How Chris Stapleton’s ‘Traveller’ Just Set a Record No Country Album Has Ever Touched—552 Weeks and Still Rising. ML
Chris Stapleton’s first album, Traveller, achieved an unprecedented milestone in Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, with more than 552 weeks of consecutive entries to date, breaking the previous record of 551 weeks held by Willie Nelson’s Stardust for over 30 years. Traveller, by Chris Stapleton, is an example of the evolution of country music that will continue.
One of the songs from Traveller, “Tennessee Whiskey,” showcases Chris Stapleton’s talent and helps to develop the long-term success of the entire project and the overall expansion of Chris Stapleton’s career. Released on May 5, 2015, Traveller quickly positioned Stapleton as a significant creative force, earning GRAMMY, CMA, and ACM awards, including Best Country Album and Album of the Year.
Stardust dominated the Top Country Albums chart from when it was released in 1978 until it dropped off the chart in 1988, having the longest time spent on that chart for an album. The ability of Traveller to beat that record illustrates the cultural and economic effect of Stapleton’s first album, which many see as defining what country music sounds like in the 21st century.
Traveller‘s influence has extended well beyond its chart run. Since his debut, Stapleton has worked with artists like Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Luke Bryan, Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, and Ed Sheeran, showing his ability to work across different genres and styles, as well as showing that he can perform live as well as write songs and record albums in a professional capacity. Earlier this year, Billboard named Traveller the Top Country Album of the Century, noting its 29 weeks at No. 1 and enduring hits including “Tennessee Whiskey,” the title track, “Either Way,” and “Parachute.”
Traveller remains within the Top 50 even after a time frame of more than 10.5 years, indicating that its position could remain dominant for an indefinite period of time. While peers such as Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs represent the next generation of chart competitors, only Wallen’s If I Know Me, at 391 weeks, is cited as a potential distant challenger.
Traveller‘s tenure stands in sharp contrast to that of other major 2010s albums — including Eric Church’s Chief, Luke Bryan’s Crash My Party, and Taylor Swift’s Fearless — none of which reached 400 weeks on the chart. Marking this milestone emphasizes Stapleton’s place within the ranks of the top contemporary artists today, beginning with the success of Traveller in 2015; he continues to influence how country music is created today.
