“20 Cigarettes” coincidentally becomes Morgan Wallen’s milestone twentieth No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. He now shares the tenth-most leaders ever. KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – SEPTEMBER 22: Morgan Wallen performs onstage for night two of his One Night At A Time tour at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for for Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time 2024)
Getty Images for for Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time 2024
Morgan Wallen has ranked among the biggest stars in country music for years now, and his profile seems to be rising all the time. The singer-songwriter’s latest album, I’m the Problem, released in May 2025, has proved to be not just one of his most successful, but one of the biggest releases in the genre in recent memory.
Wallen has been promoting I’m the Problem for over a year and a half, and this week, the seventh single from the project, “20 Cigarettes,” becomes the most-heard track at country radio. As the smash ascends, it helps the singer make history.
Morgan Wallen’s “20 Cigarettes” Hits No. 1 at Country Radio
“20 Cigarettes” climbs from No. 3 to No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart. The tally looks only at the tunes that rack up the greatest number of audience impressions at radio stations that focus on playing country music, and it is known to be one of the most competitive lists published by the company each frame.
As “20 Cigarettes” improves its position, Wallen collects his milestone twentieth No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart. Here is a list of all of his winners on the ranking:
- “20 Cigarettes”
- “Chasin’ You”
- “Cowgirls” with Ernest
- “I Got Better”
- “I Had Some Help” with Post Malone
- “I’m The Problem”
- “Just In Case”
- “Last Night”
- “Lies Lies Lies”
- “Love Somebody”
- “Man Made A Bar” with Eric Church
- “Mamaw’s House” with Thomas Rhett
- “More Than My Hometown”
- “Sand In My Boots”
- “Thinkin’ Bout Me”
- “Thought You Should Know”
- “Up Down” with Florida Georgia Line
- “Wasted On You”
- “Whiskey Glasses”
- “You Proof”
Morgan Wallen Joins Country Heavyweights
As he celebrates hitting that impressive sum – which only a relatively small number of country artists will ever come close to – Wallen ties with some genre heavyweights. According to Billboard, the hitmaker matches Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn and Toby Keith, as the four musical acts jointly claim the tenth-most rulers in the Country Airplay list’s years-long history.
In this image released on October 6, 2024, Brad Paisley performs at the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Penske Media via Getty Images
Morgan Wallen Chases Kenny Chesney and Blake Shelton
Wallen and company have a long way to go before they match the most successful artists on the Country Airplay chart. Kenny Chesney leads all superstars with 33 winners.
Blake Shelton recently became the second act to rack up 30 or more leaders, joining Chesney. Shelton added to his sum within the past several months, and as he did, he broke out of a tie with Tim McGraw, who is steady in third place with his 29 No. 1s.
“20 Cigarettes” Becomes Another I’m the Problem Leader
“20 Cigarettes” is the sixth song from Wallen’s I’m the Problem album to lead the Country Airplay chart. Previous smashes “Lies, Lies, Lies,” “Love Somebody,” “I’m the Problem,” “Just in Case” and “I Got Better” all took turns ruling as well.
The only proper promotional cut from the full-length that never make it to the top spot is “What I Want,” his collaboration with Tate McRae. That tune stalled in the shockingly-low position of No. 55, though it was far more successful at pop radio, and it even managed to conquer the Billboard Hot 100.
Morgan Wallen’s One-Week Country Airplay No. 1s
10 tunes, exactly half of Wallen’s 20 rulers, have spent just one week at No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart. That sum now includes “20 Cigarettes,” although the cut is just getting started at the summit, and it could go on to dominate for several more frames.
“20 Cigarettes” Improves on Multiple Billboard Charts
Amazingly, only two singles by Wallen that have broken the top 10 on the Country Airplay chart have failed to lead the chart. Last week, “20 Cigarettes” was counted as the third, but now only “Everything I Love” and “One Thing at a Time,” which peaked at Nos. 3 and 8, respectively, hold the somewhat dubious honor.
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – SEPTEMBER 20: Morgan Wallen performs onstage for night one of his One Night At A Time tour at Neyland Stadium on September 20, 2024 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time 2024)
Getty Images for Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time 2024
As “20 Cigarettes” rises to No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart, the song also lifts to a never-before-seen peak on another ranking. Wallen’s current focus improves from No. 13 to No. 11 on the Radio Songs list, which does not focus on just one style of music.
The same smash pushes several spaces to No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and returns to the Streaming Songs tally at No. 38, while simultaneously falling – but holding within the top 10 – on both Hot Country Songs and Country Streaming Songs rosters.