Conner Smith, in the UK right now appearing at the C2C festival in London, Belfast and Glasgow, has achieved a remarkable feat by clinching the number 1 spot on the inaugural UK Country Radio Airplay Chart with his chart-topping hit, ‘Creek Will Rise’. The 23-year-old singer-songwriter marks this milestone as a crowning achievement in his burgeoning career. The acclaimed single is featured on Smith’s recently released debut album ‘Smoky Mountains,’ under Valory Music Co.
Expressing his elation upon learning of his chart-topping success, Smith remarked, “This is one of the coolest things for me. To have the number 1 song in the UK for the first country radio airplay chart while also being here for C2C Festival, you can’t plan it any better. I’m so grateful for all the support from radio believing in this song.”
The UK Country Radio Airplay Chart represents a groundbreaking development in the rapidly expanding genre of country music within the UK. Launched today, this innovative initiative is a collaborative effort between Radiomonitor, a leading global radio airplay monitoring company, and the Country Music Association’s (CMA) UK Task Force. Spearheaded by Alexandra Hannaby, Head of Big Machine Label Group UK and a member of CMA UK Task Force, this endeavor aims to bolster the country music industry in the UK.
As the first genre-specific radio chart established in the UK, the UK Country Radio Airplay Chart will feature the Top 20 songs each week, drawn from a pool of eligible releases spanning up to three years. Rankings will be determined based on impressions, reflecting the number of listeners reached with each play. Commencing today, the official chart will be unveiled every Sunday at 5pm GMT, culminating in the recognition of the number 1 Country Radio UK Airplay song of the week.
The UK Country Radio Airplay Chart incorporates data from a diverse range of stations and programs, including Absolute Radio Country, BBC Radio 2 – The Country Show with Bob Harris, CountryLine: The Big 615, Downtown Country Radio, and Smooth Country Radio. Airplay metrics will be gathered from Friday to midnight on the subsequent Thursday, with the chart accessible to the public at 5pm GMT every Sunday.
