Kenny Chesney is ranked as the No. 1 country artist on Billboard’s list of the top country acts of the first 25 years of the 21st century. This ranking is based on his performance on Billboard’s weekly Top Country Albums and Hot Country Songs charts from January 2000 through December 2024.
Chesney first appeared on Billboard’s charts in December 1993 and became a major force in country music by 1995. He dominated the early 2000s, achieving all 17 of his No. 1 albums on the Top Country Albums chart between 2000 and 2020. He also earned 20 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs during this time, out of 23 total. Both of these totals are the highest among all artists during these years.
Billboard’s list reflects the biggest names in country music from the year 2000 to today. The full Top 100 chart is available on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time charts menu. Additionally, Billboard will release the Top Country Albums of the 21st Century chart on May 28 and the Top Hot Country Songs of the 21st Century chart on May 29.
The rankings are based on weekly chart performance between January 1, 2000, and December 28, 2024. Only songs and albums released after mid-1999 are included. However, older titles that appeared on the charts during this time period also contribute to the rankings.
Carrie Underwood entered the country music scene after winning American Idol in 2005. By April 2021, she had earned nine No. 1 albums on the Top Country Albums chart, the most for any female artist. On Hot Country Songs, she has 14 No. 1 hits, starting with “Jesus, Take the Wheel” in 2006. Underwood leads all women in the number of chart-toppers in the first 25 years of the century.
Underwood told Billboard in 2018, “I feel so blessed to be able to do what I do. I am incredibly grateful for the support of fans around the world that make it all possible.” She is now an American Idol judge and released her latest album, Denim & Rhinestones, in 2022.
Blake Shelton’s debut single, “Austin,” topped Hot Country Songs for five weeks in August 2001. Shelton is the longest-serving coach on NBC’s The Voice, with 23 seasons. He has earned 14 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs and seven No. 1 albums on Top Country Albums. Shelton, from Ada, Oklahoma, married Gwen Stefani in 2021. He signed with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville in September 2024 and released his latest album, For Recreational Use Only, on May 9.
Jason Aldean has earned 10 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs, from “Why” in 2006 to “Try That in a Small Town” in 2023. The latter song also reached No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, boosted by discussions around its official video. Aldean has seven No. 1 albums on Top Country Albums.
Luke Combs, from Asheville, North Carolina, has achieved four No. 1 albums and six No. 1 songs since 2017. He holds a record with 14 consecutive No. 1 debut singles on Country Airplay. In 2023, Combs had a No. 1 hit with his cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 classic “Fast Car.” Combs told Billboard, “It has been so cool to see everyone enjoying this song over the past few months. I’m glad this song got another life because it deserves to be around forever.”
The country band Rascal Flatts has earned 12 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs since their debut single “Prayin’ for Daylight” in 2000. They hold the record for the most No. 1s among duos or groups in this period. On Top Country Albums, they have eight No. 1 albums, also the most for duos or groups since 2000. After a break starting in 2020, Rascal Flatts reunited and will perform at CMA Fest in Nashville in June.
Keith Urban has 16 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs, beginning with “But for the Grace of God” in 2001. His latest album, High, debuted at No. 10 on the Top Country Albums chart in October 2024. Urban has 11 top 10 albums, including seven No. 1s. He has been married to actress Nicole Kidman since 2006 and served as an American Idol judge from 2013 to 2016.
Country legend Toby Keith passed away in February 2024. He had been a major country figure for over 30 years, starting with his 1993 hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” Keith earned 17 of his 20 No. 1 hits and all 10 of his No. 1 albums after 2000. Known for his heartfelt ballads and patriotic anthems, Keith was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October 2024.
Taylor Swift rose to fame as a country artist signed to Big Machine Records in 2006 after performing at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe. Her first single, “Tim McGraw,” reached No. 6 on Hot Country Songs in 2007, and “Our Song” became her first No. 1 that December. After shifting to pop in the mid-2010s, Swift returned to country roots with re-recorded albums. Her Love Story (Taylor’s Version) hit No. 1 on Hot Country Songs in 2021. In 2023, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) topped the Top Country Albums chart.
Swift said about “Love Story,” “This is my first time having a No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. I’m so grateful to the fans who made this possible. It blows me away that a song first released over a decade ago could reach No. 1 again.”
Country star Tim McGraw, who inspired Swift’s first hit, has 26 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs, including 16 since 2000. Married to Faith Hill since 1996, McGraw has 13 No. 1 albums on Top Country Albums since 2000. His most recent album, Standing Room Only, was released in 2020.
Chesney began headlining stadium shows in his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, selling out Neyland Stadium on June 7, 2003. Since then, he has played at over 100 stadiums for his devoted fans, known as No Shoes Nation. The nickname started in 2012 during a concert at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts and comes from his 2003 hit “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem.”
Chesney signed with BNA Records, now part of Sony Music Nashville, in 1995 and stayed until 2018, when he signed with Warner Music Nashville. Since 2000, he has earned 20 No. 1 songs on Hot Country Songs and 17 No. 1 albums. He has topped the all-genre Billboard 200 chart nine times. On Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, Chesney has 30 No. 1 hits since 2000, the most of any artist.
When Chesney earned his 30th No. 1 on Country Airplay with “Take Her Home” in June 2024, he said, “It’s amazing how life’s moments and chances connect with people. Anytime I can reflect No Shoes Nation, it feels like a win for everyone who loves these songs.”
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