Jason Aldean secures his 26th Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 as “How Far Does a Goodbye Go” rises to the summit on the chart dated Feb. 21, having drawn 31.2 million audience impressions Feb. 6-12 (up 13% week over week), according to Luminate.
Produced by Michael Knox and written by Kurt Allison, John Edwards, Tully Kennedy and John Morgan, the track becomes Aldean’s first Country Airplay leader since “Trouble With a Heartbreak” ruled for three weeks in 2022. He ties Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson and George Strait for the fourth-most No. 1s since the chart began in 1990, after only Kenny Chesney (33), Blake Shelton (30) and Tim McGraw (29). His new leader previews his 20-track LP Songs About Us, due April 24.
At 22 weeks, the single’s rise is slightly slower than Aldean’s typical 19-week climb to No. 1 since October 2012, when Country Airplay split from the Hot Country Songs chart, which adopted a multimetric methodology. Still, it arrives well ahead of the overall 28-week average trip to No. 1 in that span. The run falls between his quickest ascent — 12 weeks for “Take a Little Ride” in 2012 — and his longest, 36 weeks for “Blame It on You” in 2021, and it succeeds Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” (31.1 million, up 5%), which led in its 16th week.
New Top 10s, New Music
Luke Combs earns his 25th Country Airplay top 10 as “Days Like These” climbs 11-9 (17.6 million, up 10%). Written by Combs, Brent Cobb and Aaron Raitiere, the song sets up his sixth studio album, The Way I Am, due March 20. Plus, Dylan Scott scores his eighth top 10 as “What He’ll Never Have” rises 12-10 (17 million, up 9%).
Meanwhile, debuting this week are The Band Perry’s “Psychological,” at No. 43 (1.7 million). The revamped act, now featuring Kimberly Perry and husband Johnny Costello, makes its first entry since 2016. Also, Blake Shelton’s 65th career charted title, “Let Him in Anyway,” bows at No. 56 (950,000).
All charts dated Feb. 21 will update Wednesday, Feb. 18 (one day later than usual, due to the Presidents Day holiday Monday, Feb. 16) on Billboard.com.
