album is due next year, and thus she'll have no problem cruising into the top 150, and might get close to where Sara Evans is. It would still be nice to see her on-chart performance match the success she has at the award shows...

- Eric Church continues to make strides, and hopefully he'll have a Male Vocalist trophy in his future at some point. He's got a signature sound with his distinctive voice, and almost everything he releases sounds fresh. Talladega was also one of my favorite songs during the year, and it hit #1 in February (masterfully timed by the label, to coincide with the run-up to the Daytona 500...). Like A Wrecking Ball closed out the successful Outsiders album era, but just missed out on hitting the top 10 in September (no doubt, it caused a lot of listener request/DJ playlist confusion with Miley Cyrus's Wrecking Ball...). His new lead single Mr. Misunderstood might not be mainstream to go to #1, but it should still be a solid top 5 performer (the song's too long, but I liked the similarities to McClean's American Pie, with slow musical segments bookending an uptempo stretch in the middle). In addition to those three, he got an easy #1 from being attached to Keith Urban's Raise 'Em Up.

Those gave him 384 points, his best showing ever, and the 2nd highest artist total of the year. He leapt into the top 200, and the new album should send him toward the top 150 in 2016. He's doing much better than I ever thought he would be, based on the starts he had with How Bout You and Two Pink Lines.

- Billy Currington had an up-and-down year, with him first slowly taking Don't It to #1 in June. The second single from that parent album, Drinkin' Town With A Football Problem (much more effective than Aldean's Gonna Know We Were Here), puzzlingly could only make it to #30 in November. With that being right in the heart of football season, it's strange how that one wasn't able to catch on. Those two singles gave Billy 153 points, and he moved into the top 175. There should be at least one more single coming from that Summer Forever album, which would get him to the top 160 in 2016. I'm mainly getting a "Mark Chestnut/Tracy Lawrence" vibe from Billy, in that someone who never makes it to the "top tier", but has a strong enough career to reach the top 100, before fading out. Not too shabby, if that's his destiny.

- Joe Nichols got a #1 song in both 2013 and 2014 from his Crickets album, but that proved to be too much recurrent airplay for his third single, Hard To Be Cool (very catchy), to overcome. It took a long time for it to peak at #22 in April. I'm not sure if it would have mattered if the song had been trying to climb the chart in the summer, rather than the winter, for the bulk of its run. An apparent new single, Freaks Like Me, is also struggling to catch on. Those two gave Joe only 61 points, which moved him up, well, just two spots (thanks, Eric and Billy!). Joe should still be looking at eventually making the top 150, but I'll stop short on guessing any higher at this point.

- The second entry into the top 200 was Little Big Town, officially making it there in November. They had perhaps the most talked-about country single of the year with Girl Crush, which made its mark nationally on the pop and adult contemporary charts, as well as the country one. Any exposure is good exposure, for the most part, and Crush peaked out at #3 in August, and it collected the CMA Song and Single Of The Year awards. The follow-up, Pain Killer, is perhaps understandably moving much slower, just on the verge of the top 40 this month. Any underperformance by that single was helped to be offset by the group's inclusion on the Miranda Smokin' And Drinkin' single, which helped get them a point total of 186 during the year. I think they're still on pace to carve out a career point total close to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In 2016, look for them to try for 1800 points and the top 190.

[Jonsolo]

#201 to #300:

201. (201) Rodney Atkins - 1651 (13)
202. (199) Cal Smith – 1644
203. (200) Jan Howard – 1644
204. (202) Forester Sisters – 1636
205. (203) Red Sovine – 1621
206. (204) Susan Raye – 1616
207. (205) Lacy J. Dalton – 1614
208. (220) Jake Owen - 1611 (93)
209. (207) Keith Whitley – 1573
210. (208) Mark Wills – 1571
211. (209) Ray Stevens – 1566
212. (210) Charlie Daniels – 1563
213. (211) Linda Ronstadt – 1561
214. (212) Kenny Price – 1558
215. (213) Mac Davis – 1545
216. (214) Rodney Crowell – 1541
217. (215) Warner Mack – 1538
218. (216) T. Graham Brown – 1538
219. (217) Dickey Lee – 1527
220. (218) Sylvia – 1527
221. (249) Darius Rucker - 1524 (179)
222. (219) Margo Smith – 1519
223. (221) Wanda Jackson – 1512
224. (222) Jimmy Dean – 1505
225. (223) David Frizzell – 1498
226. (224) John Denver – 1495
227. (229) Josh Turner - 1474 (22)
228. (264) Chris Young - 1467 (211)
229. (226) Charlie Louvin – 1465
230. (227) Highway 101 – 1464
231. (228) Darryl Worley – 1455
232. (230) Melba Montgomery – 1449
233. (231) Louise Mandrell – 1446
234. (232) Little Texas – 1440
235. (233) Holly Dunn – 1437
236. (234) Lee Roy Parnell – 1428
237. (235) Suzy Bogguss – 1419
238. (236) Freddie Fender – 1402
239. (237) Everly Brothers – 1402
240. (238) Leon Everette – 1400
241. (239) Gary Stewart – 1399
242. (240) Gretchen Wilson – 1399
243. (241) The Browns – 1398
244. (242) Dave & Sugar – 1391
245. (243) Mel Street – 1390
246. (244) Gail Davis – 1388
247. (245) Patsy Cline – 1388
248. (246) Barbara Fairchild – 1386
249. (247) Jeannie Seely – 1386
250. (248) Jody Miller – 1348
251. (250) Ernest Ashworth – 1342
252. (251) Johnny Carver – 1337
253. (252) Bobby G. Rice – 1321
254. (253) Blackhawk – 1317
255. (306) Florida Georgia Line - 1312 (329)
256. (254) Shelly West – 1307
257. (255) David Allan Coe – 1302
258. (256) Merle Travis – 1300
259. (257) John Schneider – 1298
260. (258) Jacky Ward – 1283
261. (259) Claude Gray – 1269
262. (260) Cowboy Copas – 1267
263. (261) Ty Herndon – 1265
264. (262) Jeannie C. Riley – 1263
265. (263) Johnny Russell – 1262
266. (265) Tompall & Glaser – 1252
267. (266) John Berry – 1252
268. (267) Marie Osmond – 1246
269. (268) Con Hunley – 1242
270. (269) Charlie Walker – 1241
271. (270) John Wesley Ryles – 1235
272. (281) Justin Moore - 1233 (50)
273. (288) Big & Rich - 1226 (101)
274. (271) Paul Overstreet – 1216
275. (272) Johnny Horton – 1216
276. (273) K.T. Oslin – 1214
277. (274) Flatt & Scruggs – 1212
278. (275) Bryan White – 1211
279. (276) Hal Ketchum – 1206
280. (277) Desert Rose Band – 1205
281. (287) The Band Perry - 1203 (61)
282. (278) Cristy Lane – 1202
283. (279) Jeanne Pruett – 1199
284. (296) Lee Brice - 1196 (132)
285. (280) Helen Cornelius – 1183
286. (282) Chris Cagle – 1173
287. (283) Bobby Goldsboro – 1165
288. (284) Norma Jean – 1160
289. (285) Bobby Lewis – 1156
290. (286) Billy Joe Royal – 1145
291. (289) SheDaisy – 1119
292. (290) Steve Holy – 1098
293. (291) Jim Glaser – 1089
294. (292) Little Jimmy Dickens – 1085
295. (293) Jimmy Buffett – 1082
296. (294) Randy Barlow – 1072
297. (295) Johnnie & Jack – 1067
298. (297) B.J. Thomas – 1060
299. (298) Andy Griggs – 1043
300. (299) Pat Green - 1043








Notes on #201 to #300:

- We had just one artist make the top 300 this year, but the splash they made almost landed them in the top 250. I had thought possibly two more had a chance, Randy Houser and the Eli Young Band, but they didn't comply.

- Not much progress made by Jake Owen in advancing his career to the next tier this year. He finished off taking What We Ain't Got to #14 in April, and then released Real Life (too much talking in the song for my tastes) in June, from a new album. Even though it had an outstanding debut at #29, it never could catch on, and only got as far as #17 in October. That has understandably delayed the new album, and no release date for it, or a second single, has been announced yet. Jake got 93 points this year, good enough to move him up a dozen spots, but he should've been able to reach the top 200. That will happen in 2016, and maybe he can get as high as #190.

- Darius Rucker had two Christmas songs chart back in January, which made his year look a little better than it actually was. Lead single Homegrown Honey (decent, but I could have done without the repeated words in the chorus) did reach #2 back in April, after a long chart run. Southern Style (which likely is the only country song to ever have "Lil Wayne" in its lyrics) failed to catch on, only reaching #33 in October. The Christmas songs bailed him out, of course, to get him a 179-point gain. That did get him half of the way from #250 to the top 200. He might not quite make it to the top 200 in 2016, as he'd need a huge hit from a third single from the album, or two smaller hits.

- I said on last year's update that, despite it being a while since Chris Young had those five straight #1s, he should have a few more chart-toppers in him somewhere. Well, he found one of the biggest hits of the year, with the three-week I'm Coming Over in December. After taking Lonely Eyes to #2 back in April, that gave him 211 points for the year, and moved him up almost forty positions. If he repeats that performance in '16, he'll jump into the top 200. He should be a safer bet to make it next year than Darius, as he's a lot more dependable in getting top 5 hits (10 of his last 11 singles have made it that far).

- For Florida Georgia Line, racking up 1300 points in three and a half years of work (averaging 370 per year) is quite the start to their career. They do run the risk of burning out, being this huge, this early, but they've yet to show any weaknesses. Sun Daze hit #1 in February (always impressive when a summer song goes all the way during the winter months), and Sippin' On Fire completed the trip to the top in June. Unfortunately, a huge "disappointment" with Anything Goes, which became the duo's lowest-peaking single ever. That translates, of course, to a three-week #3 in November. No doubt, it must have been "rejected" because of that horrible grammar in the lyrics ('Where you is?'). Confession should atone for that grave injustice, and aim to be a huge hit in April.

329 points during the year was the 3rd highest artist total, and largest by a group. They rocketed up over 50 positions, past the top 300 marker and nearly into the top 250. Repeating that total in 2016 would get them close to the top 200. Just close enough, that I refust to say they can't make it.

- Big eight-month vacation for Justin Moore, after he finished off his Off The Beaten Path album, and before releasing his next one. That kept his point total down quite a bit. This Kind Of Town finished off its disappointing run to #44 in February, and then there was long wait until he came out with new lead single You Look Like I Need A Drink (the title's probably a little bit better and more clever than the actual song) in November. That one's taking a few more weeks than you'd expect to make the top 40. Justin only added 50 points for the year, and you'd think he can find at least one big hit off the new album in '16, to get into the top 250.

- The main change for Big & Rich since they came back, after five years of attempting solo careers, is that they've become masters of the long, slow chart run to near the top 10 boundary. They had a 40+ week run with Look At You in 2014, to #7, and then they needed 46 weeks to take Run Away With You up to #11 this year (horrible timing, as they were just on the verge of the top 10 before going recurrent two weeks ago). That moved them up 101 points (exactly what they also got in 2014), and took another step toward the top 250. It'll be interesting to see if they have more points in the "second phase" of chart activity as a duo (now up to 384 since 2011), as compared to the "first phase" of their chart career (842 points before 2008). I saw that they have a duet with Tim McGraw, Lovin' Lately, on the way out next, and maybe that gets them another 100 points in 2016.

- The Band Perry appeared to model their year's chart strategy after Jake Owen. And by that, I mean they had a new lead single (Live Forever) debut fairly high (#36), immediately run into some trouble, and peak shortly afterward (#27 in October, after only eleven weeks on the chart). Now as for the content and apparent change of direction to Perry's music, well... I wrote in this update last year that they'd been "very faithful to their unique sound and personality, and have been pretty productive". Well, for some reason that faithfulness appears to have gone out the window, and it's a puzzling choice. I figured scoring eight straight top 10s in a row, and four #1s, had them on a roll, and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Well, they might have broken it, at least momentarily at country radio. They only scored 61 points this year, and with an act in such flux, I hesitate on guessing where they'll head in 2016. Normally, 150 points to the top 250 would be a safe bet, but not any longer.

- Lee Brice continued his streak of six straight top 10s, when Drinking Class made it to #2 in May. The third single from his current album, That Don't Sound Like You, has been moving extremely slowly, just into the top 30 after spending the second half of 2015 climbing. Lee's point total was 132, and he could probably manage at least 100 points in 2016, to reach top 260.

[Jonsolo]

#301 to #400:

301. (300) Leroy Van Dyke – 1042
302. (322) Randy Houser - 1026 (114)
303. (301) Confederate Railroad – 1003
304. (302) Olivia Newton John – 1001
305. (303) Pee Wee King – 999
306. (304) Johnny Bush – 994
307. (305) Wade Hayes – 986
308. (330) Eli Young Band - 986 (101)
309. (307) Dick Curless – 981
310. (308) Southern Pacific – 978
311. (309) Buddy Alan – 972
312. (310) Chely Wright – 968
313. (311) Rick Trevino – 964
314. (312) Ricochet – 959
315. (313) Margaret Whiting – 953
316. (314) Tommy Cash – 946
317. (315) Ray Griff – 940
318. (316) Elton Britt – 939
319. (317) David Lee Murphy – 930
320. (318) Red Steagall – 927
321. (319) Mundo Earwood – 926
322. (320) Patti Page – 918
323. (321) Roy Acuff – 918
324. (323) Alison Krauss – 910
325. (324) Deborah Allen – 909
326. (325) The Whites – 908
327. (326) Susie Allanson – 903
328. (327) Carl Butler & Pearl – 898
329. (328) Roy Head – 887
330. (329) Bill Phillips – 887
331. (331) Mark Collie – 885
332. (332) Bobby Helms – 884
333. (333) Tom Jones – 882
334. (334) Rose Maddox – 881
335. (335) Deana Carter – 878
336. (336) Henson Cargill – 870
337. (337) Don King – 864
338. (338) Bonnie Guitar – 863
339. (444) Thomas Rhett - 862 (273)
340. (339) Liz Anderson – 859
341. (340) Johnny & Jonie Mosby – 846
342. (341) Jamie O'Neal – 843
343. (342) Johnny Darrell – 842
344. (343) Louvin Brothers – 840
345. (344) David Wills – 837
346. (345) Osbourne Brothers – 834
347. (346) Glenn Barber – 829
348. (347) Lionel Cartwright – 826
349. (348) Kellie Pickler - 826
350. (390) Jerrod Niemann - 826 (92)
351. (410) Brantley Gilbert - 825 (159)
352. (349) Sweethearts of the Rodeo – 822
353. (350) Asleep at the Wheel – 822
354. (401) Easton Corbin - 821 (131)
355. (351) The Carlisles – 820
356. (352) Sons of the Pioneers – 819
357. (353) Daryle Singletary – 818
358. (354) Wayne Kemp – 817
359. (355) Stephanie Winslow – 816
360. (356) McBride & the Ride – 814
361. (357) Lois Johnson – 814
362. (358) Kenny Dale – 807
363. (388) David Nail - 806 (65)
364. (359) Diana Trask – 804
365. (360) Baillie & the Boys – 803
366. (361) Jessi Colter – 802
367. (362) Arlene Harden – 801
368. (363) J Blanchard/ Morgan – 797
369. (364) Jimmy Wayne - 789
370. (365) Billy Swan – 783
371. (366) Skip Ewing – 781
372. (396) Hunter Hayes 780 (71)
373. (367) Dean Dillon – 779
374. (368) Carl Perkins – 775
375. (369) Floyd Tillman – 775
376. (370) Josh Gracin - 773
377. (371) Rhett Akins – 766
378. (372) Wilma Burgess – 765
379. (373) Jack Ingram - 765
380. (374) June Carter – 764
381. (375) C.W. McCall – 763
382. (376) Chris LeDoux – 758
383. (377) Tommy Collins – 757
384. (378) Michael Johnson – 757
385. (379) Emerson Drive - 752
386. (380) Carlene Carter – 751
387. (381) David Ball – 751
388. (382) Debby Boone – 750
389. (383) Mavericks – 750
390. (384) Ray Charles – 749
391. (385) Jeff Carson – 748
392. (386) Jessica Andrews – 745
393. (387) Johnny Bond – 741
394. (389) Mindy McCready – 736
395. (-) Brett Eldredge - 734 (236)
396. (391) Bobby Wright – 730
397. (392) Moon Mullican – 727
398. (393) Mark Gray – 722
399. (394) Lari White – 714
400. (415) Thompson Square - 713 (51)






Notes on #301 to #400:

- We now get to the sections of the list, where the big "bro-country" artists from the last few years start showing up. And that's where my interest in their movements and accomplishments starts to fade. It's maybe not as much because of a general protest to those kinds of "bro country" songs, since if a song is catchy and entertaining, I'm usually okay with it. Instead, it's mainly because all of those new guys start to sound the same to me, without having truly distinctive voices and personalities. They end up being all JAGs (Just Another Guy) to me, and it's nearly impossible for me to hear a song from them, and know exactly which artist it is. Thomas Pardi? Cole Ballard? Tyler Lynch? Canaan Eldredge? After a while, they all blend together... As a result, the rest of these summaries will start getting somewhat shorter and quicker.

- Five artists entered the top 400 this year. I had guessed last year that four of them would make it, and Brett Eldredge was the surprise fifth. In 2016, there should be four artists entering the top 400.

- Randy Houser finished off releasing singles from a definite breakthrough album, as Like A Cowboy traveled up to #3 in March, and made it four top 3 songs from How Country Feels. That might begin to move him up to the next tier of country stars, and his next album will be very important for that happening. The lead single, We Went (forgettable, and Like A Cowboy was worlds better), is into the top 20 now, but moving a bit slowly (it's taken six months just to get that far). That has probably been preventing the new album from being given an official release date yet. Randy added 114 points, to wind up just a tad shy of the top 300. If We Went is able to make the top 10, that would get him there.

- Eli Young Band has certainly lost a little bit of momentum, after they had those huge #1s in 2011 and 2012. They've probably been overshadowed these last three years by the other bigger bands, and they've always felt like more of a regional act, instead of a constant nationwide presence. They had a lead single, Turn It On, which radio turned off pretty quickly (I never was a big fan of choruses that were too repetitive). It only made it to #37 in June before dropping, and there hasn't been that big of a rush to get a second single. It's a good thing they were included in on the Honey, I'm Good song by Andy Grammer, to keep their year from being too quiet, and they scored 101 points. I thought at the beginning of the year that they'd have trouble reaching the top 300 in 2015, and that was the case. You'd have to think they'll eventually try a second single from their new album, and that should get them into the top 300 in 2016.

- Thomas Rhett is trying to distinguish himself from the other pack of newbies, and it always helps if you put together a streak of #1s. That's what Thomas has done, as he entered 2015 with two #1s, and quickly had the below-average Make Me Wanna become his third in March, wrapping up a strong debut album. His Tangled Up album came out in September, and Crash And Burn (decently catchy) did the complete opposite on the chart, hitting #1 that very same month. The second single, Die A Happy Man, appears to be aiming to kick off 2016 with a #1 in January. Those big hits gave Thomas 273 points, the 10th largest of the year, and he leaped up 100 spots into the top 400. Looks like he's struck an early chord with country radio, and a couple more big hits from his current album will send him easily into the top 300 in 2016, maybe even as high as #290.

- Jerrod Niemann might eventually hit the top 300, but he's probably going to take the slow route. He's been the quintessential "boom or bust" artist, with three top 4 singles in his career, and the other eight failing to make the top 10. And for Blue Bandana, the single he released this year, it just wrapped up a nondescript run on the charts to #32. I assume it was going to be the lead single from a new album, but that kind of under-performance is probably going to push that back a bit. At least he got himself a charting Christmas song in January, to help himself up to 92 points. Maybe he'll reach the top 300 in two years.

- Brantley Gilbert has done decently well in keeping the momentum he got when his first two singles went to #1 in 2011 and 2012. One Hell Of A An Amen had one hell of a long chart run, needing almost 40 weeks to hit #1 in August. The follow-up, Stone Cold Sober, is also taking its time, just hovering around the top 30 after three months on the chart. That got him 159 points, and he was the second entrant into the top 400, right about the same time that Thomas entered, in May. It doesn't look like he'll be able to keep pace with Thomas, and might enter the top 300 a handful of months after Thomas does, probably in early 2017.

- Easton Corbin is doing so-so, with a majority of his singles making the top 5, but still more than a couple of missteps over the last five years. The lead single from his About To Get Real album, Clockwork, had an awful showing and didn't make the top 30. The next one, Baby Be My Love Song, did catch on, though it took a long while. A 40-week climb on the chart ended with it hitting #3 in July. The third single, Yup (yikes, what a horrible idea for a song title) is moving slowly as well, and doesn't appear to be on pace to be a big hit (20+ weeks on, and not yet into the top 30). 131 points was a solid showing for Easton this year, and he moved into the top 400 back in January. He might get half of the way up to the top 300, but he'd need to have Yup or the fourth single break through.

- Brett Eldredge has a #1 streak going himself, as Mean To Me (pretty strong tune) hit the top in March, and he kicked off the new album Illinois with a single, Lose My Mind, that hit #1 in October. That song was a step back in quality, a bit scattershot in focus. It also had a bit of an uncomfortable music video, at least to me (the model in it was only 19 when the video was shot, feeling just a tad bit of awkward with the nearly-30 Brett). And I know I wasn't the only one that got flashbacks to Gnarls Barkley with the "crazy"s in the chorus. The next single, Drunk On Your Love (not bad, but how many "in love with you is like being buzzed"-type songs does the world need?), will almost certainly make it to the top as well during the spring. Those gave Brett 236 points (which was the 12th highest artist total), and sent him from the Contenders section, all the way up into the top 400, getting there in November. He shouldn't have any problem reaching the top 350 in '16.

- Not much to say about Thompson Square, other than recognizing the short run they had from their Pontiac Firebird commercial (a.k.a. Trans Am), only a #44 in May. That edged them into the top 400, but no date for the release of the parent album. And since the duo's about to become parents themselves, it might be a while before they gain more points. Thus, they're in danger of being passed by other artists early next year, and being edged back out of the 400.

[Jonsolo]

#401 to #480:

401. (395) Judy Rodman – 709
402. (397) Chad Brock – 703
403. (398) Dottsy – 702
404. (399) Little David Wilkens – 695
405. (400) Marion Worth – 690
406. (402) Zella Lehr – 687
407. (403) Stella Parton – 687
408. (404) Ted Daffan – 687
409. (405) Doug Supernaw – 685
410. (406) Linda Davis – 680
411. (407) La Costa – 678
412. (464) Kip Moore - 676 (126)
413. (408) Lyle Lovett – 672
414. (409) Larry Boone – 667
415. (411) Jim Nesbitt – 665
416. (412) Joe Sun – 664
417. (413) Sheb Wooley – 664
418. (414) Hoyt Axton – 662
419. (416) Margie Singleton – 657
420. (417) Sherry Bryce – 656
421. (418) Robin Lee – 655
422. (419) Ray Pillow – 654
423. (420) R.C. Bannon – 653
424. (421) Terri Gibbs – 649
425. (422) Roy Rogers – 649
426. (423) Radney Foster – 645
427. (424) Peggy Sue – 635
428. (425) Ned Miller – 635
429. (426) Lila McCann – 634
430. (442) James Otto - 631 (37)
431. (437) Gloriana - 630 (28)
432. (427) Keith Stegall – 626
433. (428) Billy Parker – 619
434. (429) Bobby Borchers – 619
435. (430) Jimmie Skinner – 619
436. (-) Dustin Lynch - 618 (155)
437. (431) Tony Booth – 615
438. (432) T Texas Tyler – 615
439. (433) Michael Peterson – 615
440. (434) Johnny Wright – 608
441. (435) Spade Cooley – 606
442. (436) Jack Reno – 604
443. (-) Frankie Ballard - 602 (178)
444. (438) Big Al Downing – 599
445. (439) Foster & Lloyd – 599
446. (440) Hawkshaw Hawkins – 599
447. (441) Steve Azar - 598
448. (-) Tyler Farr - 595 (198)
449. (443) Mary Lou Turner – 592
450. (445) Becky Hobbs – 588
451. (446) Kelly Clarkson - 588
452. (447) Burl Ives – 586
453. (448) Charlie McCoy – 584
454. (449) Mike Reid – 582
455. (450) Trick Pony – 576
456. (451) O'Kanes – 575
457. (452) Keith Anderson - 574
458. (453) Ronnie Sessions – 572
459. (454) Paul Brandt – 570
460. (455) Kris Kristofferson – 569
461. (456) Dorsey Burnette – 567
462. (457) Penny DeHaven – 564
463. (458) Tom Wopat – 563
464. (459) Kentucky Headhunters – 560
465. (460) Sheryl Crow - 560
466. (461) Darrell McCall - 555
467. (462) Bill Monroe - 552
468. (463) Carl Belew - 550
469. (465) Ray Sanders - 547
470. (466) Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper - 547
471. (467) Hugh X. Lewis - 543
472. (468) Stoney Edwards - 542
473. (469) Lane Brody - 539
474. (470) Leon Ashley - 538
475. (471) LaWanda Lindsey - 537
476. (472) SKO - 533
477. (473) Sonny Curtis - 530
478. (474) Mason Dixon - 527
479. (475) Ricky Nelson - 526
480. (-) Love And Theft - 524 (34)
481. (476) Bandana - 519
482. (-) Scotty McCreery - 519 (48)
483. (477) The Lost Trailers - 517
484. (478) Brian Collins - 515
485. (479) David Kersh - 514
486. (-) Cole Swindell - 513 (205)
487. (480) Warren Brothers - 511
488. (481) Kenny Starr - 509

And the Contenders for the above ranked portion of the Whitburn list:

Uncle Kracker - 508
Sherrie Austin - 491
Kid Rock - 490 (37)
Josh Thompson - 483
Craig Campbell - 477 (59)
Blaine Larsen - 475
Jason Michael Carroll - 465
Bucky Covington - 461
Eric Paslay - 451 (112)
Sam Hunt - 450 (251)
Carolyn Dawn Johnson - 439
Ronnie Dunn - 432 (51)
Parmalee - 432 (109)
Kacey Musgraves - 411 (49)
Jamey Johnson - 408
Jana Kramer - 406 (97)
Chuck Wicks - 402
Jon Pardi - 353 (64)
LoCash - 340 (102)


Notes on #401 on down:

- Seven artists moved up from the Contenders list to the ranked portion of the list this year, and one jumped all the way into the top 400 (there's usually one per year...). I said last December that there were possibly eight artists that could get ranked in 2015.

- Assuming Running For You doesn't do much more, Kip Moore will have to release a new single before he'll be able to enter the top 400.

- It will be interesting to see how long Dustin Lynch, Frankie Ballard, and Tyler Farr can hang around each other, as they climb the list. All three have singles currently on the chart and in the vicinity of the top 30, so they should be close a while longer. And we'll see if either of the three can take the next step first, and start to distinguish themselves from the others.

- Obviously, the artist on the Contender list that's made the most chart noise and generated the most reaction (both positive and negative) over the last 18 months is Sam Hunt. He had the 11th largest point total (251), and will enter the ranked portion probably when his current single, Break Up In A Small Town, peaks in the spring. As for the quality of his music, well, I've repeatedly said that I don't care for songs that have recitation, and too much talking. That's definitely the case for Take Your Time and Break Up, and they are always "station-changers" to me. His other stuff is borderline listenable, borderline silly, and I'd probably classify House Party as a "guilty pleasure" for me. It looks like he'll be with us for a while, and it wouldnt' be a shock to see him zoom up into the top 400 next year.

- Ronnie Dunn's effort of Ain't No Trucks In Texas had me going to check on his total (along with his pre-Brooks & Dunn solo efforts), and I was glad to see that he now qualified on being a Contender. It'll probably take two more singles from him to get him to the ranked section of the list.

- Let's see, for the number of artists that should become ranked next year (passing Kenny Starr), I'll go with a guess of five.

- The artists that I added to the Contenders section this year were Cole Swindell, Eric Paslay, Sam Hunt, Ronnie Dunn, Parmalee, Jana Kramer, Jon Pardi, and LoCash. In '16, I'll be keeping an eye on Dan + Shay, Chase Rice, Maddie & Tae, Canaan Smith, Chris Janson, and Old Dominion, and see if they make it to Contender-status.



Next up, the list of the top artists of 2015...

[Jonsolo]

Top Country Artists of 2015 (their 2014 ranking is in parenthesis):

1. (1) Luke Bryan - 421
2. (8) Eric Church - 384
3. (3) Florida Georgia Line - 329
4. (15T) Kenny Chesney - 326
5. (-) Zac Brown - 320
6. (2) Blake Shelton - 312
7T. (4) Jason Aldean - 295
7T. (14) Keith Urban - 295
9. (28) Carrie Underwood - 283
10. (10) Thomas Rhett - 273
11. (18) Sam Hunt - 251
12. (29T) Brett Eldredge - 236
13. (-) Old Dominion - 228
14. (5) Tim McGraw - 218
15. (22T) Chris Young - 211
16. (13) Cole Swindell - 205
17. (35) Tyler Farr - 198
18. (-) A Thousand Horses - 191
19. (-) Michael Ray - 187
20T. (6) Dierks Bentley - 186
20T. (29T) Little Big Town - 186
22. (36) Darius Rucker - 179
23. (19) Frankie Ballard - 178
24. (11) Brad Paisley - 177
25. (-) Kelsea Ballerini - 167
26. (9) Brantley Gilbert - 159
27. (25) Dustin Lynch - 155
28. (-) Canaan Smith - 154
29. (32) Billy Currington - 153
30. (-) Maddie & Tae - 148
31. (-) Chris Janson - 147
32. (-) Dan + Shay - 146
33. (-) Cam - 141
34. (20T) Lee Brice - 132
35. (39) Easton Corbin - 131
36. (-) Kip Moore - 126
37. (22T) Miranda Lambert - 122
38. (-) Reba McEntire - 116
39. (-) Mo Pitney - 115
40. (31) Randy Houser - 114



- There were thirteen artists on this year's Top Artist list, who weren't ranked on last year's Top Artist list. There were eleven artists on the 2014 Top Artists list, who weren't there for 2013. Maybe the quicker turnover of songs at the #1 spot on each weekly chart, led to more unpredictability, and more artists breaking through.

- And while all of the top 5 artists on the 2014 list were also in the top 5 from 2013, we only have Luke and Florida Georgia repeating their top 5 standings (and coincidentally in the same positions). Thomas Rhett also gets noticed, by placing at #10 for the last two years, a nice showing for a young artist.

- We do have a pattern emerging, as Lady Antebellum repeated as the #1 artist on the 2010 and 2011 lists, and then Blake repeated as the top artist of 2012 and 2013. Matching that repeat accomplishment is now Luke, who claims #1 on both the 2014 and 2015 lists. That means 2016 should be a fierce free-for-all, and then we can assume that the biggest artist next year, will easily repeat the win in 2017...

- A couple of streaks do end, as Blake's run of top two finishes for four straight years, stops with him only getting to #6 this year. And the most impressive streak, five straight years of Jason ranking at #4 each and every year, ends with him only coming in at #8 this year. He does continue his streak of being a top 10-ranked artist all six years of the decade, the only artist to do so.

- The two biggest moves up the list, back into the top 10, were by Zac Brown and Carrie. No surprises there, as they'd been at those heights before. Probably more impressive was the high "debut" for Old Dominion. As Zazie joked to me earlier this fall, I guess they do more than win the Women's NCAA basketball tournament (three times in the 80s...). They weren't too far behind Florida Georgia and Zac Brown, in the race for the best performing group/duo act during the year. The same goes for Thousand Horses.

- Carrie's of course the highest solo female artist of the year, and the only one in the top 20. You gotta love the nice debut by Ballerini, however.

- The big falls on the list, from last year's rankings, were Justin Moore (from #7 and 276 points, down to 50 points this year) and Lady Antebellum (from #12 and 231 points, down to 92 points this year). One of those should have a better shot of returning to the top 15 over the other, and I'll let the readers guess which one...

- Like always, I like doing point comparisons to the previous year. This year two artists scored over 350 points, compared to three last year (and four the year before). Points were more spread out this year, with eleven artists scoring at least 250, compared to eight artists last year.

- The top five and top ten artists averaged 356 and 324 points this year, compared to 413 and 339 for those two classifications in 2013. I have to guess that that kind of distribution, was helped out by the quick turnaround at the top of the chart, and lots of artists had a shot of scoring a decent, but not outstanding, amount of points.

On to the decade list...

[Jonsolo]

Top Point Earners of the Decade, 2010 - 2019 (their decade ranking at the end of 2014 is in parenthesis)

1. (1) Blake Shelton - 2358
2. (3) Luke Bryan - 2190
3. (2) Jason Aldean - 2120
4. (5) Kenny Chesney - 1809
5. (6) Zac Brown Band - 1769
6. (4) Lady Antebellum - 1665
7. (7) Tim McGraw - 1628
8. (10) Keith Urban - 1606
9. (12) Eric Church - 1552
10. (8) Brad Paisley - 1544
11. (9) Miranda Lambert - 1488
12. (13) Carrie Underwood - 1440
13. (15) Dierks Bentley - 1321
14. (19) Florida Georgia Line - 1312
15. (11) Taylor Swift - 1234
16. (16) Chris Young - 1230
17. (14) The Band Perry - 1203
18. (17) Jake Owen - 1102
19. (22) Darius Rucker - 1081
20. (20) Rascal Flatts - 1065
21. (21) Toby Keith - 1049
22. (18) Justin Moore - 1042
23. (23) Lee Brice - 1014
24. (24) Billy Currington - 985
25. (26) Little Big Town - 970
26. (25) George Strait - 883
27. (36) Thomas Rhett - 862
28T. (31) Brantley Gilbert - 825
28T. (27) Randy Houser - 825
30. (30) Easton Corbin - 821
31. (29) Jerrod Niemann - 795
32. (28) Hunter Hayes - 780
33. (33) Eli Young Band - 760
34. (44) Brett Eldredge - 734
35. (32) Thompson Square - 713
36. (34) Joe Nichols - 695
37. (39) Kip Moore - 676
38. (38) Reba McEntire - 669
39. (35) Josh Turner - 640
40. (37) David Nail - 619
41. (48) Dustin Lynch - 618
42. (51) Frankie Ballard - 602
43. (53) Tyler Farr - 595
44. (41T) Craig Morgan - 551
45. (41T) Gloriana - 544
46. (43) Alan Jackson - 541
47. (45) Gary Allan - 532
48. (47) Scotty McCreery - 519
49. (40) Trace Adkins - 517
50. (-) Cole Swindell - 513
51. (46) Josh Thompson - 483
52. (52) Craig Campbell - 477
53. (49) Rodney Atkins - 473
54. (-) Eric Paslay - 451
55. (-) Sam Hunt - 450
56. (50) Kelly Clarkson - 447
57. (-) Parmalee - 432
58T. (57) Montgomery Gentry - 429
58T. (54) Love And Theft - 429
60. (58) Kacey Musgraves - 411



- Six years down in the decade, and four to go. And considering that any songs that are on the chart in late 2019, that don't peak until early 2020, will count toward the next decade, the point totals are probably about 2/3s of the way to where they should end up. I'm still pretty confident that this list is decently accurate, and I don't think I've missed anyone who's scored at least 350 points thus far in the decade.

- Blake might no longer feel completely comfortable with his #1 standing, as Luke Bryan chopped off quite a bit on his lead. Luke's picked up more than 110 points on Blake in each of the last two years, so the trends definitely have Luke on the way to winning the decade. They're on pace to maybe reach 3600~3700. Will the race get decided by which one has more charting Christmas/unreleased album songs?

Interesting tidbit, that Blake is only 29 days older than Luke. Blake's been active on the chart for six years longer than Luke, so if there's any "fatigue" that sets in on their music, it'd probably happen with Blake first. But it wouldn't surprise me if they're both still going strong at the end of 2019, and we have a much tighter race than we had for the 2000s (that margin ended up being over 430 points between Kenny and Toby). I also think that both guys should be in the lead for winning ACM's "Artist of the Decade" award, for the 2010s.

- Jason finally had a bit of a down year, for him, and didn't come close to his 340-point average from the first half of the decade. That opened up the door for Luke to zoom on by him, and I have some doubt that Jason'll be able to catch back up. But #3 on the list looks very secure for him, as his closest trailers are groups and veteran holdovers from the 1990s.

- Speaking of those holdovers from the 90s, Kenny and Timmy have both done enough that I can't see them missing out on the decade's top 10. Montgomery Gentry's 2063 was the #10 total on the 2000s list, and Kenny's on pace to pass that mark next year, and Timmy the year after that. The one wildcard for Timmy, is if he gets passed by the other current artists in the top 10, and gets knocked out of the section by the hard-charging Florida Georgia Line. But I think it's more likely that Brad is the one that Florida Georgia is destined to displace.

- After waxing Zac Brown by a margin of 231 points to 106 in 2014, Lady Antebellum got the favor returned by Zac this year, getting pummeled 320 to 92. That put Zac back out in front of Lady A, for the title of "highest ranking group" for the decade. We'll have to see if Lady has the power to have another surge in them, to get back in the race. But neither should sleep on Florida Georgia Line. The 450+-point lead that Zac has on Florida could shrink quickly (especially if Florida starts notching 400-point years again).

- Carrie returned to having a strong year again, and looks ready to get back in front of Miranda and claim the title of "highest ranking female artist" for the decade. Miranda can keep winning all the Vocalist awards she wants, while Carrie can concentrate on dominating the chart.

- On last year's update, I guessed that Eric Church, while performing very strongly, wasn't likely to be a top 10 contender on the list when the decade ends. We'll, if he puts up another 380-point year like he had in 2015, we'll have to have a top 10 position reserved for him.

- Florida Georgia Line continues to be the biggest mover on this list, and followed up their seven-position jump in '14, with five positions this year. I guessed that they would at least pass five artists this year, and they matched that (but I didn't expect Taylor to stay still, and Dierks get a late charting song, to cancel that out). Further moves up the list are going to be a little more challenging for them, as the next artists (like Carrie and Miranda) are capable of sizable gains themselves. I would think Carrie has enough momentum off of her new album, to have her 120-point lead hold up for one more year. But I'm not betting money on it...!

- I guess if Taylor doesn't gain another point (a definite possibility, since pop has been so good to her), her 1200-point total should end up ranking in the #28~#32 range at the end of the decade (for a comparison, the 2000s list had JoDee Messina at #29 with 1247, and Rodney Atkins at #30 with 1157).

- Nice move into the top 20 by Darius. I do doubt he'll be able to hold onto a top 20 position on the final decade list, but at least he has some veteran acts, the Flatts and Toby, acting as a "buffer" between the next group of young contenders rising up the list.

- George Strait nearly managed a 100-point year, which I should be happy with, as it should ensure that he ends up in the final top 50 list for the decade. Using the 2000s decade points list as a model, 850 points is probably needed to cement that top 50 standing (Shania Twain was at #50 on the 2000s list, with 838 points). So with this year's earnings, George passed that 850-point mark, and thus should be good to go with being ranked on a fourth decade list. I mentioned last year that I hoped he had 300 more points left in him somewhere, in the final five years of the decade. Well, he nearly got 100 just from this year, so I would think it'll be a cinch to get the remaining 200 points in the final four years. If he gets to 1050 points, that should rank him in the #30~35 section of this list when the decade's over.

- That "850-point" threshold means that all of the artists from George on up on the current decade list, or the top 27, have clinched a top 50 slot (Billy, Little Big Town, George, and Thomas Rhett were the four that moved over the line in '15). Starting down from Rhett, I like trying to guess where the first artist is, that reaching 850 points by the end of 2019 is at least partially in doubt. Josh Turner marked that "line" the previous two years, and after he scored only 22 points this year, he still doesn't instill much confidence. Josh is 210 points away, and I do have some doubt he can get that in four years.

- Reba did have a pretty solid year to pass Josh, and should have a slightly better chance at reaching 850 points in four years, which is 180 points away. I think I'll take a chance and say that she makes it, and thus the top 38 artists on the current list will get there.

That would leave 12 spots left to be claimed (last year there were 16 open spots, and in addition to me giving Reba a spot, I'd do the same to Rhett, Kip Moore, and Eldredge). For the remaining artists that are in that top 60 I posted, I'd feel pretty confident about giving spots to Nail, Lynch, Ballard, Farr, Swindell, and Hunt. That's six spots accounted for, and six spots left to be claimed. I don't have a good idea of who those will be, as a couple of the artists that debuted the last couple of years, could have a great final four years, and reach 850.

[Jonsolo]

That will do it for 2015's end-of-year update, and wrap up a tidy 10 years of me following the the Whitburn list on the Pulse messageboard. The common refrain is for someone in my position to say "Here's to ten more!", but I think I'll play it safe and only promise four! I will continue to check in on the messageboard, and primarily this thread, from time to time in 2016. But it'll likely stay as just a lurker/reader, and not a constant contributor, unless any questions are posed directly to me. If that happens, I'll do my best in answering them.

So until next year, hope everyone has a great 2016!

[bboat11]

Wonderful updates! Thank you again for taking all the time to do that :)

Also, you have reignited my hopes, because it looks like Martina only needs two years like the year Reba just had to be able to make the top 50... With new music on the way, I am pretty confident that she can get there eventually. Matching Reba should not be too terribly difficult at this point, considering they are on the same label and pretty much are guaranteed Cumulus spins :) She may have Blake breathing down her neck soon, and Carrie in a few years, but it seems that as of right now everyone who was poised to pass her already has (Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley). So, I am going to make a prediction that by the end of the decade, Martina will be in the top 50!

Also, I am really eager to see how Tim vs. Kenny plays out when it is all said and done... They are both just doing so well, with no signs of slowing down yet. I predict that ultimately Tim will start to wane first, if only because he will turn 50 first. Ultimately I think he will still come out ahead. But honestly, at this point it is probably a toss-up...

[Kanenrá:ke]

Dec 15, 2015 17:07:28 GMT -5 Jonsolo said:

That will do it for 2015's end-of-year update, and wrap up a tidy 10 years of me following the the Whitburn list on the Pulse messageboard. The common refrain is for someone in my position to say "Here's to ten more!", but I think I'll play it safe and only promise four! I will continue to check in on the messageboard, and primarily this thread, from time to time in 2016. But it'll likely stay as just a lurker/reader, and not a constant contributor, unless any questions are posed directly to me. If that happens, I'll do my best in answering them.

So until next year, hope everyone has a great 2016!

I got a question. Shouldn't David Kersh be on the ranked portion of the whit burn list? I have him on mine.

[Jonsolo]

Thanks, Stacey, for the heads-up on David Kersh. Doing a quick tally of his points from his chart listings, I came up with 514, which would rank him at #485 between Collins and Swindell. I'll edit that post and enter him in.

The first Whitburn book I bought was the 2001 edition, and then I did later find a 1988 edition from eBay. Kersh wasn't on the 2001 artist points list in the back, and since he stopped charting in 1998, he hasn't made any appearances on the list in the subsequent editions (I started to track the list in early 2005, and used 2001's list as my starting point). Perhaps he was on the list in the 1997 edition of the book.

At any rate, thanks for the information. There might be other artists who reached ~500 points in that 1988 to 2000 timeframe, that weren't on the 2001 (and future) lists, and thus aren't on mine either. But if he's the only one that is not on yours, that's great.

[Kanenrá:ke]

So far he's the only one I've noticed, and good to know my calculations with him weren't off!

I'm going to compare my current list with your final list for the year and see if I'm off (or you but you're usually dead on).

I so want to make Uncle Kracker the new limit for the chart if only because he's 1 point behind Kenny Starr and I doubt there's anybody else between them lol

[Zazie]

Fantastic list, worth reading again and again. At least, in my somewhat skewed view of the world, definitely worth visiting and re-visiting. Thank you so much. Now I see why Jonsolo makes the giant salary and I am barely able to give my thoughts away.

Good luck to anybody trying to find an inaccurate point total in the various Whitburn lists. There are surely mistakes, but not, I believe, in the point totals for each artist. Or so I hope.

[Kanenrá:ke]

The Great George Showdown: George Strait is now 676points away from George Jones' total. This "countdown" will be posted every time either George gains any points!

Tim's Top Ten Timer: Tim McGraw is 210 points from breaking into the top ten of all time!

Top 100 Watch: Dierks Bentley is 155 points away from the top 100 of all time!

George Strait becomes the 3rd artist to cross 11300 points!

Keith Urban passes Hank Williams Sr. moving to #52! (4398)

Carrie Underwood passes Gene Watson moving to #83! (3250)

Jason Aldean passes Jim Ed Brown & Trace Adkins moving to #97! (2969)

Dierks Bentley passes Lee Greenwood & Billy Craddock moving to #107! (2790)

Joe Nichols ties Narvel Felts at #174. (1947)

Chris Young breaks his tie with Charlie Louvin for #228. (1466)

Thomas Rhett breaks his tie with The Louvin Brothers and passes Johnny Darrell, Jamie O'Neal and Johnny & Jonie Mosby moving to #340. (851)

Easton Corbin breaks his tie with Sons Of The Pioneers and now ties THe Carlisles at #354. 

David Nail breaks his tie with Diana Trask for #363. (805)

Brett Eldredge passes Moon Mullican and Bobby Wright moving to #395. (733)

Tyler Farr breaks his tie with Steve Azar and now ties Big Al Downing, Foster & Lloyd, or Hawkshaw Hawkins.

---

Bubbling Under (509 pts. to chart)
01. Eric Paslay - 450
02. Sam Hunt - 449
03. Parmalee - 426
04. Jana Kramer - 406
05. Jon Pardi - 350
06. LoCash - 343
07. Dan + Shay - 304
08. Chris Janson - 277
09. Maddie & Tae - 266
10. Canaan Smith - 252
11. Lauren Alaina - 250
12. Brothers Osborne - 229
13. Old Dominion - 222
14. Kelsea Ballerini - 217
15. Michael Ray - 206
16. Cassadee Pope - 198
17. A Thousand Horses - 190
18. Chase Bryant - 171
19. Cam - 130
20. Lindsay Ell - 130
21. Mo Pitney - 114
22. Chris Stapleton - 101
23. Dylan Scott - 80
24. Granger Smith - 77
25. Karen Fairchild - 56
26. William Michael Morgan - 44
27. Ashley Campbell - 33
28. Charles Kelley - 31

[Kanenrá:ke]

The Great George Showdown: George Strait is now 675 points away from George Jones' total. This "countdown" will be posted every time either George gains any points!

Tim's Top Ten Timer: Tim McGraw is 199 points from breaking into the top ten of all time!

Blake Shelton passes Joe Stampley moving to #65! (3876)

Luke Bryan passes Roger Miller moving to #120! (2627)

Zac Brown Band ties LeAnn Rimes at #147. (2170)

Eric Church passes Nat Stuckey moving to #170. (1991)

Joe Nichols breaks his tie with Narvel Felts for #174. (1948)

Thomas Rhett passes Liz Anderson moving to #339. (862)

Frankie Ballard passes Steve Azar, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Foster & Lloyd, and Big Al Downing moving to #443! He becomes the 443rd artist to cross 600 points! (602)

Scotty McCreery ties Bandana at #481. (519)

---

Bubbling Under (509 pts. to chart)

01. Eric Paslay - 451
02. Sam Hunt - 450
03. Parmalee - 432
04. Jana Kramer - 406
05. Jon Pardi - 353
06. LoCash - 340
07. Dan + Shay - 305
08. Chris Janson - 278
09. Maddie & Tae - 267
10. Canaan Smith - 253
11. Lauren Alaina - 251
12. Brothers Osborne - 230
13. Old Dominion - 228
14. Kelsea Ballerini - 218
15. Michael Ray - 207
16. Cassadee Pope - 199
17. A Thousand Horses - 191
18. Chase Bryant - 172
19. Drake White - 150
20. Cam - 141
21. Lindsay Ell - 131
22. Mo Pitney - 115
23. Chris Stapleton - 102
24. Dylan Scott - 81
25. Granger Smith - 78
26. Chris Lane - 71
27. Karen Fairchild - 62
28. William Michael Morgan - 45
29. Ashley Campbell - 34

[Kanenrá:ke]

Tim's Top Ten Timer: Tim McGraw is 198 points from breaking into the top ten of all time!

Top 100 Watch: Dierks Bentley is 154 points away from the top 100 of all time!

Brad Paisley passes Vince Gill moving to #47. (4666)

Zac Brown Band breaks their tie with LeAnn Rimes and now ties Jimmy Wakely at #146. (2171)

Eric Church ties Billie Jo Spears and Ed Bruce at #168. (1993)

Justin Moore passes John Wesley Ryles moving to #271. (1239)

Thomas Rhett passes Bonnie Guitar, Don King, Henson Cargill, Deana Carter, Rose Maddox, And Tom Jones moving to #333. (883)

Brantley Gilbert ties Jerrod Niemann, Kellie Pickler, And Lionel Cartwright at #348. (826)

Easton Corbin ties Asleep At The Wheel and Sweethearts Of The Rodeo at #352. (822)

David Nail ties Kenny Dale at #362. (807)

Kip Moore passes La Costa and Linda Davis moving to #410. (682)

Tyler Farr passes Big Al Downing, Foster & Lloyd, and Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Steve Azar moving to #444. (601)

Cole Swindell passes David Kersh, Brian Collins, The Lost Trailers, Bandana, Scotty McCreery, Love And Theft, Ricky Nelson, Mason Dixon, Sonny Curtis, SKO, LaWanda Lindsey, Leon Ashley, Lane Brody, Stoney Edwards, Hugh X. Lewis, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, Ray Sanders, Carl Belew, Bill Monroe, and Darrell McCall moving to #466. (559)

Scotty McCreery breaks his tie with Bandana for #482. (520)

---

Bubbling Under (509 pts. to chart)

01. Sam Hunt - 487
02. Eric Paslay - 453
03. Jana Kramer - 412
04. Jon Pardi - 354
05. LoCash - 341
06. Chris Janson - 279
07. Maddie & Tae - 268
08. Lauren Alaina - 257
09. Canaan Smith - 254
10. Brothers Osborne - 241
11. Old Dominion - 229
12. Kelsea Ballerini - 219
13. Michael Ray - 208
14. Cassadee Pope - 200
15. Chase Bryant - 178
16. Cam - 162
17. Drake White - 151
18. Lindsay Ell - 137
19. Chris Stapleton - 134
20. Dylan Scott - 82
21. Granger Smith - 79
22. Chris Lane - 72
23. Karen Fairchild - 68
24. Ryan Kinder - 62
25. William Michael Morgan - 46
26. Charles Kelley - 32
27. Sister C - 31