
George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is known as the “King of Country” and is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. He was a prominent and pioneering figure in the neotraditionalist country movement of the 1980s, famed for his simple cowboy image and roots-oriented sound at a time when the Nashville music industry was dominated by country pop crossover acts.
Strait’s success began when his first single “Unwound” was a hit in 1981, signalling the arrival of the neotraditional movement. During the 1980s, seven of his albums reached number one on the country charts. In the 2000s, Strait was named Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music, elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and won his first Grammy award for the album Troubadour. Strait was named CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 2013, and ACM Entertainer of the Year in 1990 and 2014. He has been nominated for more CMA and ACM awards and has more wins in both categories than any other artist.
By 2009, he broke Conway Twitty’s previous record for the most number-one hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart when his 44 number one singles surpassed Twitty’s 40. Strait has amassed 60 number-one hits. “Give It All We Got Tonight” was number one in 2013, breaking a record also previously set by Twitty. Strait currently holds the record for most number one songs on all charts by an artist in any genre of music.
Strait is also known for his touring career when he designed a 360-degree configuration and introduced festival style tours. For example, the Strait Tours earned $99 million in three years. His final concert for The Cowboy Rides Away Tour at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in June 2014, drew 104,793 people, marking a new record for largest indoor concert in North America.
Strait has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. His certifications from the RIAA include 13 multi-platinum, 33 platinum, and 38 gold albums. His best-selling album is Pure Country (1992), which sold 6 million (6× platinum). His highest certified album is Strait Out of the Box (1995), which sold 2 million copies (8× Platinum due to being a box set with four CDs). According to the RIAA, Strait is the 12th best-selling album recording artist in the United States overall selling over 69 million records across the United States.
This countdown is the fourth revision since 1999, 2006, 2013 and 2022.
1 – “Give It All We Got Tonight” – 2012
2 – “I Saw God Today” – 2008
3 – “Shiftwork” with Kenny Chesney – 2007
4 – “Here for a Good Time” – 2011
5 – “Write This Down” – 1999
6 – “Give It Away” – 2006
7 – “Wrapped” – 2007
8 – “The Best Day” – 2000
9 – “I Hate Everything” – 2004
10 – “Meanwhile” – 1999
11 – “Go On” – 2000
12 – “River of Love” – 2008
13 – “We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This” – 1998
14 – “What Do You Say to That” – 1999
15 – “Desperately” – 2004
16 – “One Night at a Time” – 1997
17 – “I Just Want to Dance with You” – 1998
18 – “You’ll Be There” – 2005
19 – “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar” – 2019
20 – “I Got a Car” – 2013
21 – “The Breath You Take” – 2010
22 – “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” – 2011
23 – “Easy Come, Easy Go” – 1993
24 – “Fool Hearted Memory” – 1982
25 – “You Look So Good in Love” – 1983
26 – “Right or Wrong” – 1984
27 – “Let’s Fall to Pieces Together” – 1984
28 – “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” – 1987
29 – “Blue Clear Sky” – 1996
30 – “Love Without End, Amen” – 1990