On This Day in 2006, George Strait Scored His 40th No. 1 Single, Tying a Record Held by a 70s Country Icon

On this day (January 14) in 2006, George Strait topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “She Let Herself Go.” It was his 40^th No. 1 single, tying the record previously held by Conway Twitty. Strait landed another chart-topper later in the year, breaking the record and effectively earning the King of Country Music title, which he still carries today.

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Today, Strait is widely regarded as the King of Country Music. His 44 trips to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart put him ahead of the pack by the numbers. However, as anyone with ears knows, chart success isn’t the only thing that matters. Since making his debut in 1981, Strait has stayed firmly in the world of traditional country music.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1994, George Strait Was at No. 1 with an Album That Produced Multiple Hit Singles]

In the 1980s, the country music industry was leaning into the pop-oriented sounds of artists like Kenny Rogers. As a result, Strait was an outlier. His consistent success throughout the decade proved that the market for traditional country music was still there. As a result, labels were more open to taking chances on other artists who stayed closer to the genre’s roots.

By the end of the decade, the likes of Garth Brooks, Clint Black, and Randy Travis were having great success. This led to the rocking honky tonk style of the 1990s. Unlike many artists who latched onto success for a decade or rode the wave for an era, Strait managed to stay successful through the many mutations of Music Row.

George Strait’s Long Reign Over Country Music

It has been 45 years since George Strait released “Unwound” as his debut single and watched it climb to No. 6 on the chart. His chart success has remained consistent for the majority of his career.

The 1980s saw him send 18 singles to the top of the country chart. He nearly replicated that level of success in the 1990s, sending 17 songs to No. 1. In the 2000s, when traditional country music once again fell out of favor and “bro-country” ruled the airwaves, Strait remained popular. Nine of his singles from that decade became chart-toppers.

In 2008, Strait notched his final No. 1 to date when “River of Love” topped the chart.

However, that doesn’t mean his popularity has waned. He still packs stadiums and sets attendance records. More importantly, his music still moves countless country fans.

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