Luke Combs Achieves Rare Distinction on Country Radio
When it comes to the hottest acts in mainstream country music at the moment, it’s the tale of three names: Kane Brown, Dan+Shay, and Luke Combs. And as a conscientious country music fan, if you had to root for one of them to succeed above the others, without hesitation you would have to go with Luke Combs. Of course he’s nowhere close to the second coming of Cody Jinks or Mike and the Moonpies. But put him in the top percentile when it comes to the mainstream of folks you won’t immediately switch the channel for.
If you want to know just how hot Luke Combs is, appreciate that he’s just done something that hasn’t been accomplished on the Billboard Country Airplay Top 10 in nearly two decades, which is chart two separate songs at the same time. This week, Luke’s current single “Beautiful Crazy” rose from #12 to #10, while his previous single “She Got The Best Of Me” went from #7 to #8. The last time this occurred for an artist without the aid of a collaboration with another artist is way back in January of 2000, when Tim McGraw’s “My Best Friend” and “Something Like That” both charted in the Top 10 simultaneously.
Unfortunately due to the skewed nature of Billboard’s Hot Country Song chart that also calculates in streams and downloads, artists having songs in the Top 10 on that chart is pretty common. Dan+Shay have the #1 and #2 song at the moment on Hot Country Songs. But Luke Combs is also doing well there with “Beautiful Crazy” at #4, and “She’s Got The Best Of Me” at #9, making Combs one of the hottest names in country music no matter what your metric. Having double success on radio means not only are fans supporting Luke Combs, so is the industry.
“She Got The Best Of Me” will likely continue to fall in the coming weeks, so this distinction will be short-lived. But it is an indication of an important trend for Luke Combs and country music that a big, burly guy that doesn’t fit Music Row’s fashion plate mold and who writes his own stuff and sings it with heart is seeing success, and on country radio, which is one of the genre’s most unforgiving mediums.
Originally from North Carolina, Luke Comb’s first single “Hurricane” from 2016 went #1, and has since been certified triple platinum. His subsequent singles “When It Rains It Pours” and “One Number Away” also went #1 on radio, and have hit platinum status. Combs also won the CMA’s New Artist of the Year in November of 2018.
February 2, 2019 @ 9:29 am
I’m definitely rooting for him. I was very mixed about the album when it was released and still am, although I love “When It Rains It Pours,” a funny, cleverly-written, and actually country song. But then the deluxe edition of the album was released with four new songs, which are all great, including “She Got the Best of Me” and the soon-to-be #1 “Beautiful Crazy,” which will make five #1’s from the album. It seems that the deluxe edition represents what Luke probably wanted to do more of in the first place.
“Must’ve Never Met You” is another very solid song from the deluxe edition and the video has 38.9 million views. Yes, that’s right, 38 million views for a simple video of one of his non-hit songs. That’s pretty incredible. Luke has the knack for writing earnest simple songs with some clever lines and delivered by his booming country voice.
February 2, 2019 @ 11:26 am
Dan and shay suck they have fans fooled
February 2, 2019 @ 11:50 am
Luke Combs raw emotions in both his lyrics and voice ARE what country music is all about! This young man is a powerhouse,just let him be himself….
February 2, 2019 @ 6:26 pm
I love luke combs, they othets dont even compare.
February 2, 2019 @ 9:38 am
He’s alright still don’t care that much for him though.
February 2, 2019 @ 9:41 am
Despite hitting #1 weeks ago, Luke’s She’s Got The Best of Me is only slowly falling off. Another interesting aspect of this story is that the song’s slow descend is a rairity these days as labels shove #1s down consmers’ throats, and then the song quickly falls into oblivion. Usually once a song hits #1, it plummets out of the Top 10 the second a label stops promoting jt. Doesn’t seem to be the case with Luke and this song. Glad to see radio is continuing to play a good song once the label lets go of it.
February 2, 2019 @ 9:47 am
Honky Tonk Highway, Beautiful Crazy, and When it Rains it Pours are great songs not just in the mainstream but overall.
February 2, 2019 @ 10:02 am
I was mixed on the guy until i went deeper into his catalogue and count me as a fan. He’s one of the few mainstream acts that are guilty pleasures
February 2, 2019 @ 10:04 am
I like this guy. If he’s the future of commercial country music, sign me up.
February 2, 2019 @ 10:28 am
I didn’t see the appeal of him at first. The songs Hurricane, Rains it Pours, And One Number Away did nothing for me. Decent song and production but just blah… but She Got the Best of Me and Beautiful Crazy are great songs and now I can understand the craze. But I feel that his best songs came from his deluxe album.. those 5 extra songs. Prior to the deluxe release, his album was selling well but since last June … the deluxe album has been #1 for weeks in a row. I guess the deluxe songs were written years ago by Luke… That makes me worry because maybe he already peaked? Hiw next single is going to be Beer Never Broke My Heart…. which is just ok in my opinion…. I’m happy for his success though. I hope he & Jon Pardi will be the future leaders of mainstream country!!!
February 2, 2019 @ 10:32 am
I’m enjoying watching Luke’s well deserved success since the first EP’s surfaced. Are his songs on the commercial side? Yep, but they’re Country and like Trig said we’ll take him on the radio any day over the rest of garbage. (Not that any of US listen to the radio) Out of his total of about 23 songs he has you’d be hard pressed to find a bad one. He knows how to write a hook, chorus, and melody. Men love him, women love him. He’s everyman. Now if he had real balls he’d act like an outlaw and rerecord “Can I Get An Outlaw” and have it as lead single for the next album.
February 2, 2019 @ 10:32 am
“Panamaaaaawwwwww”.
~Luke Combs.
February 2, 2019 @ 11:12 am
I don’t know guys, I really think the only two names that matter here are Luke Combs and Dan + Shay. It’s clear that Kane Brown doesn’t give a shit about the country format, and will jump ship as soon as his popularity allows him to. Luke Combs may have made some questionable musical choices, but he really does love country music. Dan + Shay are exceptionally talented as musicians and stay in the country space because it gives them the freedom to create whatever they want.
February 2, 2019 @ 4:03 pm
What’s interesting about this comment is that Dan + Shay are actively promoting singles (first Tequila, now Speechless) to mainstream radio formats.
Kane Brown has participated in some pop collaborations, but he thus far hasn’t pushed any of his own music outside of country.
February 2, 2019 @ 6:28 pm
I don’t love Dan + Shay, but I think they prove their savviness by recognizing that pop country, in general, can indeed be viable outside the format, so they may as well their stuff to anyone who will play it.
February 2, 2019 @ 11:56 am
A big burly guy?
Brad Cox!
Won the 2018 Toyota Star Maker. Golden Guitar winner Matt Fell produced his first album.
Fan of Sturgill Simpson & Chris Stapleton. Was on tour with Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont. Nominated for a Golden Guitar 2019 & performed at the award show.
Debut album is out since 05/2018.
Oops…the article is not so much about big burly guys & more about radio/chart success of Luke Combs. Sorry…not a big fan.
New Music:
George Strait – “God & Country Music” – Single
James Carothers – “Crazy Man” – Single
Aaron Lewis – “State I’m In” & “The Bottom” – Songs – Album: State I’m In (04/12)
Wynn Williams – “Man Worth A Woman” – Single (Texas Country)
Larry Peninsula – “Preeriaan” – Single (“prairie” in english)
Adrian Johnston – “Honky Tonk Wife” (Texas Country – great song)
Robert Counts – Robert Counts – 2 tracks – new Sony Nashville artist
Gone West – Tides – EP – 4 Tracks – new Triple Tigers act (first single sounds like Gloriana)
Fairground Saints – California – EP – 3 Tracks – more or less “new” Sony Nashville act
&
Hunter Hayes – “Heartbreak” (poor boy still trying to become the next best thing & Keith Urban clone)
February 2, 2019 @ 7:25 pm
No love for Brad Cox. Saw him a while ago, seems like a nice guy but not talented. I’ll admit that Matt fell is a great producer, but cringeworthy writing is still cringeworthy.
February 2, 2019 @ 12:07 pm
I’ve liked him from the start. I like his sound, and his songs. I like that he’s making it on his own, not with a ‘pretty boy’ or sex symbol status
February 2, 2019 @ 12:55 pm
I think it was the NY Times Popcast who pointed out that Combs is the perfect mix of Luke Bryan and Chris Stapleton to have huge mainstream success.
February 2, 2019 @ 1:16 pm
Gave the extended version of “This One’s for You” a spin, and thought it was pretty good. I immediately went into “radio mode” (i.e. put the music in the background), but at least 4 of the songs got my active attention, which isn’t bad for contemporary albums. Other listeners may like Combs even more, and I have no argument with that–he’s honest and works hard to create decent music. But while I agree he’s in the small minority of “mainstream of folks you won’t immediately switch the channel” to avoid, I think basing the standard on modern mainstream radio / streaming is setting the bar too low, because it ignores the fact that “mainstream” country music has a historical basis. If ANY song by Ernest Tubb came on today’s radio, I wouldn’t consider switching stations. Not just Tubb’s most classic songs–ANYTHING. Anything by the Louvin Brothers. Anything by Roy Acuff. Anything by Jim and Jessie. Anything by Connie Smith. Anything by Buck Owens….
If you drew a straight line representing country music, with Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Loretta Lynn, etc. in the center (representing a kind of norm of country music regardless of time or style–i.e. nobody would say they weren’t country), and on the far left, you put the artists who challenge the norm but still create a body of interesting and important music (e.g. Steve Young, Bob Wills, Townes van Zandt, Rodney Crowell, Ray Wiley Hubbard….), and on the far right you place the posers who pretend to be country but are different from their predecessors only in watering down or bastardizing the work of the norm (no need to list everyone, but let’s use our favorite punching bag Kane Brown as a representative), then Luke Combs would fall somewhere between the middle and the far right.
Why should I listen to an artist who (according to my tastes) is “pretty good for contemporary country music” when there’s so much really good music (much of it not contemporary) I haven’t heard yet?
February 2, 2019 @ 2:11 pm
“Why should I listen to an artist who (according to my tastes) is “pretty good for contemporary country music” when there’s so much really good music (much of it not contemporary) I haven’t heard yet?”
That’s a great question and my answer is……..if you’re like me you like variety AND quality. Sometimes I have a taste for Whitey, sometimes for Jinks or Moonpies or the ladies Sarah, Sunny, and Ashley. Occasionally I want to sing along with Luke because it’s fun and easy. To many of us these songs except the 4 extra are almost 2 years old. I haven’t played the full album in awhile because like you say we have a lot new non contemporary to listen to so I just listen to the 4 newer songs alone. Whomever I have a ticket for next’s album usually gets playlist priority. Sometimes you have a taste for steak and sometimes a big jelly doughnut. Guess which one Luke is? 😉
February 2, 2019 @ 3:08 pm
Totally with you on Whitey, Jinks, the Moonpies and the ladies. And I also enjoy a good jelly doughnut like “When It Rains It Pours.”
February 2, 2019 @ 4:30 pm
I’ll agree with JB and add another reason. My wife switches between the country stations on the Sirius – particularly the 2000s station, and the current hits station. (Though she does have the bluegrass station on preset and I have convinced her to give Outlaw Country a preset!) I appreciate that there are artists out there that she will know and know their music that I can enjoy listening to, too. It might be on the radio, on the awards shows (because Lord knows she puts up with my complaining about 90% of the music on them), or even looking for a show to go to.
February 3, 2019 @ 12:32 am
yes ….and yes
February 3, 2019 @ 12:35 am
……to altaltcountry’s comments
February 2, 2019 @ 2:17 pm
He’s a rarity on mainstream country radio: writes all of his songs, has a great voice & like Trig said: he doesn’t fit the Music Row fashion plate mold. I think hes having so much success because hes relatable & looks like a normal guy and not hes part of a boy band (King Calaway, I’m lookin’ at you turds!). Plus, his songs are surprisingly decent. “When It Rains It Pours” sounds like it would fit alongside 90s country (and actually sounds like 90s country!) quite nicely.
We all know how we feel about Kane Brown (fraud). As for Dan + Shay, they sound like the Second Coming of Rascal Flatts & I cant stand Rascal Flatts. The lead singer sounds like his nuts are in a vice grip or hasn’t reached puberty yet. I’ll pass on Dan + Shay. Its yacht rock at it’s most boring.
February 2, 2019 @ 3:21 pm
If Luke Combs was the worst of mainstream country music, the genre would be in great shape.
He is a good one. Clever and heartfelt songs. “When It Rains It Pours” never fails to make me laugh. He reminds of Alan in how he can speak the language of the common man in his music. I believe that Luke has had those experiences. I don’t feel the same way about most mainstream stars. Hopefully, he can stay himself.
February 2, 2019 @ 4:15 pm
I’d never listened to him, barely knew the name- so I went to you tube- pretty easy to see why he’s so popular- he’s good!
February 2, 2019 @ 4:34 pm
I had a problem with the “Future Ex Mother in Law”
Line… why bring her into this? It seemed to be mean spirited….
February 2, 2019 @ 5:15 pm
My kids used to see him play 5+ years ago at college bars in Georgia and would tell me how great he was, so I’ve listened to him for a long time. Glad he has made it, and his music sounds primarily like the Luke of old. Riley Green and Travis Denning are of the same mold, playing the southern college bar circuit, and picking out these kids and taking them to Nashville seems to be a winning formula. There is a kid named Jobe Fortner who may be next.
February 2, 2019 @ 6:09 pm
Dan + Shay are definitely butt buddies
February 2, 2019 @ 6:25 pm
If I was a betting man, Luke Combs and Maren Morris will win Male and Female Vocalists at the CMAs in 2019, Dan and Shay will win Vocal Duo. It is easy the winners when these three artists are dominating the charts and headlines
February 2, 2019 @ 6:57 pm
Plot twist, Brothers Osborne win everything!!!
February 3, 2019 @ 12:28 am
I think what I hear you say , Trigger , was that Luke may be the best of the worst mainstream has to offer .
I bought his album .. and that would certainly be my assessment . Good voice , good performances , weak writing …..but better than almost everyone else’s .
So …yeah …I wouldn’t turn the station off when he came on …..but I’d still be focused on what I was going to do this weekend and not Luke’s lyrics .
Harsh ?…..yeah …maybe .Maybe that’s what happens to your judgement when you have so many better tunes in your collection . But sure …he’s about the best thing mainstream has going for it . Sounds like a real band and the boy can sing …..
February 3, 2019 @ 7:15 am
I don’t listen to radio ever, but stripped down and belting it out it sound like country to me.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=aYIsmMzYaic
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hkeBNVAGnhI&feature=youtu.be
February 3, 2019 @ 7:22 am
“Of course he’s nowhere close to the second coming of Cody Jinks or Mike and the Moonpies.”
He’s a better singer than either of those guys.
February 3, 2019 @ 10:13 am
Why can’t all 3 of them just have perfect voices for the songs THEY write? Like Sarah has the perfect voice for her tunes. Mike’s a little “pitchy” on the live album and of course Cody’s not perfect but I’ll take their imperfections because I like their songs and the way THEY sing em just like Luke does on his.
February 4, 2019 @ 7:13 pm
He is a better singer! Lol, and I like both of those bands. Happy for him.
February 3, 2019 @ 7:38 am
Dan and Shae are fucking embarrassing. If the one gets any fatter the labels gonna drop em, fact
February 3, 2019 @ 11:57 am
It also happened with Toby Keith in early 2004, I remember there was one week where “American Soldier” entered the Top 10 the same week that “I Love This Bar” spent it’s final week in the Top 10
February 4, 2019 @ 6:11 am
I guess I don’t really get Luke Combs. He’s never really blown me away. His voice is decent, but all of his singles (I’ve only heard his radio singles) have been really “meh”.
February 6, 2019 @ 8:01 am
My favorite Luke Combs song is also arguably his most country. The song is called, “Sheriff You Want To” from the “Can I Get an Outlaw” single. It’s a great listen and cleverly written.
February 8, 2019 @ 11:21 am
Trig – do you have any opinion on the re-mixed versions of the songs that moved from the LP to the album? The new “She Got the Best of Me” is noticeably different, in a bad way. I was really disappointed to hear it. And now I can’t find the old one.
March 27, 2019 @ 2:03 am
Joe Nichols – Yeah vs. Luke Combs – She got the best of me . To my ear the beginning and verses of these songs are almost the same…Am I wrong?
August 14, 2019 @ 6:41 am
I said the same damn thing. You can practically sing Joe Nichols’ song right to beat with it. Seems like a rip off of Joe’s song
February 17, 2020 @ 8:37 pm
Total rip off of joe nichols song