List of Billboard number-one country songs of 1950 explained

In 1950, Billboard magazine published three charts covering the best-performing country music songs in the United States: Most-Played Juke Box (Country & Western) Records, Best-Selling Retail Folk (Country & Western) Records and Country & Western Records Most Played By Folk Disk Jockeys. The juke box chart was compiled based on a "weekly survey among a selected group of jukebox operators whose locations require country and western records", the best sellers chart based on a "survey among a selected group of retail stores, the majority of whose customers purchase country and western records", and the jockeys chart based on a "weekly survey among a select list of over 400 disk jockeys specializing in country and western tunes". All three charts are considered part of the lineage of the current Hot Country Songs chart, which was first published in 1958.[1]

In the first issue of Billboard of 1950, Christmas songs were at number one on two charts, with "Blue Christmas" by Ernest Tubb in the top spot on the juke box chart and Gene Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" atop the jockeys chart. The number one on the best sellers chart was "Slipping Around" by Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely, which had held the top spot since the previous October.[2] The longest-running number one of 1950 on all three charts was "I'm Movin' On" by Canadian singer Hank Snow, which spent 14 weeks in the top spot on the juke box chart, 18 on the best sellers listing, and 17 on the jockeys chart. The song would spend three further weeks at number one on the best sellers chart in 1951, tying the record set in 1948 by Eddy Arnold's "I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)" for the highest number of weeks spent at number one on any one of Billboard country singles charts.[3] Red Foley spent the highest total number of weeks at number one on both the juke box and best sellers charts in 1950, topping each for 19 weeks. He also had the highest number of individual chart-toppers on each of the two listings, with four and three respectively. On the jockeys chart, Hank Williams was the only artist with more than one number one hit, and he also spent the most weeks at number one, totalling 19 weeks in the top spot with his three chart-toppers.

Five artists achieved their debut country number ones in 1950, including Hank Snow with "I'm Movin' On".[4] Leon Payne spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the jockeys chart in January with "I Love You Because". Payne, who was better known as a songwriter for other country artists, achieved the unusual feat of reaching number one with his only charting song as a performer.[5] [6] In the same week that Payne reached number one on the jockeys chart, the Delmore Brothers gained their first and only number one when "Blues, Stay Away From Me" topped the juke box chart.[7] Moon Mullican reached number one on both the juke box and best sellers charts with "I'll Sail My Ship Alone", his only number one.[8] Finally, Lefty Frizzell made his first appearance at number one in December when "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time", his debut single,[9] was the final juke box chart-topper of the year. It was the first of five chart-toppers which Frizzell achieved in a little over a year before his chart performance began to decline.[10] "Moanin' the Blues" by Hank Williams was the last number one of 1950 on the jockeys chart and Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On" was the year's final best sellers chart-topper.

Chart history

Issue date!scope=col colspan=2
Juke Boxscope=col colspan=2Best Sellersscope=col colspan=2Jockeysscope=col rowspan=2 class=unsortableRef.
scope=colTitlescope=colArtist(s)scope=colTitlescope=colArtist(s)scope=colTitlescope=colArtist(s)
scope=row"Blue Christmas""Slipping Around" and Jimmy Wakely"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"[11]
scope=row"Blues, Stay Away From Me""I Love You Because"[12]
scope=row"Slipping Around" and Jimmy Wakely"Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy"[13]
scope=row"Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me""I Love You Because"[14]
scope=row"Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy""Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy""Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy"[15]
scope=row[16]
scope=row[17]
scope=row[18]
scope=rowalign=center rowspan=2[19]
scope=row
scope=row[20]
scope=row[21]
scope=row[22]
scope=row[23]
scope=row[24]
scope=row"Long Gone Lonesome Blues"[25]
scope=row"Long Gone Lonesome Blues""Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy"[26]
scope=row"Long Gone Lonesome Blues""Long Gone Lonesome Blues"[27]
scope=row[28]
scope=row[29]
scope=row"Birmingham Bounce"[30]
scope=row"Birmingham Bounce""Long Gone Lonesome Blues"[31]
scope=row"Birmingham Bounce"[32]
scope=row"I'll Sail My Ship Alone""Why Don't You Love Me"[33]
scope=row"Birmingham Bounce""Why Don't You Love Me"[34]
scope=row[35]
scope=row"Why Don't You Love Me"[36]
scope=row"M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I"align=center rowspan=2[37]
scope=row"Why Don't You Love Me""I'll Sail My Ship Alone"
scope=row"Why Don't You Love Me"[38]
scope=row[39]
scope=row[40]
scope=row"I'm Movin' On"[41]
scope=row"Goodnight, Irene" and Ernest Tubb"Goodnight, Irene" and Ernest Tubb[42]
scope=row"I'm Movin' On"[43]
scope=row"I'm Movin' On"[44]
scope=row"I'm Movin' On"[45]
scope=row[46]
scope=row[47]
scope=rowalign=center rowspan=2[48]
scope=row
scope=row[49]
scope=row[50]
scope=row[51]
scope=row[52]
scope=row[53]
scope=row[54]
scope=row[55]
scope=row[56]
scope=row[57]
scope=row"If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time"[58]
scope=row"Moanin' the Blues"[59]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn

    . Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005. ix. Joel Whitburn. Record Research. 2005. 9780898201659.

  2. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. 1996. 9780823082896. Watson-Guptill. 514.
  3. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. 1996. 9780823082896. Watson-Guptill. 502.
  4. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. 1996. 9780823082896. Watson-Guptill. 299.
  5. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. 1996. 9780823082896. Watson-Guptill. 242.
  6. Web site: Leon Payne Biography & History. AllMusic. Jason. Ankeny. August 1, 2018. August 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180802011248/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/leon-payne-mn0000489559/biography. live.
  7. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. 1996. 9780823082896. Watson-Guptill. 93.
  8. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. 1996. 9780823082896. Watson-Guptill. 219.
  9. Web site: Lefty Frizzell Biography & History. AllMusic. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. August 2, 2018. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. June 25, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180625104223/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lefty-frizzell-mn0000190946/biography. live.
  10. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. 1996. 9780823082896. Watson-Guptill. 118.
  11. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=AhcEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT29. 30 - 31. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. January 7, 1950. August 1, 2018.
  12. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=9vUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT31. 34 - 35. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. January 14, 1950. August 2, 2018.
  13. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=ofUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. 30 - 31. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. January 21, 1950. August 2, 2018.
  14. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=JEUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. 30 - 31. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. January 28, 1950. August 2, 2018.
  15. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=MwEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32. 32 - 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. February 4, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  16. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=OQ4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT29. 30 - 31. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. February 11, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  17. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=RSkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT25. 28 - 30. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. February 18, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  18. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=-PUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT29. 30 - 31. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. February 25, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  19. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=QAEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34. 34 - 35. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. March 11, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  20. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=OwEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28. 28 - 29. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. March 18, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  21. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=k_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. 30 - 31. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. March 25, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  22. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=j_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. 30. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. April 1, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  23. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=f0UEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34. 34 - 36. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. April 8, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  24. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=-fUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44. 44 - 46. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. April 15, 1950. August 3, 2018.
  25. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=LikEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT34. 39. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. April 22, 1950. August 6, 2018.
  26. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=PgEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32. 32 - 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. April 29, 1950. August 6, 2018.
  27. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=9fUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36. 36 - 37. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. May 6, 1950. August 6, 2018.
  28. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=Lw4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT32. 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. May 13, 1950. August 7, 2018.
  29. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=VA4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT29. 30 - 31. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. May 20, 1950. August 7, 2018.
  30. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=RAEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33. 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. May 27, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  31. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=9PUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. 30 - 32. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. June 3, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  32. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=PAEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32. 32 - 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. June 10, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  33. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=2kQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA35. 35. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. June 17, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  34. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=3kQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32. 32 - 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. June 24, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  35. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=m_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28. 28 - 29. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. July 1, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  36. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=nfUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. 30 - 31. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. July 8, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  37. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=n_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32. 32. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. July 22, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  38. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=pfUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA29. 29 - 30. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. July 29, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  39. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=lfUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. 30 - 32. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. August 5, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  40. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=l_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33. 33 - 34. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. August 12, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  41. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=mfUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32. 32 - 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. August 19, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  42. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=ovUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32. 32. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. August 26, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  43. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=MQEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33. 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. September 2, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  44. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=o_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44. 44 - 46. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. September 9, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  45. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=QgEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38. 38. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. September 16, 1950. August 7, 2018.
  46. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=pPUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36. 36 - 37. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. September 23, 1950. August 7, 2018.
  47. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=9_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32. 32 - 33. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. September 30, 1950. August 7, 2018.
  48. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=0x0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36. 36 - 38. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. October 14, 1950. August 7, 2018.
  49. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=0R0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34. 34 - 36. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. October 21, 1950. August 7, 2018.
  50. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=2x0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34. 34 - 36. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. October 28, 1950. August 7, 2018.
  51. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=2R0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34. 34. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. November 4, 1950. August 8, 2018.
  52. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=5h0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. 30. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. November 11, 1950. August 8, 2018.
  53. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=5x0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28. 28. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. November 18, 1950. August 8, 2018.
  54. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=8B0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28. 28. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. November 25, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  55. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=pE0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA23. 23. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. December 2, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  56. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=xx0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA26. 26. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. December 9, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  57. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=zB0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA26. 26. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. December 16, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  58. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=vR0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA26. 26. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. December 23, 1950. August 9, 2018.
  59. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=vB0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA19. 19. Folk (Country & Western) Record Section. Billboard. December 30, 1950. August 6, 2018.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of Billboard number-one country songs of 1950".

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