VA - Country No. 1s of The '50s, Vol. 1 (2013)

Acrobat has built a formidable reputation based on its completist chart collections such as the British Hit Parade and America’s Greatest Hits series, as well as its British and US “No. 1s of the 50s” collections from the pop charts. This collection addresses the ever-popular country market, pulling together every record that topped the US country charts during a decade when the genre moved forward creatively, reflecting the revolution in the wider pop landscsape. Surprisingly, it comprises just 79 tracks, not least as, especially during the early part of the decade, records sometimes stayed at the top for 15-20 weeks, so we have been able to produce this definitive anthology on a great value 3-CD set. It covers the country genre from the pioneers like Hank Williams and Hank Snow through stars like Webb Pierce and Eddy Arnold, to Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash and the spin-off hits from the rock and roll explosion from Elvis and his cohorts later in the decade. It’s a must for any country fan. The genre-friendly packaging echoes the styling of our existing popular chart-based series, and the booklet has comprehensive background notes.