Country
Billboard Chart News February 22, 2016
In
Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of March 5, 2016)
Country Album
Chart ** No.1 (1 week) HYMNS Joey + Rory
Hot Country
Songs ** No.1 (15 weeks) ** Die A Happy Man” Thomas Rhett
Country Airplay
** No.1 (1 week) ** Dibs” Kelsea Ballerini
Country Digital
Songs ** No.1 “Girl Crush” Little Big
Town
The
Billboard 200 chart measures multi-metric album consumption, which includes
traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent
albums (SEA).
After
a two-week vacation from the No.1 slot on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200), Adele’s 25 was back on top for a ninth non-consecutive week. The
set rose 2-1 with 151,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Feb.
18, according to Nielsen Music (up 25%). It sold 125,000 in pure album sales
(up 23%).
Justin Bieber’s Purpose climbed 5-2 with
84,000 units (up 15 percent), while Rihanna’s
Anti is steady at No. 3 with 79,000 (down 18%).
Both
Adele and Bieber, like many artists on the chart, profited from performances
and wins on the Grammy Awards (Feb.
15). The show was broadcast live on CBS. During the broadcast, Adele performed
the 25 album cut “All I Ask,” while Bieber sang a medley of “Love Yourself” and
his Grammy-winning “Where Are U Now” (with Diplo and Skrillex).
Country
duo Joey + Rory scored a career high week with the arrival of their new
inspirational album HYMNS, at No. 4.
The effort bows with 70,000 units (68,300 in pure album sales), logging
their first top 10 album on the Billboard 200 and best sales week ever.
The
album also crowned both Top Country
Albums and Top Christian Albums
-- their first leader on both tallies. Hymns was released on Feb. 12 through
the pair’s own Farmhouse Recordings label.
Joey + Rory with HYMNS (Farmhouse/Gaither/Capitol Christian Music Group) made a bow
atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums
chart (dated March 5). The inspirational country album sold 68,341 copies in the sales week ending
Feb. 18, according to Nielsen Music. On the multi-genre Billboard 200, the LP arrived
at No.4 (with 70,000 in consumption). It also opened at No.1 on Top Christian
Albums.
“No one is more surprised that our Hymns
record has sold this many copies than Joey and I,” Rory told Billboard. “For the last few months, we’ve been in
Indiana, far away from the music business, living and sharing the story of our
personal journey through my blog. We haven’t been promoting our careers at all.
The only way I can explain the sales of this record is that it’s a by product
of something bigger: love.”
Joey + Rory 'Hymns' Debuts At #1 On Country, Christian Album Charts
Released on their own FARMHOUSE RECORDINGS label, “Hymns”
also had an impressive Billboard 200 all-genre debut, landing at #4 and putting
them in impressive company such as Adele, Rihanna, Chris Stapleton and Justin
Bieber.
Even
with all of the Grammy Awards love, fans supported went out and bought Hymns:
That Are Important To Us showing the love of American country fans (and beyond)
who followed the couple and their life. Joey recorded the album last year whilst
receiving ongoing treatment. It was great for their fans especially
uplifting news, in the midst of JOEY’s ongoing battle with stage 4 cancer; she was
currently in hospice care
Stats
for
#4 Billboard
Top 200 Album Chart (all genres)
#2 Billboard
Top Albums (based on pure sales)
#1 Billboard
Top Country Albums
69,500 Total Activity (multi-metric consumption)
68,300 PURE Album Sales
10,800 Song Sales
Other charts
Digital
Albums (all
genres)
#21 New 1 Hymns - Joey + Rory
Top
Christian Albums
TW LW 2W Wks
#1 50 – 2 Hymns - Joey + Rory
Music
Video Sales
#1 NEW 1 Hymns: That Are Important To Us - Joey + Rory
#3 18 9 48 Inspired: Songs Of Faith & Family - Joey +
Rory
The
sales week easily marked the pair’s strongest. The Life of a Song (2008) represented the act’s prior best weekly
sales total: 8,000 upon its debut (Nov. 15, 2008).
Debuts:
The Life of a Song (Vanguard/Sugar Hill
Records) released Oct 28, 2008: #10
Billboard Top Country Album #61 Billboard 200 selling 8,309 copies
Album Number Two (Vanguard/Sugar Hill
Records) released Sept 14, 2010: #9
Billboard Top Country Album, #60 Billboard 200 selling 6,981 copies
His and Hers (Vanguard/Sugar Hill
Records) released July 31, 2012: #24
Billboard Top Country Album #112 Billboard 200 selling 3,971 copies
Inspired: Songs of Faith
& Family
(Gaither Music Group) released July 16, 2013: #27 Billboard Top Country Album #166 Billboard 200 sold 2,500 copies
Made to Last (Farmhouse Recordings)
released October 8, 2013: #44 Billboard Top Country Album 1,600 copies (300 to ‘pre-sale’ fans and
1,300 on release week)
Country Classics: A Tapestry of Our Musical
Heritage (Gaither Music Group) released May 2014: (Cracker Barrel)/ October 27,
2014 (wide release) #33 Billboard
Top Country Album and had sold 28,700 (chart week March 3, 2016)
Hymns (Farmhouse/Gaither/Capitol
Christian Music Group) released Feb 12, 2016: #1 Billboard Top Country Album #4 Billboard 200 selling 68,341
Critical
reception for Joey+Rory’s HYMNS That Are Important To Us:
13 Tracks/ Time: 41:34 (Country Music People March 2016; 5 Stars) Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
CCM Magazine (Rating: 4.5 STARS)…In what they knew would be their final
musical release, Joey + Rory have made another inspiring and courageous
statement with Hymns That Are Important to Us...While each of the hymns present
on Joey + Rory’s
new album have been recorded
many times over, it’s impossible to separate the gravity of their situation
while listening to classic songs of the church like “It Is Well With My Soul”
and “I Need Thee Every Hour.” The band’s throwback country sound mixes well
with these familiar hymns, and the lyrics take on an added depth as Joey sings
them.
Country Standard Time (Rating: Positive) ...the couple took advantage of Joey's good
days to head into the studio to craft this collection of time-honored hymns
that resonates with deep emotion....Put into the context of Feek's illness
however, these songs take
Sounds Like Nashville by Chuck Dauphin (Rating: Very
Positive) .if you have any part of you
that believes in a higher power, their performance of “It Is Well With My Soul”
will render you speechless. In spite of everything they are going through, to
still have that fire to proclaim a wish for God’s will is a trait to be admired.
Beautiful simply doesn’t do it justice. If it’s God’s will…..yes, I am a
believer, this will not be the last time we hear these two song together. In
either case, this is an album that will make you the better simply by listening
to it – and that’s a rare trait these days!
For The Country Record (Rating: Very Positive) ...In a sentence: Hymns (That Are Important To
Us) is perfection. It is truly bittersweet; on one hand, the album is an
excellent, wonderful record, but on the other hand,
you can’t help but be
saddened by the fact that we will never have another album from this talented
duo. You could almost accept that fact if they had just decided to stop making
music, but because it happens that they have no choice in the matter, it just
makes it so hard to accept. But that is the decision God has handed down, and
we must accept and honor that decision, the way Joey + Rory have, and hopefully
we can do it with a quarter of the grace, strength, and faith that they have...
Chris Stapleton with TRAVELLER (Mercury Nashville | UMGN) moved 11-5 on Billboard 200 in
his 23rd chart frame and slipped 1-2 on Top Country Albums chart in his 42nd
chart frame selling another 51,300 copies (up 60%) for a 42-week total of 913,800.
Sam Hunt with MONTEVALLO (MCA Nashville | UMGN) stayed at No.3 Country (20,400 sales; up 86%; 69-week total 1,042,600.
In
his second chart week Charles Kelley withTHE DRIVER (Capitol
Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville) fell 2-12 Country, selling 4,900 copies
(down 65% from debut week 13,989)
‘DOWN’
IS UP Vince Gill collected his 15th top 10 on Billboard
Top Country Albums, as DOWN TO MY
LAST BAD HABIT (MCA Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville) started at #35
on Billboard 200 & blew in at No.4
Country selling 17,088 copies.
“Take Me Down,” the first single
from the album, features vocal assists by Little Big Town and has already been
shipped to radio. “A masterful appraisal
of the volcanic force of love,” one critic calls it. Vince has played, sung
and/or written songs on more than 500 albums by other artists. And he’s
produced projects beyond these - Press Release
Gills’s
last solo studio album, his 13th, GUITAR SLINGER (released October 25, 2011)
debuted at No.14 Billboard 200/ #4 Country selling 21,484 copies (then 9,318 in week
two down 56%)
Critical
reception for Vince Gill’s Down To My Last Bad Habit:
12 Tracks/ Time: 46:13 (Country
Music People March 2016; 4.1/2 Stars) Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
NPR (Rating: Positive) ..On Down To My Last Bad Habit, Gill continues
to work from multiple musical angles while also bringing into focus perhaps the
greatest of all the skills he's cultivated over the years: his ability to
translate his devotion
to craft into richness of
expression. As is often the case for him — especially these days — he had a
hand in every facet of the album-making process, recording in his home studio,
co-producing with respected engineer Justin Niebank, writing or co-writing
every number, laying down lead-guitar tracks, and singing a lot of the
background vocals. The refined simplicity of Gill's writing comes through in
"I'll Be Waiting For You," its plaintive melody gently exposing the
pain in the words' patient pining, and "One More Mistake I Made," a
rumination mellowed by its lilting tune and Gill's subtle vocal shadings.....He
powers his clear, rippling tenor
to the high notes, buoyed by
a meticulously constructed swell of guitar and synthesizer. Friction has no
place in Gill's music, but he can't be beaten at fully formed feeling, which is
what makes him one of country's great, graceful romantics.
Allmusic (Rating: 4 STARS) While it can't be called a concept album,
it's certainly unified by a soulful sensibility, trading heavily on slow,
simmering grooves and favoring a feel so warm it feels as comfortable as an old
tattered sweater. A lot of skill went into a record that appears so casual, and
Gill once again is the chief architect of this record, writing every number and
co-producing with Justin Niebank, playing all the guitar and singing most of
the harmonies, too..... Gill maintains an elegant, soulful air throughout the
record even when he's singing about Jimmy Dickens or sneaking in a little bit
of fingerpicking.....the appeal of Down to My Last
Bad Habit feels more Memphis
than Nashville: it's Vince Gill's soul album, which is a welcome thing indeed.
Country Weekly (Rating: A | Review Image)..It’s always amazing to see a Hall of Fame artist like Vince record
something that’s absolutely contemporary without pandering in choice of
material or losing his identity.
Vince is still in great
vocal form as he shows us the breadth of his range from funky R&B, as in
the solid opener “Reasons for the Tears I Cry,” to a plaintive ballad like
“I’ll Be Waiting for You,” which has always been his stylistic strength. This
is likely Vince’s best album since The Key, in terms of overall musicality,
song sense and production. Vince’s guitar work remains as tasty as ever,
note-perfect but never sterile or bland....“Me and My Girl” has an upbeat
flavor best described as “jaunty,” while “Like My Daddy Did” taps into Vince’s
bluesy side. Vince always selects just the right collaborators when needed, and
here he makes perfect use of Little Big Town on “Take Me Down” and current hot
favorite Cam on “I’ll Be Waiting for You.”
One of Vince’s protégés, Ashley
Monroe, contributes to the effort with the fascinating “My Favorite Movie,”
which she co-wrote with Vince. Down to My Last Bad Habit is simply Vince having
loose-limbed fun with his cohorts, resulting in one of the most enjoyable
listening experiences you’ll be privy to all year. You’ll want to play it over
and over.
American Songwriter (Rating: 3.5 out of 5
stars)...If Don Henley decides to keep
the Eagles brand alive after the untimely death of Glenn Frey, extending an
invitation to Vince Gill to fill that void would be a logical move. ...He’s in
fine fettle for this dozen song (14 on the deluxe edition) return. All are
written or co-penned by the veteran and are firmly in his comfort zone of
country, slightly blues-tinged rootsy-rock that manages to avoid most of the
clichés now baked into the genre...Gill still concocts a snappy hook the equal
of anything he has done while getting musically down and dirty...... And,
despite an impressively rootsy, George Jones dedication on “Sad One Comin’ On,”
there isn’t much pure country either. Also, the less said about the histrionic,
creepy-stalker power ballad “I Can’t Do This” (where the protagonist spies on
his ex with her new boyfriend), the better...If Gill maintained the rawness
displayed on a few tracks and added more upbeat tunes, this would have been an
edgier return to form. But Gill’s talents sell even the weaker material making
this a terrific addition to an already classic catalog. It also indicates that
the singer/songwriter/guitarist’s best work may still lie ahead of him.
Country Standard Time (Rating: Mostly Positive) ..And there is quite a lot that works on his
first solo album since 2011's "Guitar Slinger." (He did release the
excellent "Bakersfield" with Paul Franklin in 2013). Gill prefers a
more soulful approach, while not forgetting his roots. The slow burning title
track, which percolates as well with slow, steely guitar leads, is a song in
point.....Gill does a bit of name checking here with Jimmy Dickens on the
mid-tempo "Me And My Girl" with Jordan setting a simple, but steady
beat, and the very fine closing "Sad One Comin' On (A Song For George
Jones)". This is not the usual name checking to establish cred. Gill
already has that in spades, and unlike many poseurs seeking to glom onto an
artist's rep, Gill is legit....About the only misstep is "One More Mistake
I Made." The song, which includes Chris Botti on trumpet, never takes off
musically, and the trumpet sounds out
of place. Once again, Gill
shows that he's a man of diversity - honky tonk, country ballads, blues - and
no dilettante. Gill remains tried and true.
NO JOKE
Also
on Top Country Albums was the first top
10 debut for a comedy set in nine years. It came courtesy of Wheeler Walker with
his irreverent REDNECK SHIT (Pepper
Hill/ Thirty Tigers), his first entry on the chart which arrived at No.127 on
Billboard 200 & No.9 Country
with 5,780 copies sold. The most
recent comedy LP to bow in the top 10 was Larry the Cable Guy’s 2007 LP Morning
Constitutions (No. 5, 56,000).
"The goal was I wanted to make a really funny
record that is as good as any country album that you're going to hear this year,"
Hoffman says. "I know I'm not as good as Sturgill [Simpson] or Waylon
[Jennings], so I'd never compare myself. But as far as the contemporary country
I hear, I think this stands up." Read more…Rollingstone
Critical
reception for Wheeler Walker Jr. - Redneck Shit:
11 Tracks/ Time: 32:22 (Country Music People March 2016; 4 Stars) Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
...the album isn’t for everyone
and even people who don’t have a problem with swearing may tire of the content
after a while - Adrian Peel
(Country Music People)
Saving Country Music (Rating: 1 3/4 of 2 Guns Up
8/10) Ben Hoffman, who dreamed up the foul-mouthed Wheeler Walker Jr. and
developed his back story of a Nashville songwriter and performer whose been
under the radar and jobbed by the industry, may not even know what role he’s
fulfilling either....It was a friendship with Sturgill Simpson—a fan of Ben
Hoffman’s The Ben Show on Comedy Central—that resulted in Hoffman getting
hooked up with producer Dave Cobb, and eventually in a studio with a crack team
of session musicians cutting completely inappropriate country songs in a
totally authentic manner....It was either genius, or
unfortunate
to release “F**k You B*tch” as >> the first song YouTube off the album, because despite the title, it’s the cleanest, most
straight-laced song on the project if you can believe it. It may have lulled the public into thinking there was a semblance of
seriousness here, when in reality, there’s nothing of the sort. Redneck Shit is
all about trying to shove as much offensive language and behavior into songs as
humanly possible....The genius of Redneck Shit is how each of the 11 songs is
perfectly structured and stylized to reflect a specific era or influence in
classic country music, making the album a really strong country music
experience beyond the lyrics. The music of Redneck Shit is excellent. And so
are the lyrics if you’re looking for belly laughs....This music is best served
in smaller portions. But it appears country music finally has a new court
jester and he’s got one hell of a potty mouth.
Daily Country (Rating: Positive) Fearless, foul-mouthed filthy….and
down-right funny...The subject matter on the other hand....be prepared to hear
language so dirty that you may find yourself needing a bath afterwards, either
from wetting yourself from laughing so hard or feeling utterly disgusted.
..Redneck Shit is a ballsy album that’s not for the easily offended. Give it a
pass and make your own decision. Like it or loathe it, there’s one thing for
sure: there’s certainly no one else out there like Wheeler Walker Jr.
Wynnona with WYNONNA & THE BIG NOISE (Curb) made a debut at No.162
on the Billboard 200 & No.14
Country selling 4,701 copies.
With husband-drummer Cactus Moser producing, Wynonna returned with
another solo album. After topping the charts with 14 #1 hits as half of the
country music duo The Judds, Wynonna ventured out on a solo career and has
eight previous studio albums to her credit. Wynonna and the Big Noise was
number nine.
Wynonna
& the Big Noise performed three songs from their self-titled first album on
CBS This Morning Saturday Sessions (Feb 20). You can check out "Cool
Ya," "You Are So Beautiful" and "You Make My Heart Beat Too
Fast"
Critical
reception for Wynonna & The Big Noise:
American Songwriter (Rating: 4 Stars)...This is arguably the finest release of her
extensive career......Look no further than the cover art to see this is
somewhat of a new beginning for Wynonna. Where once her albums featured only
her face, generally in a studied close-up with a Mona Lisa half-smile, this
shows the singer with her road band in a far less stilted pose. It accurately
reflects the music that is similarly looser and more limber because it’s
recorded with her touring group—the slightly misleadingly named Big Noise —
instead of polished studio pros...But this is primarily Wynonna and her band
collaborating on a set of first-class songs that succeed by sounding far more
rootsy, earthy and raw than in the past. For better or worse, the disc is front
loaded with its rockers,
closing with ballads or
slower, swampier fare that dominates the approach and plays to this group’s
strengths....Perhaps a better balance of rockers and reflective selections
might have made this stronger and more diverse. But those who shied away from
Wynonna’s slicker commercial heyday will find this direct, collective style a
refreshing transformation for the better.
Allmusic (Rating: 4 STARS) ...the
resulting album feels neither fussy nor rushed: this music is well weathered,
embracing its slow, steady roll and cherishing its old-fashioned contours.
That's not to say that Wynonna & the Big Noise are either unaware or
uninterested in modern music. Two of the biggest rebels in 2010s Nashville have
a presence here -- Chris Stapleton co-wrote the opening "Ain't No
Thing" and Jason Isbell duets on "Things That I Lean On" -- but
a greater indication of how assured and muscular Wynonna & the Big Noise feels
are cameos by both members of Tedeschi and Trucks, both providing a big, bluesy
kick whose
aftershocks
are felt elsewhere, surfacing in slow, swampy vamps and soulful
grooves.....Wynonna will sing anything she damn well pleases and she's wound up
with a monster of an album.
Sounds Like Nashville (by Chuck Dauphin)....Never before has the singer put all of those
directions on one record as solidly as she does here –
with her band The Big Noise. Cactus
Moser, who is the drummer for the band (and
Wynonna’s husband / producer) gave the vocalist the room to stretch in ways
that she never has before and use her voice for the good of song...The early
era of the singer comes to light on tracks like “Jesus And A Jukebox,” the
inspiring “Something You Can’t Live Without,” and the absolute power of “Things
That I Lean On.” Jason Isbell lends his harmomies on the latter, but make no
mistake about it – this is Wynonna’s show. And, lyrically, the singer manages
to not only sing the words of those songs – she is the lyrics of those
songs – which makes the
music all the more powerful....You might not hear Wynonna & The Big Noise
on mainstream Country radio anytime soon, but in a sense, that makes it all the
more enlightening. When you listen to this album, you drink in the music as if
it’s your own personal meeting with the singer. And, what could be any cooler
than that?
News Day.com (Rating: B+) The big voice is still there — deep, pure
and throaty enough to growl at the drop of a hat — and she wraps it around
whatever style she is feeling. She matches up well with Susan Tedeschi on the
blues rocker “Ain’t No Thing,” belting out big notes while Tedeschi offers
soulful harmonies.....Wynonna finds the groove on “Staying in Love” from
R&B singer Raphael
Saadiq, playing up the rock
edge and showing off her soulful falsetto. ...She even channels late-’70s Carly
Simon on “I Can See Everything” with Timothy B. Schmit, who wrote the song when
he was with Poco. But Wynonna is still best when she’s taking a pretty folk
song to church, like she does on the gorgeous “Things That I Lean On” with
Jason Isbell or the soothing “Jesus and a Jukebox.”
Rollingstone Aus (Rating; 3 STARS) ....Confessional
"Things That I Lean On" (featuring Jason Isbell) is a frank
centrepiece, while "Jesus and a Jukebox" is a consummate country
weeper. But there's a touch too much vestigial schmaltz – witness "Every
Ending". -
Outside the
Top 25 Country Albums
Brett Young with his self-titled 6 track EP was new at #35 Country selling 1,300 copies
“This week has been beyond what I
ever imagined,” Young said. “I am so
thankful that country radio has been so receptive to my music, and I look
forward to getting on the road to play for more of you very soon.”
Lorrie Morgan with LETTING GO... SLOW made a debut at #47
Country selling 800 copies.
Press Release “I have been a daughter, a bride, a mother, a divorcee, a widow, a
single mother, a grandmother, a breadwinner, and, ultimately a survivor. It
seems, in many ways, I am a living, breathing country song, and I know what I
sing.” – Lorrie Morgan
Lorrie >> shared her
journey to recording one of its songs, “Spilt
Milk,” exclusively with The Boot’s readers.
Lorrie Morgan Is ‘Going for
a Grammy’ on New Album
“There’s
quite a few reasons for why so long between albums. I guess I kind of lost my
drive,” she admits matter-of-factly. “It’s been a long battle, I guess, with me
in my inner mind. I wasn’t happy with the music I was hearing, what was being
played on the radio, and what radio thought were great songs, I thought were
not great songs......“It just became,
‘Why go in and record music I don’t believe in just to get on radio?’ And I
said no, I’m not gonna do that,” Morgan said. “So I just waited and waited, and it’s not necessarily that I know the
right time … I just felt like it was time for me to put the music that I love
back out, and I’m excited about it. We’re going for a Grammy on this. I’m
really excited about that as well.” ..Read More at Taste Of Country
Critical
reception for Lorrie Morgan’s Letting Go... Slow:
Allmusic (Rating: 3 STARS) ...Released on the indie Shanachie, Letting
Go…Slow feels as hushed as its title suggests, proceeding at a relaxed gait as
Morgan alternates between covers and originals. She's not beyond throwing a
curveball -- Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay"
bounces to a slight reggae
lilt, and she picks up the tempo on the wry, funny, original "Jesus &
Hairspray" -- but this feels handsomely settled, its arrangements spare
but not skeletal, pushing focus on the warmth of Morgan's voice. What's best
about Letting Go…Slow is its relaxed conversational intimacy: this plays not
like a missive from a star but like a long, lazy talk between old friends.
Country Weekly (Rating: B) Lorrie has never sounded better as she pays
homage to some of her favorite country classics. Retro remixes frame each track
with era-appropriate productions that can distract from Lorrie’s voice, which
is so compelling on the Gatlins’ “I’ve Done Enough Dying Today” that you forget
it’s a cover....Where the album truly shines is with original tunes that showcase
Lorrie’s lush vocals. Lyrics seemingly chronicle her storied personal life with
aching ballads like “Slow,” “What I’d Say” and the deliciously smoky “Spilt
Milk.” But just like Lorrie herself, there comes a flash of tempo and sass on
“Jesus and Hairspray,” filled
with fiddle and fun.... It’s
best enjoyed with a glass of wine and dreams of Mr. Right, or a shot of tequila
and Mr. Right Now.
Country Standard Time (Rating: Mostly Negative) ..Speaking of covers, for some reason Morgan
has gone with a 1967 Barbara Eden "I Dream Of Jeannie" look on the
front of this CD. Seriously, she looks like she just popped out of that bottle
ready to cause trouble for her beloved Major Nelson. She's even got that weird
'60s hairstyle that looks like someone trying to slip past customs, smuggling a
grapefruit in their wig....."Ode to Billie Joe" is a song that hardly
anybody has the nerve to cover, and if you want to know why, listen to Morgan's
version. There's nothing an artist can do with it, Bobbie Gentry nailed it so
perfectly that it will always be her song and only hers....The original tracks
fare only slightly better. Lyrically "Jesus and Hairspray" reads like
it might have been an album filler track back in Ms. Morgan's heyday, but it's
unlikely to appeal to today's more empowered female demographic. "How Does
it Feel" a weepy ballad which Morgan co-wrote and which closes out the
album has its moments, but not enough of them.....Sorry, Lorrie, but maybe it's
those comeback dreams you ought to let go.
Year-To-Date
Albums
2,904,000 (Physical sales (down 13.8%)
at the same point in 2015 (3,370,000)
Year-To-Date
Digital Tracks
12,375,000 down 22.6% at the same point in 2015 (15,993,000)
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:
Rhett Yet Again: Thomas Rhett with
“Die a Happy Man” (Valory) earned a
15th frame atop Hot Country Songs (the last 14 in succession) but its 15th week
at the summit of Country Digital Songs (the past eight consecutively) came to
an end after Grammy winning Little Big Town hit the top spot
Hot County
Songs
** No.1 (15
weeks) ** “Die A Happy Man” Thomas Rhett
** Digital
& Streaming Gainer ** No.2 “Heartbeat” Carrie
Underwood
** Airplay Gainer ** No.7 “Dibs” Kelsea Ballerini
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.38 “Hold On” The
Scott Brothers
Debut
No.43 “Record Year” Eric Church
Kelsea
Ballerini became one of only five women to notch Country
Airplay No.1s with their first two charted titles, and the first in 15
years, as “Dibs” (Black River) rose 3-1 (45.4 million, up 10%). Her
debut hit, “Love Me Like You Mean It,” topped the July 4, 2015, list. It was
the first No.1 debut by a solo female since Carrie Underwood’s 2006 six-week
leader “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”
The last solo female to send her first two entries on Country Airplay to
No.1 was Jamie O’Neal, who arrived with the leaders “There Is No
Arizona” and “When I Think About Angels” in 2001. The other women to earn the
honor are Deana Carter (1996-97 | "Strawberry Wine" &
"We Danced Anyway"), Faith Hill (1993-94; "Wild One"
& "Piece of My Heart") and Wynonna (1992; "She Is His Only
Need", "I Saw The Light", " No One Else On Earth"),
who is the only one of those artists whose first three singles rose to No. 1
(from the start of her solo career, apart from The Judds).
“It just kind of blows my mind hearing that I’m the first female artist
since 2001 to have my first two singles go to No. 1,” Ballerini told Billboard.
“All I ever intended was to make good
music, to have a voice and have that voice be heard. As an artist and songwriter,
that’s all I wanted. For country radio to commit and trust me as they have has
been the start of a beautiful relationship. I still can’t believe this news. I
am so grateful.”
“In addition to another great song, Ballerini’s bubbly and charming personality
really makes you want to root for her,” said WBWL Boston PD Lance Houston.
Among all artists, Ballerini is the first to reign with her first two
Country Airplay entries since Sam Hunt led with his first three: “Leave the
Night On,” “Take Your Time” and “House Party,” in 2014-15
Kelsea Ballerini Calls “Dibs” On Second
Consecutive #1 Single At Country Radio
“The other night I was with a bunch
of my friends waiting on a phone call that came, at midnight, telling me I had
my second number one,” said Ballerini. “I
had foils in my hair, I was eating pizza, and it was one of the best moments of
my life because in that moment I remembered having girls' nights when I was 12
and 13, playing all my friends songs on the guitar and talking about one day
having a song on the radio. It was like a flash forward. I’m so incredibly
grateful to Country radio for giving me a voice this early on in my career and
supporting not one, but two, singles now like they have. I’m so excited to keep
working hard and to hopefully keep making good music.”
Ballerini’s debut single “Love Me Like You Mean It” hit #1 on the
Billboard Country Airplay chart on June 22, 2015 and she held her reign as the
only solo female artist to hit #1 on this chart since then.
“It’s amazing to be a part of this
history making debut,” said Black River Record’s VP of Promotion Mike
Wilson. “Kelsea’s artistry is amazing,
it’s such a pleasure to work with her on a daily basis. She works so hard for
her fans and she loves Country radio. We have an amazing staff at BRE that will
walk through walls for our roster.”
“Dibs” going #1 is a big win for the teams at Black River Publishing
and Black River Records.
"Humble, hardworking, relentless, grateful,” said Black River
Entertainment CEO Gordon Kerr. “And that's only what I think about Kelsea! Imagine my words about the Black River
staff!” Kerr continued, “I'm ‘callin’ dibs’ on an incredible team effort. I’m
so thankful for Country radio and all the wonderful people who have worked so
hard to make this day happen for Kelsea and BRE!”
Written by Kelsea Ballerini, Josh Kerr, Jason Duke and Ryan Griffin,
“Dibs” is also the second U.S. #1 for Black River Publishing’s Josh Kerr and is
found on Ballerini’s critically-acclaimed debut album, THE FIRST TIME,
co-produced by Forest Glen Whitehead and Jason Massey.
About Kelsea
Ballerini
Kelsea Ballerini launched to stardom with two consecutive #1 smashes –
the GOLD-certified debut "Love Me Like You Mean It” and infectious “Dibs.”
Abuzz with shout-outs from superstars Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Little
Big Town, she is the first solo female artist in nine years to hit #1 with her
debut country single and one of only 11 women to have ever hit the top of the
charts with a debut. Scoring a number of recent high-profile media appearances,
the Black River Entertainment recording artist has been named “The Country
Sweetheart” in People Magazine’s elite “Ones to Watch” portfolio, touted by
Billboard Magazine as “Country’s Next Queen,” praised by Rolling Stone as the
“Nashville It Girl” and selected as one of CMT’s Next Women of Country.
Co-produced by Forest Glen Whitehead and Jason Massey, THE FIRST TIME landed
Top 5 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart and released to critical acclaim
with Billboard praising, “Her frankness and honesty are rooted in country’s
long tradition of storytelling, a tradition that she deftly adapts to both 21st
century and timeless concerns.” The talented singer/songwriter wrote or
co-wrote all 12 songs on the project. Racking up her first CMT, CMA and AMA
award nominations, she received Billboard’s “Rising Star” award at the
prestigious 2015 Women In Music event. Gearing up for her first international
trek to Australia this March to perform at the Country CMC Rocks Festival, she
will join select dates this spring with Billy Currington and Rascal Flatts.
Previously, she shared the stage with Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Tim
McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. Press Release
Country
Airplay
***
No.1 (1 week)/ Most Increased Audience *** "Dibs” Kelsea Ballerini 45.389 million audience (+4.389 million gain) / 8,090
radio plays (+679)
**
Most Added ** No.28 “T-Shirt” Thomas
Rhett (27 ADDS)
**
Hot Shot Debut ** No.57 “21 Summer” Brothers
Osborne
Debut
No.58 “Sleep Without You” Brett Young
Debut
No.59 “Tuxedo” Clare Dunn
Little
Big Town with their 2016 double Grammy Winner “Girl Crush”
sold 49,000 copies and rocketed 192-17 Digital songs 39-1 Country Digital to
top the chart with a new 61-week total of 2,058,000
Thomas
Rhett slipped 1-2 with "Die A Happy Man" 16-23 of all genre
Digital Songs (39,765 sales; down 7%; 21-week total 1,150,265).
Carrie
Underwood with “Heartbeat” lifted 63-25 Digital Songs
and 11-3 selling 36,844 copies up 133% with a 15-week total 220,572. She
performed the song on the Grammy’s joined by Sam Hunt
Maren Morris fell 3-4 (up #30-27 Digital
Songs) with "My Church" (35,266
sales; up 19%; 6-week total 145,444)
Cole
Swindell with “You Should Be Here” fell 4-5 (31,077 sales; #32-31 Digital
songs; 10-week total 283,287)
Sam
Hunt with "Break Up in a Small Town" dropped 5-6 (28,489 sales;
down 12%, 57-week total 1,154,490) whilst his Grammy performance for “Take Your
Time” made it climb 26-7 (24,010 sales; up 176%, 69-week total 1,982,904)
Brett
Eldredge with “Drunk On Your Love” slipped 6-8 (24,000 sales; 11-week total 193,000)
Country Aircheck MEDIABASE
Chart
22
February 2016
Congrats
to Kelsea Ballerini, Mike Wilson, Bill Macky and the whole Black River promo crew who took No.1 with “Dibs.” The song
is
Ballerini’s second consecutive chart-topper, joining “Love MeLike You Mean It.”
The
song logged 8,331 radio spins (+841)
and 58.79 million audience
impressions (+4.533) with 26981
Total Points from 157 tracking stations for the tracking week February 14 to
February 20, 2016 and published chart February 22nd 2016.
Kudos to Jimmy Rector and the EMI Nashville team on earning 40 adds for Eric Church’s “Record Year,” topping the week’s "Most Added" board.
Mediabase
Adds Report - February 22, 2016
BOLD
= Went for Adds
Adds
TW Total
Adds
Artist / Song Record Label
40 98
Eric Church / Record Year Emi
Nashville
32 44
Locash / I Know Somebody Reviver
Records
28 33
Brooke Eden / Daddy's Money Red Bow
Records
26 101
Dan + Shay / From The Ground Up Warner
Bros. Records/Warner Music Nashville/War Promotion
23 24
Clare Dunn / Tuxedo MCA Nashville
Billboard Boxscores (Selective Country
concerts)
Rank
Artist: #8
Event
Venue City/State: Blake Shelton, Chris Janson Palace of Auburn Hills Auburn Hills, Mich.
Dates: Feb. 20, 2016 Gross Sales: $1,211,978 Attend:
15,102 /15,102
Capacity
Shows: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Sellouts
Prices $99, $49
Promoters:
Live Nation
Rank
Artist: #11
Event
Venue City/State: The Corrs, The Shires
O2 Arena London, U.K.
Dates:
Jan. 23, 2016 Gross Sales: $1,027,230 Attend: 12,651/ 15,121
Capacity
Shows: 1/0 Sellouts Prices $121.22,
$49.91
Promoters:
Live Nation
Rank
Artist: #23
Event
Venue City/State: Brad Paisley, Eric Paslay,
Cam Scotiabank Saddledome
Calgary, Alberta
Dates:
Feb. 18, 2016 Gross Sales: Attend: 11,324/ 11,324
Capacity
Shows: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Sellouts
Prices $71.62, $35.45
Promoters:
AEG Live
Rank
Artist: #88
Event
Venue City/State: Patty Griffin, Sara Watkins,
Anais Mitchell Fox
Theatre Atlanta, Ga.
Dates:
Feb. 18, 2016 Gross Sales: $25,227 Attend: 466/ 736
Capacity
Shows: 1 / 0 Sellouts Prices $60,
$50
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