Luke Combs Claims His 21st Country Airplay No. 1 With ‘Be By You’ — Here’s Why It’s an Outlier

Luke Combs earns his 21st No.

1 on Billboard ’s Country Airplay chart as “Be By You” rises a spot on 32.8 million audience impressions, up 3%, Aug.

14-20, according to Luminate.

Related Watch Luke Combs Make His Voice Acting Debut in Disney Series ‘Big City Greens’: ‘This Will Be Way Cooler in My Kids’ Eyes Than Anything Else I’ve Done’ Luke Combs Becomes First Solo Country Act to Headline Wembley Stadium Luke Combs’ ‘Sleepless’ Stays Up at No.

1 on Country Airplay Chart for Fifth Week The song becomes his third leader from his latest album, The Way I Am .

“Back in the Saddle” (two weeks on top) and “Sleepless in a Hotel Room” (five) reached the summit in November and April, respectively.

The new No.

1 signifies a rarity for Combs.

As Dan Alley, Sam Banks and Nick Walsh wrote “Be By You,” it marks just the third of his chart-toppers that he didn’t write.

It joins Jameson Rodgers’ Combs-featuring “Cold Beer Calling My Name,” which led for a week in 2021, and his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” which spent five weeks in pole position in 2023.

Meanwhile, Combs has a writing credit on 19 of the 22 songs on The Way I Am .

Having noted that “Be By You” made its way to him through a friend, he shared in a statement in March that “the vibe and the melody immediately struck me.” Combs is one of just 11 artists in Country Airplay history, dating to the chart’s 1990 start, with at least 21 No.

1s, as he ties Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban’s totals.

Kenny Chesney leads with 33, followed by Blake Shelton (30), Tim McGraw (29), Jason Aldean (27), Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson, George Strait (26 each) and Morgan Wallen (22).