Which song made Kitty Wells the first woman to top Billboard’s country chart in 1952?

Kitty Wells’s 1952 recording “It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” made her the first woman to top Billboard’s country chart.

The song was written by J.D. Miller and answered Hank Thompson’s earlier hit “The Wild Side of Life.” Wells’s recording presented a woman’s perspective on infidelity, unusual for a major country hit of its period.

The subject matter attracted controversy, and some radio stations initially restricted the song. Nevertheless, its success established Wells as a major country star and helped open commercial space for later female artists.

People sometimes confuse this achievement with Wells’s status as the first female country singer to receive other honors. Her chart milestone specifically concerns Billboard’s country singles ranking in 1952.