Kenny Rogers' Music Resurfaces on Various Billboard Charts Posthumously
In the early summer of 2020, at 81 years old, renowned artist Kenny Rogers passed away, leaving behind a wealthy music career spanning multiple genres. His death hasn't deterred millions of dedicated fans from adoring him, and occasionally, his most popular tunes resurface on the charts. This week, that's exactly what transpired, featuring in more than one ranking.
On the Billboard Christian Streaming Songs chart, where the company highlights the most-streamed Christian tracks, Rogers ranks highest among his chart appearances this week at No. 24, with "Mary, Did You Know?" This song is also attributed to Wynonna, whose other name is Wynonna Judd. Previously, it peaked at No. 9 on this tally, with close to half a year on the list, though not all of those weeks were consecutive.
Although Rogers wasn't primarily recognized for his religious music, "Mary, Did You Know?" is just one of two of his songs that have landed on the Christian Streaming Songs chart. The other collaboration, "Children, Go Where I Send Thee," featured Home Free and also graced the list in 2016. For two weeks, it clung to the streaming-only roster and peaked at No. 19, making it the most successful of his collaborations with Judd.
Currently, "Mary, Did You Know?" is Rogers' only hit single in the U.S., but he also has a presence on another Billboard chart. His compilation of holiday songs, Once Upon a Christmas, a collaboration with longtime friend Dolly Parton, returns to the Top Country Albums chart this week at No. 45.
Although it hasn't reached the same heights as "Mary, Did You Know?", Once Upon a Christmas has spent more time on the Top Country Albums chart than the latter has on the Christian Streaming Songs chart. It peaked at No. 12, narrowly missing another top 10 spot by just two spots. The collaboration has maintained a presence on the genre-specific roster for 45 frames, with potential to linger longer in future holiday seasons.
In total, Rogers has seen 62 different releases on the Top Country Albums chart, yet Once Upon a Christmas does not rank among his most successful. Twenty-six of his projects reached the top 10, and he secured a dozen rulers on the list of the most popular country full-lengths and EPs in the nation.
- Despite his passing at 81, Kenny Rogers' posthumous releases continue to make an impact on the charts, such as his collaboration album with Dolly Parton, 'Once Upon a Christmas', which recently re-entered the Top Country Albums chart at number 45.
- Interestingly, Kenny Rogers' collaboration with Dolly Parton, 'Once Upon a Christmas', has spent more time on the Top Country Albums chart than his popular Christian track, 'Mary, Did You Know?', which peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Christian Streaming Songs chart this week.
- Apart from 'Mary, Did You Know?', another one of Kenny Rogers' songs, 'Children, Go Where I Send Thee', featuring Home Free, also appeared on the Christian Streaming Songs chart in 2016, peaking at number 19.
- On the Billboard Billboard, Kenny Rogers' most popular track, 'Mary, Did You Know?', gained momentum once again and reached number 24 on the Christian Streaming Songs chart, a song that was originally popularized by Wynonna, whose real name is Wynonna Judd.
- Although Kenny Rogers is widely known for his crossover success in multiple genres, he had two songs that managed to land on the Christian Streaming Songs chart, 'Mary, Did You Know?' and 'Children, Go Where I Send Thee', showcasing his versatility and enduring appeal in music.
