Country Billboard Chart News April 17, 2014

Country Billboard Chart News April 17, 2014

In Brief:  Billboard Country Charts

Country Album Chart ** No. 1 (1 week) “Everlasting” Martina McBride

Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (1 week) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan

Country Airplay ** No. 1 (1 weeks) ** “Drink to That All Night” Jerrod Niemann

Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (2 weeks) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News

The unstoppable soundtrack to Disney's "Frozen" continued its run atop the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200) as it clocked a 10th non-consecutive week at No.1. The set sold 133,165 copies (11% down) in the week ending April 13, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album’s cumulative sales also climb past the 2 million mark (After 20 weeks – 2,076,587)

"Frozen" is now one of just 11 albums to have spent at least 10 weeks at No.1 since the chart started using SoundScan's point-of-sale data on May 25, 1991. Four of those 11 albums also happen to be soundtracks: “Frozen,” Whitney Houston's "The Bodyguard" (20 weeks at No. 1), "Titanic" (16 weeks) and "The Lion King" (10 weeks). In addition, "Frozen" now ties "The Lion King" for the most weeks at No. 1 for an animated film soundtrack.

Martina McBride became the only woman in the chart’s 50-year history to debut at No.1 on the Billboard Country Album Chart with an independently released and distributed album, as EVERLASTING (Vinyl Recordings) arrived on the BB200 at No.7, her highest debut in seven years, selling 20,880 copies. 

The title also opened at No.2 on Billboard Independent Albums.

"Everlasting" is McBride's highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 since 2007's WAKING UP LAUGHING debuted and peaked at No. 4. This is her fourth #1 album and first since 2009's SHINE.

Martina’s previous 5 Albums (Chart Debuts and sales)

• Her seventh studio album MARTINA (RCA Nashville) released on Sept 30, 2003 peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200 and was a #1Country album. It opened with sales of 123,000 units; and by the end of Oct 2005 had sold 1.7 million. In the U.S. the album was certified Gold on Nov 7, 2003, Platinum on Jan 12, 2004 and 2xPlatinum on April 20, 2006 by the R.I.A.A.
• Her eighth studio album TIMELESS (RCA Nashville) released October 18, 2005 peaked at #3 on the BB200 and #1 Country. It marked her third consecutive No.1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums list. With debut sales of 185,000 copies, the 18-track collection of classic country songs also achieves her best sales week to date.
• Her ninth studio album WAKING UP LAUGHING (RCA Nashville) released April 3, 2007 peaked at #4 on the BB200 and #2 Country (chart week April 21, 2007). It opened with sales of 138,666 copies and was blocked to #1 by Tim McGraw's album LET IT GO (176,592 2nd week sales)
• Her 10th studio album SHINE (RCA Nashville), released March 24, 2009 (RCA Nashville) peaked at #10 on the BB200 and #1 Country (chart week April 11, 2009) and opened with sales of 41,457 copies
• ELEVEN (Republic Nashville) her eleventh studio, released October 11, 2011 peaked at #4 on the BB200 and #4 Country (chart week Oct 29, 2011) and opened with sales of 40,116 copies (blocked by Scotty McCreery 88,153 (2nd week), new entry from Lauren Alaina 69,013 sales)

 “Everlasting” is a collection of Motown hits and oldies done her own way. McBride says she intended the album to be a gift, something you could relax with or put on while you're cooking. "It's like comfort food," she says. It features Kelly Clarkson on the Etta James and Sugar Pie DeSanto classic "In The Basement," and Gavin DeGraw on Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me."

Even though Martina McBride‘s new CD is a collection of R&B covers, she doesn’t believe Everlasting is that much of a departure for her. “I just follow my instincts, and in thinking about what I wanted to sing next, and what I wanted to do next, I thought, ‘Well, I’m a country music artist, and a very proud one. But at the end of the day, I'm a vocalist,’” she said. “You know, I love to sing everything. So, in my shows over the years, we've done everything from ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ to Pat Benatar to Aretha Franklin to Journey, whatever. So I just wanted to kinda stretch and do something a little different.”

Martina even picked a title that continues the thread she started with her 2005 collection of country classics. “This music is timeless, but I couldn't call it Timeless, 'cause I've done that already. So, it seemed like Everlasting was kind of the same idea. And I just love the idea. It's very musical and poetic.”

>> Watch the Background & Promo video 

Promoting the album Tuesday (4/8) Martina McBride appeared on Today (NBC) on April 8th. She performed her cover of the Etta James classic "In The Basement" on TV show Arsenio. On PBS-TV's Tavis Smiley she explained why she's charting new territory with forthcoming album non country classic soul and R&B set titled Everlasting. "I'm excited about this tour cos I'm going to do a whole tour around this album bringing out a horn section, backing vocals and maybe do some moves!" she shared. >> Watch at pbs.org  There was also an exclusive Album Premiere of new album at Billboard.com

Critical reception for “Everlasting”:

12 Tracks / Time: 39:01 (Vinyl Recordings)

CD - MP3 - UK iTunes (2 Bonus Tracks) - Amazon.com 

Allmusic (Rating: 3.5 STARS) ... Everlasting has soul in its heart, with the singer tackling R&B standards....There's warmth in Was' production and honey in McBride's voice and if the combination can sometimes result in too-sweet tea, it's nevertheless soothing.

USA Today by Jerry Shriver (Rating: 3 out of 4 STARS) Covering classic soul tunes is an overdone concept, but this well-chosen collection shines, particularly when McBride teams with Gavin DeGraw (Bring It On Home To Me) and Kelly Clarkson (In the Basement). Download: If You Don't Know Me By Now, Wild Night

Oakland Press (Rating: 3 STARS) ....So “Everlasting,” produced by Detroit native Don Was, is a labor of love and a testament to McBride’s versatility, showing she can sell even the most gutbucket R&B tunes with her pure vocal tone and exceptional phrasing skills...McBride will likely return to original material on her next project, but “Everlasting” is a welcome and successful exercise in creative stretching.

Country Weekly (Rating: A-) Different as they may appear on the surface, country music and soul have a great deal in common: talented vocalists who sing with feeling, impeccable songwriting and melodies that you can’t shake, for starters. So while it may seem like a drastic change of course for Martina McBride to go soul on the new album Everlasting, it’s really more of a slight left for the lady....Overall the recording sounds great—warm and intimate without sacrificing polish. If there’s a complaint, it’s that the era-hopping from Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds”

CLICK to ENLARGE

to Motown to Phil Spector’s “To Know Him Is to Love Him” feels a little stylistically scattered. But thankfully, there’s always Martina right in the center, pulling the disparate threads together into one soulful mixture.

Billboard by Chuck Dauphin: Whether it be on time-honored classics as “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” or “To Know Him Is To Love Him,” the angelic voice of McBride shines from beginning to end on these evergreen compositions....Throw in an energetic duet with Kelly Clarkson on “In The Basement,” and you’ve got an excellent disc that celebrates some of the best American Pop music of the past five decades – from one of its’ best singers!

Roughstock: ...Even though McBride’s new covers collection, Everlasting, is as much not-country as albums past, few will likely complain. This 12-song collection is filled with oldies but goodies, which lean most closely to the R&B and soul realm in music history. And it’s wonderful! For some of us, many of these songs are also all time favorites; the ones that still get turned up every time they come up in the oldies radio rotation.....It’s difficult to imagine snobby people getting all hot and bothered over musical genre classification when listening to Everlasting. It’s not really about whether or not this is country music; it’s about great songs sung well. Therefore, put it on. Turn it up. And enjoy.

Last week’s Country No.1 Dan+Shay’s album WHERE IT ALL BEGAN slid 6-25 on the BB200 (1-6 Country) with sales down 68% in their second week

In the wake of his exposure on the Academy of Country Music Awards on April 6 saw Luke Bryan's CRASH MY PARTY jump 15-8 on the BB200 (3-2 Country; 19,000; up 14%). Florida Georgia Line, returned to the top 10, climbing 19-10 on the BB200 with HERE'S TO THE GOOD TIMES (sales of 17,000; were up 14%).

Kacey Musgraves secured a 27% sales boost (65-34 BB200) for her ACM Award-winning SAME TRAILER DIFFERENT PARK (Mercury) and has surpassed 400,000 in sales after 56 weeks. Darius Rucker’s TRUE BELIEVERS album also picked up some ACM traction after his performance of “Wagon Wheel” moving 160-108 on the BB200 (26-19 Country). The set has now surpassed the GOLD certification mark at retail and has now sold 502,000 copies in 47 chart weeks.

Outside of the Top 25 Country albums

Carlene Carter made a debut at #40 selling 1,400 copies of CARTER GIRL. It landed at #13 on the Americana Music playlist charts before it was official released. It made its debut in the UK on the Official Country Album Chart at No.3 (Week April 19, 2014) 

>> Watch the background to "Troublesome Waters"  

Critical reception for “Carter Girl”:

12 Tracks/ Time: 46:06 CD - MP3 - Smart Choice Music - Amazon.com

Allmusic (rating: 4 STARS) A great legacy can be a blessing and a curse, and when your mother is June Carter and your stepdad is Johnny Cash, you're going to have a lot to live up to in the minds of most folks....2014's Carter Girl, she embraces their vital role in country music's history while also putting her own stamp on their body of work.... There's as much rock and blues as country in her takes on "Little Black Train," "Blackie's Gunman," and "Blackjack David," but Carter approaches these songs as something fresh and vital, and she fills them with her own fearless spirit....On Carter Girl, Carlene Carter has confronted the mighty legacy of the Carter Family's songbook and allowed it to strengthen her music rather than buckling under its weight, and this ranks with her finest recorded work to date.

Huffington Post Carlene Carter's new album, a tribute to the musical heritage of her fabled family, is a triumph. Carlene and producer Don Was sifted through some 400 songs before settling on the 12 tracks for Carter Girl, a blending of Carter/Cash classics, songs from her own catalogue and a couple of relative obscurities. Extended family members like Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Mickey Raphael, Vince Gill and Elizabeth Cook help make the music shine as bright as the last name of the man at the mixing board, Bob Clearmountain....If you think Bob Dylan invented the "Ain't Gonna Work" song, Carter Girl's final number, "I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow," will disabuse you of that notion. It "builds on a track featuring the Carter Sisters, Johnny Cash and the acoustic guitar of the late Cowboy Jack Clement," according to Jim Bessman's liner notes. (Yes, old-school liner notes come with the CD!). Carter Girl is that rare contemporary album with a cohesiveness that rewards listening from start to finish.....further proof that the Carter/Cash circle is unbroken.

Boston Globe Carter’s pose on the cover evokes her mother, but this isn’t meant to be a sepia-toned reproduction of those old songs. Instead, Carter brings them into her musical world ...This may be the best record this Carter girl has ever made.

Ronnie Dunn made a debut at #55 with around 1,000 copies sold of PEACE, LOVE AND COUNTRY MUSIC which was released 8th April 2014 through his own Little Will-E Records.

The 14-track collection was produced by Ronnie with Jeff Balding and includes the single>> “Kiss You There.” Physical copies were made available exclusively through lifestyle retailer Country Outfitter, and digital versions through all digital music outlets.

“I really wanted fans to have a say in which songs I put on this album,” said Dunn in a Press Release. “I put a few songs out on social media to see what people liked, or maybe what they didn’t respond to, and we built the album from there. Partnering with Country Outfitter just makes sense because they represent all aspects of the country lifestyle, and music is a huge part of that.

The veteran country superstar was due to perform on national television Wednesday, April 16 on the popular syndicated show, Dr. Phil.  Singing the poignant song “I Wish I Still Smoked Cigarettes,” penned by Luke Laird, Lori McKenna and Barry Dean,

Critical reception for “Peace Love and Country Music”:

14 tracks/ Time: MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com  

Roughstock: Ronnie Dunn lays down the gauntlet with “Country In Texas” as he searches for the last remnants of true country music with lines like, “I turn on the radio they’re mixing heavy metal with twang.” You get a lot with Dunn’s second solo album, but you won’t find one iota of bad metal-twang stew here....Whether he intended to do so or not, Dunn oftentimes finds himself getting nostalgic with this latest effort. The song “I Wish I Still Smoked Cigarettes” is not actually about missing sucking down cancer sticks. Rather, it’s nostalgia for that period in his life when he was fearless....Peace Love And Country Music may not take Ronnie Dunn into the stadiums Brooks & Dunn once filled consistently, but it nevertheless provides undeniable evidence that the powers that made B&D country superstars are still fueling Mr. Dunn’s solo work.

cmchatlive.com: ......the album is incredibly solid, opening with “Grown Damn Man,” a lyrical journey into Ronnie Dunn and what the album is about......One thing I love about this album is that it stays very true to who Ronnie Dunn is as an artist, without compromise. Any of these songs could’ve appeared on a Brooks & Dunn album ten years ago without feeling out of place..... Interestingly, the album wraps with its title track, “Peace Love and Country Music.” Much like a closer in a Major League Baseball game, this track is a strong and reliable, sounding as much as a prayer as a song. It’s hard to disagree with Ronnie Dunn here, as we could certainly use more peace, love and country music in the world, as well as more albums today like Peace Love and Country Music

2014 Country Album sales Year-To Date:

8,644,000 (Physical sales 5,666,000 (down 9%) + Digital sales 2,979,000 (down 15.7%)) which is 21.7% down at the same point in 2013 (11,044,000 sales)

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Placings

(Issue dated Chart week of April 26, 2014)

(Country Album positions #1 - #25)

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

Top 25 Hot Country Songs (week of April 26, 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:

• The April 6 Academy of Country Music Awards show pushed gala co-host Luke Bryan’s “Play It Again” (Capitol Nashville) 3-1 on Hot Country Songs bagging the top Digital and Streaming Gainer and lifted the album housing the track, CRASH MY PARTY, 3-2 with Greatest Gainer honors (up 14 percent to 19,000 sold) on Top Country Albums. “Again,” is Bryan’s eighth leader on Hot Country Songs. It logged a second week at No.1 on Country Digital Songs with a 24% retail spike to 108,000 and posted the biggest gain on Country Streaming Songs (4-3; 1.4 million U.S. streams, up 40 percent). The track also flew 26-14 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
• Miranda Lambert the Multiple ACM award winner became the first solo female artist to crack the Hot Country Songs top 10 in more than two months, as “Automatic” (RCA Nashville) surged 12-6. She’s the first to do so since Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow” peaked at No.10 on the Feb. 15 chart. On Country Digital Songs, “Automatic” rose 8-4 (51,000, up 63 percent).

Top 25 Hot Country Songs:

Luke Bryan with “Play It Again” climbs two, #3 - #1 to TOP the Chart #1 p

Florida Georgia Line feat Luke Bryan with former #1 “This Is How We Roll” #1-#2 q

Brantley Gilbert with former No1 “Bottoms Up” is down one, #2 - #3 q

Eric Church with “Give Me Back My Hometown” is up one, #5 - #4 p

Jerrod Niemann with “Drink To That All Night” is down one, #4 - #5 q

Miranda Lambert with “Automatic” jumps up six, #12 - #6 p

Rascal Flatts with “Rewind” moves up three, #10 - #7 p

Thomas Rhett with “Get Me Some Of That” is up one, #9 - #8 p

Keith Urban with “Cop Car” drops one, #8 - #9 q

Blake Shelton with “Doin’ What She Likes” falls four, #6 - #10 q

Dan + Shay with “19 You + Me” fell four, #7 - #11 q

Brett Eldredge with “Beat Of The Music” is up one, #13 - #12 p

Justin Moore with “Lettin’ The Night Roll” is up one slot, #14 - #13 p

Jake Owen  with “Beachin’” is up three, #17 - #14 p

Hunter Hayes with “Invisible” moves up one, #16 - #15 p

Luke Bryan with former No.1 “Drink A Beer” is down one, #15 - #16 q

Tyler Farr with “Whiskey In My Water” is up 2 slots, #19 - #17 p

Tim McGraw with “Lookin’ For That Girl” stays at #18

Sara Evans with “Slow Me Down” is up one, #20 - #19 p

Craig Morgan with “Wake Up Lovin’ You” is up one, #21 - #20 p

The Band Perry with “Chainsaw” jumps up six, #27 - #21 p

Lee Brice with “I Don’t Dance” moves up three, #25 - #22 p

Craig Campbell with “Keep Them Kisses Comin’” is up one place, #24 - #23 p

Chris Young with “Who I Am With You” drops two, #22 - #24 q

Billy Currington with “We Are Tonight” slipped two, #23 - #25 q

Hot County Songs

** No.1 (1 week) / Digital & Streaming Gainer ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan

** Airplay Gainer ** No.8 “Get Me Some Of That” Thomas Rhett

** Hot Shot Debut ** No.26 “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill

Debut No.45 “Kiss You Tonight” David Nail

Debut No.47 “Night That You’ll Never Forget” Love And Theft

Debut No.48 “Where It’s At” Dustin Lynch

Billboard Country Airplay Chart Week of April 26, 2014

Jerrod Niemann returned to the Country Airplay chart summit with “Drink to That All Night” (Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville), which jumped 3-1 in its 29th chart week. It marked nearly four years after scoring his first No.1 with “Lover, Lover,” which dominated the Aug. 14, 2010 list. 

In between chart-toppers, Niemann’s best showing was a No. 4 peak three years ago with “What Do You Want” (May 7, 2011). All three of his top five-peaking Country Airplay hits have sold at least 500,000 digital downloads, led by “Lover,” which has sold 1.2 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan. “Want” has sold 816,000 and “Drink,” 503,000.

“Drink” (written by Derek George, Lance Miller, Brad Warren and Brett Warren) first released on October 21, 2013  is the lead single from Niemann’s HIGH NOON, which opened at No.3 on the April 12 Billboard Top Country Albums tally.

This chart tracking week it logged 45.715 million audience impressions (+1.890)

Top local audience contributors for “Drink” during the Nielsen BDS tracking week: WUSN Chicago (1.4 million impressions), KKGO Los Angeles (1.3 million) and KKBQ Houston (1 million).

Thomas Rhett with "Get Me Some Of That" (Valory) at No.6 took home the weeks “Most Increased Audience” honours.The song logged 35.980 million audience impressions, a gain of +4.400 million, receiving 5,748 radio plays (+588).

Blake Shelton snagged the “Hot Shot Debut" and “Most Added” trophies at No.39 with “My Eyes” (Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville), which features second-season The Voice (NBC) contestant Gwen Sebastian. For her it’s her second chart entry (and a career-high bow), following “Met Him in a Motel Room,” which peaked at No. 58 during a three-week chart run two years ago. “My Eyes” is the fifth radio single from Shelton’s album Based on a True Story logged 447 radio plays thanks to 28 fresh radio commitments (ADDS) from the 145 stations monitored for the chart. Last weeks No.1 the fourth single, “Doin’ What She Likes,” tumbled 1-5.  

Women of Country 2014 Watch:

Miranda Lambert at No.10 ("Automatic"), Sara Evans at No.19 (“Slow Me Down”) along with Sheryl Crow No.29 (“Callin’ Me When I’m Lonely”) were the only 3 solo female artists in the Top 30 Country Airplay songs. Cassadee Pope #43, Maggie Rose #47, Kacey Musgraves #50, Lucy Hale #51, Kelleigh Bannen #55 and Katie Armiger #60, were an additional six females in the remaining 31-60 slots, to make it 15% of the top 60 chart.

Country Airplay

*** No. 1 (1 week) *** "Drink To That All Night" Jerrod Niemann

** Most Increased Audience ** No. 6 "Get Me Some Of That" Thomas Rhett

** Hot Shot Debut / Most Added ** No.39 "My Eyes" Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Sebastian

Debut No.54 "Feelin' It" Scotty McCreery

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart Week of April 26, 2014

• Luke Bryan remained atop the Billboard Digital Singles Chart once more with “Play It Again”. The single sold 108,000 downloads, up 24% on the previous week. His 23 week charting “Drink A Beer”, at No.26, also sailed past the PLATINIUM RIAA marker with a new tally of 1,016,000.
• Florida Georgia Line’s “This Is How We Roll” held at No.2 who also received a 10% ACM Awards boost.
• Miranda Lambert with “Automatic” moved 8-4 with an impressive 63% retail bump after the multi award winner performed it at the ACM Awards performance.
• Keith Urban’s run of Gold singles continued as “Cop Car” has GOLD RIAA Eligiblity having reached 503,000 downloads in 12 weeks
• Tim McGraw’s new single “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” made a No.9 debut having showcased it at The ACM Awards with wife Faith Hill.
• Dan+Shay scored their first GOLD Single with “19 You + Me” having crossed the 1/2-million mark, in 22 weeks it has now reached 521K sales.
• Thomas Rhett with “Get Me Some of That” at #13 also scored his second RIAA GOLD (or Platinum) in his 19th chart.  
• Brad Paisley’s “River Bank” made its bow at #19 after it was aired during a special segment from the Las Vegas MGM Grand’s Talent Pool as part of the ACM awards.

Women Of Country Watch

Only 1 solo female artist on the Top 30 placings:

Miranda Lambert with her new single "Automatic" in its nineth week at retail sold 51K (climbed 8-4)

 Dropping off the Top 30:

16 - Off the Top 50 chart Clare Bowen “Black Roses”

27-33 David Nail “Whatever She’s Got”

28-34 Sara Evans “Slow Me Down”  

Top 30 Digital Singles in Country Music (published April 17, 2014)

 (LW) Last Week  (TW) This Week

*Numbers are rounded to nearest 1000^th

Country Aircheck/ Mediabase chart

Randy Houser with “Goodnight Kiss” (Stoney Creek) moved 2-1 to top the Mediabase Country chart for the tracking week April 6th to the 12th. The song logged 7,573 radio spins (+310) and 60.157 million audience impressions from 148 tracking stations.

So it’s congrats to Jon Loba, Carson James, Chris Loss and the entire Stoney Creek promotion team for scoring the week’s #1 spot. This is Houser’s third consecutive chart-topper, following “How Country Feels” and “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight,” the latter of which hit #1 on Mon, August 5th. All three are on Houser’s “How Country Feels” album, released in 2013.

Known amongst fans and industry insiders alike for his powerhouse vocals and versatile songwriting abilities, Houser’s previous successes include the 2009 No. 2 hit “Boots On” (written by Houser and Brandon Kinney) and debut power ballad “Anything Goes.” He has had a hand in writing numerous hits for other artists, including Trace Adkins’ 2006 smash “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” which also peaked just shy of the top at No. 2. While “How Country Feels” and “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” each gave Houser the well-earned No. 1 spot as an artist, “Goodnight Kiss” is an especially sweet victory for the seasoned songsmith. 

“I have been so blessed this past year to have such incredible success on country radio and have three number-one’s in a row,” said Houser. “But it’s especially cool to see ‘Goodnight Kiss’ up there this week and to have that recognition now as a songwriter, too.” (Source – Press Release)

It was also congrats to Warner Music Nashville SVP/Promotion Kevin Herring, VP/Promotion Kristen Williams and their entire promo team for earing 64 MEDIABASE adds on Blake Shelton's "My Eyes." Those adds gave Shelton the "Most Added" title for the week. Bagels were due to be delivered to Warner's office (April 15th) to congratulate the staff on their success.

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 392 - April 14, 2014 [PDF File]

For the very latest up to the minute Mediabase Chart (Past 7 Days) go here - www.mediabase.com