This is a list of Billboard magazine's ranking of the year's top country and western singles of 1961. Johnny Horton's "The Battle of New Orleans" ranked as the year's No. 1 country and western record. It was released in April 1959, spent 10 weeks at the No. 1 spot, and remained on Billboard's country and western chart for 21 weeks. It was also the No. 1 record of 1961 on the year-end pop chart. "The Three Bells" by The Browns ranked No. 2 on the year-end country and western chart. It also ranked No. 7 on the year-end pop chart.