Absolute Radio Country launches new country music chart show

The UK Country Radio Airplay Chart is launching on Absolute Radio Country this Sunday.

Hosted by Baylen Leonard, the weekly chart will count down the Top 20 songs in the genre from 4pm every Sunday. Baylen’s regular Sunday night show, The Front Porch will move to the later time of 5 – 7pm.

Baylen Leonard said: “It’s an incredibly exciting time for country music and the creation of this brand-new chart is testament to what a growing force it is as a genre here in the UK.

“So, such an honour to be able to host this countdown and announce that all important Number One every week. Who’s going to be my first? You’ll have to tune in on Sunday to find out!”

Announced earlier this year at the C2C Festival, The UK Country Radio Airplay Chart is the first of its kind in the UK and is a collaboration between Radiomonitor and the Country Music Associations’ UK Task Force. The Top 20 songs are compiled each week from an eligible selection of new releases up to three years old, measured by impressions (the number of people each play is heard by).

The chart will include data from Absolute Radio Country, BBC Radio 2 – The Country Show with Bob Harris CountryLine: The Big 615, Downtown Country Radio and Smooth Country Radio.