Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” is the biggest country hit of all time

Cruise Florida Georgia Line with Nelly

Writer(s): Brian Kelley, Tyler Hubbard, Joey Moi, Chase Rice, Jesse Rice (see lyrics here) Released: August 6, 2012 First Charted: August 11, 2012 Peak: 4 US, 7 RR, 13 AC, 6 A40, 124a CW, 75 UK, 38 CN (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 14.0 US, -- UK, 14.3 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.13 radio, 323.35 video, 541.14 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The duo of Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard, known as Florida Georgia Line, burst on to the country scene in about as big a way as a recording artist can. “Cruise,” their lead single from their EP, It’z Just What We Do, was first released in August 2012, but was also included in their first full-length album, Here’s to the Good Times, released that December. Thanks to a change in Billboard chart methodology, at the year-mark, the song can boast a year later to being the biggest country song of all-time. In December, the song hit #1 on the Billboard country charts, a position it had held for a whopping 17 weeks a year after its release. More significantly, however, are the 22 weeks it has logged on the country airplay chart, separating it from a three-way tie for songs which had spent 21 weeks at the pinnacle: Eddy Arnold’s “I’ll Hold You in My Heart Till I Can Hold You in My Arms” (1947), Hank Snow’s “I’m Moving On” (1950), and Webb Pierce’s “In the Jailhouse Now” (1955). With 5 million in sales, it also snagged the title of best-selling song by a country duo in digital history WK and ranks as the third best-selling country song in digital history behind Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” and Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.” BB Since then, it has been certified at 11 million by the RIAA. A remix featuring rapper Nelly has also kept the song in the pop limelight, where the song took longer than any other song in the 55-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 to reach the top 5 (although the record was soon broken by the 43 weeks Imagine Dragon’s “Radioactive” took to do the same). Roughstock’s Matt Bjorke called it “a feel-good song from a band that likes to have a good time.” WK Billy Dukes of Taste of Country said of the duo that “their formal training shows in the tight execution of this lyric-heavy summer song.” WK Finally, Liv Carter of Urban Country News said it was a “disposable, yet enjoyable, country summer song which will not only enjoy a healthy chart run, but find itself on radio playlists for many more summers.” WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Florida Georgia Line DMDB encyclopedia entry for Nelly B1 Billboard “Florida Georgia Line’s ‘Cruise’ Ties for Longest No. 1 Run On Hot Country Songs” (24 July 2013). B2 Billboard “One Direction Blasts Onto Hot 100 at No. 2, Robin Thicke Still No. 1” (31 July 2013). WK Wikipedia YM Yahoo! Music First posted 8/6/2013; last updated 3/31/2024.

Nelly knocks himself from #1 with “Dilemma”

Dilemma Nelly with Kelly Rowland

Writer(s): Cornell Haynes Jr., Antoine Macon, Kenneth Gamble, Bunny Sigler, Kelly Rowland (see lyrics here) Released: June 25, 2002 First Charted: July 5, 2002 Peak: 110 US, 15 RR, 19 RB, 12 UK, 3 CN, 14 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 1.8 UK, 7.6 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.5 radio, 581.17 video, 704.91 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “While Nelly’s ‘Hot in Herre’ got parties started throughout 2002, his pairing with Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland on this sentimental rap track proved just as popular.” BB He met Rowland on tour in 2001 and wanted to use her on the song. WK She became the first member of Destiny’s Child to chart as a solo artist. SF The Guardian’s Caroline Sullivan wrote of her vocals that she “is no longer a mere backing vocalist for Beyoncé Knowles,” WK her co-member in Destiny’s Child. “Dilemma” was a last-minute addition to Nelly’s sophomore albumNellyville. Producer Antoine “Bam” Macon gave him a basic track which sampled Patti LaBelle’s 1983 “Love Need and Want You” and Nelly crafted lyrics for it. WK The song is about a “girl who thinks about another guy even when she’s with her boyfriend.” SF Nelly and Kelly sing to each other by name in the song and act this out in the video. SF Not only was the song not planned for the album, but it wasn’t planned as a single. While “Hot in Herre” was still climbing the charts, U.S. radio latched onto “Dilemma” and it powered its way into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 based on airplay alone. WK Nelly wisely released it as the album’s second single and it ended up knocking “Hot in Herre” from #1 and becoming the biggest song of Nelly’s career. WK He became the fifth artist in chart history to succeed himself at the top, following The Beatles, Boyz II Men, Puff Daddy, and Ja Rule. SF The song was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year. It didn’t win that, but did take home the prize for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. A video to support the song featured Patti LaBelle as Rowland’s mother. BB Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Nelly DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Kelly Rowland BB Billboard (9/08). “All-Time Hot 100” SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Last updated 6/18/2023.

Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” spends 7th week at #1

Hot in Herre Nelly

Writer(s): Cornell Haynes Jr., Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, Charles L. Brown (see lyrics here) Released: April 16, 2002 First Charted: April 26, 2002 Peak: 17 US, 12 RR, 16 RB, 4 UK, 13 CN, 3 AU, 9 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.6 UK, 2.93 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.4 radio, 158.0 video, 401.49 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “Find…a summer song more apt to get any party started, no matter how resistant the crowd.” LR With its “ultra-catchy chorus” AB’00 “Hot in Herre” landed Nelly his first #1 pop song in the U.S. and became “one of the top party tracks of the decade.” AB’00 The song also hit #1 in Canada and was a top ten hit throughout the world. WK The Neptunes, comprised of the team of Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams, produced the “catchy and flirty tune.” TB They also did songs for Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and others. SF The song incorporates the hook from the 1979 Chuck Brown single “Bustin’ Loose,” as well as samples from Neil Young’s “There’s a World” and Nancy Sinatra’s “As Tears Go By.” WK Two videos were made for the song – one set in a dance club and another at the St. Louis Arch. The first video featured cameos by actor and comedian Cedric the Entertainer, NBA player Carmelo Anthony, and NFL players T.J. Duckett and Julius Peppers. In one scene, club goers shout the chorus for the 1984 dance song “The Roof Is on Fire” by Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three – while there was an actual fire burning in the club. WK Weird Al Yankovic recorded a parody (“Trash Day”) about a man who refuses to empty the garbage. SF Instead of the “it’s getting hot in here” chorus, Weird Al sang “there’s somethin’ rotten here, you better hold your nose.” WK The song was also parodied in a Mad TV sketch and performed by other artists including Devo, Jill Sobule, Wang Chung, and Widespread Panic. Canadian electronic artist Tiga shot a video of the song with puppets depicting cliché scenes from hip-hop videos of the era. WK Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Nelly AB’00 About.com (2009). “Top 100 Pop Songs of the 2000s” LR LowResolution.blogspot.com (1/4/2010). “Retrospecticus: 100 Favorite Songs of the Decade” SF Songfacts TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 300. WK Wikipedia Last updated 3/31/2023.