Country Billboard Chart News July 5, 2016

Country Billboard Chart News July 5, 2016

In Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of July 16, 2016)

Country Album Chart ** No.1 (21 non-consecutive weeks) TRAVELLER Chris Stapleton

Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (9 weeks) ** H.O.L.Y.  Florida Georgia Line

Country Airplay ** No.1 (2 weeks) ** "Wasted Time” Keith Urban

Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (9 weeks) ** H.O.L.Y.  Florida Georgia Line “

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News (Chart issue week of July 16, 2016)

The Billboard 200 chart measures multi-metric album consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).

For a ninth week in a row, Drake’s Views holds at No.1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200).

Views pulled ahead of Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP (with eight weeks at No.1) to solely claim the third-most weeks at No.1 by a hip-hop album. Ahead of Views are Vanilla Ice’s To the Extreme (16 weeks at No. 1 in 1990 and 1991) and MC Hammer’s Please Hammer Don’t Hurt 'Em (21 weeks in 1990).

Views earned 111,000 equivalent album units in the week ending June 30, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 24,801 were in traditional album sales. The bulk of Views units were driven by streaming equivalent album units (67,000), owed to the album’s popularity on streaming services.

Views also has spent the most weeks atop the chart for an album by a man in over 10 years. The last album by a man to spend at least nine weeks at No. 1 was Usher’s Confessions, which racked up a total of nine non-consecutive frames at in the penthouse in 2004.

Views has the longest consecutive rule atop the chart since Adele’s 21 spent 10 weeks in a row at No.1 between the Jan. 14 and March 17, 2012-dated charts.

The Avett Brothers earned their highest charting album ever, as TRUE SADNESS made a debut at No.3 with 46,000 units (43,180 in traditional album sales). That beat the No.4 debut and peak of THE CARPENTER, which launched at No. 4 with a 98,000 sales start. The act’s last album, MAGPIE AND THE DANDELION, bowed at No. 5 with 58,000 copies sold in its first week.

Billboard Top Country Albums (Chart issue week of July 16, 2016)

In a quiet week on the Billboard Top Albums Chart witnessed Chris Stapleton, after a few weeks out of the top slot, returned to the summit (since chart dated May 21st) and familiar place at No.1 with TRAVELLER (13-12 Billboard 200) selling 15,319 copies (61-week total 1,431,100).  

Blake Shelton with IF I’M HONEST (Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville) moved 4-2 (17-15 Billboard 200) selling 13,953 copies (6-week total 282,700)

Various Artists: NOW That’s What I Call Country, Volume 9 (Sony Music/Universal/UMe) fell 42-62 on the Billboard 200 but rose 5-3 Country selling 8,893copies (4-week total 37,200)  

Dierks Bentley with BLACK (Capitol Nashville/Universal Music Group [UMG] Nashville), lifted 7-4 Country (28-26 BB200) selling another 7,643 copies (5-week total 136,900)

Keith Urban with RIPCORD (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville/ Universal Music Group Nashville) falling 15-37 Billboard 200 (3-5 Country; 8-week total 197,200)

The previous week’s No.1 Jon Pardi with CALIFORNIA SUNRISE (Capitol Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville), fell 11-40 on the Billboard 200 and 1-6 Country in his second week with 6,830 sales (down 71%; 2-week total 30,600)

Joey + Rory with HYMNS (Farmhouse/Gaither | Capitol CMG) rose 11-7 Country (116-97 BB200) selling another 6,567 copies (20-week total 414,000). It has led Top Christian Albums for 18 non-consecutive weeks where it moved 2-1 in its 21st frame.

Cole Swindell with YOU SHOULD BE HERE (Warner Bros. Nashville) held at #8 Country (48-50 BB200) selling 5,764 Copies (8-week total 137,800)

Thomas Rhett with TANGLED UP (Valory | BMLG) fell 6-9 Country (18-22 BB200) selling 5,487 copies (40-week total 415,600)

Former No.1 Maren Morris with HERO (Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) held at #10 Country (55-64 BB200) selling 5,236 copies (4-week total 58,800)

Outside Top 25 Country Albums

Brandy Clark with BIG DAY IN A SMALL TOWN (Slate Creek/ Warner Brothers) slipped 24-26 on Top Country Albums selling 1,300 copies (3-week total 11,000).

Elizabeth Cook with EXODUS OF VENUS (Agent Love | Thirty Tigers) in her second frame fell 23-40 selling 700 copies.

The only album to debut on Top 50 Country was a compilation set Various Artists Country Hits Of The 80s & 90s (Stargrove | Amazon UK) at No.50 selling around 500-600 copies.

Year-To-Date Albums

12,057,000 (Physical sales 7,886,000 (down 9%) + Digital sales 4,171,000 (down -15.6%)) which is 9.7% down at the same point in 2016 (13,355,000 sales)

Year-To-Date Digital Tracks

47,307,000 down 22.0% at the same point in 2015 (60,648,000)

Billboard Hot Country Songs (Chart issue week of July 16, 2016)

On Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart - which blends:

a) All-format airplay, as monitored by BDS

b) Sales, as tracked by Nielsen SoundScan and

c) Streaming, (tracked by Nielsen BDS from such services as Spotify, Muve, Slacker, Rhapsody, Rdio and Xbox Music, among others) according to BDS it results in:

Florida Georgia Line, (duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley), continues to rule three of Billboard’s country songs charts with “H.O.L.Y” (Republic Nashville).

The Nate Cyphert-, William Larsen- and busbee-penned first single from FGL’s third studio full-length, DIG YOUR ROOTS (due Aug. 26), topped Billboard’s airplay-, sales- and streaming-based Hot Country Songs chart (dated July16) for a ninth week. It also crowned Country Digital Songs for a ninth frame, up by 14% to 79,000 downloads sold in the week ending June 30, according to Nielsen Music.

Since bowing at the Country Digital Songs summit (May 21), the track has moved 730,000 downloads to date. “H.O.L.Y.” additionally leads Country Streaming Songs for a ninth week, up by 10% to 6.9 million U.S. streams for the week. On Country Airplay, the song pushed 5-4 with an 11% increase to 39.9 million audience impressions.

FGL holds one of the most vaunted records in Hot Country Songs history (dating to the chart’s 1958 inception as a multimetric survey), as its debut single, “Cruise,” topped the survey for an unprecedented 24 weeks in 2012-13.

Chase Rice with “Everybody We Know Does” (Dack Janiels/ Columbia Nashville) debuted at No.26 on Hot Country Songs. Fueled by first week sales of 26,000, the song also launches at No.2 on Country Digital Songs, tying his best bow and rank on the list; his debut hit, “Ready Set Roll” (2014), and “Whisper,” his single prior to “Everybody,” both also began and peaked at No.2 on the sales tally.

‘RED’ HOT Dustin Lynch’s “Seein’ Red” (Broken Bow) made a debut on Hot Country Songs at No.31, his highest career start. It’s powered most heavily by its No.8 entrance on Country Digital Songs (20,000), matching Lynch’s best rank on the chart; he first hit No. 8 on Country Digital Songs with his 2012 breakthrough, “Cowboys and Angels.”

Darius Rucker with new ballad “If I Told You” (Capitol Nashville), the maiden single from his upcoming fifth solo album, arrived at No.46 on Hot Country Songs and No.43 on Country Airplay (2.9 million in audience). Rucker, who has scored six No.1s each on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay, charts his first entry on the lists since “Southern Style,” which peaked at Nos.38 and 33 on the surveys, respectively, in 2015.

Hot County Songs

** No.1 (9 weeks) ** “H.O.L.Y.” Florida Georgia Line

** Airplay Gainer ** No.16 “Fix” Chris Lane

** Streaming Gainer ** No.19 “She's Got A Way With Words” Blake Shelton

** Digital Gainer ** No.23 “Without A Fight” Brad Paisley featuring Demi Lovato

** Hot Shot Debut ** No.26 “Everybody We Know Does” Chase Rice

Debut No.31 “Seein' Red” Dustin Lynch

Debut No.46 “If I Told You” - Darius Rucker

Debut No.49 “Make You Mine” High Valley

Billboard Country Airplay (Chart issue week of July 16, 2016)

Keith Urban with “Wasted Time” (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville) paced Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for a second week, increasing by 6% to 49 million in audience. Urban’s 20th Country Airplay No.1 is his first multi-week leader since “Somewhere in My Car” parked in the most coveted spot for two weeks in December 2014.

Written by Urban, Greg Wells and James Abrahart, “Time” is the third single from Urban’s album Ripcord, which arrived as his fifth No.1 on Top Country Albums (dated May 28). 

It follows the Country Airplay No. 1 “Break on Me” and the No. 2-peaking “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16.” “I’ve had a lot people ask me if I feel that the best days of my life are behind me,” Urban told Billboard about the meaning of “Time.” “For me, personally, the song isn’t so much about yearning for another time as it is a reminder that life is right now. It’s brief, and being alive and in the moment doesn’t take much. It’s remembering the beauty, in the simplest ways. I think these kinds of songs can resonate in different ways, depending [on] where you are in life. Plus, I’m a sucker for hooks, and I just wanted, one day, to get [a lyrical mention of Guns N’ Roses’] ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ into one of my songs. It’s an awesome title that just rolls off the tongue.”

Country Airplay

*** No.1 (1 week) *** "Wasted Time” Keith Urban 49.003 million audience (+2.944 million) / 7,932 radio plays (-58)

** Most Increased Audience ** No.7 “Fix” Chris Lane +5.706 million audience gain

** Hot Shot Debut/ Most Added ** No.43 “If I Told You” Darius Rucker (31 ADDS)

Debut No.54 “Saltwater Gospel” Eli Young Band

Debut No.60 “Where Do You Go”? The Last Bandoleros

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart (Chart issue week of July 16, 2016)

Florida Georgia Line (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley) with “H.O.L.Y.” (Republic Nashville) remained at No.1 for the eighth week on Billboard’s Country Digital Singles Chart and climbed 7-3 on the all genre Digital Songs Chart with sales of 79,000 downloads (9-week total 730,000).

Chase Rice with “Everybody We Know Does” (Dack Janiels/ Columbia Nashville) made a No.32 debut on Digital Songs and No.2 Country Digital Singles selling 26,000 downloads.

Luke Bryan with "Huntin' Fishin' & Loving Every Day" rose 5-3 (#39-38 Digital Songs; 23,000 sales; 17-week total 368,000).

Carrie Underwood with "Church Bells" rose 7-4 (#42-40 Digital Songs; 23,000 sales; 13-week total 243,000).

Tim McGraw with “Humble and Kind” (McGraw/Big Machine/Big Machine Label Group) slipped 3-5 (#31-43 Digital Songs; 22,000 sales; 24-week total 759,000).

Jon Pardi with “Head Over Boots” held at #6 in his 35th week (#40-45 Digital Songs; 22,000 sales; 35-week total 469,000).

Kelsea Ballerini with “Peter Pan” (Black River) rose 8-7 (#46-47 Digital Songs; 22,000 sales; 13-week total 243,000).

Dustin Lynch with “Seein' Red” (Broken Bow/ BBMG) made a debut at #8 (#48 Digital Songs; 20,000 sales)

Jason Aldean with "Lights Come On" climbed 10-9 (20,000 sales; 13-week total 281,000).

Dierks.Bentley and Elle King with “Different For Girls” rose 11-10 (19,000 sales; 5-week total 106,000)

Outside the Top 10:

Dan+Shay with "From The Ground Up" fell 4-11 (19,000 sales; 21-week total 327,000)

Thomas Rhett with “T-Shirt” (Valory | BMLG) fell 9-13 (17,000 sales; 24-week total 466,000)

Maren Morris with "My Church" (Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) fell 15-21 (12,000 sales; 25-week total 653,000)

Kane Brown with “Ain't No Stopping Us Now” plummeted 2-44 in his second week with 6,000 downloads (2-week total 49,000)

ON THE CHARTS, ON THE AIR

On the latest episode of Billboard’s Chart Beat podcast, producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Mary Chapin Carpenter) and Americana Music Assn. executive director Jed Hilly discussed all things Americana, including the stable growth of the genre and the recent renaming of Billboard’s Folk Albums chart to Americana/Folk Albums.

PODCAST | ARTICLE

  

On Chris Stapleton it was a turning point not a line in the sand but it may spawn something new in the future

What do you think about country radio today?

Jed: I think there's a difference between fine art and commercial art, that's neither good nor bad but it is a different perspective

By and large what you see on country radio today, they are songs written and selected because people believe they will be hits. Those songs at commercial country radio are geared to sell, geared to be No.1 hits for the commercial format and that's a different from the world of artists that I work in. I can't say that's bad because people are making money, I think that's great".

Jim Asker: What is Americana?

Jed Hilly: If you can taste the dirt between your ears that's Americana

I think the dirt incorporates blues....it took 7 or 9 different cultures to create this form of music that became American but is truly International. I think it represents honesty, I think by including Americana into your charts it's definitely a landscape shifting moment....I don't think Americana is a format and I don't believe in formats, I don't think formats have been healthy for the music industry as a whole....it's how music hits your soul and what you love, I'm not really a fan of formats"

Country Aircheck MEDIABASE Chart

5 July 2016

Congrats to Keith Urban, Royce Risser, Bobby Young, David Friedman, Shane Allen and the Capitol promotion staff who scored the No.1 for the second consecutive week with "Wasted Time."

The song logged 8,625 radio spins (+313) and 59.215 million audience impressions (+2.665) with 29979 Total Points from 159 tracking stations for the tracking week June 26 to July 25, 2016 and published chart July 5th 2016.

Kudos to the Capitol crew on landing 36 adds for Darius Rucker’s “If I Told You.” The song topped the week’s "Most Added" board.

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 506 - July 5, 2016 [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: #28

Event Venue City/State: Dolly Parton Forest Hills Stadium New York, N.Y.

Dates: June 25, 2016 Gross Sales: $1,055,126 Attend: 9,263/ 12,887 (3,624 unsold tickets)

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 ** Prices: $285, $40 Promoters: AEG Live

Rank Artist: #37

Event Venue City/State: Brad Paisley, Tyler Farr, Maddie & Tae XFINITY Theatre Hartford, Conn.

Dates: June 25, 2016 Gross Sales: $459,003 Attend: 13,483/ 21,000 (7,500 unsold tickets)

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 Prices: $79, $20 Promoters: Live Nation

Rank Artist: #41

Event Venue City/State: Dolly Parton Mann Center for the Performing Arts Philadelphia, Pa.

Dates:June 15, 2016 Gross Sales: $405,376 Attend: 4,114/ 5,093 (979 unsold tickets)

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 ** Prices: $235, $45 Promoters: AEG Live

                                                           

Rank Artist: #52

Event Venue City/State: Chris Stapleton, Sam Lewis Volvo Car Stadium Charleston, S.C.         

Dates: May 21, 2016 Gross Sales: $293,772 Attend: 7,327/ 7,652 (325 unsold tickets)

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 ** Prices: $55, $31 Promoters: AEG Live

Rank Artist: #65

Event Venue City/State: Jason Isbell, Frank Turner Altria Theater Richmond, Va.

Dates: June 21, 2016 Gross Sales: $90,562 Attend: 1,996 / 2,851 (855 unsold tickets)

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 ** Prices: $49.50, $29.50 Promoters: NS2