Morgan Wallen notches his eighth leader on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, as “Thought You Should Know” ascends from No. 2 to No. 1 on the list dated Feb. 25. In the week ending Feb. 16, it increased by 4% to 33.2 million impressions, according to Luminate.
(All charts dated Feb. 25 will update on Billboard.com Wednesday, Feb. 22, a day later than usual due to the Presidents Day holiday in the U.S. Monday, Feb. 20.)
Wallen co-wrote the song with Nicolle Galyon and Miranda Lambert, the latter of whom claims her first Country Airplay No. 1 as a writer for another artist, after she penned three that she’s recorded (among her seven total leaders as a recording artist).
“Thought” is the second Country Airplay No. 1 from Wallen’s 36-song LP One Thing at a Time, due March 3. “You Proof” dominated for 10 frames starting last October, becoming the longest-leading No. 1 in the chart’s 33-year history.
‘Truck’ Driving
Lainey Wilson’s “Heart Like a Truck” motors into the Country Airplay top five, up 6-5 (23.2 million, up 3%). It’s her third top five hit, following “Things a Man Oughta Know,” which led for a week in September 2021, and her Cole Swindell team-up “Never Say Never,” which reigned for two frames starting last April.
Concurrently, HARDY’s “Wait in the Truck,” featuring Wilson, is parked at No. 10 on Country Airplay (19.6 million). Wilson posts a twofer for a third consecutive week; while 11 male acts have logged two concurrent top 10s – Morgan Wallen, Mitchell Tenpenny and Luke Combs, most recently – Wilson is the first woman to have achieved the feat.
“Lainey is ushering in the next generation of female superstars,” says Mike Moore, program director at Cumulus Media’s WKHX Atlanta. “Her album Bell Bottom Country is fantastic from beginning to end. We were fortunate to have her here for a station show at the end of 2022, and our audience couldn’t get enough. She is equal parts talent, sincerity and a quality person.”