Country Billboard Chart News August 29, 2012

Country Billboard Chart News August 29, 2012

Trey Songz, the 27-year old hip hop, American singer-songwriter, rapper, grabs his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as "Chapter V" debuts atop the list with 134,917 copies sold according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The first Country album on the Top 200 this week is Dustin Lynch. His self-titled debut album bows in at #13 selling 23,077 copies. It's the first debut album to enter the country chart at #1 since Scotty McCreery's CLEAR AS DAY in October 2011, about four months after he won Season 10 of American Idol. Lynch's "Cowboys And Angels" currently rounds out the Top 10 on the Hot Country Songs.

Dustin Lynch



Broken Bow Records artist Dustin Lynch, now 27, saw a lifelong dream come true today as his self-titled, debut album became the #1 Country album in the nation. The Tennessee native moved to Nashville nine years ago.

Not only did the “overnight success” story claim the #1 spot on the chart, the rising star also became the ONLY new male act to have his inaugural album debut at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart (based on Soundscan) in 2012.

The #1 news comes on the heels of learning that his debut single – the sweeping, lyrical epic “Cowboys and Angels” – had surpassed 500,000 in single sales AND soared into the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart.

“Today is honestly one of the best days of my life,” says the 27-year-old Lynch from his home in Nashville. “I moved up here to Nashville right out of high school without knowing a soul. I dreamed of and have been working for this moment my whole life – and to be sitting here with a #1 album just seems unreal. I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough to Country radio, my label and management and all of my fans that come out and support me every night. You’ve made my dreams come true.”

Shortly upon its release at midnight last Tuesday, Dustin Lynch’s self-titled, debut album leapt to the top of the iTunes Country Albums Chart – dominating the chart for 4 straight days.

Lynch kicked off his album release week by performing a live concert for CMT.com to a capacity-brimming crowd at Nashville’s 12th & Porter. The concert – a first in the CMT LISTEN UP franchise – saw a throng of fans lining up outside the venue as early as 2 pm and driving from as far away as Wyoming. Lynch is CMT’s LISTEN UP Artist for September.  Promptly after his CMT.com concert, Lynch headed out on the road for a string of sold-out album release party tour dates, including at Tampa’s Boots N Buckles where the rising star had sold out the 1,000+ capacity venue days in advance.

Since the release of his hit single, “Cowboys and Angels,” Lynch as sold over 511,000 downloads of his debut single and has surpassed over 4 million views on YouTube/ VEVO.

Lynch has been lauded as one of Billboard’s “Most Anticipated Debuts of 2012,” People Country’s “Fresh Faces,” Country Weekly’s “Ones to Watch in 2012,” and the only solo male artist on Nashville Lifestyles’ 2012 “Hot List.” Heavily influenced in his youth by the famed “Class of ‘89” - comprised of such stalwart country singers as Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks and Clint Black – Lynch’s brand of Country is trademarked by his distinctively deep, emotional vocals, and lyrical embodiment of growing up in and people watching in his small hometown of Tullahoma, TN.

Produced by Brett Beavers (Dierks Bentley) and Luke Wooten (Brad Paisley), the self-titled debut album includes 13 tracks – 10 of which were written or co-written by Lynch.

From stories about small town life and escaping from the rat race, to crackerjack up-tempo party anthems, to songs about young love, first times and unrequited heartbreak, Dustin Lynch’s self-titled debut album tells a universal story from start to finish. (Dustin Lynch News) 

Dustin recently sat down with Music News Nashville’s Dan Harr in Marietta, GA. at the Georgia 120 Music Hall, and talked about his mega-hit song “Cowboys and Angels.” After the interview, Dustin sings a beautiful, acoustic version of “Cowboys and Angels” in a video performance provided by Broken Bow Records

>>   YouTube 

Dustin Lynch is currently available as a Amazon UK CD Import getting a general release in America: Amazon.com CD Format – Amazon.com MP3 Downloads

Sitting at #3 this week on the country chart is Lionel Richie with TUSKEGEE who slightly bettered the #4 and #5 albums this week on sales. Lionel’s total tally now stands at 1,001,000 which, finally passing the 1-million mark on retail sales, was enough this week to give the American Music Icon his first Platinum album since THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION from 2003.

Dierks Bentley debuts at #54 on the Top 200 this week (#12 Country) with his COUNTRY & COLD CANS EP . This  four-song EP, came out August 21 and is an iTunes only digital release - UK  iTunes It has charted at #8 on the US iTunes Country album chart.



Dierks Bentley
artwork (iTunes)



We thought we’d celebrate the end of summer and back to shool with an EP of new material that’s about cutting loose,” Dierks said. “It was really inspired by how young and crazy the fans on the Country & Cold Cans Tour were earlier this year.

I’ve written a lot with Jaren [Jaren Johnston from The Cadillac Jack], and we thought it would be fun to get the guys in my band and a couple of cases of beer and go see what happens in the studio. I’m really happy with the tracks, and I think our crowd will dig it.”

Also debuting at #114 on the Top 200 with a #23 Country placement is JT Hodges with his self-titled album Show Dog Universal selling 4K copies.  The album is a diverse collection of soulful ballads, uptempo cuts and story songs, such as the brilliant "Sleepy Little Town," and his recent radio release "Goodbyes Made You Mine."

JT Hodges
Album artwork (Amazon)



"It's an interesting mix," says the performer. "Some of the songs are from a personal experience -- love lost, love gained, that kind of thing -- but I also get a lot of inspiration from observations, and 'Sleepy Little Town' is definitely one of those songs -- observing what can and does go down in a small town when secrets are exposed.

I just look forward to everybody hearing this record. It's a diverse record, but it goes within the frame of what I like to do musically, and what I'm all about as an artist. Hopefully, I will get to make more records like it."

The opener, "Rather Be Wrong Than Lonely” has an old-school Buddy Holly sound. – “I like to call that song my Buddy Holly tribute, but it's still within my style of what I like to do."he says.  (Billboard)

Vince Gill, appears on the track "When I Stop Crying."

Watch the video for "Goodbyes Made You Mine"  >>  YouTube

JT Hodges  is currently available as a - Amazon UK CD Import and generally available in America: Amazon.com CD Format – Amazon.com MP3 Downloads

Mac Powell, the self-titled debut solo and country album project from the Third Day front man sold over 700 copies with a lowly #66 Country chart postion. With Third Day, Powell has already been honoured with being a multi-platinum selling artist and has received, four GRAMMY Awards, American Music Awards, among others. In June, Powell had the opportunity to debut a solo country performance at the 2012 CMA Music Festival in Nashville.

 “I grew up listening to country music,” Powell explained in an interview with Billboard earlier this year. “It was a big part of shaping me musically and I think that’s pretty evident in Third Day music. There’s always been little tinge of it.”

“There have been so many times in the past that I had song ideas that didn’t really fit lyrically or musically with Third Day,” explained Powell in a blog post to fans. “I filed those songs away to the ‘maybe sometime’ category. Well, that time is now. I started working on these songs, and a whole bunch of new ones, off and on about a year ago. Then, I had the chance to record the songs with some really talented musicians. I am very happy with the results, and I cannot wait to share it with you!”

 

Powell recorded the album with producer Jason Hoard, a multi-instrumentalist who has been touring with Third Day for the past two years.

He also enlisted Nashville-based songwriter Brett James (Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” Kenny Chesney’s “Out Last Night,” Chris Young’s “The Man I Want to Be”) to co-write half the album.

Listen to lead single “June Bug”, by streaming at soundcloud.com

Billboard Top 200 (Country Album positions #1 - #24)

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

Albums due to drop

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 

Blake Shelton with “Over” stays  Top of the chart!

Little Big Town with “Pontoon”moves up one, #3 - #2

Josh Turner with ‘Time Is Love” is up one place, #4 -#3

Hunter Hayes with “Wanted” jumps up four, #8 - #4

Love And Theft with former #1, “Angel Eyes” drops #2 - #5

Jana Kramer with “Why Ya Wanna” moves up three, #9 -#6

Keith Urban with “For You” is up three, #10 - #7

Jason Aldean with ‘Take A Little Ride’ is up four, #12 - #8

The Band Perry with “Postcard From Paris” drops #7 - #9

Dustin Lynch with Cowboys And Angels is up one notch, #11 - #10

Zac Brown Band with “The Wind” is up three, #14 - #11

Carrie Underwood with “Blown Away” moves up 4 spots, #16 - #12

Tim McGraw with “Truck Yeah’ is up two, #15 - #13

Easton Corbin with “Lovin’ You Is Fun” jumps up three, #17 -#14

Miranda Lambert with “Fastest Girl In Town” is up, #18 - #15

Lee Brice with “Hard To Love” is up four, #20 -#16

Big & Rich with ‘That’s Why I Pray’, is up , #19 - #17

Rascal Flatts with “Come Wake Me Up” enters the Top 20 at #18

Taylor Swift with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” drops #13 -19

Jake Own with “The One That Got Away” is up five, to land at #20

>>  [LISTEN] Blake Shelton - "Over"

Available from: Amazon UK MP3 – Amazon.com MP3

Country Songs

*** No. 1 *** "Over" Blake Shelton

Greatest Gainer No. 4 “Wanted” Hunter Hayes

Singles Due To Drop

August 27
Claudia Lee/Take My Hand/CLM Enterprises
Lucky Ned Pepper/I Remember The Music/Nine North-Turnpike
Eli Young Band/Say Goodnight/Republic Nashville
Craig Morgan/More Trucks Than Cars/Black River
Tyler Farr/Hello Goodbye/Columbia
Alan Jackson/You Go Your Way/ACR-EMI Nashville

September 4
Darius Rucker/True Believers/Capitol

TOP 30 DIGITAL SINGLES In Country Music (29 August 2012)

Taylor Swift stays at No. 1 for a second week with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," selling 307,000 downloads (down 51%). A second-week drop from its massive 623,000 start and falling short by 70K of achieving a “swift” 2-week Platinum success.  

Last week Taylor Swift's "Never” broke a record formerly held by Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" for the largest first-week digital sales for a song by female artist. Swift's song sold 623K in its first week (6 days of sales), compared to 448K sold in 3 days, before the chart was compiled for "Born This Way".  But this story doesn't end after just one week. Sales of Gaga's song actually increased in Week 2 (jumping by 14%), while sales of Swift's song dropped by 51%. In the first two weeks combined, "Born This Way" sold 957K, compared to 930K for Swift's hit.

So Gaga remains ahead if you look at the first two weeks, rather than just the first week. (Both songs trail Flo Rida's "Right Round," which sold a record 1,096,000 copies in its first two weeks.) Taylor will have a Platinum single in only three weeks, a feat which might be something of a country digital record.

Little Big Town move up one this week to #2, “Pontoon” sold another 79,000 copies to reach a tally of 1,046,000 and thus gain themselves the group’s first ever Platinum single.

Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” dropped to #3 with a 17% drop in sales but such steady numbers should take her to a 1-million Platinum hit in a few months.

Hunter Hayes’, now Platinum single, “Wanted” , stays at number four and Top 5 Airplay radio single hit. Rounding out the Top 5 Digital singles  is Jason Aldean’s “Take A Little Ride”, which having reached a 529,000 total goes Gold. Joining Jason having reached the 500,000 target are Lee Brice’s “Hard To Love,” along with Dustin Lynch with “Cowboys And Angels” from this weeks #1 country debut album and finally Josh Turner at #20 becomes the fourth member of this weeks gold club as his excellent “Time Is Love” reaches 518K sales. This is Josh’s fifth Gold single (the others are “Long Black Train,” “Your Man” “Why Don’t We Just Dance” and “Would You Go With Me”). 

Debut singles this week are Dierks Bentley (#47) with “Country And Cold Cans” while the underrated and lovely Sarah Darling debuts at #50 with “Home To Me”.

(LW) Last Week (TW) This Week