The multi-genre smash rules Billboard‘s 100-position Top Hot Country Songs of the 21st Century retrospective. Below, find a breakdown of the 2000-24 top 10.
Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line
Andrew Lipovsky/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant To Be” dominates as the No. 1 country song on Billboard’s recap of the first 25 years of the 21st century, as it leads Billboard’s Top Hot Country Songs of the 21st Century chart. The 100-position ranking is based on performance on the weekly Hot Country Songs chart from the start of 2000 through the end of 2024.
The sunny ballad by Rexha and FGL — the duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley (now on hiatus) — reigns thanks to its 50-week command on Hot Country Songs starting in December 2017 — the longest No. 1 run since the survey became the genre’s singular songs chart in 1958. It also crossed over to pop and adult radio formats, sparking a top five peak and yearlong stay on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
Reflecting the biggest songs in country from Y2K to today, count down the top 10 titles below on Billboard’s Top Hot Country Songs of the 21st Century retrospective, and check out the entire 100-position chart in Billboard’s Greatest of All Time charts menu.
The ranking follows the May 27 reveal of Billboard’s Top Country Artists of the 21st Century chart and the May 28 premiere of Billboard’s Top Country Albums of the 21st Century chart, with all coverage of Billboard’s 21st Century charts here.
Billboard’s Top Country Artists, Top Country Albums and Top Hot Country Songs of the 21st Century recaps reflect performance on weekly charts dated Jan. 1, 2000, through Dec. 28, 2024. The Top Country Artists category ranks the best-performing acts in that span based on activity on Top Country Albums and Hot Country Songs. (Titles released prior to mid-1999 are excluded, although such entries that appeared on Top Country Albums or Hot Country Songs in that span contribute to the calculation of the Top Country Artists chart.)
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“The Bones,” Maren Morris
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The hit began a 19-week domination on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in March 2020. The Arlington, Texas, native co-penned the song with Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz. “The fans have spoken on this one,” Morris told Billboard after it reached No. 1. “It’s a real, gritty love song that I wrote years ago. I couldn’t be more proud that it’s become one of the biggest songs of my career.”
Click here for the song’s official video
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“Last Night,” Morgan Wallen
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The single from Wallen’s album One Thing at a Time logged its first of 25 frames at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs in February 2023. Co-authored by John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome and Jacob Kasher Hindlin, it awarded Wallen his seventh chart-topper. “Last Night” also ruled Country Airplay eight weeks and crossed over to No. 5 peaks on both Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay, helping it crown the Hot 100 for 16 weeks and wrap as the all-genre chart’s top song of 2023.
Click here for the song’s official video
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“Wasted on You,” Morgan Wallen
Image Credit: John Shearer/Getty Images The track blasted in atop Hot Country Songs in January 2021, concurrent with the chart start of parent album Dangerous: The Double Album. The single went on to lead the list for 11 total weeks. Wallen co-wrote the song, which also ruled Country Airplay for three weeks, with ERNEST, Josh Thompson and Ryan Vojtesak.
Click here for the song’s official video
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“You Proof,” Morgan Wallen
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Wallen boasts three hits in the top 10 of Billboard’s Top Hot Country Songs of the 21st Century chart, the most of any artist. This co-write kicked off its 19-week run atop Hot Country Songs in May 2022. It also became the first title to dominate Country Airplay for 10 weeks, a milestone that stood as “a testament to a huge song and Morgan continuing to evolve and strengthen as a vital artist to country radio,” Big Loud vice president of promotion Stacy Blythe told Billboard that year.
Click here for the song’s official video
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“Fancy Like,” Walker Hayes
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Craving an Oreo shake? You’re likely not alone after hearing Hayes’ viral and radio smash that shouts out Applebee’s — and brought enough buzz to coax the restaurant into reinstating the dessert menu item. “Fancy Like” ordered up 24 weeks atop Hot Country Songs starting in July 2021, becoming the first No. 1 for Hayes, who co-wrote it with Cameron Bartolini, Josh Jenkins and Shane Stevens. Acclaim for the single (which also led to a commercial synch with Applebee’s) grew early thanks to TikTok, where Hayes posted multiple clips dancing to the song with his six children and others.
Click here for the song’s official video
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“Tequila,” Dan + Shay
Image Credit: Kevin Kane/WireImage When Dan + Shay — the tandem of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney — posted their first of three Hot Country Songs leaders with “Tequila” in February 2019, the single completed a 54-week trip to the top, including an unprecedented 19-week wait at No. 2. The hit, which Smyers co-penned, also led Country Airplay for two weeks and hit the top 10 on Adult Pop Airplay.
Click here for the song’s official video
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“I Hope,” Gabby Barrett
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo As Barrett’s “I Hope” hit No. 1 on Hot Country Songs in July 2020, the track, which she wrote with Zachary Kale and Jon Nite, marked the chart’s first career-opening No. 1 by a woman promoted to the format since Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” in 2006. “I Hope” crossed the finish line in its 64th week on the chart, completing the longest rise to No. 1 in the list’s history. It reigned for 27 weeks, also boosted by a pop remix with Charlie Puth.
Click here for the song’s official video
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“Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line
Image Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images Marking the duo’s debut hit, “Cruise” controlled Hot Country Songs for 24 weeks in 2012-13, becoming Florida Georgia Line’s first of six chart-toppers. Written by the act’s Tyler Hubbard and Josh Kelley with Chase Rice and Jesse Rice (no relation), it also ruled Country Airplay for three frames, becoming the twosome’s first of 16 No. 1s. Plus, it hit the top five on the Hot 100 and the top 10 on Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay, thanks in part to an update with Nelly. After FGL performed at the Minnesota State Fair in August 2022, the pair parted ways, with Hubbard and Kelly since having released solo projects.
Click here for the song’s official video
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“Body Like a Back Road,” Sam Hunt
Image Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images The song, which Hunt co-wrote with Zach Crowell, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, turned the key on its 34-week command of Hot Country Songs in February 2017. It also led Country Airplay and crossed to the top 10 on Adult Pop Airplay.
Click here for the song’s official video
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“Meant To Be,” Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
Image Credit: Frederick M. Brown/AMA2017/Getty Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard co-wrote the multiformat smash with David Garcia and Josh Miller.
“I never thought that I’d have a pop/country crossover song,” Rexha, whose catalog includes a bevy of pop hits, told Billboard in 2018 (while sharing that “Meant To Be” only came about because a session that FGL had scheduled with Charlie Puth was canceled). “That just goes to show you that all the best things are unexpected. My thing is going with feel and not creating any boundaries for myself.”
“Crazy to see how this song has taken on a life of its own and hear that it’s making chart history,” Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley mused to Billboard at the time. “Bebe is part of our tribe now, and it’s been magic to see fans from all over the globe react to such a special song.”
Click here for the song’s official video
