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List of Billboard number-one country songs of 1950

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A dark-haired man wearing a bowtie and a jacket with roses printed on it
Hank Snow had lengthy runs at the top of all three charts with "I'm Movin' On".

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".[1] All three charts are considered part of the lineage of the current Hot Country Songs chart, which was first published in 1958.[2]

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.[3] 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's country singles charts.[4] 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".[5] 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.[6][7] 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.[8] 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.[9] 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,[10] 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.[11] "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

[edit]
A dark-haired man wearing a neckerchief, a shirt with fringes dangling from the sleeves, and pants with a guitar pictured on them, smiling broadly while leaning on a guitar
Lefty Frizzell ended the year at number one with his debut chart-topper, "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time".
A man wearing a light-coloured cowboy hat, neckerchief and dark jacket
Red Foley had three number ones on the best sellers chart.
A man in a light jacket and cowboy hat, playing a guitar at a microphone
Hank Williams spent a total of 19 weeks at number one on the jockeys chart.
Chart history
Issue date Juke Box Best Sellers Jockeys Ref.
Title Artist(s) Title Artist(s) Title Artist(s)
January 7 "Blue Christmas" Ernest Tubb "Slipping Around" Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Gene Autry [12]
January 14 "Blues, Stay Away From Me" The Delmore Brothers "I Love You Because" Leon Payne [1]
January 21 "Slipping Around" Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" Red Foley [13]
January 28 "Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me" Eddy Arnold "I Love You Because" Leon Payne [14]
February 4 "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" Red Foley "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" Red Foley "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" Red Foley [15]
February 11 [16]
February 18 [17]
February 25 [18]
March 4 [19]
March 11
March 18 [20]
March 25 [21]
April 1 [22]
April 8 [23]
April 15 [24]
April 22 "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" Hank Williams [25]
April 29 "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" Hank Williams "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" Red Foley [26]
May 6 "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" Hank Williams "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" Hank Williams [27]
May 13 [28]
May 20 [29]
May 27 "Birmingham Bounce" Red Foley [30]
June 3 "Birmingham Bounce" Red Foley "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" Hank Williams [31]
June 10 "Birmingham Bounce" Red Foley [32]
June 17 "I'll Sail My Ship Alone" Moon Mullican "Why Don't You Love Me" Hank Williams [33]
June 24 "Birmingham Bounce" Red Foley "Why Don't You Love Me" [34]
July 1 [35]
July 8 "Why Don't You Love Me" Hank Williams [36]
July 15 "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I" Red Foley [37]
July 22 "Why Don't You Love Me" Hank Williams "I'll Sail My Ship Alone" Moon Mullican
July 29 "Why Don't You Love Me" Hank Williams [38]
August 5 [39]
August 12 [40]
August 19 "I'm Movin' On" Hank Snow [41]
August 26 "Goodnight, Irene" Red Foley and Ernest Tubb "Goodnight, Irene" Red Foley and Ernest Tubb [42]
September 2 "I'm Movin' On" Hank Snow [43]
September 9 "I'm Movin' On" Hank Snow [44]
September 16 "I'm Movin' On" Hank Snow [45]
September 23 [46]
September 30 [47]
October 7 [48]
October 14
October 21 [49]
October 28 [50]
November 4 [51]
November 11 [52]
November 18 [53]
November 25 [54]
December 2 [55]
December 9 [56]
December 16 [57]
December 23 "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time" Lefty Frizzell [58]
December 30 "Moanin' the Blues" Hank Williams [59]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. January 14, 1950. pp. 34–35. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN 9780898201659.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 514. ISBN 9780823082896.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 502. ISBN 9780823082896.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 299. ISBN 9780823082896.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 242. ISBN 9780823082896.
  7. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Leon Payne Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  8. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 93. ISBN 9780823082896.
  9. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 219. ISBN 9780823082896.
  10. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Lefty Frizzell Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  11. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Watson-Guptill. p. 118. ISBN 9780823082896.
  12. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. January 7, 1950. pp. 30–31. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  13. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. January 21, 1950. pp. 30–31. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  14. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. January 28, 1950. pp. 30–31. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  15. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. February 4, 1950. pp. 32–33. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  16. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. February 11, 1950. pp. 30–31. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  17. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. February 18, 1950. pp. 28–30. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  18. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. February 25, 1950. pp. 30–31. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  19. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. March 11, 1950. pp. 34–35. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  20. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. March 18, 1950. pp. 28–29. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  21. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. March 25, 1950. pp. 30–31. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  22. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. April 1, 1950. p. 30. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  23. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. April 8, 1950. pp. 34–36. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  24. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. April 15, 1950. pp. 44–46. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  25. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. April 22, 1950. p. 39. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  26. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. April 29, 1950. pp. 32–33. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  27. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. May 6, 1950. pp. 36–37. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  28. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. May 13, 1950. p. 33. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  29. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. May 20, 1950. pp. 30–31. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  30. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. May 27, 1950. p. 33. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  31. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. June 3, 1950. pp. 30–32. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  32. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. June 10, 1950. pp. 32–33. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  33. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. June 17, 1950. p. 35. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  34. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. June 24, 1950. pp. 32–33. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  35. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. July 1, 1950. pp. 28–29. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  36. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. July 8, 1950. pp. 30–31. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  37. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. July 22, 1950. p. 32. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  38. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. July 29, 1950. pp. 29–30. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  39. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. August 5, 1950. pp. 30–32. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  40. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. August 12, 1950. pp. 33–34. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  41. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. August 19, 1950. pp. 32–33. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  42. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. August 26, 1950. p. 32. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  43. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. September 2, 1950. p. 33. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  44. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. September 9, 1950. pp. 44–46. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  45. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. September 16, 1950. p. 38. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  46. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. September 23, 1950. pp. 36–37. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  47. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. September 30, 1950. pp. 32–33. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  48. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. October 14, 1950. pp. 36–38. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  49. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. October 21, 1950. pp. 34–36. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  50. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. October 28, 1950. pp. 34–36. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  51. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. November 4, 1950. p. 34. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  52. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. November 11, 1950. p. 30. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  53. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. November 18, 1950. p. 28. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  54. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. November 25, 1950. p. 28. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  55. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. December 2, 1950. p. 23. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  56. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. December 9, 1950. p. 26. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  57. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. December 16, 1950. p. 26. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  58. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. December 23, 1950. p. 26. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  59. ^ "Folk (Country & Western) Record Section". Billboard. December 30, 1950. p. 19. Retrieved August 6, 2018.