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The No. 1 song on Billboard's pop chart is the same as the No. 1 song on Billboard's country chart, and the identity of the artist signals a change in country music. NPR's Anastasia Tsioulcas has more.
ANASTASIA TSIOULCAS, BYLINE: The Virginia-based artist Shaboozey has had a long, slow climb to the top. In April, he released "A Bar Song," subtitled "Tipsy." In early May, it reached the top of the country songs chart. And finally, this week, it's reached the peak of the Billboard Hot 100, and it's back on top of the country chart, too.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "A BAR SONG, (TIPSY)")
SHABOOZEY: (Singing) This 9 to 5 ain't working. Why the hell do I work so hard? I can't worry about my problems. I can't take them when I'm gone.
TSIOULCAS: The only other Black artist to hold both No. 1 spots at the same time? - Beyonce did it earlier this year with her song, "Texas Hold 'Em."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TEXAS HOLD 'EM")
BEYONCE: (Singing) This ain't Texas. Woo. Ain't no hold 'em. Hey. So lay your cards down, down, down, down.
TSIOULCAS: Shaboozey's breakthrough came when Beyonce featured him on her "Cowboy Carter" album - on the song "Spaghetti" and this one, "Sweet Honey Buckiin'."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN'")
SHABOOZEY: (Rapping) Lucchese the boots - check, check. You can hear when I step - step, step. Bought a Chevy and painted it red. Money long, it can't fit in the bed.
TSIOULCAS: In Shaboozey's wind-up to this success, it's hard not to juxtapose his experiences as a Black country artist to those of other generations, like Linda Martell and the late Charlie Pride. In 1966, Pride's record label made a point of sending out his music to radio stations with no promotional photos of him. Shaboozey released a video trailer for his album, "Where I'm Going, Isn't Where I've Been," and it takes direct aim at country music's gatekeepers - though he is having a little fun with them.
The video features an older white guy grimacing at a picture of Shaboozey and wincing every time his country radio station mentions him.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) When you dial, let's enjoy Shaboozey's hit, "A Bar Song."
TSIOULCAS: The good old boy ends up throwing his radio in the lake.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character, grunting).
(SOUNDBITE OF WATER SPLASHING)
TSIOULCAS: Shaboozey talked about breaking the country music barrier when he was on All Things Considered in May.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
SHABOOZEY: Music needs to change, and it needs to progress into different things. So, you know, when you see my name and you see me, you're like - you're kind of confused.
TSIOULCAS: Not so much confusion anymore - three months after it debuted, "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" made it all the way to the top.
Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR News, New York.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "A BAR SONG, (TIPSY)")
SHABOOZEY: (Singing) Good Lord. Someone pour me up a double shot of whiskey. They know me and Jack Daniels got a history. There's a party downtown near Fifth Street.
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