Country Billboard Chart
News March 20, 2014
In Brief: Billboard Country Charts
Country Album Chart ** No. 1
(1 week) "Spring Break 6 … Like We Ain't Ever"
Luke Bryan
Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (1 week) ** “This Is How Me Roll” Florida
Georgia Line feat Luke Bryan
Country Airplay ** No. 1 (1 week) *** “Helluva Life” Frankie
Ballard
Country Digital Songs **
No.1 (1 week) ** “This Is How Me Roll” Florida Georgia Line feat Luke Bryan
Billboard Top
200 / Country Album Chart News
The "Frozen" soundtrack returned to #1
on the Billboard Top 200 Albums
(BB200) with sales of 99,242 copies.
This is its sixth week on top. That's the longest that any soundtrack has held
the top spot since "Titanic" stayed on top for 16 weeks in 1998. This
is the album's 12th consecutive week in the top five. "Frozen" is the
first soundtrack from a theatrically-released movie to spend 12 or more weeks
in the top five since "City Of Angels" had a 16-week run from April
to August 1998.
Making a bow No.2
on BB200 was Luke Bryan's "Spring Break 6 … Like We Ain't Ever" EP (Capitol
Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville) with 74,296 copies sold.
The EP entered the Top Bilboard Country Albums
at #1, displacing Eli Young Band's "10,000 Towns" which dropped to No.34 on BB200/ No.8 Country
with sales down 75% in their second week. Luke’s new digital-exclusive set is
the latest in the country star's spring break-themed EPs, which launched in
2009 with "Spring Break With All My Friends."
Luke Bryan off the top place as His 4 Track EP
titled “Spring Break 4: Suntan City” had first week sales of
29,996 and debuted at #2 Country with
younger fans drawn to and down loading his new music. Last year, he topped the
chart on March 14, 2013 with "Spring Break … Here to Party," (which
was a compilation of previously released tracks from the series. It sold 149,515 copies which at the time marked
his best sales week.
The new release
is Bryan’s fourth No.1 on Top Country Albums, as well as his eighth top 10.
Dating to his debut on the Sept. 1, 2007, list, only Toby Keith has logged more
top 10s (nine). (Keith has notched 21 top 10s overall.) Bryan’s new EP is
economically priced, selling for $6.99 in the iTunes and Amazon MP3 stores.
The project came out the same day as Luke kicked off
his annual two-day run of free concerts at Spinnakers in Panama City Beach, FL.
Luke says, "These special EP’s all
began as a way to get new music out to the fans between studio projects. I feel like year after year we get a little
bit better at writing for this. I think
with these new songs I would be proud to put them on any album we release.
Critical
reception for “'Spring Break 6...Like We Ain't Never”:
hitfix.com At 37, Luke Bryan is old
enough to be the young dad of kids heading to Spring Break and, yet, for the
past several years, he’s reverted back to his 18-year-old self and released a
Spring Break EP each March: the mini-albums contain six or so tunes that serve
as an aural scrapbook for anyone hitting the beach for sun, surf, girls and beer.
Taste Of Country ....Luke Bryan’s sixth spring
break EP isn’t so much a party album as it is a project for short-term lovers.
Bryan explores the romantic side of Spring Break during ‘Like
any of the rest rely on stories that are equally
compelling. ‘Night One’ is a white hot love story that asks what it would have
been like if the two young lovers met early during their trip, and not toward
the middle or end.... ‘The Sand I Brought to the Beach’ takes a familiar
phrase and uses it to tell a story of what happens when that sand (a woman in
this case) splits because she doesn’t care for the party. This last song is
best representative of the six, as it’s a fun story that’s not particularly
difficult to understand the first time through.
Roughstock (4 STARS) .....The EP is the largest he’s released yet (outside of his regular albums)
and that gives Luke more room to connect with his audience, particularly on the
title track, a song as strong as anything on his albums and in fact, this one
was written from his perspective as the entertainer entertaining these young
kids out to party during their spring break from University. “Night One” is a
sweet little song of youthful lust masked as love on the final night and the
feelings of wanting to have met his Spring Break girlfriend on ‘night one’
instead. “Are You Leaving With Him” is another song that could hit one of
Luke’s regular albums (it’s less ‘spring break themed’) but in reality, any of
these songs could’ve been part of his albums if not reserved for the annual
EPs. While these aren’t meant to be serious or heavy albums, it is still nice
that an artist of Luke Bryan’s stature continues to record music which he has
no intention of releasing to radio (outside maybe SiriusXM) and which also come
out like clockwork, usually right between album release cycles. It’s a smart,
fun collection of songs which no doubt is appreciated by his core audience,
many of whom started out following the superstar at a Spring Break concert six
or more years ago.
Sara Evans nabs her fourth top 10 album as SLOW ME DOWN (RCA) starts at No. 9 on the BB200 (#2 Country)
selling 26,509 copies.
It's also her
fourth straight top 10 set, stretching back to 2005's No.3 on the BB200 (#1
Country) with hit REAL FINE PLACE (69,486
copies sold). Back on the 16th March 2011 she debuted at #1 on the Country chart album
with a successful comeback after a five year absence when STRONGER (RCA) sold 55,193 copies.
Promoting the new album “Hometown
shows are always the most nervous I get," Sara said on Thursday's (3/6) album launch party
for Slow Me Down in Birmingham. With a combination of live performances and
playbacks of recorded songs, Evans debuted the tracks from the new album,
giving a backstory on each. Evans co-wrote three songs on the project,
including "If I Run," which she and her band performed live for the
first time at the party. "Slow Me Down," is notable for many good
reasons -- not the least of which being her selection of duet partners for
several of the set's songs..
Evans says her cover of
Gavin DeGraw's "Not Over You" with DeGraw on harmonies is her
favorite cut on the album and possibly her favorite song she's ever recorded.
Vince Gill appears on "Better Off" which Evans calls, "the most
country song I've ever recorded." She says it reminds her of a Patty
Loveless song. The Fray's Isaac Slade appears on "Can't Stop Loving You".
Sara was going through a
roller coaster of emotions as her new album, Slow Me Down, hit the marketplace.
"You feel a lot of things, you know,
like excitement, nervousness, exhaustion," Sara told ABC News Radio.
"'Cause it's a lot of work and a lot
of build up because you want everyone in the world to know about it and go buy
it because you're so proud, and I have been working so hard on this project."
Critical
reception for “Slow Me Down”
Billboard
by Chuck Dauphin .. for her newest
release, she shakes things up from a musical level once more. The title track
hit Country Radio with a vengeance late in 2013, and its’ dramatic arrangement
had the word “crossover” written all over it.... If you love the power and
passion of the title cut, you’re going to love this album. Evans and producer
Mark Bright have assembled a strong collection of material here – much of which
has that same feel. “You Never Know” and “Gotta Have You” are strong
indications of the direction of the album, as is the springtime-flavored “Put
My Heart Down” and “Sweet Spot,”.... Vince Gill (an Evans good luck charm –
having added harmonies to her 1998 breakthrough “No Place That Far”) adds some
soaring notes on the very traditional “Better Off.”...Sara Evans knows her
strength, and Slow Me Down gives her a chance to show it off. She sounds better
than she ever has on the record, and Bright’s production allows her vocals to
be front and center. I think we’re going to be in for a big career resurgence
for one Country’s most talented and beautiful women!
Roughstock
(Rating: 3 STARS) It’s not objective
journalism to admit this, but I’m a sucker for certain singing voices. Sara
Evans is one of these. Thus, that wonderful catch in Evans’ voice, when
accompanied by Vince Gill’s high and lonesome harmonies, sweetened all the
more
with traditional country fiddle on “Better Off,” is simply irresistible. Ah, if only everything on this latest
full-length album included the same time-tested Country music values. Even when
Evans goes for straight pop-country, as happens during “Can’t Stop Loving You,”
a duet with The Fray’s Isaac Slade, she’s somewhat effective – even though the
traditional music fan in my blood much prefers the A-list vocalist getting more
down home... The way she spars with a Dobro counterpart during “Good Love Is
Hard to find,” in contrast, is simply heavenly.....However, those still trying
to keep the flame of traditional country music alive will have problems with
the mixed messages sent out via this latest full-length. Evans sounds to be
going in two different directions at the same time... Therefore, Sara, please
slow down and pick a side. Choose well, because a beautiful, natural singing
voice is a terrible thing to waste.
 |
| Sara Evans in 2011 |
Allmusic (Rating: 4 STARS)
A reunion with producer Mark Bright, who produced her 2005 album Real
Fine Place, may suggest Sara Evans is returning to the country on her 2014
record Slow Me Down, but a better indication of the sound of this album is in
its artwork. The glamour shot showcasing Evans' long legs in all their glory is
hardly down-home and neither is Slow Me Down. ... All this suggests how
thoroughly pop Slow Me Down is. Forget country-pop -- this is an adult
contemporary pop
album through and
through....Certainly, fans hoping that Evans will return to country music will
be disappointed, but Slow Me Down is something that is rare in 2014: an
unapologetic, big-scale adult pop album, constructed with grace and care.
Veteran country
icon Don Williams debuts with REFLECTIONS (Sugar
Hill/ WELK) at No124 BB200 (#19 Country).
He moved some 3,000 copies of the
album despite no radio airplay or much national press exposure in America. It
debuted at No.1 on the UK Official Country Chart on Sunday 16th March. On June
27, 2012 Williams’ first new album in 8
years AND SO IT GOES made its debut
at #99 on the BB200 and had a similar bow at No.20 on the country chart.
Released by Sugar Hill Records on June 19th 2012 it sold 4,751 copies also without
any radio support.
Critical
reception for “Reflections” :
10 Tracks CD - UK iTunes - Smart Choice Music
MICHAEL McCall AP ...Don Williams is on a
roll, once again. After talk of retirement — he even embarked on a farewell
tour in 2006 — the Country Music Hall of Fame member suddenly is busy again,
releasing his second album in the last two years with "Reflections."
If anything, the new collection is an even better reminder of Williams' special
gifts than 2012's comeback album, "And So It Goes." Sounding as
lively and engaging as the laid-back 74-year-old is likely to get, Williams
picks out an outstanding collection of songs, including those by his old
favorite Townes Van Zandt ("I'll Be Here In The Morning"), Guy Clark
("Talk Is Cheap, co-written with Chris Stapleton
and Morgane Hayes), Merle Haggard (the classic "Sing Me Back Home")
and Jesse Winchester ("If I Were Free"). "Reflections" was
co-produced with a deft touch by Williams' longtime studio partner Garth
Fundis. He captures the veteran singer's rich voice — sounding as smooth and
subtly emotional as ever — and backs him with the tasteful, restrained
contributions of a stellar studio band. "Reflections" is a perfect
title from a man who continues to represent the timeless strengths of good
country music.
Allmusic (Rating: 4 STARS) ....There
are no originals here, but they weren't necessary.... Doug Gill's quiet anthem
"Stronger Back," become as intimate as a kitchen table conversation.
In the humble, mellifluous grain of his voice, Williams' gifts as an
interpreter allow him to impart the poetry and wisdom in these songs directly,
and in their own way, powerfully. At 74, he is in assured command of his voice,
and better understands the deeper well it resonates from.
In his second week on the chart David Nail with I’M A FIRE fell 13-39 on the BB200 (#3 - #9 Country) with sales of 8,000 copies, down 66% on his first week bow,
when he shifted 23,434.
2014 Country Album sales Year-To
Date:
6,330,000 (Physical sales 4,124,000 (down 9%) + Digital
sales 2,207,000 (down 8.1%)) which is 15.5% down at the same point in 2013 (7,488,000
sales)
Billboard Top 200 / Country Album
Placings
(Issue dated Chart week of March 29, 2014)
(Country Album positions #1 - #25)
(TW) This Week, (LW) Last
Week, Co (Country Album Chart placing / Movement)
Billboard Catalog Chart
** Hot Shot
Debut **
#11 Hunter Hayes - Hunter Hayes
Wondering where Hunter
Hayes is on the Country
Album chart? Well his self titled
album (Atlantic) which was first released on October 11, 2011 has migrated to
The Catalog Album Chart. The album was followed up with an Expanded edition
titled ENCORE, released April 7, 2013. Hayes’ album was certified platinum by
the RIAA on August 8, 2013 and to date has moved 1.114 million copies. It is
still charting on the Billboard 200 at #108. Billboard magazine ranks the best
selling catalog titles, regardless of genre and defines a catalog title as one
that is more than 18-months old and that has fallen below position 100
on the Billboard 200. Albums which meet this criteria are removed from the
Billboard Current Albums rankings and begin a new chart runs on Top Pop Catalog
Albums.
Top 25 Hot Country Songs (week of March
29, 2014)
On Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart - which blends:
a)
All-format airplay, as monitored by BDS
b) Sales,
as tracked by Nielsen SoundScan and
c) Streaming,
(tracked by Nielsen BDS from such services as
Spotify, Muve, Slacker, Rhapsody, Rdio and Xbox Music, among others) according
to BDS it results in:
- Florida Georgia Line
became the first duo in nearly 22 years to notch at least three Hot
Country Songs No.1s from a debut full-length album, as “This Is How We Roll” (featuring Luke Bryan) rose
2-1 with dual Digital and Streaming Gainer honors. The song is the third
No. 1 from the twosome’s introductory album, HERE’S TO THE GOOD TIMES
(Republic Nashville/Big Machine Label Group), which has sold 1.7 million
copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Lead track “Cruise” led for a
record 24 weeks beginning with the Dec. 22, 2012, chart, and fourth radio
single “Stay” reigned for six frames beginning with the Dec. 14, 2013,
chart. (In between, “Get Your Shine On” and “Round Here” peaked at Nos. 5
and 3, respectively.) “Roll” appears on the deluxe version of Here’s to
the Good Times, released in November. FGL are the first twosome to tally
at least three No.1s on the HCS chart from a debut release since Brooks
& Dunn arrived with four from its debut set, Brand New Man, in 1991
(when the chart was solely airplay-based). The chart’s new leader moved 2-1
on Country Digital Songs seling 80,000 units (up 37%) and rocketed 11-2 on
Country Streaming Songs (1.2 million U.S. streams, up 92 percent,
according to Nielsen BDS) as the survey period encompassed the first full
week following the song’s >> official video release (March 8). Luke Bryan now bags his seventh Hot
Country Songs No.1.
Top 25 Hot Country Songs:
Florida Georgia Line
feat Luke Bryan with “This Is How Me
Roll” TOP the Chart, #2 - #1 p
Brantley Gilbert with last weeks No1
“Bottoms Up” slipped, #1 -
#2 q
Blake Shelton with “Doin’ What She Likes” stays at #3
Keith Urban with “Cop Car” climbs two, #6 - #4 p
Dierks Bentley with “Hold On” stays at #5
Jerrod Niemann with “Drink To That All Night” is up three, #9 - #6 p
Eric Church with “Give
Me Back My Hometown” is up one, #8 - #7 p
Frankie Ballard with “Helluva Life” jumps up four, #12 - #8 p
Jason Aldean with “When She Says Baby” is down five, #4 - #9 q
Thomas Rhett with “Get Me
Some Of That” is up three, #13 - #10 p
Rascal Flatts with “Rewind” climbs three, #14 - #11 p
Randy Houser with “Goodnight Kiss” is up four, #16 -
#12 p
Luke Bryan with former No.1 “Drink A Beer” falls two, #11 - #13 q
Lady Antebellum with “Compass” points downwards, #7 - #14 q
Dan + Shay with “19 You + Me” stays at #15
Thompson Square with “Everything I Shouldn’t Be Thinking About” is
up, #17 - #16 p
Brett Eldredge with “Beat Of The Music” is up one, #18 - #17 p
Luke Bryan with “Play It Again” jumps
up seven, #25 - #18 p
Miranda Lambert with “Automatic” is up one, #20 - #19 p
Florida Georgia Line with former No.1 “Stay” is down one, #19 - #20 q
Justin Moore with “Lettin’ The Night Roll” stays at #21
Sara Evans with “Slow Me Down” is up one, #23 - #22 p
Hunter Hayes with “Invisible” is down one, #22 - #23 q
Jake Owen with “Beachin’”
is up four, #28 - #24 p
Tim McGraw with “Lookin’ For That Girl” moves up four,
#29 - #25 p
Hot County
Songs
** No.1 (1 week)/
Digital & Streaming Gainer ** “This Is How We Roll” Florida Georgia Line feat Luke Bryan
** Airplay Gainer ** No.18 “Play
It Again” Luke Bryan
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.31 “Good
Lookin’ Girl” Luke
Bryan
Debut No.36 “She Get Me High” Luke Bryan
Debut No.37
“Like We Ain’t Ever” Luke Bryan
Debut No.40
“Wild Card” Hunter Hayes
Debut No.47
“Chainsaw” The Band Perry
Debut No.50 “He Ain’t Gonna Change” Connie Britton & Hayden Panettiere
Debut No.50 “He Ain’t Gonna Change” Connie Britton & Hayden Panettiere
Billboard
Country Airplay Chart Week of March 29, 2014
Frankie Ballard scored his first No.1 on Billboard’s
Nielsen BDS-based Country Airplay chart, as “Helluva Life” (Warner Bros./WAR) jumped 4-1 in its 35th week. In
his prior two chart visits, both in 2011, “Tell Me You Get Lonely” reached
No.33 and “A Buncha Girls” rose to No.27. “Helluva Life” was written by Rodney
Clawson, Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear and released by Warner Bros.back on July
29, 2013.
At 35 weeks,
“Life” ties David Nail’s “Whatever She’s Got” (MCA Nashville) for the longest
trip to the top completed this year. Meanwhile, its three-spot vault to No.1 is
the greatest since Blake Shelton’s “Mine Would Be You” also surged 4-1 on the
Nov.16, 2013, survey. Ballard told Billboard last month that he knew that
“Life,” the lead single from his sophomore album, Sunshine &
Whiskey, “was going to touch people and speak to their
journey, but I had no idea it would be the reaction that it has been. “This
song speaks to things like hope and getting up every day and putting one foot
in front of the other no matter what kind of curveballs life throws you,”
he continues. “People have really made
the story their own.”
The new set has
so far peaked at its No.5 debut on the March 1 Top Country Albums chart.
“Life” logged 41.990 million audience impressions
(+3.945 million) and received 6,707 radio
plays (+703). Top local audience contributors for in the March 10-16 tracking
week were: KKGO Los Angeles (1.4
million impressions), KKBQ Houston
(923,000), KPLX Dallas (893,000).
Luke Bryan with "Play It Again" took home the weeks “Most
Increased Audience” and
“Most Added”
trophies. The song logged 8.664
million audience impressions, a gain of 4.644
million, receiving 1,216 radio plays (+682) thanks to 35 fresh radio
commitments (ADDS) .
David Nail blew in with "Kiss You Tonight" at No.54 to gain some “Hot
Shot Debut” love at
radio.
Swedish DJ Avicii (born Tim Bergling) makes a noteworthy
debut on Country Airplay, as “Hey
Brother” (PRMD/Island/ IDJMG) bows at
No.59. Despite its club-ready beats, there’s a clear connection to Nashville in
the song: Its uncredited vocal is from Union Station’s Dan
Tyminski, whose
W*H*E*E*L*S topped Bluegrass Albums in 2008. Last week, “Brother” crowned
Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, displaced Avicii’s own “Wake Me
Up!” after a record 26-week reign.
Women of
Country 2014 Watch:
Miranda Lambert at No.18 ("Automatic"), Sara
Evans at No.22 (“Slow Me
Down”) were the only 2 solo female artists in the Top 30 Country Airplay
songs. Sheryl Crow #32, Lucy Hale #53, Kelleigh Bannen at #55, Kacey Musgraves
#56 and Maggie Rose #58 were an additional five females in the remaining 31-60
slots, to make it 11.7% of the top 60 chart.
Country
Airplay
*** No. 1 (1
week) *** "Helluva Life" Frankie Ballard
** Most
Increased Audience / Most Added ** No.28
"Play It Again" Luke Bryan
** Hot Shot Debut ** No. 54 "Kiss You Tonight" David Nail
** Hot Shot Debut ** No. 54 "Kiss You Tonight" David Nail
Debut No. 56
"Keep It To Yourself" Kacey Musgraves
Debut No. 59
"Hey Brother" Avicii
Billboard
Country Digital Singles Chart Week of March 29, 2014
- Florida Georgia Line with “This Is How We
Roll” (featuring Luke Bryan) rose 2-1 to top of Country Digital
Songs. Sales of 80,000 were up 37% on the previous week and the single is
now GOLD
sweeping past the ½-million mark.
- Brantley Gilbert’s “Bottoms Up” switched places (2-1)
with FGL after 4 weeks at #1.
- Luke Bryan’s “Play It Again” jumped up 18-6 after a 66% sales spike. Bryan
has three other Top 30 digital singles this week including “Good
Lookin’ Girl” (#18) and “She
Get Me High” (#26) from the new Spring Break EP set.
- David Nail’s single “Whatver She’s Got” at #12 hit PLATINUM
with sales having reached 1,012,000 units
in 33 chart weeks.
- Lady Antebellum with “Compass” at #22 have now hit GOLD having shifted 506,000
sales in 23 weeks
- Hunter Hayes with new album now at pre-order
status generated a 62% increase for “Invisible”
whilst new single “Wild Card”
debuted at #27 with first week sales of 15,000.
Women Of Country Watch
Only 1 solo female artist is on
the Top 25 placings:
Miranda Lambert with her new single "Automatic" in its fifth week at
retail sold 14K and moved 26-25
Dropping off the Top 30:
29-32 Tyler Farr “Whiskey In My Water”
28-33 Florida Georgia Line “Stay”
21-34 Lee Brice “I Don’t Dance”
24-46 Dan + Shay “What You Do To Me”
Top 30 Digital Singles in Country Music
(published March 19, 2014)
(LW) Last Week
(TW) This Week
*Numbers are
rounded to nearest 1000th
Country
Aircheck/ Mediabase chart
Frankie Ballard with “Helluva Life” (Warner Bros./WAR) moved 4-1 to
top the Country Aircheck/ Mediabase chart for the tracking week March 9 - March 15th 2014. The song
logged 6,939 radio spins (+670) and 55.973 million audience impressions
(+5.022 million gain) reported by 146 stations.
 |
| Team Frankie Click to ENLARGE |
It’s
congratulates to WARNER BROS./W.A.R. VP/Promotion Chris Palmer, Dir./National
Jordan Pettit and the entire W.A.R. promo staff, on scoring Ballard’s
first-ever #1 single with “Helluva Life” the lead single from his recently
released “Sunshine & Whiskey” album.
“My heart is
overflowing,” Ballard says in a press release. “I’m so thankful to country
radio for taking a chance on this song. I’m more than happy to play this one
for the rest of my helluva life!”
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