30 Years Ago, This Country Legend Scored Their First No. 1 Album
On March 26, 1996, Canadian country music star Shania Twain landed her first No. 1 album on the Billboard Country Albums chart, The Woman in Me.
The Woman in Me was her second full-length album release, and it quickly became her top-selling record after catapulting her to international stardom. The album sold approximately 4 million units in its first year, with the total rising to 20 million in the decades since.
Twain's self-titled first studio album was released in 1993 and only reached No. 67 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, with none of the lead singles landing a place in the Top 40. It was a commercial disappointment, but has since been reevalutated following Twain's later success.
The Woman in Me was carried to success by eight lead singles—several of which also peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart. These included "Any Man of Mine" and "(If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here!", which remain two of Twain's most popular songs today.
The album was written in collaboration with Twain's then-husband Robert John Lange, who reportedly influenced the artist to adopt a more pop-driven, commercially accessible sound that ultimately allowed her to break into the industry. In her memoir, From This Moment On, Twain admitted that many studio executives were concerned she'd adopted a "less country" sound that abandoned the Nashville style.
Ultimately, it proved to be the right choice as The Woman in Me was an international chart-topping success that cemented Twain as one of the leading voices in modern country music. The record has been credited as one of the most influential country albums of all time (via UDiscover Music), with several modern artists clearly drawing inspiration from its sound.
In 2006, CMT ranked The Woman In Me at No. 8 on their list of the 40 Greatest Albums in Country Music, which is a testament to how just how powerful and enduring this collection of modern country classics is.
Despite all this critical acclaim, The Woman in Me was still just the first step of Shania Twain's career. Her next album, Come on Over, topped the Billboard Country Albums chart again and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Its lead singles "Man! I Feel Like A Woman" and "That Don't Impress Me Much" both landed in the Top 10 of the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart.