List of Top Country LP's number ones of 1976

Top Country Albums is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music albums in the United States, published by Billboard. In 1976, 16 different albums topped the chart, which was at the time published under the title Top Country LP's, based on sales reports submitted by a representative sample of stores nationwide.[1]

Singer Waylon Jennings
Singer Willie Nelson
Singer Jessi Colter
Singer Tompall Glaser
The album Wanted! The Outlaws, featuring Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, spent six weeks at number one.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, C. W. McCall was at number one with his album Black Bear Road, its second week at number one.[2] It would spend the first eight weeks of 1976 in the top spot before being displaced by the compilation album Wanted! The Outlaws, featuring tracks by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser,[3] which spent six weeks in the top spot. It was the first compilation album by various artists to top the country albums chart in its 12-year history,[4] and the first country album to receive a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.[5] The four artists were all associated with the outlaw country movement, which rejected the slick production values evident in popular country music of the early 1970s and added a rock music influence and a counterculture attitude.[6] Both Jennings and Nelson also achieved solo number ones in 1976. Three weeks after Wanted! The Outlaws left the top spot, Nelson reached number one with The Sound in Your Mind, which would go on to spend eight weeks atop the chart. He would return to the top spot in November with The Troublemaker, which spent three weeks at number one, meaning that, even if the time which Wanted! The Outlaws spent atop the chart is disregarded due to its status as a compilation, he spent the most weeks at number one of any act. Jennings spent nine non-consecutive weeks at number one with Are You Ready for the Country, spanning from August to December.

In addition to Nelson, Loretta Lynn had two chart-toppers in 1976. She spent a single week at number one in December with Somebody Somewhere and the same length of time in the top spot in August with United Talent, a collaboration with Conway Twitty. The two singers had a run of success with duet recordings in the 1970s alongside their ongoing solo careers.[7] Another album of male-female duets to reach number one was Golden Ring by George Jones and Tammy Wynette. The couple had divorced the previous year, but nonetheless continued to record together.[8] Three future members of the Country Music Hall of Fame achieved their first number-one albums in 1976.[9][10][11] In April, Emmylou Harris spent two weeks in the top spot with Elite Hotel, her first chart-topper.[12] In June, Don Williams began a two-week run at number one with Harmony. Although he was extremely successful on the singles chart, achieving 17 number ones,[13] it would prove to be his only chart-topping album.[14] In November, Marty Robbins spent the only week atop the country albums chart of his career with El Paso City;[15] his greatest period of popularity had come in the late 1950s and early 1960s, prior to the launch of the listing.[16]

Chart history edit

 
Emmylou Harris reached number one for the first time in 1976 with Elite Hotel.
 
Don Williams achieved his only career number one with Harmony.
 
Loretta Lynn topped the chart with Somebody Somewhere, as well as United Talent, a collaboration with Conway Twitty.
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 3 Black Bear Road C. W. McCall [2]
January 10 [17]
January 17 [18]
January 24 [19]
January 31 [20]
February 7 [21]
February 14 [22]
February 21 [23]
February 28 Wanted! The Outlaws Various Artists [24]
March 6 [25]
March 13 [26]
March 20 [27]
March 27 [28]
April 3 [29]
April 10 Elite Hotel Emmylou Harris [30]
April 17 [31]
April 24 The Sound in Your Mind Willie Nelson [32]
May 1 It's All in the Movies Merle Haggard [33]
May 8 The Sound in Your Mind Willie Nelson [34]
May 15 [35]
May 22 [36]
May 29 [37]
June 5 [38]
June 12 [39]
June 19 [40]
June 26 Harmony Don Williams [41]
July 3 [42]
July 10 From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee Elvis Presley [43]
July 17 [44]
July 24 [45]
July 31 [46]
August 7 United Talent Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn [47]
August 14 Are You Ready for the Country Waylon Jennings [48]
August 21 [49]
August 28 Teddy Bear Red Sovine [50]
September 4 Are You Ready for the Country Waylon Jennings [51]
September 11 [52]
September 18 [53]
September 25 [54]
October 2 Hasten Down the Wind Linda Ronstadt [55]
October 9 [56]
October 16 Are You Ready for the Country Waylon Jennings [57]
October 23 Hasten Down the Wind Linda Ronstadt [58]
October 30 Golden Ring George Jones and Tammy Wynette [59]
November 6 Here's Some Love Tanya Tucker [60]
November 13 El Paso City Marty Robbins [61]
November 20 The Troublemaker Willie Nelson [62]
November 27 [63]
December 4 [64]
December 11 Somebody Somewhere Loretta Lynn [65]
December 18 Are You Ready for the Country Waylon Jennings [66]
December 25 [67]

References edit

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN 9780898201734.
  2. ^ a b "Country Albums chart for January 3, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  3. ^ Wolff, Kurt. "Wanted! The Outlaws". AllMusic. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. pp. 333–335. ISBN 9780898201734.
  5. ^ Lewis, Randy (August 13, 2013). "Country music 'outlaw' Tompall Glaser dead at 79". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Morrison, Craig. "Outlaw music". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  7. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Conway Twitty Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  8. ^ Pareles, Jon (April 8, 1998). "Tammy Wynette, Country Singer Known For 'Stand by Your Man,' Is Dead at 55". The New York Times. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  9. ^ "Emmylou Harris". Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "Don Williams". Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  11. ^ "Marty Robbins". Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  12. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 111. ISBN 9780898201734.
  13. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Don Williams Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  14. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 273. ISBN 9780898201734.
  15. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 214. ISBN 9780898201734.
  16. ^ Davis, Hank. "Marty Robbins Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 10, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  18. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 17, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  19. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 24, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  20. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 31, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  21. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 7, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  22. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 14, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  23. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 21, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  24. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 28, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  25. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 6, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  26. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 13, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  27. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 20, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  28. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 27, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  29. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 3, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  30. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 10, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  31. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 17, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  32. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 24, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  33. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 1, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  34. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 8, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  35. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 15, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  36. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 22, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  37. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 29, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  38. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 5, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  39. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 12, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  40. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 19, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  41. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 26, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  42. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 3, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  43. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 10, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  44. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 17, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  45. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 24, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  46. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 31, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  47. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 7, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  48. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 14, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  49. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 21, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  50. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 28, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  51. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 4, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  52. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 11, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  53. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 18, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  54. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 25, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  55. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 2, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  56. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 9, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  57. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 16, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  58. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 23, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  59. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 30, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  60. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 6, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  61. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 13, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  62. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 20, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  63. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 27, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  64. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 4, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  65. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 11, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  66. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 18, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  67. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 25, 1976". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2020.