List of Hot C&W Sides number ones of 1960

Hank Locklin spent 14 consecutive weeks at number one with "Please Help Me, I'm Falling".

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1960, 5 different songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot C&W Sides, in 53 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.^[1]

At the start of the year the song at number one was "El Paso" by Marty Robbins, which had been in the top spot since the issue of Billboard dated December 21, 1959.^[2] It remained in the top spot for five further weeks in 1960, during which time it also topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks.^[3] During the remainder of the year, only four other songs reached the top of the Hot C&W Sides chart, three of which spent twelve or more weeks at number one. In the issue of Billboard dated February 8, Jim Reeves began a 14-week unbroken run at the top of the chart with "He'll Have to Go", which was immediately followed by a run of the same length by Hank Locklin's "Please Help Me, I'm Falling". Both songs were produced by Chet Atkins,^[4][5] widely seen as the originator of the "Nashville Sound", a new style of country music which eschewed elements of the earlier honky-tonk style in favour of smooth productions which had a broader appeal.^[6] Cowboy Copas next spent 12 weeks at number one with "Alabam", meaning that in a nine-month period, only three different songs had topped the chart. Several singles peaked at number two during these songs' extended runs at the top of the chart, including "One More Time" by Ray Price, which spent eight consecutive weeks in second place behind Locklin's song.^[7]

"Alabam" was the first chart-topper for Copas and marked a comeback in his career, as prior to its success he had not charted at all since 1952.^[8] It would be his only number one, however, before he died in a plane crash in 1963.^[9][10] "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" would also prove to be Locklin's only number one since Billboard combined country sales and airplay into a single chart in 1958,^[11] although he would remain an active recording artist into the 21st century.^[12] Robbins, in contrast, would go on to achieve several more number ones, including 1976's "El Paso City", a sequel of sorts to his earlier song.^[13] The final number one of the year was "Wings Of A Dove" by Ferlin Husky, the third consecutive chart-topper which would prove to be an artist's last appearance at number one.^[14]

Chart history

Ferlin Husky ended the year at number one.

Chet Atkins produced two singles which between them spent 28 consecutive weeks at number one.

See also

• 1960 in music
• 1960 in country music
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. country chart

References