Blake Shelton Scores 30th No. 1 Hit on Country Airplay Chart, Claims Second Place All-Time

Blake Shelton has reached a significant career milestone with "Stay Country or Die Tryin'," earning his 30th No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart dated Jan. 17. The song climbed to the top after posting 29.5 million audience impressions during the Jan. 2–8 tracking week, reaffirming Shelton's enduring radio strength nearly three decades into his career.

The achievement marks Shelton's first No. 1 as a solo-billed artist since "God's Country" topped the chart in 2019. In the years since, he reached the summit through collaborations and featured appearances, making this return as a sole artist especially significant. With 30 career Country Airplay leaders, Shelton now ranks No. 2 on the chart's all-time list, trailing only Kenny Chesney's 33, while Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, and Alan Jackson remain close among the format's historical leaders.

Shelton has spoken openly about his deep connection to "Stay Country or Die Tryin'," which reflects themes of rural pride, stubbornness, and loyalty to one's roots. "The lyric is just a bunch of almost phrases and things that are picturesque to growing up in the kind of backwoods and country, and that diehard mentality," Shelton told American Songwriter last year. "It's, 'I know where I come from.' That's kind of how we are — a little very prideful, a little bit stubborn. And that's kind of the guy in that song. There's a pride to being a hillbilly and not going to town for any damn thing."

Following the song's April release, Shelton also emphasized his personal attachment to the track and its impact on his performance. "I absolutely fell in love with it," he said in a statement following the song's April release. "I'm proud of this recording — and I love singing it live even more."

"Stay Country or Die Tryin'" follows "Texas," the lead single from Shelton's 2023 album For Recreational Use Only, which also topped country charts. His career highlights include his first No. 1 with "Austin" in 2001, which remains his longest-running chart-topper, as well as 10 CMA Awards and nine GRAMMY nominations.

Elsewhere on the Country Airplay chart, Hudson Westbrook's "House Again" returned to the Top 10, rising from No. 11 to No. 10 with 19.6 million impressions, becoming the final 2025 act to reach the Top 10 for the first time.