HAPPY 4th OF JULY: "America"s Greatest Hits

[rockgolf]

As a tribute to my southern neighbours, here's a raked list of biggest Billboard Hot 100 songs to include some form of "America" or "USA" in the title. The ranking is based on the same criteria as Billboard's All-Time list, so a weighted-points for chart position each week and a multiplier depending on the date of the chart.

Happy 4th of July to those of you who celebrate that sort of thing. Hope you replace your president reeeeeal soon.

Rank	Year	Song	Artist
1	1972	American Pie (Parts 1 and 2)	Don McLean
2	1981	Theme From "The Greatest American Hero" (Believe It Or Not)	Joey Scarbury
3	2009	Party In The U.S.A.	Miley Cyrus
4	1970	American Woman	The Guess Who
5	1973	We're An American Band	Grand Funk
6	1963	Surfin' U.S.A.	The Beach Boys
7	1986	R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. (A Salute To 60's Rock)	John Cougar Mellencamp
8	1986	Living In America	James Brown
9	2007	Cupid's Chokehold/Breakfast In America	Gym Class Heroes ft. Patrick Stump
10	1959	The All American Boy	Bill Parsons (actually, Bobby Bare)
11	1974	Americans	Byron MacGregor
12	1981	America	Neil Diamond
13	1985	Born In The U.S.A.	Bruce Springsteen
14	2018	This Is America	Childish Gambino
15	2008	American Boy	Estelle ft. Kanye West
16	1980	An American Dream	The Dirt Band
17	1986	American Storm	Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
18	1972	Happiest Girl In The Whole USA	Donna Fargo
19	1980	In America	Charlie Daniels Band
20	1966	634-5789 (Soulsville, USA)	Wilson Pickett
21	1990	Banned In The U.S.A.	Luke ft. The 2 Live Crew
22	1982	American Music	Pointer Sisters
23	1986	Calling America	Electric Light Orchestra
24	1978	Back In The U.S.A.	Linda Ronstadt
25	1982	Kids In America	Kim Wilde
26	1982	American Heartbeat	Survivor
27	1977	Surfin' USA	Leif Garrett
28	1985	This Is Not America	David Bowie/Pat Metheny Group
29	1986	For America	Jackson Browne
30	1958	Philadelphia, U.S.A.	The Nu Tornados
31	1975	Young Americans	David Bowie
32	2014	American Kids	Kenny Chesney
33	2004	American Soldier	Toby Keith
34	1964	Southtown USA	The Dixiebelles with Cornbread And Jerry
35	1972	An American Trilogy (Dixie/Battle Hymn Of the Republic/All My Trials) (Medley)	Mickey Newbury
36	1972	American City Suite (Sweet City Song/All Around the Town/A Friend Is Dying)	Cashman & West
37	1963	Only In America	Jay & The Americans
38	2001	Only In America	Brooks & Dunn
39	1959	High School U.S.A.	Tommy Facenda
40	2010	American Honey	Lady Antebellum
41	2008	All-American Girl	Carrie Underwood
42	2002	Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)	Toby Keith
43	1984	The Kid's American	Matthew Wilder
44	1968	U.S. Male	Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
45	1974	The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion)	Gordon Sinclair
46	2010	We No Speak Americano	Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup
47	1974	American Tune	Paul Simon
48	2003	God Bless The U.S.A. (Proud To Be An American)	American Idol Finalists
49	2009	American Ride	Toby Keith
50	2011	Made In America	Toby Keith
51	1960	Twistin' U.S.A.	Danny & The Juniors
52	1959	God Bless America	Connie Francis
53	1999	American Woman	Lenny Kravitz
54	2009	Small Town USA	Justin Moore
55	2001	God Bless The USA	Lee Greenwood
56	2000	American Pie	Madonna
57	2009	It's America	Rodney Atkins
58	1984	(You Can Still) Rock In America	Night Ranger
59	1959	Back In The U.S.A.	Chuck Berry
60	2005	American Baby	Dave Matthews Band
61	1970	Miss America	Mark Lindsay
62	1985	America	Prince & The Revolution
63	2002	American Child	Phil Vassar
64	1972	America	Yes
65	1974	Living In The U.S.A.	Steve Miller Band
66	1970	America, Communicate With Me	Ray Stevens
67	2004	American Idiot	Green Day
68	1986	Voice Of America's Sons	John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
69	2016	American Country Love Song	Jake Owen
70	1968	America Is My Home (Part 1)	James Brown and the Famous Flames
71	1980	Somewhere In America	Survivor
72	1968	American Boys	Petula Clark
73	1997	I'm Afraid Of Americans	David Bowie
74	1986	Hands Across America	Voices Of America
75	1980	Breakfast In America (Live)	Supertramp
76	2010	American Saturday Night	Brad Paisley
77	2003	American Life	Madonna
78	2016	New Americana	Halsey
79	2008	Hollywood's Not America	Ferras
80	1963	Bossa Nova U.S.A.	Dave Brubeck Quartet
81	1972	An American Trilogy (Dixie/Battle Hymn Of the Republic/All My Trials)	Elvis Presley
82	2007	Everyday America	Sugarland
83	1983	American Made	Oak Ridge Boys
84	1988	Coming To America	The System
85	1981	All American Girls	Sister Sledge
86	1974	U.S. Of A.	Donna Fargo
87	1961	Twistin' U.S.A.	Chubby Checker
88	1981	American Memories	Shamus M'Cool
89	2008	American Boy	Studio All-Stars
90	1974	The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion)	Tex Ritter
91	1958	Philadelphia, U.S.A.	Art Lund
92	2013	American Girl	Bonnie McKee
93	1962	Mashed Potatoes U.S.A.	James Brown & The Famous Flames
94	1970	America / Standing (Medley)	The Five Stairsteps
95	1987	American Dream	Simon F
96	2015	American Oxygen	Rihanna
97	1974	American Girls	Rick Springfield
98	2019	Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince	Taylor Swift
99	1968	Living In The USA	Steve Miller Band
100	1972	America	Simon & Garfunkel
101	2013	Made In The USA	Demi Lovato
102	2020	Otherside Of America	Meek Mill
103	2001	God Bless America	Daniel Rodriguez
104	2009	America's Suitehearts	Fall Out Boy
106	2010	American Star	Lil Wayne ft. Shanell AKA SNL

A Spotify playlist follows for your barbeque or tailgate party on the 4th. Stay safe!

[rockgolf]

Couple of quick stories associated to these tracks.

#10 The All American Boy was a novelty tune written and performed by Country star Bobby Bare at the start of his career. It was about a pop music idol who got drafted, in other words, Elvis. But then Bare himself was drafted! So his record company put the credit on a Bill Parsons, and had him go out and lip-sync to the song, all without Bare's permission. Gosh, those were the days!

#45 Americans (A Canadian's Opinion) by Gordon Sinclair. Sinclair was a newscaster at CFRB radio, and had his own curmudgeonly newscast / commentary for decades. He was 73 years old when this commentary, about how generous the US was throughout the years, with no other country helping out the States, finishing off with the line "and today the American Red Cross announced it was broke."

Gordon Sinclair's original

It was so popular that another newscaster, Byron MacGregor at CKLW Windsor (across the river from Detroit) also recorded the commentary, word for word. Both versions became singles and both reached the top 40, with the much younger sounding MacGregor actually getting to the top 10. That's his version at #11 on this chart, ahead of Bruce Springsteen's Born In the U.S.A.

Here's a link to the MacGregor version

A third version of the speech, by actor/country act Tex Ritter also made the list. Tex is the father of John (Three's Company) Ritter and grandfather of Jason (Parenthood, A Million Little Things) Ritter

[rockgolf]

[Baby Yoda Hot100Fan]

In my bonus contribution, I would mention the following artists that charted in the Hot 100: America, The All-American Rejects, USA for Africa, The Presidents of the United States of America and American Authors.

[rockgolf]

Jul 2, 2020 13:12:56 GMT -5 Baby Yoda Hot100Fan said:

In my bonus contribution, I would mention the following artists that charted in the Hot 100: America, The All-American Rejects, USA for Africa, The Presidents of the United States of America and American Authors.

Not to mention Jay & the Americans, The Five Americans, The American Breed, American Hi-Fi & several iterations of American Idol Finalists.

[HolidayGuy]

Thanks, rockgolf. We hope so, too- or at least a good amount of us. :)

Special shout-out to Whitney Houston's "The Star Spangled Banner."

[Gary]

Born in the U.S.A.: Top 50 Stars of the 50 States (Staff Picks)
7/3/2020 by Billboard Staff

Born in the U.S.A.: Top 50 Stars of the 50 States
From Billy Joel's New York state of mind to the Beach Boys being synonymous with sunny California, each state has given us some amazing music. In honor of July 4th, Billboard has (subjectively) chosen a top star (or stars) to fly the flag for each of the 50 states. In most cases, the representative artist was born in his or her chosen state. In a few others, or in the case of groups, states were picked based on the states in which acts spent their formative years.

Please note that all selections are not based on strict Billboard chart methodology, but merely opinion, although chart history was strongly considered. Thus, please feel free to agree or disagree with our choices (the latter is much more fun). READ MORE about how this list was chosen.


Alabama: Alabama
Alabama: As if its name isn't enough, the band Alabama has banked 33 Hot Country Songs No. 1s, the most among groups, including its first since 1993 in 2011, courtesy of its guest turn on Brad Paisley's "Old Alabama."




Alaska: Jewel
Alaska: Jewel was born in Utah, but her family soon moved to Homer (and a home without indoor plumbing). When asked by Larry King in 2010 her opinion of Sarah Palin, Jewel responded, "I can't say we agree on everything (politically). But, Alaska women are can-do women. I love the state I'm from."


Arizona: Stevie Nicks
Arizona: Peter Green founded Fleetwood Mac in London, but the 1974 addition of Americans Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, the latter from Phoenix, ushered in the band's commercial era that led to its enshrinement in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.


Arkansas: Johnny Cash
Arkansas: With all due respect to occasional saxman Bill Clinton, Johnny Cash wins this musical election. The Man in Black, born in aptly named Kingsland, won new audiences with new music in even his final years (i.e., his haunting cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt") and topped the Billboard 200 as relatively recently as 2006, three years after his passing.


California: The Beach Boys
California: California is home to several superstars, from Paula Abdul to Frank Zappa. While Santa Barbara-born Katy Perry self-congratulated "California Gurls" in 2010, the Beach Boys wished they all could be California girls 45 years earlier.


Colorado: John Denver
Colorado: John Denver was born (as Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.) in Roswell, New Mexico. Still, his name and smashes as "Rocky Mountain High" have made him as much a part of Colorado as Coors beer.


Connecticut: John Mayer
Connecticut: John Mayer takes a slight edge over New Haven native Michael Bolton, if only since "No Such Thing" so clearly evokes images of Mayer's alma mater, Fairfield High School.


Delaware: George Thorogood
Delaware: Wilmington-born guitar hero George Thorogood's Greatest Hits: 30 Years of Rock has spent the most weeks (57) of all entries on Billboard's Blues Albums chart.



Florida: Gloria Estefan
Florida: We could pick Flo Rida or Ariana Grande, or Backstreet Boys or 'N Sync, but with 29 charted titles on the Billboard Hot 100 and 30, including 15 No. 1s, on Hot Latin Songs, Gloria Estefan (born in Havana, Cuba) has gotten fans on their feet and in conga lines, moving to her Miami sounds, since the '80s.


Georgia: Ray Charles
Georgia: Home to famed alternative acts including R.E.M., the B-52s and Indigo Girls, as well as a whole new bounty of hip-hop stars from Atlanta, it feels most right to bestow the honor on the late Ray Charles. "Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind," the R&B titan sang on his 1960 Hot 100 No. 1. Since 1979, "Georgia on My Mind" has served as the state's official song.


Hawaii: Bruno Mars
Hawaii: The honor for the 50th state to join the U.S. goes to Bruno Mars, born in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu. With "Just the Way You Are" having spent 20 weeks atop Adult Contemporary, the song stands as the longest-reigning debut format hit in the chart's 50-year history. Among his more recent honors, Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk!," featuring Mars, ruled the Hot 100 for 14 weeks in 2015, while, in 2017, "That's What I Like" became his seventh Hot 100 topper. In 2019, "Please Me," with Cardi B, became his sweet 16th Hot 100 top 10.


Idaho: Paul Revere and the Raiders
Idaho: Paul Revere and the Raiders, formed in Boise, notched 21 Hot 100 hits between 1961 and 1973, including the 1971 No. 1 "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)," an ode to Native Americans tragically forced to relocate in the 1830s.


Illinois: Chicago
Illinois: Originally named Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago has sent 46 songs onto the Hot 100, 20 of which reached the top 10. Even after the defection of lead singer Peter Cetera, the band topped the tally, with "Look Away," sung by Bill Champlin (who departed Chicago in 2009), ranking as Billboard's top single of 1989. (Tip: listening to any of the band's classics sounds even better with some deep dish.)


Indiana: Michael Jackson
Indiana: John Mellencamp has incomparably made his home state a central theme in his music. The "Small Town" singer was even born in just that: Seymour, whose population is, as of the last census, 17,503. It's hard to beat a King, however, and Michael Jackson was born in Gary. (Coincidentally, Seymour is located in Jackson County.)


Iowa: The Everly Brothers
Iowa: The Everly Brothers' harmonies influenced countless acts, including The Beatles and The Beach Boys. Don was born in Kentucky and Phil in Illinois, but their family soon embraced the Shenandoah, Iowa, music scene, with their father Ike often bringing them on to sing on his radio shows on KMA and KFNF.


Kansas: Kansas
Kansas: Sharon-born Martina McBride has placed 55 titles on Hot Country Songs, dating to her first on the chart in 1992. Still, Kansas is right there in the name of the band, formed in Topeka, that enjoyed such everlasting hits as "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind."


Kentucky: Loretta Lynn
Kentucky: Coal miner's daughter and country icon Loretta Lynn was born in Butcher Holler. Runners-up in the state's musical derby: the Judds, as Naomi and Wynonna each hail from Ashland.


Louisiana: Louis Armstrong
Louisiana: As New Orleans = jazz, who else but Louis Armstrong? Satchmo not only crossed over to mainstream audiences as early as the 1920s, but also stands as a pioneer in breaking racial barriers, through the power of his beloved music.


Maine: Stephen Hague
Maine: Stephen Hague. A producer, not a known performer, Hague (born in Portland) has, perhaps surprisingly, produced hits most notably recorded by British bands, including Pet Shop Boys ("West End Girls"), New Order ("True Faith") and Erasure ("A Little Respect").

Maryland: Toni Braxton
Maryland: Hailing from Severn, Toni Braxton has enjoyed five No. 1s on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and 11 top 10s, including two No. 1s, on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Nearly 30 years after her chart debut, "Do It" became her 14th top five single on the Adult R&B Songs chart, patriotically dated July 4, 2020.


Massachusetts: Aerosmith
Massachusetts: Aerosmith. With 28 Hot 100 hits since 1973, the "Bad Boys from Boston" best such worthy fellow (and wicked awesome) Bay Staters as Boston (of course), The Cars, Dropkick Murphys, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, New Kids on the Block, Donna Summer and James Taylor.


Michigan: Madonna
Michigan: Heartland rock (i.e., the state's Bob Seger) perhaps best defines the Midwest, but Madonna was born in Bay City, graduated from Rochester Adams High School and attended the University of Michigan before dropping out to move to New York City and create the material that would make her musical royalty.


Minnesota: Prince
Minnesota: As with Jackson and Mellencamp in Indiana, you couldn't go wrong with either a pop/R&B cornerstone, Prince, or rock icon, Bob Dylan, representing Minnesota. We'll give the nod to late icon Prince, as Purple Rain vividly transported '80s music fans to Minneapolis, where the movie was filmed almost exclusively.


Mississippi: Elvis Presley
Mississippi: As Elvis Presley served as perhaps the most important figure in the mainstream popularization of early rock, his Billboard chart legacy is equally astounding. He's scored 109 Hot 100 hits between the chart's start in 1958 and 2020 (!) and boasts the most charted albums in the archives of the Billboard 200 albums chart. Simply, he's still the King of Rock & Roll.


Missouri: Eminem
Missouri: Eminem was born (Marshall Bruce Mathers III) in Saint Joseph, not moving to Michigan until age 12. Eminem is the best-selling hip-hop album artist of all-time, with U.S. sales of 48.9 million, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, as of July 4, 2020.


Montana: Jeff Ament
Montana: For such a big state, relatively few mainstream recording acts hail from Montana. Pearl Jam, which has notched five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, from 1993's Vs. to 2013's Lightning Bolt, may be best known as a Seattle band, but bassist and co-founder Jeff Ament was born in Havre and raised in Big Sandy. Honorable mention to Helena's Nicolette Larson, whose "Lotta Love" reached No. 8 on the Hot 100 in 1979.


Nebraska: Randy Meisner
Nebraska: Another band that epitomizes the heartland rock sound, the Eagles, was co-founded by Randy Meisner, who also helped form Poco. Meisner sings lead on the Eagles' No. 4 1976 smash "Take It to the Limit."


Nevada: The Killers
Nevada: While Las Vegas has long been the performing home of Wayne Newton and, more recently, Celine Dion and Britney Spears, among many others, The Killers formed there in 2001. The band, with a stylistic flare in line with that of Sin City, has earned five Billboard 200 top 10s, including its first No. 1, 2017's Wonderful Wonderful. Plus, 2020 brought the group's second Alternative Airplay No. 1, "Caution." We could've just as easily gone with Las Vegas' Imagine Dragons for this pick, but, for now, The Killers win thanks simply to seniority.


New Hampshire: Ray Lamontagne
New Hampshire: Ray Lamontagne. The Nashua folk-rocker has reached a high of No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with three titles: 2008's Gossip in the Grain, 2010's God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise and 2014's Supernova.


New Jersey: Bruce Springsteen
New Jersey: If from almost any other state, Bon Jovi would surely (shore-ly?) make this list in bold print. Bruce Springsteen, however, seems like the most apt choice if only for career longevity as a tie-breaker. An honorary mention, as well, to Whitney Houston.


New Mexico: The Shins
New Mexico: "You gotta hear this one song. It'll change your life," Zach Braff predicted about The Shins' "New Slang" in the 2004 film Garden State. The Albuquerque band roared to a No. 2 peak on the Billboard 200 with 2007's Wincing the Night Away, while 2012's Port of Morrow debuted and peaked at No. 3. In April 2017, Heartworms launched at No. 20.


New York: Billy Joel
New York: Some states were almost impossible to symbolize via only one act. Such New York-born superstars include Christina Aguilera, Cardi B, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga and, of course, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Before "Empire State of Mind," however, the Bronx's Billy Joel was often in a New York state of mind, from 52nd Street to his uptown girl.


North Carolina: Jermaine Dupri
North Carolina: Bucking the trend of country/rock artists best representing Southern states, Jermaine Dupri has produced 11 Hot 100 No. 1s for such R&B/hip-hop acts as Monica, Nelly and Usher. All 11 leaders have spent multiple weeks at No. 1, led by Mariah Carey's 14-week topper "We Belong Together" in 2005.


North Dakota: Lawrence Welk
North Dakota: Lawrence Welk, Bobby Vee ("Take Good Care of My Baby," 1961) and Wiz Khalifa are the only artists born in the state to top the Hot 100. But, based on longevity (a theme in this gallery, as a decades-head start translates to more all-time reach), acting/singing favorite Welk takes the title. Still, Khalifa's "See You Again" became one of 2015's biggest smashes.


Ohio: Chrissie Hynde
Ohio: While The Pretenders formed in England in 1978, frontwoman Chrissie Hynde hails from Akron. In 2005, the band joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in Cleveland). Her debut solo album, 2014's Stockholm, entered the Billboard 200's top 40. Runners-up: the Glee Cast. Lima's McKinley High School TV singers own the record for most Hot 100 hits by a non-solo act (207) in the chart's history.


Oklahoma: Garth Brooks
Oklahoma: Garth Brooks. With U.S. album sales approaching 72.5 million, the Tulsa native and Oklahoma State University grad (advertising major, FYI) is the best-selling album artist in Nielsen Music/MRC Data history. In March 2020, Brooks banked his 36th Country Airplay chart top 10, "Dive Bar," with Blake Shelton ... who was born in Ada, Oklahoma.


Oregon: Esperanza Spalding
Oregon: 2011 Best new artist Grammy Award winner Esperanza Spalding was born in Portland. The acclaimed jazz instrumentalist/singer famously won the honor over presumed favorite (and Canada native) Justin Bieber. Also from the Portlandia region: The Decemberists, Everclear and Courtney Love.

Pennsylvania: Taylor Swift
Pennsylvania: Wyomissing's Taylor Swift proves that you don't need to hail from the south to make great country music ... and since the release of 1989, pop smashes. In 2019, Lover became her sixth Billboard 200 No. 1 Runners-up from the Keystone State: with their blue-eyed Philly soul, Daryl Hall and John Oates.

Rhode Island: Jeffrey Osborne
Rhode Island: Jeffrey Osborne. The Providence-born R&B singer fronted L.T.D. before launching a solo career that yielded such hits as 1984's "Stay With Me Tonight" (a longtime Rhody radio favorite).


South Carolina: James Brown
South Carolina: The late, legendary "Living in America" singer himself, James Brown. The Godfather of Soul sent 91 songs onto the Hot 100, which, as of July 4, 2020, stands as the 10th-best sum among solo acts.


South Dakota: L. Frank Baum
South Dakota: While not a hotbed of Hot 100 activity, the state gave us author L. Frank Baum, who wrote the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Adapted for the silver screen, Kansas/Oz-based The Wizard of Oz helped popularize such timeless songs as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."


Tennessee: Dolly Parton
Tennessee: As with Springsteen in New Jersey, it's hard to imagine anyone other than Dolly Parton representing Tennessee, especially since her "Dollywood" theme park welcomes approximately 2.5 million visitors annually. The Nashville queen, born in Sevierville, boasts the most No. 1s (25) of any female artist in the Hot Country Songs chart's history.


Texas: George Strait
Texas: Even if all his exes reportedly live there, George Strait can't hide from the fact that he's sent more songs to No. 1 on Hot Country Songs (44) than any other act. With top 10s annually on the chart from 1981 through 2013, Strait, born in Poteet, is the only artist to score a top 10 on the same survey for as many as 33 "Strait" years. Also a Lone Star State-sized shoutout to Houston-born Beyoncé. On the July 4, 2020 Digital Song Sales chart, she debuted at No. 1 with the socially-conscious "Black Parade."


Utah: The Osmonds
Utah: Stars of songs and stage The Osmonds are synonymous with the Salt Lake region, having collected 13 Hot 100 hits, while Donny has scored 16 as a soloist. He and sister Marie debuted at No. 30 on the Billboard 200 as recently as 2011 with Donny & Marie, the pair's highest-peak duets set.


Vermont: Phish
Vermont: Who else but Phish? The jam band formed at the University of Vermont in Burlington in 1983. Ben & Jerry's, headquartered in nearby Waterbury, famously concocted its Phish Food ice cream flavor as a tasty tribute.


Virginia: Bruce Hornsby
Virginia: Bruce Hornsby. The singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist has serenaded his home state in such descriptive songs as "The Red Plains," "The Valley Road" and "The Road Not Taken" (in which he sings of falling in love "with an Appalachian girl").


Washington: Nirvana
Washington: As such states as Tennessee and Texas symbolize country music, Seattle is likewise the birthplace of grunge, with no act perhaps better representing the genre than Nirvana, who defeats Pearl Jam in a tight race if only because "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (No. 6, 1992) marked the sound's first crossover to the Hot 100's top 10.



West Virginia: Brad Paisley
West Virginia: Brad Paisley. Since his arrival, by way of Glen Dale, Paisley has tallied 18 No. 1s, including a streak of 10 in-a-row, on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and nine No. 1s on Top Country Albums, including 2017's Love and War. Since his debut in 1999, when it comes to country chart success, Paisley continues to be crushin' it.


Wisconsin: Les Paul
Wisconsin: Les Paul, whom the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has deemed an "architect" of the genre, originated the solid-body electric guitar and perfected multi-track recording technology. "I've never let anybody know exactly how I get my sound," said Paul, who passed away in 2009. "That big, fat, round, ballsy sound ... nobody else has it."


Wyoming: Chris LeDoux
Wyoming: Although born in Biloxi, Mississippi, Chris LeDoux became a Wyoming rodeo legend. After Garth Brooks sang of listening to a "worn-out tape of Chris LeDoux" in his debut single "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)," the singer tallied 21 appearances on Hot Country Songs until his death in 2005.