Cody Johnson Scores His Highest Hot Country Songs Debut With ‘Travelin’ Soldier’

Cody Johnson debuts at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (dated Nov. 22) with a take on The Chicks’ “Travelin’ Soldier.” The update starts with 11.9 million official U.S. streams, 1.3 million in radio audience and 5,000 sold Nov. 7-13, according to Luminate.

It’s Johnson’s highest entrance on the survey, where he’s collected four top 10s, with his first, “’Til You Can’t,” having ruled for nine weeks in 2022. The new “Travelin’ Soldier” also launches atop both Country Streaming Songs and Country Digital Song Sales, becoming his second and fourth No. 1, respectively.

Written and first recorded by Bruce Robison, “Travelin’ Soldier” has been a staple in Johnson’s live set in recent years. He previously issued a stripped-down version during a 2020 livestream and continued fan demand led to the new studio recording, released Nov. 7 ahead of Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

The song carries a notable chart legacy. The Chicks’ rendition topped Hot Country Songs for a week in March 2003, marking the group’s sixth and most recent No. 1. It reigned days after the trio drew intense backlash following Natalie Maines’ criticism of then-U.S. president George W. Bush — a flashpoint that reshaped the group’s relationship with country radio and has been widely chronicled in the decades since.

Ballerini Strolls In

Kelsea Ballerini opens at No. 37 on Hot Country Songs with “I Sit in Parks” (2.9 million streams, 1,000 sold). The track appears on her six-song EP, Mt. Pleasant, released Nov. 14. She’ll perform Wednesday (Nov. 19) at the 59th Annual CMA Awards, airing on ABC, and is nominated for female vocalist of the year.

Meanwhile, Johnson, recovering from surgery to repair a ruptured eardrum, will sit out the telecast. Still, he enters the night as one of its leading contenders, earning four nominations, including entertainer and male vocalist of the year.