This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1987.
Events June 13 — Randy Travis' "Forever and Ever, Amen" spends three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It is the first multi-week chart-topping song since "Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)" by Ronnie Milsap spent two weeks atop the chart in September 1985; in that time span, 85 other songs had been No. 1. Only three other songs during the 1980s — all of them in 1980 — would spend more than two weeks at No. 1, owing much to how Billboard compiled the chart data at the time. June 27- Pee Wee King Celebrates is 50th Grand ole opry anniversary September — Dolly Parton's TV variety series, Dolly, premieres on ABC in September. Despite strong ratings in its early weeks, the show was panned by critics and viewership declined. The series was cancelled at the end of the 1987–1988 season.
No dates 46-year-old singer-songwriter K.T. Oslin becomes the success story of the year with her hit "80s Ladies", a Grammy Award-winner which tells the story of three childhood friends who stay together through an era of social change. The song spawns an award-winning video and, despite only reaching No. 7 on the Hot Country Singles chart, was one of the most played songs of the year. Oslin's rise to fame in her mid-40s came at a time when mainstream country radio was beginning to shun older female artists for younger, more attractive stars.
Top hits of the year
Singles released by American artists USCANSingleArtist7480's LadiesK. T. Oslin8617Ain't No Cure for LoveJennifer Warnes11All My Ex's Live in TexasGeorge Strait11Am I BlueGeorge Strait1635American MeS-K-O4—Another WorldCrystal Gayle and Gary Morris22Baby's Got a Hold on MeNitty Gritty Dirt Band1—Baby's Got a New BabyS-K-O48The Bed You Made for MeHighway 101109Bonnie Jean (Little Sister)David Lynn Jones11Born to BoogieHank Williams, Jr.94Brilliant ConversationalistT. Graham Brown11Can't Stop My Heart from Loving YouThe O'Kanes61The CarpenterJohn Conlee47Chains of GoldSweethearts of the Rodeo1630Changin' PartnersLarry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers1314Child SupportBarbara Mandrell53CinderellaVince Gill1023Cowboy ManLyle Lovett37Crazy from the HeartThe Bellamy Brothers4—Crazy Over YouFoster & Lloyd75Crime of PassionRicky Van Shelton12Cry Myself to SleepThe Judds912Daddies Need to Grow Up TooThe O'Kanes1010Deep River WomanLionel Richie with Alabama8517Didn't You Go and Leave MeRosemary Sharp13Do YaK. T. Oslin45Domestic LifeJohn Conlee104Don't Be CruelThe Judds11Don't Go to StrangersT. Graham Brown2019Don't Touch Me ThereCharly McClain47A Face in the CrowdMichael Martin Murphey and Holly Dunn22Fallin' for You for YearsConway Twitty811Fallin' OutWaylon Jennings75Fire in the SkyNitty Gritty Dirt Band11Fishin' in the DarkNitty Gritty Dirt Band711ForeverThe Statler Brothers11Forever and Ever, AmenRandy Travis1618Full Grown FoolMickey Gilley710Girls Ride Horses TooJudy Rodman1318Give Back My HeartLyle Lovett13Give Me WingsMichael Johnson1823God WillLyle Lovett810Goodbye's All We've Got LeftSteve Earle1011Gotta Get AwaySweethearts of the Rodeo96Gotta Have YouEddie Rabbitt23Half Past Forever (Till I'm Blue in the Heart)T. G. Sheppard66The Hand That Rocks the CradleGlen Campbell (with Steve Wariner)10—Hard Livin'Keith Whitley1450Have I Got Some Blues for YouCharley Pride1839He's Letting GoBaillie & the Boys925Homecoming '63Keith Whitley1712House of Blue LightsAsleep at the Wheel11How Do I Turn You OnRonnie Milsap13I Can't Win for Losin' YouEarl Thomas Conley11I Know Where I'm GoingThe Judds1419I Only Wanted YouMarie Osmond22I Prefer the MoonlightKenny Rogers22I Want to Know You Before We Make LoveConway Twitty11I Will Be ThereDan Seals11I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)Randy Travis1024I'll Be the OneThe Statler Brothers59I'll Be Your Baby TonightJudy Rodman21I'll Come Back as Another WomanTanya Tucker415I'll Never Be in Love AgainDon Williams11I'll Still Be Loving YouRestless Heart924If There's Any JusticeLee Greenwood11It Takes a Little Rain (To Make Love Grow)The Oak Ridge Boys317It Won't HurtDwight Yoakam812It's Only Over for YouTanya Tucker23JuliaConway Twitty13Kids of the Baby BoomThe Bellamy Brothers3720Killbilly HillSouthern Pacific12The Last One to KnowReba McEntire11Leave Me LonelyGary Morris45Let the Music Lift You UpReba McEntire1617Let's Do SomethingVince Gill73Little SisterDwight Yoakam81Little WaysDwight Yoakam11A Long Line of LoveMichael Martin Murphey107Love Can't Ever Get Better Than ThisRicky Skaggs & Sharon White23Love Me Like You Used ToTanya Tucker65Love ReunitedThe Desert Rose Band22Love Someone Like MeHolly Dunn64Love, You Ain't Seen the Last of MeJohn Schneider11LyndaSteve Wariner11Make No Mistake, She's MineKenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap117Mama's Rockin' ChairJohn Conlee11Maybe Your Baby's Got the BluesThe Judds46Midnight Girl/Sunset TownSweethearts of the Rodeo12The Moon Is Still Over Her ShoulderMichael Johnson11Mornin' RideLee Greenwood1937No Easy HorsesS-K-B21No Place Like HomeRandy Travis207Nowhere RoadSteve Earle11Ocean Front PropertyGeorge Strait917Oh HeartBaillie & the Boys11—Old Bridges Burn SlowBilly Joe Royal22One for the MoneyT. G. Sheppard11One Promise Too LateReba McEntire47Only When I LoveHolly Dunn99Plain Brown WrapperGary Morris7617Real Good HeartacheRosemary Sharp11Right from the StartEarl Thomas Conley35Right Hand ManEddy Raven86The Right Left HandGeorge Jones1614The Rock and Roll of LoveTom Wopat11Rose in ParadiseWaylon Jennings618Rough and Rowdy DaysWaylon Jennings912SeñoritaDon Williams43She Couldn't Love Me AnymoreT. Graham Brown9—She Thinks That She'll MarryJudy Rodman11She's Too Good to Be TrueExile11Shine, Shine, ShineEddy Raven11Small Town GirlSteve Wariner11Snap Your FingersRonnie Milsap15Somebody LiedRicky Van Shelton53SomeoneLee Greenwood11Somewhere TonightHighway 10112Straight to the HeartCrystal Gayle20—SusannahTom Wopat3719Sweet Little '66Steve Earle107Take the Long Way HomeJohn Schneider43Talkin' to the MoonLarry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers74Tar TopAlabama36Telling Me LiesDolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris12That Was a Close OneEarl Thomas Conley34Then It's LoveDon Williams12This Crazy LoveThe Oak Ridge Boys51Those Memories of YouDolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris11Three Time LoserDan Seals610Till I'm Too Old to Die YoungMoe Bandy1735Time InThe Oak Ridge Boys11To Know Him Is to Love HimDolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris54Too Many RiversThe Forester Sisters615Train of MemoriesKathy Mattea22Twenty Years AgoKenny Rogers11The Way We Make a Broken HeartRosanne Cash11The WeekendSteve Wariner11What Am I Gonna Do About YouReba McEntire97What Can I Do with My HeartJuice Newton2010When a Woman CriesJanie Fricke21Whiskey, If You Were a WomanHighway 10111Why Does It Have to Be (Wrong or Right)Restless Heart1524Why I Don't KnowLyle Lovett13You AgainThe Forester Sisters11—You Haven't Heard the Last of MeMoe Bandy11You Still Move MeDan Seals25You're My First LadyT. G. Sheppard36You're Never Too Old for Young LoveEddy Raven5—You're the PowerKathy Mattea11"You've Got" the TouchAlabama1213Your LoveTammy Wynette
Singles released by Canadian artists USCANSingleArtist—8All I Really NeedAudie Henry2010Are You Still in Love with MeAnne Murray—6Arms That Love (Hearts That Don't)Carroll Baker—19Better Off AloneThe Good Brothers—9Cowboy PrideIan Tyson—10Death and Taxes and Me Lovin' YouCarroll Baker—15Denim Blue EyesSylvia Tyson—14Diamonds in the DarkCameron Molloy with Silver Weasel—9HeroesMercey Brothers—10I Love You MoreFamily Brown—20I've Found Someone TooAnita Perras—16Listen to My HeartStoker Bros—11New Fool at an Old GameMichelle Wright—9No Holiday in L.A.Ronnie Prophet—13None of the Feeling Is GoneTerry Carisse with Michelle Wright—3Old PhotographsTerry Carisse—8Raised by the RadioMercey Brothers8411Roller CoasterAlibi—13Say WhenTim Taylor—14Small TalkGlory-Anne Carriere—10Starting Forever AgainTerry Carisse—15Taste of RomanceBootleg—20Too Short a RideSylvia Tyson—14True BlueAnne Lord—1TryBlue Rodeo—10Walk in the Rain TonightGary Fjellgaard—20What a Fool I'd BeColleen Peterson
Top new album releases
US Album Artist Record label 16 10 Asleep at the Wheel Epic 14 20 Greatest Hits Don Williams MCA 1 80's Ladies K. T. Oslin RCA 18 After All This Time Charley Pride 16th Avenue 1 Always & Forever Randy Travis Warner Bros. 16 American Faces John Conlee Columbia 23 Angel Band Emmylou Harris Warner Bros. 7 The Best Dan Seals Capitol 25 Borderline Conway Twitty MCA 1 Born to Boogie Hank Williams, Jr. Curb/Warner Bros. 23 Brilliant Conversationalist T. Graham Brown Capitol 8 Chill Factor Merle Haggard Epic 17 Come On Joe Jo-El Sonnier RCA 22 Cornerstone Holly Dunn MTM 21 Country Rap The Bellamy Brothers Curb/MCA 25 Crackin' Up Ray Stevens MCA 24 The Desert Rose Band The Desert Rose Band Curb/MCA 15 Exit 0 Steve Earle & The Dukes MCA 2 Greatest Hits Reba McEntire MCA 22 Greatest Hits John Schneider MCA 25 Greatest Hits Steve Wariner MCA 1 Greatest Hits Volume Two George Strait MCA 19 Hangin' Tough Waylon Jennings MCA 1 Hank Live Hank Williams, Jr. Curb/Warner Bros. 9 Harmony Anne Murray Capitol 13 Heart & Soul Ronnie Milsap RCA 20 Heartbeat The Oak Ridge Boys MCA 1 Heartland The Judds Curb/RCA 7 Highway 101 Highway 101 Warner Bros. 1 Hillbilly Deluxe Dwight Yoakam Reprise 24 Hits Gary Morris Warner Bros. 14 Hold On Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Warner Bros. 18 I Prefer the Moonlight Kenny Rogers RCA 14 Island in the Sea Willie Nelson Columbia 1 Just Us Alabama RCA 6 King's Record Shop Rosanne Cash Columbia 3 The Last One to Know Reba McEntire MCA 23 Lone Star State of Mind Nanci Griffith MCA 10 Love Me Like You Used To Tanya Tucker Capitol 22 A Man Called Hoss Waylon Jennings MCA 9 Maple Street Memories The Statler Brothers Mercury 1 Ocean Front Property George Strait MCA 18 Rainbow Dolly Parton Columbia 18 Right Hand Man Eddy Raven RCA 5 The Royal Treatment Billy Joe Royal Atlantic 13 Shelter from the Night Exile Epic 16 Somewhere in the Night Sawyer Brown Capitol/Curb 24 Sure Feels Good Barbara Mandrell EMI America 14 Too Wild Too Long George Jones Epic 1 Trio Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt& Emmylou Harris Warner Bros. 11 Untasted Honey Kathy Mattea Mercury 13 The Way Back Home Vince Gill RCA 25 What If We Fall in Love? Crystal Gayle & Gary Morris Warner Bros. 14 Where the Fast Lane Ends The Oak Ridge Boys MCA 1 Wild-Eyed Dream Ricky Van Shelton Columbia 13 You Again The Forester Sisters Warner Bros. 10 You Haven't Heard the Last of Me Moe Bandy Curb
Other top albums