‘Body Like a Back Road’ Drove Sam Hunt To The Top of Billboard’s Country Charts

Sam Hunt’s massive hit, “Body Like A Back Road” was more than enough for Billboard magazine to declare him Country music’s 2017 artist of the year

By kncitom on December 12, 2017

Sam Hunt’s massive hit, “Body Like A Back Road” was more than enough for Billboard magazine to declare him Country music’s 2017 artist of the year. The music industry magazine listed “Back Road” as not only the year’s most downloaded (i.e. paid for) country single, it was also the most streamed. It also set a record by staying atop the Billboard country charts for an incredible 34 weeks…eclipsing the old record set by Florida-Georgia Line’s “Cruise” by a two and a half months! It was also the most played song on country radio nationwide in 2017. Not bad for a guy who hasn’t even released his second album yet.

Billboard honored other country artists as well: Miranda Lambert was named Top Female Country Artist after her latest album debuted #1 on the Billboard country albums chart and stayed there for three weeks. It was the 6th time she’s had an album reach the top spot, tying Carrie Underwood’s current record.

Scoring two number ones this year (“May We All” with Tim McGraw and “God, Your Mama and Me” with the Backstreet Boys) was enough for Florida Georgia Line to be named top country duo, and Luke Combs’ two consecutive number one singles (“Hurricane” and “When It Rains It Pours”) helped earn him the honor of top country newcomer.

–Tom