Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton are among the most popular country stars of 2021, according to Billboard’s year-end charts.
Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album tops the all-genre Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums charts. He also No. 1 on the Top Country Artists list and ranks fifth on the all-genre Top Artists.
If I Know Me, Wallen’s 2018 debut album, was strong enough to take the No. 36 spot on the Billboard 200.
In February, Wallen was caught on video using a racial slur, resulting in his songs being pulled from many radio stations and some streaming services.
Combs is right behind Wallen on Top Country Artists and Top Country Albums (thanks to What You See Is What You Get). The album is at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and Combs’ 2017 release This One’s For You is No. 29.
On the Top Artists chart, Combs is at No. 9 and his song “Forever After All” finished the year at No. 18 on the Hot 100. He had the 24th highest-grossing tour, taking in $17.9 million (all figures U.S.).
Stapleton’s year included the highest-grossing tour by a country artist and ninth overall. In the 12 months that ended Oct. 31, the singer grossed $33.9 million from 32 shows.
Stapleton finished 2021 as No. 3 on the Top Country Artists list and at No. 27 on the all-genre Top Artists. His 2020 album Starting Over is No. 32 on the Billboard 200 and fourth among Top Country Albums.
It was also a good year for Luke Bryan, who raked in $33.4 million on tour to rank as the second-biggest country act and 10th overall. On the Top Country Artists list, he finished the year at No. 5.
The biggest female country artist of the year was Gabby Barrett, who earned the No. 4 spot among Top Country Artists and No. 40 on the Top Artists chart. Her hit “I Hope” ft. Charlie Puth has the No. 40 spot on the Hot 100.