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Lainey Wilson’s ‘Watermelon Moonshine’ Ties Gabby Barrett’s ‘The Good Ones’ For Longest-Running Solo Female No.1 This Decade
“Watermelon Moonshine” and “The Good Ones” claimed three consecutive weeks at the top of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
Lainey Wilson, Gabby Barrett; Photos by Andrew Wendowski
Lainey Wilson’s “Watermelon Moonshine” claimed the No.1 spot on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for the third consecutive week this week. With this feat, Wilson’s “Watermelon Moonshine” now ties Gabby Barrett’s “The Good Ones” for the longest-running solo female chart-topper this decade so far.
Ties Record Held By “The Good Ones”
U.S. Radio Updater on X reported the news on Friday as Wilson’s song continued its reign on the chart for the third straight week.
Additionally, Wilson’s nostalgic hit now surpasses Maren Morris’ “The Bones,” which spent two weeks at No.1 on the chart. Wilson, Barrett, and Morris remain the only female artists this decade to achieve the feat of having a solo song remain atop Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for multiple weeks.
Reaction To The News
Wilson has yet to react to her latest chart feat, however, she previously shared a statement to fans after it clinched the No.1 spot on country radio earlier this month.
“Hearing y’all sing this song makes me realize I wasn’t the only one sipping on some watermelon moonshine growing up,” she wrote. “Sometimes music is about dreaming and sometimes it’s about being nostalgic. This song is for the memories. Thank y’all for spinning the hell out of this and making it the #1 song on country radio this week!”
Her heartfelt caption was shared alongside live footage of Wilson performing the song across the country. Fans can be heard singing along in unison to the reminiscent ballad.
Fifth No.1 Single
This marks Lainey Wilson’s fifth No.1 at country radio. Lainey Wilson previously topped the charts with “Heart Like A Truck,” “wait in the truck” with HARDY, “Never Say Never” with Cole Swindell, and “Things A Man Oughta Know.”
“Watermelon Moonshine” saw the fastest climb to No.1 for a solo female song at country radio since Carrie Underwood’s “Church Bells” in 2016.
Co-written by Wilson alongside Jordan Schmidt and Josh Kear, “Watermelon Moonshine” serves as a nostalgia-filled ballad that finds the reigning ACM Female Artist Of The Year and CMA Female Vocalist of the Year reflecting on the innocence of young love.
“Drinkin’ watermelon moonshine / Cut the burn with a little lime / Parkin’ back in them kudzu vines / I was his and every bit of that boy was mine / Too young to know what love was / But we werе learnin’ on a sweet buzz / There’s never nothin’ like the first time / And mine’s always gonna taste like / Watermelon moonshine,” Wilson sings on the track’s chorus.
Music Video
This summer, the superstar brought the song to life through a cinematic music video that beautifully portrays the raw emotions and innocent vulnerability of the song.
The clip follows actress Rachel Lynn Matthews as she reminisces about her past and the boy who stole her heart, played by Sam Sherrod. Throughout the video, Lainey Wilson’s soulful voice narrates the story, her lyrics echoing the emotions felt by the characters on screen.
“This song is about the young, wild, crazy love that we all hope to experience,” Wilson shared in a statement. “From locking eyes for the first time, to playing spin the bottle with an Ole Smoky mason jar, to being too crazy about each other to tame it, I am so happy with how Rachel Lynn Matthews and Sam Sherrod brought the vision to life through their portrayal of their innocently passionate characters.”
“Save Me” Is Racing Up The Charts
In addition to her recent chart-topping success with “Watermelon Moonshine,” Wilson’s powerful vocals can also be heard on Jelly Roll’s current chart-climbing single, “Save Me.” Their collaborative version of the song is racing up the charts. It’s currently sitting at No.12 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and within the Top 10 on the Mediabase chart.
CMA Awards
Capping off another whirlwind year, Wilson is heading into the CMA Awards as the most-nominated artist with a whopping nine nominations. Her nods include the following: Entertainer Of The Year, Single Of The Year (“Wait In The Truck” with HARDY & “Heart Like A Truck”), Album Of The Year (‘Bell Bottom Country’), Song Of The Year (“Heart Like A Truck”), Female Vocalist Of The Year, Musical Event Of The Year (“Save Me” with Jelly Roll and “Wait In The Truck” with HARDY) and Music Video Of The Year (“Wait In The Truck” with HARDY).
The reigning CMA Female Vocalist and New Artist Of The Year made CMA Awards history again this year as the only artist to top the nominations list in her first two appearances on the Final Ballot.
Fans can tune into the 2023 CMA Awards in November to see if Wilson will take home the trophies. Co-hosted by country superstar Luke Bryan and National Football League Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, the 57th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville on Wednesday, November 8 at 8/7c on ABC.
Until then, fans can catch Wilson on tour with HARDY on his headlining mockingbird & THE CROW Fall Tour.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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