Chris Stapleton Shatters Records, Has Best-Selling Country Song In Music History
Chris Stapleton has a repertoire of hit songs and phenomenal anthems–and then there is “Tennessee Whiskey.” You know it, your dad knows it, and the guy singing off-key at the karaoke bar definitely knows it. Yeesh. But as of Monday, January 12, the track isn’t just a staple(ton) of dive bars and wedding playlists anymore. It is officially a statistical anomaly.
“Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton Certified Double Diamond
Stapleton has done the impossible. His rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey” has been certified Double Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). For those of you who don’t speak music industry executivespeak, that means the song has moved a staggering 20 million units in the United States alone.
Chris Stapleton Joins an Elite Club
To put this into perspective, let’s look at the scoreboard. Before this week, only two songs in the entire history of recorded music had achieved Double Diamond status: Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are” and the Post Malone/Swae Lee collaboration “Sunflower.” That’s it. That is the whole list.
Now, a bearded guy with a guitar and a voice like gravel mixed with sweet honey has crashed the pop star party. This makes “Tennessee Whiskey” the first country song ever to hit this milestone. Not Dolly, not Garth, not Willie. Chris Stapleton. It’s a massive win not just for him, but for the genre itself, proving that you don’t need a heavy synth beat or a TikTok dance challenge to move 20 million copies. You just need soul.
How a Cover Song Conquered the World
Here is the kicker that makes this achievement even sweeter (or smoother, if you will). Stapleton actually didn’t write it. The track was penned by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove–and originally recorded by David Allan Coe, and later by the legendary George Jones.
Usually, covering a George Jones song is a fool’s errand. It’s like trying to repaint the Mona Lisa; you’re probably just going to ruin it. But when Stapleton unleashed his version on his debut album “Traveller” back in 2015, he didn’t just cover it–he stole it (in a good way). He completely reinvented the track by stripping it down. Then he injected it with a moody and bluesy R&B grit that transcended the “country” label entirely.
We also have to give credit where it’s due: that 2015 CMA Awards performance with Justin Timberlake. That was the moment the match was lit. If you claim you didn’t watch that performance on YouTube at least nine times, you are lying. That single performance launched Stapleton from a “songwriter’s favorite songwriter” into a global superstar.
The “Traveller” Legacy Continues
This news comes right after Stapleton celebrated the 10th anniversary of “Traveller,” the album that started it all. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Aside from birthing a Double Diamond hit, the album itself is 7x Platinum and spent over 500 weeks on the Billboard 200. Wow. It’s the best-selling country album of the 2010s for a reason.
RIAA Chairman Mitch Glazier put it best in a statement to RTT News that was surprisingly lacking in corporate jargon. Glazier simply said in part:
“Chris Stapleton’s undeniable vocal grit and storytelling have connected deeply.”
Translation: The man can sing, and people are willing to pay for it. Exactly.
What’s Next for Chris Stapleton?
If you think he’s taking a victory lap and then resting on his laurels, you clearly don’t know Stapleton. The man is a workhorse. He just announced he is extending his “All-American Road Show” tour through 2026. He’s hitting massive venues like Nissan Stadium in Nashville and Ford Field in Detroit.
He is also walking into the 68th Annual Grammy Awards with four nominations, because apparently, he doesn’t have enough hardware on his shelf yet. So, pour yourself a glass of something strong (we suggest whiskey) and toast to the new King of the RIAA. “Tennessee Whiskey” isn’t just a song anymore; it’s a monument.
