List of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1974 explained

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1974, 41 different singles topped the chart, which at the time was published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.[1]

At the start of the year, the number one song on the chart was "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard, the song's third week in the top spot. Charlie Rich had the most number ones of 1974, taking five different songs to the top spot, followed by Dolly Parton, who had three solo chart-toppers and one in collaboration with her long-time mentor Porter Wagoner. Wagoner and Parton had charted with a number of duets since 1967,[2] but "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" was their only number one as a duo.[3] In 1973, Parton had taken the decision to end her working relationship with Wagoner, which served as the inspiration for the song "I Will Always Love You",[4] one of her three solo number ones of 1974. In 1982 she re-recorded the song and it once again went to number one, making her the first artist to top the country chart with two different recordings of the same song.[5] Wagoner and Parton's chart-topper was one of two male-female duets to reach number one in 1974, the other being Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's "As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone". Twitty and Lynn had a run of success with duet recordings in the early 1970s alongside their ongoing solo careers.[6]

In addition to having the most individual chart-toppers, Charlie Rich also spent the highest total number of weeks at number one during the year. The singer nicknamed the "Silver Fox"[7] spent eight weeks in the top spot with "There Won't Be Anymore", "A Very Special Love Song", "I Don't See Me in Your Eyes Anymore", "I Love My Friend" and "She Called Me Baby", all of which also crossed over to Billboard pop singles chart, the Hot 100;[8] no other artist spent more than four weeks atop the country listing. Three of the five – "There Won't Be Anymore," "I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore" and "She Called Me Baby" – were recorded in the mid-1960s and re-released by his old labels to cash in on his recent success.[9] A fifteen-year veteran of the music industry, Rich had finally achieved stardom in both the country and pop markets in the early 1970s and was at the peak of his success in 1974, but changing musical tastes and increasing personal problems led to him largely retiring at the end of the decade.[10] In June, Ronnie Milsap had his first number one with "Pure Love".[11] He would go on to become one of the most successful country performers of the 1970s and 1980s, topping the Hot Country Singles chart more than 30 times. In the same month, Waylon Jennings reached number one for the first time with "This Time".[12] Jennings would go on to become one of the mainstays of the successful outlaw country movement of the late 1970s and, like Milsap, is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.[13] [14] [15] A third future Hall of Fame inductee to top the chart for the first time in 1974 was Bobby Bare,[16] who achieved the only number one of his lengthy career in July with "Marie Laveau".[17] Mickey Gilley, Billy Swan, Melba Montgomery and Billy "Crash" Craddock were also first-time chart-toppers in 1974.[18] [19] [20] [21] The final number one of the year was "What a Man My Man Is" by Lynn Anderson.

Chart history

scope=colIssue datescope=colTitlescope=colArtist(s)scope=col class=unsortableRef.
scope=row"If We Make It Through December"[22]
scope=row[23]
scope=row"I Love"[24]
scope=row[25]
scope=row"Jolene"[26]
scope=row"World of Make Believe"[27]
scope=row"That's the Way Love Goes"[28]
scope=row"Another Lonely Song"[29]
scope=row[30]
scope=row"There Won't Be Anymore"[31]
scope=row[32]
scope=row"There's a Honky Tonk Angel (Who'll Take Me Back In)"[33]
scope=row"Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)"[34]
scope=row""[35]
scope=row[36]
scope=row[37]
scope=row"Hello Love"[38]
scope=row"Things Aren't Funny Anymore"[39]
scope=row"Is It Wrong (For Loving You)"[40]
scope=row"Country Bumpkin"[41]
scope=row"No Charge"[42]
scope=row"Pure Love"[43]
scope=row"I Will Always Love You"[44]
scope=row"I Don't See Me in Your Eyes Anymore"[45]
scope=row"This Time"[46]
scope=row"Room Full of Roses"[47]
scope=row"He Thinks I Still Care"[48]
scope=row[49]
scope=row"Marie Laveau"[50]
scope=row"You Can't Be a Beacon If Your Light Don't Shine"[51]
scope=row"Rub It In"[52]
scope=row[53]
scope=row"As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone" and Loretta Lynn[54]
scope=row"Old Man from the Mountain"[55]
scope=row""[56]
scope=row"Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends"[57]
scope=row[58]
scope=row"I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me"[59]
scope=row"I'm a Ramblin' Man"[60]
scope=row"I Love My Friend"[61]
scope=row"Please Don't Stop Loving Me" and Dolly Parton[62]
scope=row"I See the Want To in Your Eyes"[63]
scope=row[64]
scope=row"I Overlooked an Orchid"[65]
scope=row"Love Is Like a Butterfly"[66]
scope=row"Country Is"[67]
scope=row"Trouble in Paradise"[68]
scope=row"Back Home Again"[69]
scope=row"She Called Me Baby"[70]
scope=row"I Can Help"[71]
scope=row[72]
scope=row"What a Man My Man Is"[73]

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. 978-0-89820-165-9.

  2. Web site: Dolly Parton Biography & History. David. Vinopal. April 22, 2018. AllMusic. https://web.archive.org/web/20180417192427/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dolly-parton-mn0000175286/biography. April 17, 2018. live.
  3. Porter Wagoner Chart History. Billboard. April 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180519193550/https://www.billboard.com/music/porter-wagoner/chart-history/country-songs. May 19, 2018. dead.
  4. Web site: Dolly Parton remembers writing 'I Will Always Love You'. The Tennessean. David. Paulson. December 26, 2015. April 22, 2018.
  5. Book: Ellison, Curtis W.. Country Music Culture: From Hard Times to Heaven. registration. 195. 1995. Univ. Press of Mississippi. 978-1-60473-934-3.
  6. Web site: Conway Twitty Biography & History. AllMusic. December 23, 2019. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. https://web.archive.org/web/20191223083207/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/conway-twitty-mn0000780451/biography. December 23, 2019. live.
  7. Web site: Charlie Rich, 62, 'Silver Fox,' Country Singer and Songwriter. New York Times. Stephen. Holden. July 26, 1995. January 28, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200128083838/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/26/obituaries/charlie-rich-62-silver-fox-country-singer-and-songwriter.html. January 28, 2020. live.
  8. Charlie Rich Chart History. Billboard. April 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180524221204/https://www.billboard.com/music/charlie-rich/chart-history/country-songs. May 24, 2018. live.
  9. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn

    . Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944 - 1997. 290. Joel Whitburn. Record Research. 1999. 978-0-89820-129-1.

  10. Web site: Charlie Rich Biography & History. AllMusic. January 28, 2020. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. https://web.archive.org/web/20200128101944/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-rich-mn0000179730/biography. January 28, 2020. live.
  11. Web site: Top 10 Ronnie Milsap Songs. The Boot. Townsquare Media. February 6, 2019. Annie. Zaleski. April 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20190206225539/http://theboot.com/top-ronnie-milsap-songs/. February 6, 2019. live.
  12. Book: The Comprehensive Country Music Encyclopedia. 184. Times Books. 1994. 978-0-8129-2247-9. registration.
  13. Country Music Hall of Fame Announces Massive Outlaw Country Exhibit. Rolling Stone. Jeff. Gage. January 12, 2018. April 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180319004320/https://www.rollingstone.com/country/news/country-music-hall-of-fame-announces-outlaw-country-exhibit-w515380. March 19, 2018. live.
  14. Waylon Jennings Dead at Sixty-four. Rolling Stone. Andrew. Dansby. February 14, 2002. April 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180311021808/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/waylon-jennings-dead-at-sixty-four-20020214. March 11, 2018. live.
  15. Ronnie Milsap to Be Focus of Country Hall of Fame Exhibit. Rolling Stone. Stephen L.. Betts. January 12, 2015. April 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180423170341/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ronnie-milsap-to-be-focus-of-country-hall-of-fame-exhibit-20150112. April 23, 2018. live.
  16. Web site: Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare, Jack Clement Inducted Into Country Music Hall of Fame. Edward. Morris. October 28, 2013. CMT. https://web.archive.org/web/20180423170554/http://www.cmt.com/news/1716332/kenny-rogers-bobby-bare-jack-clement-inducted-into-country-music-hall-of-fame//. April 23, 2018. 2018-04-23.
  17. Booting Ass and Taking Names: Country's 20 Best Revenge Songs. Rolling Stone. Stephen L.. Betts. Andrew. Leahey. Melinda. Newman. Joseph. Hudak. Erin. Manning. Beville. Dunkerley. Adam. Gold. Marissa R.. Moss. February 13, 2015. April 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180423232307/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/booting-ass-and-taking-names-countrys-20-best-revenge-songs-20150213/bobby-bare-marie-laveau-20150213. April 23, 2018. live.
  18. Web site: Room Full of Roses/Gilley's Smokin'. AllMusic. Thom. Jurek. April 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180423170830/https://www.allmusic.com/album/room-full-of-roses-gilleys-smokin-mw0000031295. April 23, 2018. live.
  19. Billy Swan Chart History. Billboard. April 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180524221359/https://www.billboard.com/music/billy-swan/chart-history/country-songs. May 24, 2018. live.
  20. Web site: Melba Montgomery Biography & History. AllMusic. Jason. Ankeny. April 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180423170810/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/melba-montgomery-mn0000868456/biography. April 23, 2018. live.
  21. Web site: Billy "Crash" Craddock Biography & History. AllMusic. Steve. Huey. April 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180423170724/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/billy-crash-craddock-mn0000080659/biography. April 23, 2018. live.
  22. Hot Country Songs chart for January 5, 1974 . Billboard . April 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045629/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-01-05 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  23. Hot Country Songs chart for January 12, 1974 . Billboard . April 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045639/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-01-12 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  24. Hot Country Songs chart for January 19, 1974 . Billboard . April 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045642/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-01-19 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  25. Hot Country Songs chart for January 26, 1974 . Billboard . April 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045644/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-01-26 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  26. Hot Country Songs chart for February 2, 1974 . Billboard . April 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045646/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-02-02 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  27. Hot Country Songs chart for February 9, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045649/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-02-09 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  28. Hot Country Songs chart for February 16, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045652/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-02-16 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  29. Hot Country Songs chart for February 23, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045655/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-02-23 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  30. Hot Country Songs chart for March 2, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045659/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-03-02 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  31. Hot Country Songs chart for March 9, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045702/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-03-09 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  32. Hot Country Songs chart for March 16, 1974. Billboard. April 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045707/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-03-16. March 29, 2018. live.
  33. Hot Country Songs chart for March 23, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045710/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-03-23 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  34. Hot Country Songs chart for March 30, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045713/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-03-30 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  35. Hot Country Songs chart for April 6, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045716/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-04-06 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  36. Hot Country Songs chart for April 13, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045720/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-04-13 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  37. Hot Country Songs chart for April 20, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045723/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-04-20 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  38. Hot Country Songs chart for April 27, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045725/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-04-27 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  39. Hot Country Songs chart for May 4, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045728/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-05-04 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  40. Hot Country Songs chart for May 11, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045731/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-05-11 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  41. Hot Country Songs chart for May 18, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045734/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-05-18 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  42. Hot Country Songs chart for May 25, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045736/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-05-25 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  43. Hot Country Songs chart for June 1, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045739/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-06-01 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  44. Hot Country Songs chart for June 8, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045743/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-06-08 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  45. Hot Country Songs chart for June 15, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045746/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-06-15 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  46. Hot Country Songs chart for June 22, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045751/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-06-22 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  47. Hot Country Songs chart for June 29, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045754/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-06-29 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  48. Hot Country Songs chart for July 6, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180331094356/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-07-06 . March 31, 2018 . live .
  49. Hot Country Songs chart for July 13, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045803/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-07-13 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  50. Hot Country Songs chart for July 20, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045808/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-07-20 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  51. Hot Country Songs chart for July 27, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045811/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-07-27 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  52. Hot Country Songs chart for August 3, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045814/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-08-03 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  53. Hot Country Songs chart for August 10, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045818/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-08-10 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  54. Hot Country Songs chart for August 17, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045821/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-08-17 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  55. Hot Country Songs chart for August 24, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045825/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-08-24 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  56. Hot Country Songs chart for August 31, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045830/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-08-31 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  57. Hot Country Songs chart for September 7, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045835/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-09-07 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  58. Hot Country Songs chart for September 14, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045838/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-09-14 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  59. Hot Country Songs chart for September 21, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180331094358/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-09-21 . March 31, 2018 . live .
  60. Hot Country Songs chart for September 28, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045849/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-09-28 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  61. Hot Country Songs chart for October 5, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045853/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-10-05 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  62. Hot Country Songs chart for October 12, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045856/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-10-12 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  63. Hot Country Songs chart for October 19, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045858/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-10-19 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  64. Hot Country Songs chart for October 26, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045902/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-10-26 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  65. Hot Country Songs chart for November 2, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045908/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-11-02 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  66. Hot Country Songs chart for November 9, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180331094401/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-11-09 . March 31, 2018 . live .
  67. Hot Country Songs chart for November 16, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045917/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-11-16 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  68. Hot Country Songs chart for November 23, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045920/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-11-23 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  69. Hot Country Songs chart for November 30, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045923/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-11-30 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  70. Hot Country Songs chart for December 7, 1974. Billboard. April 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045927/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-12-07. March 29, 2018. live.
  71. Hot Country Songs chart for December 14, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045931/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-12-14 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  72. Hot Country Songs chart for December 21, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045934/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-12-21 . March 29, 2018 . live .
  73. Hot Country Songs chart for December 28, 1974 . Billboard . April 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180329045937/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1974-12-28 . March 29, 2018 . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1974".

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