Country Billboard Chart News August 15, 2012

Country Billboard Chart News August 15, 2012

The "Now That's What I Call Music!" franchise collects its 16th No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 as "Now 43" arrives atop the list. The set sold 111,322 copies in its first week according to Nielsen SoundScan.

This week’s top Country album Colt Ford's DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE lands at No. 5, with a career-high sales week of 31,130. The album leapt up from No. 67 to No. 1, giving Ford his first chart-topper on that tally. (The album arrived early a week ago, after sales caused by street-date violations pushed it onto the list.)

Colt Ford’s album on his Average Joes Entertainment label marks the first time an independent record label has landed the Country Album #1 slot since Aaron Lewis hit #1 in March of 2011 with Town Line.

Colt Ford
Album artwork (Amazon)

This Colt Ford's fourth studio album Declaration Of Independence is the artist's first top 10 album. His last two albums were CHICKEN & BISCUITS (#28 in 2010) and EVERY CHANCE I GET (#26 in 2011). Ford “drives off” last weeks #1 Zac Brown Band's UNCAGED, which falls #2 - #6 on the Top 200 with just over 31,000 sales (down 21%). Ford has co-written a pair of #1 singles on the Hot Country Songs chart: Jason Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem" and Brantley Gilbert's "Country Must Be Country Wide." (Aldean returned the favor: He is featured on Ford's "Drivin' Around Song," which enters Hot Digital Songs at #60 this week.)

Incidentally, Ford is the second artist with that surname to land a top 10 album on The Billboard 200. "Tennessee" Ernie Ford amassed five top 10 albums from 1957 to 1960.

"I just can’t thank my fans enough for making this record No. 1," says an emotional Ford. "I believed this was my best album yet, and my fans have just proved I was right.  Today is a great day and I am so blessed."

The critics agree with Ford and his fans. The Associated Press says, "Ford not only illustrates that country music can continue to draw on other contemporary musical styles, he also shows that modern-era rednecks can mix with the rest of the world, too."

"…between the high-powered guests and his dead-on takes of small-town life, this album will resonate long after the novelty wears off." USA Today

"…it simply sounds like a natural representation of the South." Billboard

"He marries country and hip-hop components with the finesse of a veteran diplomat." MSN Music

"He truly is a rough-edged but good-natured country boy who knows exactly what he's talking about, and he knows that there's more to life than partying. And just like before, he knows how to prove that country and rap are two great tastes that taste great together."    (Average Joes Entertainment Press)

Colt Fords’s Declaration of Independence is available at: 

Amazon UK MP3 Downloads - Amazon.com CD Format (Deluxe Edition) - Amazon.com MP3 (Deluxe Edition)

Further down the Top 200 chart at #18 (#5 Country) is Kenny Chesney latest album WELCOME TO THE FISHBOWL. This week’s sales of 15,000 copies, takes him past the 400K mark within 8 weeks of its release.

Debutting at 125 on the Top 200 (3000 copies sold) and landing a #28 position on the country chart is THE GREATEST: NUMBER ONE HITS, the latest collection released in 2012 which celebrates Johnny Cash’s anniversary of life. The late country great would have been 80 this year. 

Billboard Top 200 (Country Album positions #1 - #20)

(LW) Last Week. (TW) This Week, Co (Country Album Chart placing)

Albums due to drop

August 21
JT Hodges/JT Hodges/Show Dog-Universal
Dierks Bentley/Country & Cold Cans EP/Capitol
Dustin Lynch/Dustin Lynch/Broken Bow
The World Famous Headliners/Big Al Anderson, Shawn Camp, Pat McLaughlin, Michael Rhodes, Greg Morrow/Big Yellow Dog Music
Mac Powell/Mac Powell/Indie

August 28
Caroline Herring/Camilla/Signature Sounds
Jerry Salley/Showing My Age/Very Jerry
The Flatlanders/The Odessa Tapes/New West

The Roys/New Day Dawning/Rural Rhythm

BILLBOARD HOT COUNTRY SINGLES NEWS

Nashville, TN – Duo Love and Theft (Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson) hold the No. 1 spot this week on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and Country Aircheck with their RCA Nashville debut single “Angel Eyes.”

Released on November 14, 2011 it has taken 39 weeks to bag them a Billboard #1. It was written by one half of the duo Eric Gunderson along with Jeff Coplan and Eric Paslay.

Love and Theft
Single artwork



 The duo is celebrating two career milestones they have achieved over the past few days. Last Thursday, they received the news that “Angel Eyes” has been certified gold by R.I.A.A. and TODAY, “Angel Eyes” hit the top of the charts and is Love and Theft’s first No. 1 single.

“Thanks to my co-writers Jeff Coplan and Eric Paslay for changing my life and letting me write this song with them,” says Love and Theft’s Eric Gunderson. “I guess dreams really do come true! A No. 1 song and a gold single in one week is so exciting. Thank you to the amazing RCA promo team! They are the best and we are so fortunate to be working with them. This is one week that I will never forget.”

Stephen says, “I can't believe it! I'm truly humbled and grateful. Thank you so much to RCA, country radio, and all our fans for making one of our biggest dreams come true.”   (Sony Press Release)

[LISTEN] Love And Theft  "Angel Eyes"

The track is available for Download at Amazon UK MP3  -   Amazon.com MP3

Renowned Music Producer Josh Leo Celebrates 23 Number One Songs

Renowned music producer, Josh Leo is celebrating his 23rd #1 song!  Leo has either produced or written 23 #1 songs in his career as a songwriter, producer and musician.  He has written six #1 songs and has countless Platinum and Gold album production credits to his name, but he’s also played on albums for everyone from the Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmit and Glenn Frey, to Kim Carnes and Rita Coolidge, and discovered talents like Martina McBride along the way during his thirty-plus years in the music business.

This single is his most recent success.  Leo produced their newself titled album which has now spawned the duo’s very first #1 song, and Leo’s 23rd.

“Love and Theft is a TRUE duo!! Two great singers, songwriters and performers that equally carry the weight! I’m very fortunate to be given the opportunity to work with such talented REAL people!” says Leo.

“Josh Leo is the man!  He is a legend and it has been such a pleasure to work with him.  We are so honored to be a part of his 23rd #1 song.  We look forward to making music with Josh for years to come!” says Eric Gunderson.

“Josh Leo!!!!  Our other dad!!!  I couldn’t be more happy for him to land his 23rd #1 record.  We are honored to work with him and blessed to call him our friend.  Congrats Josh!” comments Stephen Barker Liles.

Leo’s #1 is not his only success this week. He is also celebrating “Cowboys and Angels,” by Broken Bow recording artist Dustin Lynch which stands at #11.  Leo co-wrote the song with Tim Nichols and Lynch.

(Source - Music News Nashville)

Love And Theft with “Angel Eyes” is up one to Top of the chart!

Glorianna with “(Kissed You) Good Night”, is up one spot, #3 - #2

Kenny Chesney with last weeks #1 “Come Over”, drops to #3

Blake Shelton with “Over” stays at #4

Little Big Town with “Pontoon” sticks at #5

Josh Turner with ‘Time Is Love” is up one, #7 -#6

The Band Perry with “Postcard From Paris” is down one place, #6 -#7

Jana Kramer with “Why Ya Wanna” is up 1 spot, #9 -#8

Keith Urban with “For You” is up one place #10 - #9

Hunter Hayes with “Wanted” is up one, #11 - #10

Dustin Lynch with Cowboys And Angels is up one notch to #11

Zac Brown Band with “The Wind” is up #13 - #12

Jason Aldean with ‘Take A Little Ride’ jumps up 2, #15 - #13

Tim McGraw with “Truck Yeah’ says at  #14

Thompson Square with “Glass” is up one place #16 - #15

Easton Corbin with “Lovin’ You Is Fun” moves up 1, #17 -#16

Carrie Underwood with “Blown Away” moves up 3 places, #20 - #17

Miranda Lambert with “Fastest Girl In Town” is up,  #19 -#18

Big & Rich with ‘That’s Why I Pray’ drops from #18 - #19

Lee Brice with “Hard To Love” enters the Top 20, #22- #20

Country Songs

*** No. 1 *** "Angel Eyes" Love And Theft

Greatest Gainer No. 10 Wanted" Hunter Hayes

Single Releases

August 13
One Night Rodeo/Real Good/Fox Hill
Bucky Covington with Shooter Jennings/Drinking Side of Country/eOne

August 20
Flynnville Train/The One You Love/Whiskey Bent-Flying Island

Dierks Bentley/Tip It On Back/Capitol
Taylor Swift/We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together/Big Machine
Tommy Dalton/Talk Me Down

TOP 30 DIGITAL  SINGLES In Country Music (15 August 2012)

Little Big Town’s hit of the Summer “Pontoon” remains at #1 for another week shifting another 93,000 copies

Helped by more TV exposure on NBC’s The Today Show Carrie Underwood’s single “Blown Away” at #2 , gained nearly an 11% increase (72K sold) and will hit the gold mark next week.

go m jumps 8 slots to #3 from #11 last week. sold another 65,000 digital copies earning a 81% weekly sales boost.

“Wanted” from Hunter Hayes is at #3 and he is fast closing in on a Platinum single.

Rounding out the Top 10 are Gloriana who are now within a mere 1000 copies of selling ¾ of a million singles of  “(Kissed You) Good Night.” They’ve now sold!

Colt Ford has the Riser of the Week and now has two singles in Top 30. Debutting at #12 with 30,000 sales is Colt Ford and Jason Aldean’s “Drivin’ Around Song”. The song, is included on Colt Ford’s Country Chart-topping album DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. ” Colt’s second and lead-off single“Back”  moves up 7 places to break the Top 30 jumping up to #25.

Jana Kramer’s “Why Ya Wanna” at #15, has with 503K copies now sold secured Gold status. Congrats to her!

Next week Taylor Swift looks set to smash new single break chart records with revised sales now projected to be 600K for “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”, the lead-off single from her album RED due out in late October. It’s now so famous in 3 days after its late night Aug 13th release; it’s abbreviated to “Never”! No prizes for guessing who will be number one!

(LW) Last Week  (TW) This Week