“Are You Kidding Me?”: This Country Singer Was Stunned After Learning He Matched George Jones’ Record

As a teenager, Justin Moore started to perform on stage. After he graduated, he joined his uncle’s rock band and made the move to Nashville. And in the decades that followed that first step, he charted a staggering 14 No. 1 hits. Landing No. 1 thanks to songs like “Small Town USA,” “Lettin’ the Night Roll,” and “With a Woman You Love,” Moore appeared to have the winning formula to snag the top spot on the charts. But throughout all the success, Moore was shocked to learn he tied with the iconic George Jones. 

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Released in 2024 on his album This Is My Dirt, the original version of “Time’s Ticking” featured a duet with Dierks Bentley. That same year, Moore decided to release a solo version. While fans shared their praise on both versions, it slowly climbed to No. 1 on the US Country Airplay chart, marking his 14th No. 1 hit. And with that, the song tied him with Jones. 

Having no idea he made it into the Top 40 chart-toppers in country music, Moore was notified when speaking with radio hosts Big D & Bubba. Informing the singer of the major milestone, Moore said, “Are you kidding me? Oh my gosh. That’s insane.”

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Justin Moore Thrives For One Goal: “I’m Still Trying”

Needing a moment to process the information, Moore appeared to take a trip down memory lane. Remembering all the uncertainty, stress, and sacrifice that came with his music career, he admitted, “I mean, I remember when I moved to town, I was 18, this was ’02, and I thought, ‘Man, if I can just get a record deal, even if I don’t ever get to put anything out, then I can go back home and be proud.’ You know, stand tall, puff my chest out.”

Thankfully, Moore didn’t leave Nashville. Continuing to push forward, he finally recorded his first No.1 song. “And then we had a hit and I thought, ‘It’s alright if I’m a one hit wonder.’ Then you have one more, and another one, and another one. It’s amazing, man.”

While finding himself tied with Jones and even Keith Urban, Moore kept his focus on one of his main goals in life – “I’m still trying to make my mom and dad proud.”

Now sitting next to legends like Jones, Moore proved just how far that kid from Arkansas has come. What started as a dream to make his parents proud turned into a career full of No. 1 hits.

(Photo by John Medina/Getty Images)