Country Billboard Chart News May 8, 2014

Country Billboard Chart News May 8, 2014

RIAA Certifications

The Band Perry’s single "If I Die Young" (5X PLATINUM) - To date, the 2010 single has sold more than five million copies.

In Brief:  Billboard Country Charts

Country Album Chart ** No. 1 (11 cumulative weeks) Crash My Party Luke Bryan

Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (4 weeks) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan

Country Airplay ** No. 1 (1 week) ** “Give Me Back My Hometown” Eric Church

Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (5 weeks) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News

As expected, Disney's soundtrack to "Frozen" refused to budge from the No.1 slot on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200). The set spends a lucky 13th nonconsecutive week at No.1, selling 106,041 copies (down 8%; sales after 23 weeks - 2,556,378, of which 2.2 million have been sold in 2014) in the week ending May 4, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"Frozen" is now one of only 39 albums in the history of the chart to have spent at least 13 weeks at No.1. (The Billboard 200 became a regularly published weekly list in 1956.). The last album to tally as many weeks of 100,000-plus sales was,

the now catalog album, Taylor Swift's "Red." Its first 10 weeks all logged sales of more than 100,000, through the week ending Dec. 30, 2012.

Luke Bryan with CRASH MY PARTY descended 7-9 on the BB200 with 17,000 sales (down 13%). The album is #1 on Top Billboard Country Albums for Luke Bryan’s Crash My Party (Capitol Nashville) leads Top Country Albums for a third straight and 11th cumulative wee. That's the longest run at #1 for an album by a male solo artist since Jason Aldean's "My Kinda Party" topped the chart for 12 weeks in 2011.

In its second chart week The Nashville Cast’s live album “On The Record” fell 8-65 on the BB200 (2-7 Country).

Keith Urban’s FUSE (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville) earned its first top 10 rank in six months as it rocketed 21-6 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart following a May 1 performance of the set’s “Good Thing” on Fox’s American Idol, where Urban is in his second season as a judge. During the episode, fellow judge Jennifer Lopez announced that the song would be Urban’s next single. Hey Presto! The set surged by 101% to 5,000 copies sold, adding Greatest Gainer stripes (with total sales of 336,000). The new track (Fuse’s fourth single), opened at No.50 on Hot Country Songs selling 9,000 downloads during the tracking week, roaring from a negligible amount the previous frame.

Of Note:

Amy Grant (wife of Vince Gill) with HOW MERCY LOOKS FROM HERE at No.109 re-entered the Billboard 200 after the album was discounted to $5 at Family Christian stores. It received a 124% gain and its best sales week (3,000 copies sold) in nearly a year. The album had been absent from the chart since last August.

Nickel Creek’s new set A DOTTED LINE fell 68-113 on the BB200 (3-4 Folk Albums) with sales of 3,000 copies and a 5-week tally of 47,000.

Next week should see the new album by Hunter Hayes titled STORYLINE debut at #1 with industry predictions of sales north of 70,000 expected. Leah Turner with her self titled EP may also make the Top 25 country rankings

2014 Country Album sales Year-To Date:

10,269,000 (Physical sales 6,737,000 (down 9%) + Digital sales 3,531,000 (down 16.5%)) which is 23.3% down at the same point in 2013 (13,383,000 sales)

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Placings

(Issue dated Chart week of May 17, 2014)

(Country Album positions #1 - #25)

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

Billboard History

These were the top selling albums during the first week of May during the 1980s:

1980: Gideon (United Artists) Kenny Rogers

1981: Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Columbia) Willie Nelson

1982: Mountain Music (RCA) Alabama

1983: The Closer You Get (RCA) Alabama

1984: Deliver (MCA) Oak Ridge Boys

1985: 40 Hour Week (RCA) Alabama

1986: Greatest Hits (RCA) Alabama

1987: Trio (Warner Bros.) Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt

1988: Always & Forever (Warner Bros.) Randy Travis

1989: Greatest Hits III (Warner Bros.) Hank Williams, Jr. 

Top 25 Hot Country Songs (week of May 17, 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 collected a fourth straight week at No.1 on with “Play It Again” (Capitol Nashville) and the track spent a  fifth straight week atop Country Digital Songs, with 86,000 downloads sold.
• Jake Owen claimed his first top 10 in almost a year, and his seventh overall, as “Beachin’ ”(RCA Nashville) sauntered 11-10. He last cracked the upper tier with “Anywhere With You,” which peaked at No. 7 on the June 29, 2013 chart.

Top 25 Hot Country Songs:

Luke Bryan with “Play It Again” stays at the Top of the Chart #1

Brantley Gilbert with former No1 “Bottoms Up” moves up one, #3 - #2 p

Florida Georgia Line feat Luke Bryan with former #1 “This Is How Me Roll” drops #2 - #3 q

Eric Church with “Give Me Back My Hometown” stays at #4

Thomas Rhett with “Get Me Some Of That” stays at #5

Rascal Flatts with “Rewind” moves up 2 slots, #8 - #6 p

Keith Urban with “Cop Car” parks at #7

Miranda Lambert with “Automatic” is up one notch, #9 - #8 p

Jerrod Niemann with “Drink To That All Night” drops three, #6 - #9 q

Jake Owen  with “Beachin’” is up one, #11 - #10 p

Brett Eldredge with “Beat Of The Music” is up down one, #10 - #11 q

Lee Brice with “I Don’t Dance” moves up three, #15 - #12 p

Justin Moore with “Lettin’ The Night Roll” is down one, #12 - #13 q

Tyler Farr with “Whiskey In My Water” holds at #14

Chris Young with “Who I Am With You” moves up 2 places, #17 - #15 p

Blake Shelton with “Doin’ What She Likes” falls three, #13 - #16 q

Hunter Hayes with “Invisible” is down one, #16 - #17 q

Brantley Gilbert with “My Baby’s Guns N’ Roses” debuts at #18 NEW

Billy Currington with “We Are Tonight” is done one, #18 - #19 q

Joe Nichols with “Yeah” stays firm at #20

Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Sebastion jumps up six, #27 - #21 p

Craig Campbell with “Keep Them Kisses Comin’” stays at #22

Brad Paisley with “River Bank” is up three, #26 - #23 p

Dustin Lynch with “Where It’s At” moves up one, #25 - #24 p

The Band Perry with “Chainsaw” is down one, #24- #25 q

Hot County Songs

** No.1 (4 weeks) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan

** Hot Shot Debut ** No.18 with “My Baby’s Guns N’ Roses” Brantley Gilbert

** Airplay Gainer ** No.21 “My Eyes” Blake Shelton feat Gwen Sebastion

** Streaming Gainer ** No.24 “Where It’s At” Dustin Lynch

** Digital Gainer ** No.27 “Song About A Girl” Eric Paslay

Debut No.35 “Let Her Go” Kristen Merlin

Debut No.37 “You Lie” Audra McLaughlin

Debut No.44 “Sunshine & Whiskey” Frankie Ballard

Debut No.45 “Run” Jake Worthington

Debut No.49 “Famous” Kelleigh Bannen

Debut No.50 “Good Thing” Keith Urban

Billboard Country Airplay Chart Week of May 17, 2014

Eric Church claimed his fourth leader on Billboard’s Country Airplay tally, as “Give Me Back My Hometown” (EMI Nashville) stepped 2-1 in its 18th week. First released on January 10, 2014 the song written by Eric Church and Luke Laird is the second single from his 2014 studio album THE OUTSIDERS.

This chart week song logged 44.945 million audience impressions (+2.670) and received 7,394 radio plays (+539).

Church most recently reigned with Luke Bryan as the co-featured artists on Jason Aldean’s “The Only Way I Know,” which topped the Feb. 16, 2013 chart. Eric last topped Country Airplay as a lead artist when “Springsteen” spent two weeks at the summit on the charts dated June 23-30, 2012. He achieved his first No. 1 when “Drink in My Hand” led the Jan. 28, 2012 list.

The lead single and title track debuted and peaked at No. 25 on the Nov. 9, 2013 Country Airplay scorecard in a 12-week chart run. “Hometown” has sold 584,000 downloads (through the week ending April 27) and peaked at No.1 on the Feb. 1 Country Digital Songs chart.

Top three local audience contributors for “Hometown” during the April 28-May 4 tracking week: KKBQ Houston (1.3 million impressions), KKGO Los Angeles (989,000) and KPLX Dallas (894,000).

• Justin Moore landed his third straight Country Airplay top 10, and his sixth overall, as “Lettin’ the Night Roll” (Valory) which advanced 11-10 in its 28th week. He has twice cracked the top 10 faster: His quickest ascent was 14 weeks with “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” (2011), while “Small Town USA” reached the upper region in 27 weeks (2009). He also reached the top 10 in 28 weeks with “Backwoods” (2010). Moore has topped Country Airplay three times, with “Town,” “Heaven” and, most recently, with “Til My Last Day” (Jan. 25, 2013). A No. 2 peak for “Point at You” followed on the Oct. 5, 2013 chart.
• Jake Owen with "Beachin’" (RCA Nashviile) which moved 16-13 bagged the weeks “Most Increased Audience” honours logging 20.97 million audience impressions, a gain of +3.782 million and received  3,467 radio plays (+586).
• Tim McGraw for “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s” (featuring Faith Hill) (Big Machine), took home the weeks “Most Added” cup with 35 fresh airplay commitments (ADDS) which improved 35-31 and adds Breaker stripes. (Breaker status is awarded to titles that achieve at least one play at 60 percent of the Country Airplay reporting panel for the first time.)
• Josh Thompson with "Wanted Me Gone" blew in at No.54 and snagged the “Hot Shot Debut" trophy for the week.

Women of Country 2014 Watch:

Miranda Lambert at No.7 ("Automatic"), Sara Evans at No.17 (“Slow Me Down”) were the only 2 solo female artists in the Top 30 Country Airplay songs. Cassadee Pope #41, Kacey Musgraves #43, Maggie Rose #48, Lucy Hale #51, Kelleigh Bannen #52, Danielle Bradbery #53, Jamie Lynn Spears #59  and Leah Turner #60 were an additional eight females in the remaining 31-60 slots, to make it 16.6 of the entire Top 60 chart.

Country Airplay

*** No. 1 (1 week) *** “Give Me Back My Hometown” Eric Church

** Most Increased Audience ** No.13 "Beachin’" Jake Owen 

**  Most Added ** No.31 “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” Tim McGraw feat. Faith Hill 

** Hot Shot Debut ** No. 54 "Wanted Me Gone" Josh Thompson

Debut No.60 "Pull Me Back" Leah Turner

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart Week of May 17, 2014

• Luke Bryan’s single “Play It Again” held for a fifth straight week at No.1 shifting another 86,000 downloads (down 11%; 23-week total of 907,000). It also moved 8-11 on the all genre Digital Songs Chart. The Top 5 Country Digital Tracks this week represent the “Bro-Country/ Country Rock” types.
• Brantley Gilbert’s preview track “My Baby’s Guns N’ Roses” from his upcoming album release sold 52,000 copies to debut at No.4.
• Jamie Lynn Spears returned to the Top 30 with “How Could I Want More” gaining 308% on sales over previous week.
• The Voice USA contestants Audra McLaughlin (>>"You Lie" a Reba McEntire cover) and Kristen Merlin (cover of "Let Her Go" by Passenger) made a debut on the chart.
• Eric Paslay’s “Song About A Girl” jumped 72% in sales to debut on the Top 30 with a 32 slot leap.

Women Of Country Watch

Only 4 solo female artists on the Top 30 placings:

Miranda Lambert with single "Automatic" in its twelth week fell 9-12. Kristen Merlin “Let Her Go” #23 and Audra McLaughlin “You Lie” #29 debut as Jamie Lynn Spears re-entered at No.26.

Dropping off the Top 30:

12-35 Clare Bowen “Black Roses”

16-47 Hunter Hayes “You Think You Know Somebody”

23 - Off The Chart Kristen Merlin “Stay”

25 - Off The Chart Frankie Ballard “Helluva Life”

26-48 Dierks Bentley “I Hold On”

28-39 Chase Rice “Ready Set Roll”

Top 30 Digital Singles in Country Music (published May 8, 2014)

 (LW) Last Week  (TW) This Week

*Numbers are rounded to nearest 1000^th

Country Aircheck/ Mediabase chart

Eric Church with “Give Me Back My Hometown” (EMI Nashville) moved 2-1 to top the Mediabase Country chart for the tracking week April 27th to May 3rd. The song logged 7,680 radio spins (+657) and 57.678 million audience impressions (+3.888  million) from 149 tracking stations.

So it’s congrats UMG SVP/Promotion Royce Risser, EMI/ Nashville VP/Promotion Jimmy Rector and the entire EMI promo team for scoring the weeks #1 chart topper. This is Church’s third career #1 following “Springsteen” in 2012 and “Drink In My Hand” in 2011. Both came off his Platinum-selling, award winning “Chief” album. "Give Me Back My Hometown" is the second single from Eric’s album, THE OUTSIDERS, which debuted at #1 for the chart March 1, 2014 with 287,668 opening sales.

Last week’s No.1 Brantley Gilbert with “Bottoms Up” slipped 1-2 logging 7,297 radio spins (-55) and 56.758 million audience impressions

It was also congrats to UMG Nashville SVP/Promotion Royce Risser, Capitol Nashville VP/Promotion Steve Hodges and their entire promo team for earning 31 MEDIABASE Country ADDS on Dierks Bentley's "Drunk On A Plane." Those adds earned the "Most Added" title for this week. Bagels were due to be delivered to Capitol's office (May 6th) to congratulate the staff on their success.

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 395 - May 5, 2014 [PDF File]

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

Billboard Boxscores (Selective Country concerts)

Rank Artist: #8

Event Venue City/State: Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.

Dates: Jan. 29, 2014  Gross Sales: $797,507 Attend: 11,516/ 12,927 (1411 unsold tickets)

Capacity Shows: 1/0   Sellouts Prices: $82.50, $54.50, $39.50  Promoters: AEG Live

Rank Artist: #11

Event Venue City/State: Lady Antebellum, Kip Moore, Kacey Musgraves, TD Garden Boston, Mass.

Dates: Jan. 31, 2014  Gross Sales: $673,922  Attend: 10,921/ 10,921 SOLD OUT

Capacity Shows: 1/1 Sellouts Prices: $69.50, $39.50   Promoters: AEG Live

Rank Artist: #12

Event Venue City/State: The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.           

Dates: March 7, 2014  Gross Sales: $545,460  Attend: 11,139/ 11,139 SOLD OUT

Capacity Shows: 1/1   Sellouts Prices: $55, $52.50, $48.50, $38.50

Promoters: The Bowery Presents                                                               

  

Rank Artist: #14

Event Venue City/State: Darius Rucker, Eli Young Band, David Nail, Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C.

Dates: Feb. 21, 2014  Gross Sales: $514,530      Attend: 12,284/  12,284 SOLD OUT

Capacity Shows: 1/1  Sellouts Prices: $49.50, $34.50  Promoters: AEG Live

Rank Artist: #23

Event Venue City/State: Lady Antebellum, Kip Moore, Kacey Musgraves, Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, S.C.

Dates: Feb. 22, 2014   Gross Sales: $362,909   Attend: 6,997/ 8,320 (1323 unsold tickets)

Capacity Shows: 1/0    Sellouts Prices: $69.50, $39.50  Promoters: AEG Live

Rank Artist: #30

Event Venue City/State: Brantley Gilbert, Thomas Rhett, Eric Paslay Ford Center, Evansville, Ind.          

Dates: May 2, 2014  Gross Sales: $267,507  Attend: 8,696 / 8,696  SOLD OUT

Capacity Shows: 1/1 Sellouts Prices: $37, $24.75  Promoters: Frank Productions/NS2

                                   

Rank Artist: #73

Event Venue City/State: Merle Haggard, North Charleston Performing Arts Center, North Charleston, S.C. 

Dates: Feb. 6, 2014  Gross Sales: $96,865  Attend: 2,005/ 2,291 (286 unsold tickets)

Capacity Shows: 1/0 Sellouts Prices: $59.50, $39.50  Promoters: AEG Live

Rank Artist: #150

Event Venue City/State: Rodney Atkins, Rose Falcon, Frankie Ballard, Starland Ballroom Sayreville, N.J.

Dates: Jan. 30, 2014  Gross Sales: $29,232   Attend: 1,149/ 2,000 (851unsold tickets)

Capacity Shows: 1/0  Sellouts Prices: $35, $10.60  Promoters: AEG Live

Rank Artist: #219

Event Venue City/State: Craig Morgan, Mill City Nights, Minneapolis, Minn.         

Dates: Feb. 28, 2014  Gross Sales: $6,480 Attend: 235/ 1,200 (965 unsold tickets)

Capacity Shows:1/0 Sellouts Prices: $45, $30, $25 Promoters: AEG Live