Kenny Rogers Tops Billboard Country Albums Chart for First Time in 34 Years

by Jim Casey | @TheJimCasey | March 30, 2020

Kenny Rogers may be gone, but the country music icon is definitely not forgotten.

One week after Kenny’s death on March 20, his 2018 album, The Best of Kenny Rogers: Through the Years, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The 20-song offering moved 31,000 equivalent album units, according to Nielsen Music, which bested Kelsea Ballerini’s new self-titled studio album by 3,000 units.

The last time Kenny reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart was with The Heart of the Matter in February 1986. The new chart-topper brings Kenny’s career tally to 12 No. 1 albums.

In his nearly six decades on the charts, Kenny sold more than 120 million albums and recorded 24 No. 1 songs. He won three Grammys, eight ACMs and six CMAs. Kenny was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013 and received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 CMA Awards.

photo by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com

Blogs

Universal Music Group has just unveiled the rebranding of its Nashville operations to Music Corporation of America (MCA). The rebrand is led by recently appointed President/CEO Mike Harris and CCO Dave Cobb, with MCA continuing to operate and support their frontline labels: Mercury Nashville, EMI Nashville, Capitol Nashville and MCA Nashville, along with the newly…

Universal Music Nashville Rebrands As MCA

During her final show of her Las Vegas residency on April 12, Carrie Underwood was reunited with Noel Miller, a Make-A-Wish recipient with a severe heart condition she first met 15 years ago. The country superstar also donated over $235,000 to the foundation, a portion of which came from her residency ticket sales. Underwood, who…

Carrie Underwood Reunites With Make-A-Wish Foundation Child 17 Years Later, Donates $235K From Vegas Residency To Charity

In a new interview clip featured on Spotify to promote his new album, Morgan Wallen discussed his collaboration with Post Malone on their just released track, "I Ain't Comin' Back." The country superstar revealed how the song ended up on his upcoming album, I'm the Problem, instead of on Malone's F-1 Trillion. "This was written…

Morgan Wallen Claimed Post Malone Collaboration For His New Album After “I Had Some Help” Was Included On ‘F-1 Trillion’

In a new interview clip featured on Spotify to promote his new album, Morgan Wallen discussed his collaboration with Post Malone on their just released track, “I Ain’t Comin’ Back.” The country superstar revealed how the song ended up on his upcoming album, I’m the Problem, instead of on Malone’s F-1 Trillion. “This was written…

Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, and LeAnn Rimes lead the list of performers who have just been added to the live lineup at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards taking place on May 8. The other new additions to the ACM performance roster are Cody Johnson, Kelsea Ballerini, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Clint Black,…

Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, LeAnn Rimes Among Performers Added To 2025 ACM Awards Lineup

Drew Baldridge finds himself on the brink of possibly securing another No. 1 hit with his current Top 15 single, “Tough People,” following up the success of his groundbreaking self-released No. 1 hit from 2024, "She's Somebody’s Daughter.” Working alongside Luke Combs to co-write the impactful song with Adam Sanders and Jordan Walker, Baldridge initially…

Self-Made Country Star Drew Baldridge Closes In On Another No. 1 With “Tough People”

Drew Baldridge finds himself on the brink of possibly securing another No. 1 hit with his current Top 15 single, “Tough People,” following up the success of his groundbreaking self-released No. 1 hit from 2024, “She’s Somebody’s Daughter.” Working alongside Luke Combs to co-write the impactful song with Adam Sanders and Jordan Walker, Baldridge initially…