Strangest songs to ever chart on the country chart?

[HeyHeyHey]

I was wondering what strange songs have charted on the country chart. This could be because they don’t sound anything like country at all, a novelty/comedic song, a song that has strange lyrics or any other reason.

One I can think of is “Old Town Road” charting on HCS despite not sounding or being promoted to country.

What are some other examples of a song charting that doesn’t seem like it should have?

[bat1990]

I love that Cher charted "It's Too Late To Love Me Now" on the country chart in 1979 (#87). I know the song has been a country song in various incarnations, but still - multi-genre queen.

[onebuffalo]

The Streak by new hall of famer Ray Stevens. It got as high as #3 in 1974. A surprise crossover hit for sure.

[CoJoFan]

Mumford & Sons "I Will Wait" peaked in the top 40 in the early 2010's I believe.

[ky24941]

Here's some strange ones I could some up with

"We Are the World" crossed over to country and got to #76 back in 1985. It did feature 3 country artists though (Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings).

Barbra Streisand had two songs on the charts - "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (with Neil Diamond) went to #70 in 1978 and "If You Ever Leave Me" (with Vince Gill) hit #62 in 1999.

Kenny G's version of "Auld Lang Syne" reached #49 in 2000.

A Christmas duet between Rosie O'Donnell and Trisha Yearwood reached #72 in 1999.

Ed Sheeran's "Don't" peaked at #59 in 2014.

[recordyear]

Old Town Road isn't charting on Hot Country Songs this week.

[sabre14]

A live cover of “Luckenbach, Texas” by Kenny Chesney with Kid Rock charted on R&R in October of 2003. It reached #49. Only two weeks on the chart. Some rogue Texas station spun it an ungodly amount and it only registered on R&R, not Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.

[Ten Pound Hammer]

"The Hampsterdance Song" actually made HCS in 2000. I imagine it got a few curiosity spins because it sampled Roger Miller.

A DJ in Minnesota named Gino Ruberto did a parody of "Any Man of Mine" called "Any Gal of Mine", which he spun on his own station. The parody caught the attention of Blair Garner, who played it frequently enough on After Midnite that it charted without promotion from a label (albeit credited to "Gino the New Guy"). So far, only one other song has made the Country Airplay charts without a label -- "In the Meantime" by Sarah Marince, which also charted from spins on After Midnite.

In the late 1980s, an unknown Elvis impersonator released a song called "Spelling on the Stone" on Curb Records. The song did not have an artist attributed to it, but still made the HCS charts. According to the latest Top Country Singles book, the performer is allegedly Dan Willis, an Elvis impersonator from Branson.

Bob Kingsley spun a Ricky Skaggs album cut called "Halfway Home Cafe" on his show in 2002, and these spins caused the song to chart at #56.

"Grandma's Song" by Gail Davies opens with a nearly 30-second sample of Gail Davies' grandmother singing a traditional folk song. I heard this one recently on a Prime Country countdown and was pleasantly surprised.

I have found only three a cappella songs to have made HCS, and of those, only one was an actual single: "I Go to Pieces" by Southern Pacific, which charted at #31 in 1990. The other two were promotional releases by Ricochet: a cover of "The Star-Spangled Banner" which was included on a NASCAR tribute album and sent out as a promo single due to fan demand, and Ricochet's rendition of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow", which obviously charted from seasonal airplay.

"Button Off My Shirt" by Ronnie Milsap stands out to me for being released in 1987 and being performed entirely on synthesizers.

The Alvin & the Chimpunks cover of "Achy Breaky Heart" charted for one week in 1992. This is the only time that the Chipmunks made HCS.

In 1987, producer/guitarist Jerry Kennedy and pianist David Briggs recorded a cover of Vangelis' "Hymne". This got to #33 on HCS after it was used in E & J Gallo Winery commercials. As far as I can tell, it was the last instrumental track to make HCS until the aforementioned "Auld Lang Syne" cover in 2000.

I believe "Buckaroo" by Buck Owens is the only instrumental to make #1 on HCS.

[RobbyFlorida]

Mar 19, 2019 2:19:11 GMT -5 Ten Pound Hammer said:

"The Hampsterdance Song" actually made HCS in 2000. I imagine it got a few curiosity spins because it sampled Roger Miller.

A DJ in Minnesota named Gino Ruberto did a parody of "Any Man of Mine" called "Any Gal of Mine", which he spun on his own station. The parody caught the attention of Blair Garner, who played it frequently enough on After Midnite that it charted without promotion from a label (albeit credited to "Gino the New Guy"). So far, only one other song has made the Country Airplay charts without a label -- "In the Meantime" by Sarah Marince, which also charted from spins on After Midnite.

In the late 1980s, an unknown Elvis impersonator released a song called "Spelling on the Stone" on Curb Records. The song did not have an artist attributed to it, but still made the HCS charts. According to the latest Top Country Singles book, the performer is allegedly Dan Willis, an Elvis impersonator from Branson.

Bob Kingsley spun a Ricky Skaggs album cut called "Halfway Home Cafe" on his show in 2002, and these spins caused the song to chart at #56.

"Grandma's Song" by Gail Davies opens with a nearly 30-second sample of Gail Davies' grandmother singing a traditional folk song. I heard this one recently on a Prime Country countdown and was pleasantly surprised.

I have found only three a cappella songs to have made HCS, and of those, only one was an actual single: "I Go to Pieces" by Southern Pacific, which charted at #31 in 1990. The other two were promotional releases by Ricochet: a cover of "The Star-Spangled Banner" which was included on a NASCAR tribute album and sent out as a promo single due to fan demand, and Ricochet's rendition of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow", which obviously charted from seasonal airplay.

"Button Off My Shirt" by Ronnie Milsap stands out to me for being released in 1987 and being performed entirely on synthesizers.

The Alvin & the Chimpunks cover of "Achy Breaky Heart" charted for one week in 1992. This is the only time that the Chipmunks made HCS.

In 1987, producer/guitarist Jerry Kennedy and pianist David Briggs recorded a cover of Vangelis' "Hymne". This got to #33 on HCS after it was used in E & J Gallo Winery commercials. As far as I can tell, it was the last instrumental track to make HCS until the aforementioned "Auld Lang Syne" cover in 2000.

I believe "Buckaroo" by Buck Owens is the only instrumental to make #1 on HCS.

Interesting reading Jerry Kennedy’s name from 1987. He was Reba’s producer 1976-1983.

[phil1996]

FGL / Bebe Rexha: “Meant To Be”
Dylan Scott: “Hooked”
Dustin Lynch: “I’d Be Jealous Too”

[sabre14]

Rehab - “Bartender Song” lol

[Ten Pound Hammer]

BOB THAT HEEEEAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!

[sabre14]

[raylatch98]

Apr 1, 2019 13:10:24 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

Aka the song that killed his career. Good job, Sony.

[collinkottke]

If we are talking strange... and being totally self aware of who I stan for... "Lost In You" and "It Don't Matter To The Sun" did both chart on the country charts...

(I will stand up for the quality of that Chris Gaines album anytime, though. I freakin' love that thing)

[CoJoFan]

Red Solo Cup - Toby Keith

Giddy On Up - Laura Bell Bundy

[gardyfan]

Macarena (Country version) - Groovegrass Boyx

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Apr 9, 2019 18:54:52 GMT -5 gardyfan said:

Macarena (Country version) - Groovegrass Boyx

When I was in the 6th grade, one of my classmates had a father who was a DJ. He played some songs for us, and dedicated that song to me because it was the only country song in his library.

[insen_13]

Shake It Off???