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The UK Country Radio Airplay chart has officially launched, with the first Top 20 being revealed at 5pm GMT on Sunday 10th March, to coincide with the final day of C2C Festival 2024. Fans will be able to find the updated chart each week on Holler.
The chart, which is the first genre-specific radio chart in the UK, draws inspiration from the US Mediabase and Billboard country radio charts, and will serve as a key measure of which songs are being enjoyed most frequently by listeners across the country.
The UK Country Radio Airplay chart has been produced as a collaboration between Radiomonitor and the CMA's UK Task Force, with the innovative new project being spearheaded by Alexandra Hannaby, Head of Big Machine Label Group.
Each weekly iteration of the chart will consist of the Top 20 songs being heard on the radio, taken from a pool of new releases, with anything that was made available more than three years ago discounted. This will help to ensure the chart is an accurate reflection of current trends and interests within the genre, as will the fact that the data is compiled from a plethora of UK country radio stations, including Absolute Radio Country, BBC Radio 2 - The Country Show with Bob Harris, CountryLine: The Big 615, Downtown Country Radio and Smooth Country Radio.
Speaking ahead of the exciting announcement, Alexandra Hannaby underlined how significant the introduction of this chart is for the UK country music community, “I'm thrilled for the launch of the UK Country Radio Airplay Chart, a significant milestone for country music in the UK. This achievement is truly a testament to the incredible teamwork and collaboration between industry experts and Radiomonitor. Together, we're paving the way for increased recognition and exposure for country artists in the UK and I’m excited to see its impact unfold”.
Milly Olykan, the Country Music Association's VP of International Relations and Development, echoed Hannaby's enthusiasm, and emphasised how this marks another important step in the development of the UK's rapidly growing country music scene.
Milly Olykan explained, “This is an incredibly exciting time for country music in the UK. From the genre experiencing a 40% growth in consumption throughout the last year, to the volume of tickets sold to country festivals and tours increasing at a record pace, it’s apparent country is broadening significantly into the mainstream in the UK. This new radio chart will provide another exposure opportunity to further elevate Country artists and allow for greater engagement with fans. As the premier trade association supporting the growth of the country music industry, CMA’s focus in the UK is to continue to identify how we can move towards more mainstream moments for the genre, and this is another pivotal initiative”.
