List of Top Country Albums number ones of 1986

Top Country Albums is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music albums in the United States, published by Billboard. In 1986, 22 different albums topped the chart, based on sales reports submitted by a representative sample of stores nationwide.[1]

Steve Earle reached number one with his debut album Guitar Town.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 4, Kenny Rogers was at number one with the album The Heart of the Matter, its second week in the top spot.[2] It would remain atop the chart through the issue dated February 1 for a final total of six weeks at number one but would prove to be the last of the 11 chart-toppers which the singer achieved in his lifetime;[3] he would top the chart again in 2020 shortly after his death.[4][5] Many of 1986's chart-topping acts were identified with the neotraditional country trend, which moved away from the pop music-influenced style with which acts such as Rogers had dominated the country charts in the earlier part of the decade in favour of a sound closer to the genre's roots.[6][7] George Strait, Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam and Steve Earle were all associated with the neotraditional movement.[8] Travis's album Storms of Life spent eight weeks at number one, the most by an album in 1986. Travis, Yoakam and Earle all reached number one for the first time in 1986, as did Lee Greenwood, Dan Seals, Earl Thomas Conley, John Schneider, Ray Stevens, Janie Fricke and Reba McEntire,[9] who would go on to become one of the most successful female singers in country music history, selling more than 50 million albums.[10]

Two acts achieved more than one number one in 1986. The band Alabama spent five weeks in the top spot beginning in April with Greatest Hits and seven weeks at number one beginning in November with The Touch, which was the year's final chart-topper. The band's total of twelve weeks at number one was the most for any act, and the seven weeks which The Touch spent in the top spot was the year's longest unbroken run at number one; this run would be extended by a further three weeks in 1987. The two albums brought the total number of chart-toppers achieved by the most successful country music band of the 1980s[11] to seven.[12] Hank Williams Jr. had three number ones in 1986, beginning with a two-week spell atop the chart in February with Greatest Hits Volume 2. In May, Five-O, which had been released a year earlier and spent time at number one in the summer of 1985, returned to the top spot for one week. Finally, the singer spent four weeks in the peak position beginning in the issue of Billboard dated September 6 with Montana Cafe. Having not reached number one at all between 1969 and 1984, the second-generation star had now achieved four consecutive chart-toppers in less than three years.[13]

Chart history

Ray Stevens, who had recorded in various genres since the 1950s, had his first number-one country album in 1986.[14]
After a number of top ten albums, Earl Thomas Conley gained his first number one with his album Greatest Hits.[15]
Whoever's in New England was the first chart-topping album for Reba McEntire, one of the most successful female country singers of all time.
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 4 The Heart of the MatterKenny Rogers[2]
January 11 [16]
January 18 [17]
January 25 [18]
February 1 [19]
February 8 Greatest Hits Volume 2Hank Williams Jr.[20]
February 15 [21]
February 22 StreamlineLee Greenwood[22]
March 1 Rockin' with the RhythmThe Judds[23]
March 8 Won't Be Blue AnymoreDan Seals[24]
March 15 I Have ReturnedRay Stevens[25]
March 22 Greatest HitsEarl Thomas Conley[26]
March 29 Live in LondonRicky Skaggs[27]
April 5 Greatest HitsAlabama[28]
April 12 [29]
April 19 A Memory Like YouJohn Schneider[30]
April 26 Greatest HitsAlabama[31]
May 3 [32]
May 10 [33]
May 17 Five-OHank Williams Jr.[34]
May 24 Whoever's in New EnglandReba McEntire[35]
May 31 The PromiselandWillie Nelson[36]
June 7 [37]
June 14 Will the Wolf SurviveWaylon Jennings[38]
June 21 Lost in the Fifties TonightRonnie Milsap[39]
June 28 Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.Dwight Yoakam[40]
July 5 [41]
July 12 #7George Strait[42]
July 19 [43]
July 26 [44]
August 2 [45]
August 9 Storms of LifeRandy Travis[46]
August 16 [47]
August 23 [48]
August 30 [49]
September 6 Montana CafeHank Williams Jr.[50]
September 13 [51]
September 20 [52]
September 27 [53]
October 4 Black and WhiteJanie Fricke[54]
October 11 Storms of LifeRandy Travis[55]
October 18 [56]
October 25 [57]
November 1 [58]
November 8 Guitar TownSteve Earle[59]
November 15 The TouchAlabama[60]
November 22 [61]
November 29 [62]
December 6 [63]
December 13 [64]
December 20 [65]
December 27 [66]

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN 9780898201734.
  2. "Country Albums chart for January 4, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. pp. 216–217. ISBN 9780898201734.
  4. "Country Albums chart for April 4, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  5. Thorpe, Vanessa (March 21, 2020). "Kenny Rogers, country music star, dies aged 81". The Guardian. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  6. Wolff, Kurt (2000). Country Music: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides. p. 458. ISBN 9781858285344.
  7. Thompson, William Forde (2014). Music in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Encyclopedia. SAGE Publications. p. 274. ISBN 9781452283029.
  8. Weisbard, Eric (2004). Top 40 Democracy: The Rival Mainstreams of American Music. University of Chicago Press. p. 104. ISBN 9780226896182.
  9. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. pp. 66, 84, 93, 104, 161, 222, 223, 239, 251, 285. ISBN 9780898201734.
  10. Vinson, Christina (March 28, 2020). "Did You Know Reba McEntire Holds a Record Among Women in Country?". The Boot. Townsquare Media. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  11. Huey, Steve. "Alabama Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  12. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 16. ISBN 9780898201734.
  13. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 276. ISBN 9780898201734.
  14. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ray Stevens Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  15. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 66. ISBN 9780898201734.
  16. "Country Albums chart for January 11, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  17. "Country Albums chart for January 18, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  18. "Country Albums chart for January 25, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  19. "Country Albums chart for February 1, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  20. "Country Albums chart for February 8, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  21. "Country Albums chart for February 15, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  22. "Country Albums chart for February 22, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  23. "Country Albums chart for March 1, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  24. "Country Albums chart for March 8, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  25. "Country Albums chart for March 15, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  26. "Country Albums chart for March 22, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  27. "Country Albums chart for March 29, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  28. "Country Albums chart for April 5, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  29. "Country Albums chart for April 12, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  30. "Country Albums chart for April 19, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  31. "Country Albums chart for April 26, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  32. "Country Albums chart for May 3, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  33. "Country Albums chart for May 10, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  34. "Country Albums chart for May 17, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  35. "Country Albums chart for May 24, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  36. "Country Albums chart for May 31, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  37. "Country Albums chart for June 7, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  38. "Country Albums chart for June 14, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  39. "Country Albums chart for June 21, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  40. "Country Albums chart for June 28, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  41. "Country Albums chart for July 5, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  42. "Country Albums chart for July 12, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  43. "Country Albums chart for July 19, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  44. "Country Albums chart for July 26, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  45. "Country Albums chart for August 2, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  46. "Country Albums chart for August 9, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  47. "Country Albums chart for August 16, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  48. "Country Albums chart for August 23, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  49. "Country Albums chart for August 30, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  50. "Country Albums chart for September 6, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  51. "Country Albums chart for September 13, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  52. "Country Albums chart for September 20, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  53. "Country Albums chart for September 27, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  54. "Country Albums chart for October 4, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  55. "Country Albums chart for October 11, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  56. "Country Albums chart for October 18, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  57. "Country Albums chart for October 25, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  58. "Country Albums chart for November 1, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  59. "Country Albums chart for November 8, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  60. "Country Albums chart for November 15, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  61. "Country Albums chart for November 22, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  62. "Country Albums chart for November 29, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  63. "Country Albums chart for December 6, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  64. "Country Albums chart for December 13, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  65. "Country Albums chart for December 20, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  66. "Country Albums chart for December 27, 1986". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
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