It’s the first top 10 debut Hot Country Songs entry by a woman unaccompanied by another act since October 2017.
Gabby Barrett's maiden entry on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, "I Hope," becomes her first top 10, climbing 12-10 on the survey dated Jan. 25.
The track jumps 7-2 on Country Digital Song Sales, up 24% to 6,000 sold, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, and 24-22 on Country Airplay, gaining by 14% to 9.7 million impressions. It also drew 7.7 million U.S. streams in the tracking week.
"I'm so grateful for my debut single reach the top 10," Barrett told Billboard after hearing the news. "It has been an amazing journey to get to this point. A huge thank you to country radio and the digital partners for supporting 'I Hope' and for making me feel like part of the family from the start. And, another big thanks to the fans for showing their love. I am so blessed and excited for what's to come."
The 19-year-old, who finished third on ABC's American Idol in 2018, scores the first top 10 debut Hot Country Songs entry by a woman unaccompanied by another act since October 2017, when Carly Pearce's launch single, "Every Little Thing," reached the region, eventually peaking at No. 5 (and topping Country Airplay).
Prior to Pearce, Maren Morris' debut single, "My Church," entered the Hot Country Songs top 10 in March 2016 on its way to a No. 5 peak. Before that, Cam's first entry, "Burning House," reached the top 10 in September 2015 and subsequently rose to No. 2. Going back further, Kelsea Ballerini arrived with her debut single, "Love Me Like You Mean It," which marched into the top 10 and peaked at No. 5 in June 2015.
On Country Airplay, Ballerini's breakthrough song hit No. 1, ending a drought of almost 10 years for female artists ruling with a rookie single. It became the first such leader since Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel" in January 2006.
'SICK' MOVE Also on the latest Country Airplay chart, Kane Brown adds his fifth top 10, as "Homesick" pushes 11-9, up 5% to 23.9 million in audience. All of Brown's first four top 10s hit No. 1: his most recent, "Good as You," led for a week last June, following "Lose It" (one week, December 2018), "Heaven" (two weeks, May 2018) and "What Ifs," featuring Lauren Alaina (one week, October 2017).