On This Day in 2000, Tim McGraw Was at the Top of the Chart with His First No. 1 Single of the New Millennium

On this day (December 26) in 2000, Tim McGraw was at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “My Next Thirty Years.” The song spent five weeks at the top of the chart, allowing McGraw to enter the next year with plenty of momentum. He would quickly make up for lost time, notching four consecutive chart-toppers in 2001.

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McGraw released “My Next Thirty Years” as the fifth and final single from his album A Place in the Sun in July 2000. However, it was so popular with fans that it reached the Billboard chart three months earlier, on April 8. It finally found the top of the chart dated December 16, and held the peak position until January 20.

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Phil Vassar, who had several hits as a songwriter and recording artist throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, wrote “My Next Thirty Years.” However, he never released it as a single. Vassar also wrote hits for the likes of Collin Raye, Alan Jackson, and Jo Dee Messina.

A Personal Reflection Became a Big Hit for Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw was still in his early 30s when he recorded “My Next Thirty Years.” So, he knew the feeling of reflection and anticipation that the song lays out all too well. Phil Vassar, on the other hand, wrote the song while wrapping his mind around that part of his life’s journey.

According to American Country Network, the idea for the song came to Vassar on the morning of his 30^th birthday. He was sitting at his kitchen table and looking back on his life. Then, he began to make promises to himself. Those promises quickly became lyrics. After he finished his breakfast, he sat down at his piano and finished writing the song.

While Tim McGraw didn’t write the song, he is living some of the lyrics. His career has only grown since the song’s initial release. He has collected multiple awards, launched albums and singles to the top of the charts, and starred in multiple movies and TV shows.

Featured Image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio