Album '35 Biggest Hits': The 'peaks' of the legendary Toby Keith

Last week, Toby Keith’s album 35 Biggest Hits re-entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1, after the country music superstar’s death on February 5 from stomach cancer. This is Keith’s 5th No.1 on the chart and the first since 2010.

This greatest hits collection earned 66,000 album-equivalent units in the US in the week ending March 9 (up 953%), according to Luminate.

Career summary

Toby Keith’s previous No.1 was Bullets in the Gun in 2010. He also topped the Billboard 200 with Big Dog Daddy (2007), Shock’N’all (2003) and Unleashed (2002). During his lifetime, Keith had a total of 14 top 10 albums.

Toby Keith on the cover of the compilation album “35 Biggest Hits”

Before 35 Biggest Hits , the last nostalgic album to reach No.1 was Pop Smoke’s Faith in 2021. However, Faith is a new album. The previous collection by a late artist, climbing back to No.1, was Prince’s The Very Best Of in 2016. Speaking of collections specifically, 35 Biggest Hits is the first collection to reach No.1 since Proof by BTS in 2022.

The album 35 Biggest Hits was released in 2008 and reached No.2 on the Billboard 200 on May 24, 2008. It includes 31 of Kieth’s 42 top 10 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart, including 15 of 20 No.1s.

Toby Keith : Click to play and enjoy it!

There are a total of 35 songs, 35 Biggest Hits including 34 recordings from previous albums and only 1 new recording song, She’s a Hottie , released on radio in early 2008. This is the first long-lasting compilation disc. Keith’s entire career. Such an album was possible because Universal Music Group Nashville owns the rights to Keith’s entire music catalog. As of January 2017, the album sold 1,210,900 copies in the US.

Such an expansive album has many meanings both emotionally and musically. In 35 Biggest Hits , the audience meets Keith again from the time when he first became famous, gradually became a star and then a monument. The music went from the soft “hits” of the 1990s and then became bigger and stronger over time.

“Should’ve Been A Cowboy”, the song that paved the way for Toby Keith’s success, is also the opening song of the album “35 Biggest Hits”

Most artists try bold things early in their careers, but Keith is the opposite: he gets bolder and more adventurous as the years go by. Saying that doesn’t mean that the “hits” at the beginning of their career are less good, but simply different.

Listening to 35 Biggest Hits , it’s easy to see how much Keith has changed over time and how great he’s always been. The album is a remarkable overview of a career and a wonderful introduction to a singer who, no matter how brilliant, seems to have a tendency to be underrated.

In 35 Biggest Hits , the audience meets Keith again from the time when he first became famous, gradually became a star and then a monument. The music went from the soft hits of the 1990s to bigger and stronger over time.

American music legend

Toby Keith Covel (July 8, 1961 – February 5, 2024) was an American country singer-songwriter, record producer, actor and businessman. He got his first guitar when he was 8 years old and performed from a young age, at the Supper Club owned by his grandmother.

At school, Keith was more active in sports than music. After graduating from high school, he strived to become an oil field supervisor. At the same time, at the age of 20, he formed the band Easy Money with his friends, performing in nightclubs and restaurants. Many times, he had to leave in the middle of a show if he was called to the oil field.

In 1982, the Oklahoma oil industry was in recession and Keith soon lost his job. He returned to playing rugby for the semi-professional team the Drillers while still performing with the band. Ultimately, he decided to focus entirely on music, even though his friends and family were skeptical about his ability to succeed.

Country music superstar Toby Keith

Thanks to his talent and perseverance, Keith gradually built a fan community and got a contract with a record label. Keith’s debut single, Should’ve Been a Cowboy , reached No.1 on the Hot Country Songs chart in the US Billboard in 1993, paving the way for a vast career ahead.

During the 1990s, he released four studio albums with Mercury Records, Toby Keith (1993), Boomtown (1994), Blue Moon (1996) and Dream Walkin ‘ (1997), as well as the Greatest Hits Volume One collection. . All are certified gold or higher.

Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1998, Keith released his breakthrough single How Do You Like Me Now?! in late 1999. The song – the title of his 1999 album of the same name – was the number one country song of 2000.

His next three albums, Pull My Chain , Unleashed and Shock’n Y’all , all reached No.1 Billboard 200 and were certified 4× Platinum.

After DreamWorks closed in 2005, Keith founded the Show Dog Nashville record label, which merged with Universal South in 2009. Through the label, he released 10 more studio albums.

In total, during his career, Keith has released 19 studio albums, 2 Christmas albums and 5 compilation albums, selling more than 40 million records worldwide. He has been nominated for Grammy 7 times, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by the US President in 2021.

In addition to music, Keith also began acting in 2006 with the movie Broken Bridges . He acted with comedian Rodney Carrington in the film Beer for My Horses (2008) – inspired by his song of the same name. Not only that, he is also a cool celebrity in many fields such as music, restaurants, drinks, clothes… In 2013, he was on the cover of Forbes magazine with the introduction: “The village’s $500 million man.” country music”. In many periods, his income was higher than famous musicians like Jay-Z and Beyonce.

In his personal life, Keith married the love of his youth Tricia Lucus in 1984. They have three children, including country artist Krystal Keith.

Throughout his life, Keith was also an avid sports fan and philanthropist. He made great contributions to activities supporting pediatric cancer patients and restoring music education in disadvantaged public schools in the US.

As a strong person, Toby Keith still cannot overcome his illness. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer at the end of 2021 and passed away in his sleep in his hometown on February 5, at the age of 62. Many country legends expressed their sadness at this loss. The state of Oklahoma also flew its flag at half-mast all day on February 6 “as a way to show respect and mourning the passing of American music legend Toby Keith”.

Top 10 Albums on the Billboard 200 chart last week