Country Billboard Chart
News May 15, 2014
In Brief: Billboard Country Charts
Country Album Chart ** No. 1
(1 week) Storyline Hunter
Hayes
Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (5 weeks) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan
Country Airplay ** No. 1 (1 week) ** "Get Me Some Of That" Thomas
Rhett
Country Digital Songs **
No.1 (6 weeks) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan
Billboard Top
200 / Country Album Chart News
After 13 non-consecutive
weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Top 200
Album Chart (BB200), the "Frozen" soundtrack (98,721 copies sold,
down 7%) stepped aside for the "Now
50" compilation. "Now 50" made a debut at No.1 with 153,276 copies sold in the week ending
May 11, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
"Now 50" is the
50th instalment of the long-running "Now That's What I Call Music!"
series, which launched in 1998. It's the 18th No.1 for the "Now"
franchise and its best sales week in nearly five years. The last
"Now" release to sell more units in a week was "Now 31,"
which debuted at No. 1 with 169,000 copies in the week ending July 5, 2009.
In addition to the numbered
"Now" series -- which features contemporary pop hits -- the
"Now" brand has spawned themed compilations like "Now That's
What I Call Christmas" and "Now
That's What I Call Country." In total, all 50 of the numbered
"Now" albums have reached the top 10 of the BB200. "Now That's
What I Call Country" peaked at No.7 and "Now That's What I Call
Country Vol. 2" at No.10.
Hunter Hayes with his second album, STORYLINE (Atlantic Nashville), sold 69,187 copies to make a bow at No.3 on the BB200 and also debuted
at No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, Hayes' second leader on the
list.
It's
the singer's best sales week (beating the 40,227 for chart week Jan 5, 2013
with Christmas sales) and highest-charting album, surpassing the No.7 BB200 peak
of his self-titled debut in 2013. That album opened with sales of 17,678 to
land at No.18 on the BB200 and No.7 Country on the chart week Oct 29, 2011.
That was the same week that Lauren Alaina’s “Wildflower” opened at No.2 Country
(69,013 sales) and Martina McBride’s “Eleven” at No.4 Country (40,116 sales).
A
deluxe edition of the Hunter’s debut album, titled Encore, was released in June
2013 with five new tracks, including the singles "I Want Crazy". The
album co-produced with Dann Huff, is now Platinum (sales so far 1,138,000 copies)
and is on the Catalog list moving 27-15 in its 9th chart week.
Hunter’s new album's lead
single, "Invisible," has so far peaked at No.19 on the Country
Airplay chart and No.4 on hybrid Hot Country Songs tally (which combines
airplay, sales and streaming data).
The Associated
Press exclaimed that “Hayes impresses on his second album,” while Rolling Stone
People Magazine and The Los Angeles Times all awarded the album 3 stars. Newsday
noted “At a time when so many similar-sounding bros are dominating country
radio, Hunter Hayes stands out… [with] emotional, inspirational anthems and
tender love songs delivered in a sweeter, higher register that makes all his
songs sound distinctive. The best new artist Grammy nominee seems poised to
make it pay off. Hayes takes Storyline to a new plateau.”
Last week,
Hunter also impressively broke the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS record for “Most
Concerts Played in Multiple Cities in 24 hours” teaming up with ConAgra Foods
for the 24 Hour Road Race To End Child Hunger.
Critical reception for Hunter
Hayes’ “Storyline”:
14
Tracks/ Time: 49:58 CD - Smart Choice Music - Amazon.com - US iTunes
Country Weekly (Rating: A) ..Hunter Hayes has
once again produced a collection of music that belies his tender age, not only
in content, but in vocal confidence. Hunter adds an interesting texture to the
album, too, with an instrumental interlude mid-project and a second “jam”
closer to the end that almost serve as audio palate cleansers to ready
listeners for the next track. The title track, with its line, We’ve got a fast
car, a James Dean spirit and a Norma Jean heart, reveals an important musical
influence: the equally talented Keith Urban. And we’re OK with that!
Roughstock:
Storyline isn’t as ‘youthful’ as Hunter
Hayes was at times. The writing is sharper (“Secret Love,” “Tattoo,” “Still
Fallin’”) and the moments of real
storytelling (“Flashlight,” “Invisible”) and uptempo radio-ready fare that are
ear worms (“Nothing Like Starting Over,” “Wild Card” and “Storyline”).
Storyline is the kind of album that should ensure that Hunter
Hayes avoids the
dreaded ‘sophomore slump’ in the music business with a collection of 12 new
songs (plus two instrumental interludes) that finds the young twenty something
further setting himself up for continued stardom. Storyline may not be a
collection of traditionalist country values here there’s definitely Country
music at the root of many of the lyrics (and melodies) on the contemporary country music album and that’s something fans should
be happy to hear day in and day out.
USA Today
(Rating: 2.5 STARS out of 4) Sorry,
kiddo, but you shouldn't evoke the spirits of James Dean and Norma Jean in the
title track if you came of age in the 21st century and your voice still is
stuck in the upper registers.....the multi-instrumentalist tries to sound
knowing about love's complexities, even though, at 22, his track record is just
starting to form. Wide-eyed exuberance, hand-wringing and licking of surface
wounds dominate his lyrics, most of them lightweight. Three standout songs,
however, indicate an impressive ability to dig deep: The single Invisible gives
wise counsel to victims of bullying; Flashlight quietly affirms his faith; and
Secret Love reveals the torment of hiding in the shadows. Download: Wild Card,
Invisible, Secret Love, When Did You Stop Loving Me.
Allmusic Guide (Rating: 4 STARS) Storyline differs from its predecessor in that it showcases Hayes'
touring band, a move that opens up the music and lets it breathe. Nevertheless,
Hayes could never be considered a gritty musician, not by a long shot; he's
proud of his sunny disposition and possesses a high, slightly nasal voice that
occasionally recalls Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts.... Hunter doesn't bother
sounding older than his years nor does he care to put on airs: he's a
modern-day Southern boy, raised on radio pop played in big box stores and
playing the back porch on a Sunday afternoon, and those two strands come
together beguilingly on this second album.
LA Times
(Rating: 3 Stars) At a moment when
Nashville is busy churning out bro after party-hearty bro, Hayes is an anomaly:
a fresh-faced guitar prodigy who writes about his feelings and looks like he’s
never cracked a beer, let alone downed one while kicking back on a rusty
tailgate. So: invisible? Not quite. But perhaps more of a misfit than he at
first appeared. Hayes comes no closer to rowdy bro-country convention on the
rest of his new album, “Storyline,” which like his 2011 record he co-wrote and
co-produced with the pop-country hitmaker Dann Huff....But if Hayes isn’t
rough, he’s not especially smooth, either, as was clear in his Stagecoach gig,
which practically vibrated with a jumpy intensity the singer attributed to his
social anxiety. That energy courses through “Storyline,” particularly in a
handful of tunes where Hayes tries to present himself in a more grown-up
light....Set against the album’s slickly assured arrangements, those jitters
provide a juicy tension that distinguishes “Storyline” from Hayes’ debut, a
record so mild that he invited Jason Mraz, that fedora-topped emblem of chill,
to duet with him on one song. Was the ascent of Luke Bryan enough to unsettle
Hayes over the last three years? Or was that breakup to blame?...Those are
questions for Hayes’ bros. What’s important is that this insider convinces you
he’s coming from outside.
Hayes’ album displaced Luke Bryan’s
CRASH MY PARTY (Capitol
Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville), which moved 9-7 on the BB200 and 1-2
Country but earned the Greatest Gainer nod with 24,000 sold (up 42%). Bryan’s
set has topped the chart for 15 cumulative frames, the last three of those
running consecutively.
Florida Georgia Line, HERE'S TO
THE GOOD TIMES moved 14-11 on the BB200 (2-3 Country; 17,000 sold; up 33%).
After 75 weeks on the chart, the album shows no signs of slowing down. It has
yet to rank below No.31, nor sell less than 12,000 copies in a week. Its
cumulative sales stand at 1.82 million. The duo's current single, "This Is
How We Roll," rose 4-2 on the Country Airplay chart, while dipping 3-2 on
the Hot Country Songs chart (where it previously spent four weeks at No. 1).
Blake Shelton’s BASED ON A
TRUE STORY in its 59th week bulleted at No.6 Country (49-26 BB200) with a 98%
blast with fans taking home 11,000 copies, aided by appearances on The Voice.
Nashville: The Music of Nashville: Season
2: Volume 2 (Soundtrack)
(ABC Studios/Lions Gate/Big Machine Label Group) opened at No13 on the BB200 (#4
Country) selling 16,626 copies.
Click to ENLARGE the stunning artwork |
This
the fourth Volume of music from ABC's Nashville
revealed both an 11-track standard version released to digital retailers
Tuesday, May 6, while a 21-track deluxe version was made available exclusively
at Target.
See track list for the Target version at Country Weekly.
The announced came on the
heels of ABC-TV’s Nashville: On the Record, which aired Wednesday night (April
23). Immediately following the special, a flurry of sales propelled the three
previously released Nashville soundtracks into the Top 15 on iTunes’ country
albums chart.
For the chart week May 10,
2014 NASHVILLE: On the Record opened
with 17,790 copies landing at No.8 on the Billboard 200 and No.2 Country. In its
third week it fell back 7-28 on Top Country Albums.
The ABC TV Drama show has been renewed for a third 22 episode
season! The news was announced by Ben Sherwood, co-president
of Disney ABC Television Group - Congratz and welcome back for Season 3 to
@Nashville_ABC," he tweeted, naming stars Connie Britton, Charles Esten,
creator Callie Khouri and "the whole Nashville team and loyal fans."
There was no
sign of Leah Turner’s digitally released self titled EP (released on May 6th) on the
Top 50 Country Albums. On the US Country Album iTunes Chart it currently
resides at a lowly #229. This is disastrous news for the Columbia Records
Nashville artist. The Morongo Valley, California native has released 2 singles.
“Take the Keys"(2013) reached #37 and recent single "Pull Me
Back" has so far peaked at #60 on the Country Airplay Chart.
2014 Country Album sales Year-To
Date:
10,878,000 (Physical sales 7,141,000 (down 9%) + Digital
sales 3,737,000 (down 17.4%)) which is 24.7% down at the same point in 2013 (14,448,000
sales)
Billboard Top 200 / Country Album
Placings
(Issue dated Chart week of May 24, 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 May
24, 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:
- Luke Bryan with “Play It Again” collected a fifth
week atop Hot Country Songs, tying for his second-longest chart-topping
run; he led for five weeks with “Drink a Beer” in January/February. He
logged his longest reign (12 weeks) with “That’s My Kind of Night” last
year. On Country Digital Songs, “Play” nabbed a sixth straight week at the
summit (73,000 sold, down 15%).
- Blake Shelton’s “My Eyes,” featuring Gwen Sebastian
(Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville), rocketed 21-10 with Digital and Airplay Gainer honours after
the duo performed the track on the May 5 episode of NBC’s The Voice. The
song soared by 150% to 53,000 downloads, spiking 18-3 on Country Digital
Songs. On the BDS-fueled Country Airplay chart “Eyes” rolled 21-17 (19.3
million audience impressions, up 33%) in its fifth frame.
- Hunter Hayes impacted
with two Storyline tracks: the title song, bulleted at No.41 with Streaming
Gainer stripes (244,000 U.S. streams, up 142 percent, according
to Nielsen BDS), and “Wild Card,”
re-entered at No. 44.
Top 25 Hot Country Songs:
Luke Bryan with “Play It Again” stays at the Top of the Chart
#1
Florida Georgia Line
feat Luke Bryan with former #1 “This Is How Me Roll” moves #3 -
#2 p
Brantley Gilbert with former No1 “Bottoms Up” slips one, #2 - #3 q
Thomas Rhett with “Get Me
Some Of That” is up one, #5 - #4 p
Rascal Flatts with “Rewind” moves up 1 slot, #6 - #5 p
Eric Church with “Give
Me Back My Hometown” falls two, #4 - #6 q
Miranda Lambert with “Automatic” is up one notch, #8 - #7 p
Jake Owen with “Beachin’”
is up two, #10 - #8 p
Keith Urban with “Cop Car” drops two, #7 - #9 q
Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Sebastion leaps up 11 slots, #21 -
#10 p
Brett Eldredge with “Beat Of The Music” holds at #11
Justin Moore with “Lettin’ The Night Roll” is up one, #13 - #12 p
Lee Brice with “I Don’t Dance” slips one, #12 - #13 q
Tyler Farr with “Whiskey In My Water” holds at #14
Chris Young with “Who I Am With You” stays at #15
Hunter Hayes with “Invisible” is up one, #17 - #16 p
Joe Nichols with “Yeah” climbs three, #20 - #17 p
Brad Paisley with “River Bank” is up five, #23 - #18 p
Brantley Gilbert with “17 Again” debuts at #19 NEW
Billy Currington with “We Are Tonight” is done one, #19 - #20 q
Craig Campbell with “Keep Them Kisses Comin’” moves up one, #22 -
#21 p
Blake Shelton with “Doin’ What She Likes” falls six, #16 - #22 q
Dustin Lynch with “Where It’s At” moves up one, #24 - #23 p
The Band Perry with “Chainsaw” is up one, #25- #24 p
George Strait with “I Got A Car” rises one, #26 - #25 p
Hot County Songs
** No.1 (5 weeks) ** “Play
It Again” Luke Bryan
** Digital Gainer & Airplay
Gainer ** No.10 “My Eyes” Blake Shelton feat Gwen Sebastion
** Hot Shot
Debut ** No.19 with “17 Again” Brantley Gilbert
** Streaming
Gainer” No.41 “Storyline” Hunter Hayes
Debut No.36 “Hillbilly
Deluxe” Jake Worthington
Debut No.40 “I
Drive Your Truck” Kristen Merlin
Debut No.47
“Small Town Throwdown” Brantley Gilbert feat Justin Moore &Thomas Rhett
Billboard Country
Airplay Chart Week of May 24, 2014
Thomas Rhett claimed his second leader on Billboard’s
Country Airplay tally as “Get Me Some of
That” (Valory) jumped 3-1 in its
26th chart week.
First released on November 18, 2013 the song written by Rhett
Akins, Michael Carter and Cole Swindell and produced by Luke Laird is the fourth
single from his Oct 29, 2013 released studio album IT GOES LIKE THIS (has sold around
164,000 copies so far).
This chart week
the song logged 45.462 million
audience impressions (+2.396 million) and relieved 7,386 radio plays (+333).
The artist
achieved his first leader in October 2013 with “It Goes Like This,” which held
atop the chart for three straight weeks and set unprecedented weekly audience
totals (49.3 million; since the ranking methods switched to audience
impressions from total plays in January 2005).
Top three local
audience contributors for “Get” during the May 5-11 BDS tracking week: WUSN Chicago (1.3 million impressions),
KKBQ Houston (1 million) and KKGO Los Angeles (995,000).
On Billboard’s
Country Digital Songs, “Get” peaked at No. 5 in March, and has now sold 634,000
downloads to date.
- Blake Shelton bagged
the weeks “Most Increased Audience” and “Most Added” honours
with “My Eyes” (featuring Gwen
Sebastian) (Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville), which flew 21-17 in its fifth week on Country
Airplay. It logged 19.381 million audience impressions, a gain of +4.826 million (up 33%); receiving
3,325 radio plays (+896) thanks to 28 fresh airplay commitments (ADDS). Shelton’s
wife Miranda Lambert
with “Automatic” reached a new peak with a 7-6 hop (a song which has been
“B” playlisted by BBC Radio 2)
- Dan + Shay snagged
the “Hot Shot Debut" trophy for the week as their song "Show You Off" blew in at No.51
Women of
Country 2014 Watch:
Miranda Lambert at No.6 ("Automatic"), Sara
Evans at No.20 (“Slow Me
Down”) were the only 2 solo female artists in the Top 30 Country Airplay
songs. Cassadee Pope #38, Kacey Musgraves #40, Maggie Rose #48, Lucy Hale #50, Kelleigh
Bannen #52, and Danielle Bradbery #54 were an additional six females in the
remaining 31-60 slots, to make it 13.3% of the entire Top 60 chart.
Country
Airplay
*** No. 1 (1
week)*** "Get Me Some Of That" Thomas Rhett
** “Most
Increased Audience / Most Added ** No. 17 "My Eyes" Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Sebastian
** Hot Shot Debut
** No.51 "Show You Off" Dan +
Shay
Debut No. 57
"Tonight Tonight" John King
Debut No. 60
"Drink You Away" David Fanning
Billboard
Country Digital Singles Chart Week of May 17, 2014
- Luke Bryan’s single “Play It Again” held for a sixth
straight week at No.1 shifting another 73,000 copies (down 15%; 24-week total of 980,000).
- Blake Shelton’s “My Eyes” rocketed to 18-3 bouyed by a live appearance on The
Voice featuring Gwen Sebastian pushing sales up 150%.
- Sliding 10-13 Rascal Flatts
with “Rewind” sold another 240K
copies to pass the ½-million mark (504,000 sold in 17 weeks) making it eligible
for GOLD
certification
- Dierks Bentley with “Drunk On A Plane” made a 33-17 leap helped by release of a new
video.
- Two new songs from The Voice contestants made chart debuts at #24 and #30.
Only 3 solo female artists on
the Top 30 placings:
Miranda Lambert with single "Automatic" in its 13th week moved
12-11. Hayden Panettiere
with “Don’t Put Dirt On My Grave Just Yet” made a re-entry at No.23 and Voice
contestant Kristen
Merlin with a cover of “I Drive Your Truck” debuted at #30
Dropping off the Top 30:
16 - Off The Chart
Hunter Hayes “Invisible”
23 - Off the Chart
Kristen Merlin” Let Her Go”
24-33 Luke Bryan “That’s My Kind Of Night”
25-32 Blake Shelton “Doin’ What She Likes”
26 - Off the
Chart Jamie Lynn Spears How Could I Want
29 - Off the
Chart Audra McLaughlin You Lie
Top 30 Digital Singles in Country Music
(published May 15, 2014)
(LW) Last Week
(TW) This Week
*Numbers are
rounded to nearest 1000th
Country
Aircheck/ Mediabase chart
Thomas Rhett with “Get Me Some Of That” (Valory) moved 3-1 to top the Mediabase Country chart for the tracking week May
4th to May 10th. The song logged 7,592
radio spins (+393) and 58.318
million audience impressions (+ 2.921 million) from 149 tracking stations.
So it’s congrats
to Valory VP/Promotion George Briner and his entire team, for scoring the
week’s #1 chart topper. This is Rhett’s second career chart-topper and follows
“It Goes Like This” which hit #1 in Oct 2013.
Last week’s No.1
Eric Church
with “Give Me Back My Hometown” slipped 1-5 logging 6,300 radio spins (-1380)
It was also congrats Warner Music Nashville (WMN) SVP/Promotion Kevin Herring, Warner Bros./W.A.R. VP/Promotion Chris
Palmer, Dir./National Promotion Jordan Pettit and the entire W.A.R. promo staff for earning 32 MEDIABASE Country adds on Dan + Shay's "Show You Off." Those adds earned the "Most Added" title for this week. Bagels were due to be delivered to Warner's office (May 13th) to congratulate the staff on their success.
For the very latest up to the minute Mediabase Chart (Past 7 Days) go here - www.mediabase.com
Rank Artist: #9
Event Venue
City/State: We're All For The Hall: Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Darius Rucker,
Carrie Underwood, Kacey Musgraves, David Nail, Brantley Gilbert, Mary Chapin
Carpenter, Lee Ann Womack
Bridgestone Arena Nashville, Tenn.
Dates: May 6,
2014 Gross Sales: $509,487 Attend:
12,270 / 13,299 (1,029 unsold tickets)
Capacity Shows:
1/0 Sellouts Prices: $50, $35 Promoters:
The Messina Group/AEG Live
Rank Artist: #15
Event Venue
City/State: Willie Nelson, Drive-By Truckers, Shovels
& Rope Hearst Greek
Theatre Berkeley, Calif
Dates: April 12,
2014 Gross Sales: $397,045 Attend: 8,013 / 8,013 SOLD OUT
Capacity Shows: 1/1
Sellouts Prices: $199.50, $55, $49.50
Promoters: Another
Planet Entertainment
Rank Artist: #27
Event Venue
City/State: Brantley Gilbert, Thomas Rhett, Eric
Paslay Van Andel Arena, Grand
Rapids, Mich.
Dates: May 8,
2014 Gross Sales: $287,536 Attend: 9,076 / 9,076 SOLD OUT
Capacity Shows: 1/1
Sellouts Prices: $37, $24.75
Promoters: Frank
Productions/NS2
Rank Artist: #31
Event Venue City/State:
Brad Paisley, Chris Young, Danielle Bradbery Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Fort
Wayne, Ind.
Dates: Feb. 27,
2014 Gross Sales: $247,014 Attend: 5,891/ 6,223 (332 unsold tickets)
Capacity Shows:
1/0 Sellouts Prices: $59, $39 Promoters:
Live Nation
Rank Artist: #36
Event Venue
City/State: Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss + Union
Station featuring Jerry Douglas, The Devil Makes Three Big Sandy Superstore Arena Huntington,
W. Va.
Dates: May 11,
2014 Gross Sales: $212,172 Attend: 3,256/ 5,813 (2,557 unsold tickets)
Capacity Shows:
1/0 Sellouts Prices: $79.50, $39.50 Promoters:NS2
Rank Artist: #37
Event Venue
City/State: Brantley Gilbert, Eric Paslay Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville,
S.C.
Dates: May 10,
2014 Gross Sales: $207,007 Attend: 6,489 / 6,489 SOLD
OUT
Capacity Shows: 1/1
Sellouts Prices: $37, $24.75 Promoters: Frank Productions/NS2
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