MIXED MEDIA

Focusing for the first time on country albums rather than singles, Whitburn lists the chart performance of the more than 4,400 collections that have made the Billboard country album chart over the last 33 years.

Besides ranking the dominant album artists (Willie Nelson is far out in front of runner-up Merle Haggard in terms of weeks on the chart and weeks at No. 1) and top individual album accomplishments (Randy Travis’ “Always & Forever” and Garth Brooks’ “No Fences” spent 43 weeks and 41 weeks, respectively, at No. 1), “Top Country Albums” lists every song that has been on a Top 10 album.

The honor for the composition being on the most Top 10 collections goes to Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night”--15 albums, including ones by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

Unfortunately, though, the book doesn’t list every track on every charted album, the way Whitburn’s “Top Pop Albums 1955-1996” does. Still, “Top Country Albums” is an essential addition to any pop reference shelf. It is available by mail order: (800) 827-9810.

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