These 9 Artists Crossed Over To Earn A #1 Country Hit
Crossing genres is something that singers do often. Many artists have crossed over to country in the past, and have experienced great success.
As a pop music group, we bet you never would have imagined that the Backstreet Boys would earn a number one country hit. Well as of June 2017, they did.
That number one hit comes in the form of their collaboration with country duo Florida Georgia Line, titled “God, Your Mama, and Me.”
The song’s rise to the top of the charts gave Florida Georgia Line a total of 13 number one singles on the country charts. Once fans realized it was also the Backstreet Boys’ first song to hit number one on the country charts, they went wild.
However, the Backstreet Boys aren’t the first non-country artists to secure a number one single on the country charts. They’re also not the last. Beyoncé’s country song, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” reached number one in February 2024.
She became the first black woman to reach the top spot on the Hot Country Songs chart.
You won’t believe some of the other artists that have managed to snag a chart-topping country song! Some did so through a solo recording, others through a collaboration with a country artist.
Are you curious to know who else crossed over to earn number one country hits? Head below to see a few names!
Bing Crosby
Singer and actor Bill Crosby was known for his smooth, sauve vocals. He was primarily considered a traditional pop singer, but also got labeled as a jazz and easy listening artist.
Crosby’s rendition of the classic holiday song “White Christmas” is the best-selling song by any singer in history.
Did you have any clue that Crosby also earned a number one hit country song? That song was “Pistol Packin’ Mama,” which he recorded with swing group The Andrews Sisters.
The song was released in 1943 and has since been certified Gold by the RIAA.
Jimmy Buffett
While the late Jimmy Buffett made his presence known in country music, he was not technically a country artist. Instead most of Buffett’s songs fall under the Gulf and Western or easy listening genres, with beach and island influences.
Despite his unique style, Buffett charted many of his songs on the Billboard country chart, the Adult Contemporary chart, and the Hot 100 chart. Buffet actually had two number one country singles!
Buffett’s first number one country hit was his famous collaboration with Alan Jackson on “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” released in 2003. His second country chart-topper came eight years later with “Knee Deep,” his collaboration with the Zac Brown Band.
Uncle Kracker
As a former rap artist, nobody ever would have guessed that Uncle Kracker would have a number one country hit. But he does!
That hit is Kracker’s laid-back duet with Kenny Chesney titled “When the Sun Goes Down.” The song made its debut at the 40th spot on the Hot Country Songs chart following its release in February 2004.
The duo quickly sailed to the top of the chart. They also managed to score a crossover hit, peaking at the 26th spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
Sheena Easton
Considered to primarily be a pop artist, Sheena Easton is a Grammy Award-winner known for songs such as “Sugar Walls” and “9 to 5,” not to be confused with Dolly Parton’s song of the same title. But in 1983 she scored a number one country hit when she paired up with Kenny Rogers on “We’ve Got Tonight.”
At the same time that “We’ve Got Tonight” was a hit, Easton had singles on other Billboard charts.
In fact, she became the first and only artist to consecutively earn a Top 5 hit on five separate Billboard charts. She had “We’ve Got Tonight” on country, “Telefone” on dance, “Sugar Walls” on R&B, and “9 to 5” on the pop and adult contemporary charts.
Bon Jovi
When you think Bon Jovi, the only music genre that comes to mind is rock. But while Jon Bon Jovi may be a rocker through and through, he also has a number one country hit.
That hit is “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” which was co-written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora for Bon Jovi’s 2005 album Have a Nice Day. The group released the song as the second single off the album, and it reached the 23rd spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
Bon Jovi experienced greater success with the song once it was shipped to country radio. Jon Bon Jovi enlisted the help of Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, who sang duet vocals with him on the country version. Fans couldn’t get enough, and the duet cruised to the top spot on the country chart.
Tom Petty
Like Jon Bon Jovi, Tom Petty is known worldwide for being a rockstar. So we bet you’ll be surprised to hear that he’s a country chart-topping artist!
Petty made his climb to the top of the country chart courtesy of Hank Williams Jr. When Hank Jr. decided to revamp his father Hank Williams’ song “Mind Your Own Business,” he enlisted the help of some music icons to do so. Petty, Reba McEntire, and Willie Nelson all teamed up with Hank Jr. on the song, resulting in one unforgettable collaboration.
After all this time, Hank Jr.’s superstar collaboration on “Mind Your Own Business” remains the most successful version of the song. There’s actually no footage of Petty performing the song live, but enjoy watching Hank Jr. sing it in the clip above!
Julio Iglesias
Latin singer Julio Iglesias is probably the last person you’d expect to have a number one country hit. But he does, and he has Willie Nelson to thank for it!
The two unlikely duet partners teamed up on a song titled “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before,” which they released in February 1984. In addition to reaching number one on the Billboard country chart, the duo’s recording reached the third spot on the adult contemporary chart and the fifth on the Billboard Hot 100.
It was also a worldwide hit, reaching the Top 10 on the charts in countries such as Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.
P!nk
Pop star P!nk is one of the latest non-country artists to score a number one country hit. She managed to reach this accomplishment through her smash duet with Kenny Chesney titled “Setting the World on Fire.”
Released in July 2016, “Setting the World on Fire” lit up the charts in both the U.S. and Canada. It topped the country charts in both nations, and also made a substantial showing on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at the 29th spot.
The song’s success led to an eventual nomination in the category for Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Clint Eastwood
While Clint Eastwood is primarily known for his acting in projects such as Gran Torino and the Dirty Harry films, he is also a musician. And believe it or not, he has a number one country hit!
Eastwood has always had a passion for country and Western styles of music, but he also enjoys jazz. He has recorded many songs over the course of his career, but is best known for his collaboration with Merle Haggard on a track called “Bar Room Buddies.”
The song was included on the soundtrack to the 1980 film Bronco Billy, which starred Eastwood. It claimed the top spot on the Billboard country chart in the U.S. and was also a number one country hit in Canada. Goes to show that you never know who may earn the next number one hit in country music!