
While Morgan Wallen didn’t release a new album in 2026, the country star wasn’t taking a year off. Kicking off the Still the Problem Tour, Wallen proved yet again why he remained one of the biggest names in the genre. Selling out arenas, stadiums, and venues in each state he visited, the hitmaker still found time to record tracks like “20 Cigarettes,” “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” and “Don’t We.” Wallen didn’t just release the songs – he celebrated as each one topped the charts. And if that wasn’t enough, he recently made history when “Been By Now” peaked at No. 1 on Country Airplay.
Breaking down the numbers, on Friday, “Been By Now” snagged the No. 1 spot on the Country Airplay chart. It became his fourth song to top the chart. Not throughout his career, but in 2026 alone. If that wasn’t impressive, he scored four or more No. 1 hits in both 2025 and 2024. A monumental accomplishment, Wallen was now the first country singer in history to collect four or more No. 1 hits in three straight years.
With Wallen loving to make history, he decided to do it again as he became the fastest artist in history to score a total of 23 No. 1 hits on Country Airplay. How long did it take him – just eight years. The singer closest to Wallen was Luke Bryan, who achieved the feat in nearly 10 years.
Morgan Wallen Welcomes Ella Langley In Exclusive Club
As for his numerous hits in a single year, Wallen tightened his grip on the genre. But he wasn’t alone. The country singer was among four other artists including Luke Combs and Garth Brooks. For Combs, he hit the marker in 2021 with “Better Together,” “Forever After All,” “Cold Beer Calling My Name,” and “Cold As You.” Garth Brooks added his name to the list twice. Once in 1991 and again in 1993.
But Wallen was different. He was on the list four times. 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. At this point, the country star wasn’t just competing with some of the biggest names in the genre. He was competing with himself.
Although a historic moment, Wallen added a chapter to Ella Langley’s success. Langley was the fourth artist to enter the category. With hits like “Loving Life Again,” “Choosin’ Texas,” and “Be Her” soaring to No. 1, her fourth was “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” featuring – Wallen.
For Wallen, another No. 1 hit meant another record broken. But for Langley, it meant joining an exclusive group of country stars. And with both artists celebrating historic achievements in the same year, 2026 was proving to be a country renaissance.
(Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time 2024)
The post Morgan Wallen Just Accomplished Something No Artist in the History of Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart Has Ever Done appeared first on American Songwriter.
Author: Chris Piner
4 Songs From 1978 That Even Modern Music Fans Can Get Behind »
