Florida Georgia Line Now Has 3 of the 5 Longest-Leading Hot Country Songs No. 1s, Thanks to ‘Meant to Be’
The song is "definitely a special one," says FGL's Tyler Hubbard. Plus, Luke Bryan holds atop Country Airplay.
Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line‘s “Meant to Be” earns another milestone, as it tops Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart (dated April 7) for an 18th week. The collaboration ties FGL’s own “H.O.L.Y.,” which ruled for 18 weeks beginning on the chart dated May 21, 2016, for the fourth-longest reign in the chart’s 59-year history.
Sam Hunt‘s “Body Like a Back Road” holds the record with 34 weeks at No. 1 in 2017, while FGL’s debut hit “Cruise” is second with 24 weeks on top in 2012 and 2013. Leroy Van Dyke‘s “Walk On By” ranks third with 19 weeks at No. 1 in 1961 and 1962.
Florida Georgia Line, thus, now boasts three of the five longest commands in the Hot Country Songs’ archives.
“That’s huge,” says FGL’s Tyler Hubbard (half of the duo, with Brian Kelley). “Meant” is “a special song and one that seems to have wings, man, and it keeps flying up the charts and doing its thing. It’s definitely a special one. We’re honored to be a part of it.”
“Meant” is rolling on the strength of being dually promoted at both country and pop radio. On the Country Airplay chart, “Meant,” which was written by Rexha and Hubbard with Josh Miller and David Garcia, climbs 4-3 in its 19th week, up 9 percent to 35.9 million in audience, according to Nielsen Music. The song also rises to No. 3 on the Pop Songs and Adult Pop Songs airplay charts.
“Meant” paces Country Digital Song Sales for a 16th week (35,000 sold, down 1 percent) and Country Streaming Songs for a 14th frame (23.2 million U.S. streams, up 2 percent).
On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, “Meant” holds at its No. 2 peak, where it’s the highest-charting hit for a country duo or group since Lady Antebellum‘s “Need You Now” in 2010 (and the highest for FGL, as “Cruise” reached No. 4 in 2013).
LUKE LEADS AGAIN: Luke Bryan‘s “Most People Are Good” crowns Country Airplay for a second week, gaining by 5 percent to 43.3 million in audience. The song is the second single from Bryan’s album What Makes You Country, following “Light It Up,” which led the Dec. 23, 2017-dated Country Airplay chart.
“People” is Bryan’s first multi-week Country Airplay No. 1 since “Move,” which led for two frames starting Nov. 12, 2016. Of his 19 leaders, 11 have now topped the chart for multiple weeks. He’s led the longest with “Play It Again,” which was No. 1 for four weeks in 2014.
“Most People,” Bryan’s 12th straight proper No. 1 single as a lead artist on Country Airplay, the longest active streak of any artist, holds at its No. 5 high on Hot Country Songs.
