Stella Lefty has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for the first time with “Boston,” giving the singer her first leader on the radio ranking. The song rises one place to the top in its 22nd week on the chart dated Sept. 26, 2026. It also becomes the first No. 1 for Atlantic Outpost, the Atlantic Records imprint launched in July 2025.
“Boston” registered 34.2 million in audience during the Sept. 11–17 tracking period, an 8% increase from the previous week, according to Luminate. The song originally entered the Country Airplay chart in May at No. 53 and has steadily climbed since then.
The milestone also places Lefty among a select group of women who have reached the top of Country Airplay with their first charting entry. Billboard reports that she is the first solo-billed woman to accomplish the feat since Lainey Wilson’s “Things a Man Oughta Know” reached No. 1 in 2021.
“Boston” reached the Country Airplay summit after a 22-week climb, making it the fastest ascent to No. 1 for a debut hit by a woman without credited collaborators in more than two decades. Billboard notes that the previous comparable milestone came with Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman,” which reached No. 1 after 12 weeks in 2004.
The song has also continued to perform strongly outside country radio. On the Billboard Hot 100 dated Sept. 19, “Boston” stands at No. 2, while Lefty has recorded additional chart activity with “Something to Lose,” her collaboration with Vincent Mason. That song moves from No. 47 to No. 45 on Country Airplay, reaching 1.7 million in audience, up 18%.
“Boston” was originally released in March and became Lefty’s breakthrough recording. It was written by Lefty alongside Grace Enger, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Joe Reeves and Noah Kahan. Kahan was subsequently credited as a co-writer after his team contacted Lefty before the song’s official release.
The song’s rise comes after the release of Lefty’s debut projects, including the EP Is This Heaven? and her first full-length album, Long Way Home. Both projects reached the top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Following the release of Long Way Home in August, Lefty also announced her 2027 Long Way Home Tour.
The latest Country Airplay chart also features new top-10 milestones for Dan + Shay and Zach John King. Dan + Shay’s “Say So” climbs three positions to No. 9, giving the duo its 13th top-10 entry, while King’s “Get to Drinkin’” reaches No. 10 for his first top 10 on the chart.
The No. 1 result arrives as “Boston” continues to receive attention across country radio and the wider U.S. charts, extending the song’s chart run several months after its initial release.
