List of Top Country Albums number ones of 2004

Singer Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett (right) reached number one for the first time, more than 30 years after the release of his debut album.

Top Country Albums is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music albums in the United States, published by Billboard. In 2004, 11 different albums topped the chart, based on electronic point of sale data provided by SoundScan Inc.[1]

In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, Toby Keith was at number one with Shock'n Y'all, the album's seventh week in the top spot. It occupied the top spot for the first seven weeks of 2004 before being displaced by Kenny Chesney's When the Sun Goes Down, which would go on to spend 14 consecutive weeks at number one, the year's longest unbroken run in the top spot. It also meant that Chesney was the act with most weeks at number one during the year; his figure of 14 weeks atop the chart was nearly twice that achieved by any other act. When the Sun Goes Down was one of five of 2004's Top Country Albums number ones to also reach the top spot on the all-genre Billboard 200 listing, along with releases by Jimmy Buffett, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson and George Strait.[2] The year's final country chart-topper was Greatest Hits by Shania Twain, which held the top spot for the final five weeks of 2004. Following that album's release, Twain, one of the most successful artists in country music history, would take a lengthy hiatus from the music industry and not release an album of new material until 2017.[3]

Four acts reached number one for the first time in 2004. Most notably, in the issue of Billboard dated July 31, Jimmy Buffett gained his first number one with License to Chill after more than 30 years in the music industry. Buffett had first entered the Top Country Albums listing with his major-label debut A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean in 1973 and had placed 10 albums on the chart between then and 1986 without ever reaching number one.[4] After that, although his albums continued to enter the all-genre Billboard 200, he did not return to the country listing until License to Chill entered at number one in July 2004.[4] Gretchen Wilson, Keith Urban, and the duo Big & Rich also reached number one for the first time in 2004 with Here for the Party, Be Here and Horse of a Different Color respectively.[5] Wilson's album recorded the highest first-week sales to date for a debut album by a country musician.[6] In contrast to the first-time chart-toppers, George Strait gained his 19th number one with 50 Number Ones, extending his record for the highest number of chart-toppers in the listing's history.[7]

Chart history

Musical duo Big & Rich
Horse of a Different Color was the first number one for Big & Rich.
Singer Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Wilson topped the chart with her debut album Here for the Party.
Singer Keith Urban
Keith Urban's Be Here was the first number one in the U.S. for the Australian singer.
Singer George Strait
50 Number Ones was the 19th chart-topping album for George Strait, extending his record for the most number-one country albums.
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 3 Shock'n Y'all Toby Keith [8]
January 10 [9]
January 17 [10]
January 24 [11]
January 31 [12]
February 7 [13]
February 14 [14]
February 21 When the Sun Goes Down Kenny Chesney [15]
February 28 [16]
March 6 [17]
March 13 [18]
March 20 [19]
March 27 [20]
April 3 [21]
April 10 [22]
April 17 [23]
April 24 [24]
May 1 [25]
May 8 [26]
May 15 [27]
May 22 [28]
May 29 Here for the Party Gretchen Wilson [29]
June 5 [30]
June 12 [31]
June 19 [32]
June 26 [33]
July 3 [34]
July 10 [35]
July 17 [36]
July 24 [37]
July 31 License to Chill Jimmy Buffett [38]
August 7 [39]
August 14 [40]
August 21 [41]
August 28 [42]
September 4 Horse of a Different Color Big & Rich [43]
September 11 Live Like You Were Dying Tim McGraw [44]
September 18 [45]
September 25 What I Do Alan Jackson [46]
October 2 Live Like You Were Dying Tim McGraw [47]
October 9 Be Here Keith Urban [48]
October 16 Feels Like Today Rascal Flatts [49]
October 23 50 Number Ones George Strait [50]
October 30 [51]
November 6 [52]
November 13 [53]
November 20 [54]
November 27 Greatest Hits Shania Twain [55]
December 4 [56]
December 11 [57]
December 18 [58]
December 25 [59]

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN 9780898201734.
  2. ^ "Billboard 200 - 2004 Archive". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Shania Twain Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 45. ISBN 9780898201734.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. pp. 35, 259, 279. ISBN 9780898201734.
  6. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Gretchen Wilson Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 322. ISBN 9780898201734.
  8. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 3, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  9. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 10, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  10. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 17, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  11. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 24, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  12. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 31, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  13. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 7, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  14. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 14, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  15. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 21, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  16. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 28, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  17. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 6, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  18. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 13, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  19. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 20, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  20. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 27, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  21. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 3, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  22. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 10, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  23. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 17, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  24. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 24, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  25. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 1, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  26. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 8, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  27. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 15, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  28. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 22, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  29. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 29, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  30. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 5, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  31. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 12, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  32. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 19, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  33. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 26, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  34. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 3, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  35. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 10, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  36. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 17, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  37. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 24, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  38. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 31, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  39. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 7, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  40. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 14, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  41. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 21, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  42. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 28, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  43. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 4, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  44. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 11, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  45. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 18, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  46. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 25, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  47. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 2, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  48. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 9, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  49. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 16, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  50. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 23, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  51. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 30, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  52. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 6, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  53. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 13, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  54. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 20, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  55. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 27, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  56. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 4, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  57. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 11, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  58. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 18, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  59. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 25, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2020.