Ella Langley and Morgan Wallen’s new duet, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” makes a record-setting start in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10, while accounting for another honor last achieved in the early 1980s.
The single starts at No. 7 on the Hot 100 (dated May 9) — becoming the first song by two core-country acts in lead roles ever to debut in the chart’s top 10.
Regardless of debut position, it’s the first Hot 100 top 10 by two acts known for primarily recording country music, both in lead roles, since Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s “Islands in the Stream.” The Bee Gees-written classic ruled the chart for two weeks in October-November 1983.
A few collaborations, however, by two country-focused artists have reached the region during the last four decades-plus — just not any with both acts equally billed as leads. In 2024, for instance, Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” featuring Wallen, led for six weeks, with the song from the former’s first album in the genre, F-1 Trillion. It followed Zach Bryan’s Kacey Musgraves-featuring “I Remember Everything,” which reigned in its debut week in 2023.
The 2000s welcomed one Hot 100 top 10 team-up by core-country artists: Carrie Underwood’s “I Told You So,” featuring genre legend Randy Travis (No. 9, 2009). His original version led the Hot Country Songs chart in 1988.
From the 1990s, two songs are worthy of honorable mentions. “From This Moment On” reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1998; credited on the Hot 100 to Shania Twain, the ballad became a hit at country radio thanks in part to its version with Bryan White. Plus, Tim McGraw’s “It’s Your Love,” with Faith Hill, hit No. 7 in 1997; on the song by the couple, which had married the year before, McGraw receives lead billing. (On Hot Country Songs, they share six top 10s, though only one with both as leads: 2017’s “Speak to a Girl.”)
Meanwhile, Rogers and Parton ended a much briefer break between Hot 100 top 10s by two lead country acts than Langley and Wallen do on the latest chart. Prior to “Islands in the Stream,” Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle’s “You and I” hit No. 7 in February 1983.
“I Can’t Love You Anymore,” released April 24, begins with 16.7 million official U.S. streams, 10.8 million in radio airplay audience and 10,000 sold through April 30, according to Luminate. It’s Langley’s third Hot 100 top 10 and Wallen’s 19th.
All charts dated May 9 will update Tuesday, May 5, on Billboard.com.
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