Randy Travis Gracious in Losing Long-Time Record to Luke Combs
For over 30 years, the album Always and Forever by Country Music Hall of Famer Randy Travis held the record for the longest-running #1 country music album released by a solo male in country music history. Originally released in 1987 as Randy’s second proper studio album, it spent an incredible 43 weeks atop the Billboard Country Albums chart, and is given credit by many for setting the table for country music’s huge commercial resurgence that would occur in the years to come.
But Always and Forever holds that record no more. One of many long-standing records that is being shattered by Luke Combs amid his unprecedented debut, Luke’s first major label album This One’s For You now holds the distinction as the longest-running #1 record by a country male at 44 weeks total on the charts (non-consecutive). Released on June 2nd, 2017, it has been a perennial chart topper, right along with many of Luke’s songs. Shania Twain still holds the record for the longest-running #1 album of all time with 1997’s Come On Over. But in seven weeks or so, Luke Combs may beat that record as well.
Randy Travis isn’t bothered that some young whipper snapper just broke his long-standing record though. When Combs officially tied the record last week, Randy Travis said in a statement, “HUGE congratulations to Luke Combs. We’ve held on for a long time (since 1987) but it’s good to see a true, consistently top-quality, country artist breaking records and proving albums still sell. This One’s For You, Luke!”
As folks started putting two and two together this week about Luke Combs breaking Randy’s record, the 29-year-old North Carolina native addressed the honor personally.
“Wow. Absolutely unbelievable,” Luke Combs said. “I’m so thankful for those like Randy Travis who paved the way for younger artists like myself. He is someone I look up to and I’m extremely humbled by this. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – NONE of this happens without y’all. My friends and I create the songs, then y’all take them to places no one ever thought was imaginable with the support y’all show. The only goal we ever had was to create songs that y’all could relate to and enjoy, then Y’ALL go out and do this. Thank you.”
Along with breaking the Randy Travis record this week, Luke Combs also amassed his sixth #1 song on country radio with “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” extending his record for the most debut #1 songs in country music history. About the only thing that might knock Luke Combs and This One’s For You off it’s pedestal might be Luke Combs. He also announced this week that his next album will be released on November 8th. Combs released an EP called The Prequel on June 7th ahead of the new album.
Another challenger Luke Combs and This One’s For You will face this upcoming week is the new Tyler Childers record Country Squire. Though the numbers are still being finalized, the album looks like it might go #1 in country.
As much as many traditional country fans like to bellyache about how bad today’s country is, or may see Luke Combs as less than ideal as the guy breaking long-standing records, he’s a hell of a lot better than many of the others acts the mainstream country has been suffering from. And that’s not just the assessment of many fans and critics. It’s the assessment of country legends such as Randy Travis.
Corncaster
August 10, 2019 @ 11:15 am
“Beer Never Broke My Heart” was on in the tack shop this morning with the fortysomething cashier shimmying and silently mouthing the words.
Moonpies “Neon” could come on next and fit right in.
Bebe
August 11, 2019 @ 4:25 pm
Nice feeling that 2 North Carolinians hold this
Distinguished honor
INDK
August 10, 2019 @ 11:55 am
I just looked and The Eagles ‘Hotel California’ is #29 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums. That’s a hot new band everyone should check out. These guys are going to be huge!
DimM
August 10, 2019 @ 12:24 pm
Elvis Presley is higher at #16. Much hotter than The Eagles.
Trigger
August 10, 2019 @ 1:40 pm
All the Billboard charts are a complete mess, and they seem to be completely asleep at the wheel about the whole thing. I don’t think it diminishes Luke’s (or Randy’s) accomplishment here, but when you have streaming weighing so heavily in album charts, and poor labeling by the chart managers, you get anomalies like that and they don’t make much sense. Their Americana chart is basically meaningless because they have no curation or understand what Americana is. Basically if the music has an acoustic guitar, it’s Americana.
wayne
August 11, 2019 @ 12:51 pm
Billboard isn’t the only one who has a hard time understanding what Americana is.
Tracy
August 10, 2019 @ 12:25 pm
Great statements from both Randy and Luke (though Luke appears to over-use “ya’ll”). Regardless, I can actually listen to a Luke Combs song. Aldean, FGL, Dan+Shay, the painfully auto-tuned Brett Young, etc., etc. all make me turn the station or turn the radio completely off.
I hope Tyler Childers does take the #1 spot. Has anyone noticed he’s becoming a “darling” of the mainstream artists? Sam Hunt claims to be influenced by him on his new music, and Miranda Lambert had Childers playing in the background on a recent Instagram post. The winds are definitely shifting and people are taking notice…
Dan Wimberg
August 10, 2019 @ 12:51 pm
Luke’s music may not be groundbreaking but he’s hard not to at least root for. He seems to get it and always give thanks to those who came before him.
Blackh4t
August 10, 2019 @ 1:35 pm
Somewhat ironic that we have a chance to get rid of Shania as the record holder but Tyler Childers may ensure her continued success.
Trigger
August 10, 2019 @ 1:38 pm
If Tyler Childers goes #1 (and that’s looking very likely at the moment), it would just be for one week. I would expect for Combs to be back at #1 the next week.
Big Red
August 10, 2019 @ 6:53 pm
So, the record is not for consecutive weeks at #1? It’s only for total weeks at #1?
Trigger
August 11, 2019 @ 12:39 am
Total weeks at #1, not consecutive weeks at #1.
PopGoesTheWeasel
August 10, 2019 @ 2:00 pm
Two class acts. What I like about Luke is that even though he’s killing it you wouldn’t know it because he’s such a humble guy. He’s not going out there talking smack about other artists he just does his thing.
Jimmy
August 10, 2019 @ 4:46 pm
Not to take anything away from Luke — I’m happy for his success — but Always & Forever was released at a time when you had to sell a lot of albums to stay on top of the charts.
It doesn’t take much to have a top 10, or even #1 album these days. Always & Forever sold somewhere in the neighbourhood of five million copies, while Combs’ album is certified 2 times platinum (for units shipped), but in reality it hasn’t even sold half that, yet.
These long standing records that are being broken, in the age of streaming need, to come with an *.
But I agree with other comments; both Luke and Randy are class acts.
Jared
August 10, 2019 @ 8:00 pm
Thank you. This point needed to be made ^
Convict Charlie
August 12, 2019 @ 6:50 am
Yes and no. It was pre-soundscan. Shoddy reporting is possible. It wasn’t truly verifiable until a few years later.
Wild Billy
August 10, 2019 @ 8:29 pm
Trig, many of the early numbers seem to show “Country Squire” about to come in at #1 for the week, (dethroning Luke Combs) AMAZING! – More amazing is the “Purgatory” has also taken a huge jump on the wings of the new album. Am I crazy to think that BOTH recent Childers albums could be in the top 10 this week? CRAZY!
Trigger
August 11, 2019 @ 12:45 am
We could see that. Wouldn’t be surprised if “Purgatory” re-enters the country albums chart somewhere.
Andy
August 10, 2019 @ 9:28 pm
Trigger, can you clarify in the article that this is not consecutive weeks at #1? It’s not necessarily misleading, but something I had to look up and I see a comment that is confused as well.
Trigger
August 11, 2019 @ 12:48 am
I just put a quick note in the article about it. Definitely didn’t mean to allude that the record was for consecutive weeks.
Atomic Zombie Redneck
August 11, 2019 @ 8:31 am
What an amazing accomplishment for a young artist. Good for him, I bet he’s on cloud nine.
David D.
August 11, 2019 @ 9:59 am
Randy Travis. Had a huge stroke years ago and was largely non verbal and can not write. So Who actually issues this statement?
Trigger
August 11, 2019 @ 10:35 am
From everyone I’ve spoken to about the situation, despite Randy’s struggles at communication due to the stroke, he is still able to communicate to some extent both verbally and by writing, and has improved in those skills since the stroke. Though he can’t communicate well, he is still very lucid and intelligent. It’s not his mind that has been affected, just his motor skills. That said, his team is open and honest about how they help him with public statements and such, with Randy approving or changing things with the communication skills he does have.
Abigale Buss
August 11, 2019 @ 3:53 pm
I haven’t listened to country radio for a long time. After listening to it for the last 3 years now I am very disappointed in who and what I’m hearing lately. Why can’t the artists go back to a little more country nowaday? Why does everything have to be more pop and rock sounding?
James
August 11, 2019 @ 6:44 pm
Your comment sounds exactly like something that was uttered when Ray Price started using strings. And ten years later when Milsap came out with “Almost like a Song”. And a few years later when the Urban Cowboy soundtrack was popular, and then again a few years later, then a few years after that….Point being, there’s nothing new under the sun.
Dawg Fan
August 12, 2019 @ 6:33 am
To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen….Luke, I’ve listened to Randy Travis. I’ve listened to you. Luke, you’re no Randy Travis.
Sherald Ort
August 12, 2019 @ 12:01 pm
I have been a country music fan, probably before I was born, even. My mother always listened to it, so heard it, a lot as a child. But, these new artists, seem to want to get rid of country and make it, more pop/ or rap. I don’t like that. Give me, Alan Jackson, and Randy Travis, anytime.
rideus
August 13, 2019 @ 7:52 am
So what album does hold the record for most CONSECUTIVE weeks at #1