These are the Billboard Hot Country Singles of 1985, part 1. Why only part 1? Because 51 songs made it to #1 that year. And it wasn’t just 1985 but the whole decade. There were 33 #1s in 1979. In the ’80s, there were, in chronological order: 43, 47, 47, 50, 50, 51, 51, 49, 48, and 49, #1 country hits. In 1990, 24, and never more than 32 in any year for the rest of the century.
Why was that? From this music forum: “I just received a response to my question from Joel Whitburn himself, who sheds some more light on the issue.” The late Whitburn was the publisher of the Record Research books that line my bookshelves.
“I’m well aware of the different methodologies Billboard has used in compiling their charts. I was told by Billboard’s chart manager back in the mid-70’s that the Country charts were tabulated mostly by airplay and that the record companies wanted fast turnover at the top of the charts, so that more artists (and labels) would share in the bounty of a #1 hit. He said the promotional staffs of the record labels worked with radio so that as soon as a song hit #1, it would be pulled from their hot playlist and another song would peak at #1, etc.
It’s a different story today, as the Country chart is compiled by a combination of monitored airplay and sales data.”
First half, in chronological order, all one week at #1
