Country acts make themselves at home in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100this week, as a pair of country artists rank in the region concurrently for the first time this decade.
As previously reported, Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line's "Meant to Be" reaches the top five, climbing from No. 7 to No. 5 on the Hot 100 (dated March 17), while Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey's "The Middle" rises 11-8.
Thanks to Florida Georgia Line, who have earned 11 No. 1s on Billboard's Country Airplay chart, and Morris, who has notched two leaders, two country acts appear in the Hot 100's top 10 simultaneously for the first time in the 2010s. (Of course, "The Middle" is a pop/EDM track not being promoted to country radio; it concurrently leads Hot Dance/Electronic Songs for a sixth week.)
The last time that two core country acts previously ranked in the Hot 100's top 10 in the same week: April 4, 2009, when Carrie Underwood's remake of Randy Travis' 1988 country hit "I Told You So," featuring Travis, soared from No. 57 to No. 9 after the pair performed it on American Idol. The last time that two core country artists had placed in the Hot 100's top 10 thanks to two songs, as FGL and Morris do this week? May 13, 2000: Faith Hill's "Breathe" (No. 3) and Lonestar's "Amazed" (No. 10).
"Meant to Be" and "The Middle" mark two of the latest songs in a trend of collaborations by pop and country acts. Also climbing Country Airplay is Chris Lane's "Take Back Home Girl," featuring Tori Kelly (24-22).
Florida Georgia Line's "God, Your Mama, And Me," featuring Backstreet Boys, led the Country Airplay chart dated July 8, 2017, while, in 2016, Kenny Chesney's "Setting the World on Fire," featuring P!nk, topped the tally and Brad Paisley's "Without a Fight," featuring Demi Lovato, reached the top 20.
All charts will update Tuesday (March 13) on Billboard.com.
