Country
Billboard Chart News June 13, 2016
In
Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of June 25, 2016)
Country Album
Chart ** No.1 (1 week) HERO Maren Morris
Hot Country
Songs ** No.1 (6 weeks) ** H.O.L.Y. Florida
Georgia Line
Country Airplay
** No.1 (1 week) ** “Humble and Kind” Tim McGraw
Country Digital
Songs ** No.1 (6 weeks) ** H.O.L.Y. Florida
Georgia Line “
The
Billboard 200 chart measures multi-metric album consumption, which includes
traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent
albums (SEA).
"Views"
has earned the most consecutive weeks atop the chart for an album by a man in
over 10 years.
Drake’s VIEWS album, as expected, held
at No. 1 for a sixth consecutive week on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The
set earned 135,000 equivalent album units in the week ending June 9 (down 11%),
according to Nielsen Music.
Of
the album’s 135,000 units earned in the latest chart week, 81,000 of those were
in streaming equivalent album units. The rest were in traditional album
sales (31,599) and track equivalent
album units (22,000).
Views
has been a monster success on streaming services, and has tallied the six
largest streaming weeks for an album’s tracks.
With
a sixth straight frame at No.1, Views has the most consecutive weeks atop the
chart for an album by a man in over 10 years. 50 Cent’s The Massacre was the
last effort by a gent to notch six weeks in a row in the penthouse (March 19 -
April 23, 2005-dated charts).
The
last album by a man with more weeks at No. 1 was Eminem’s Recovery, which
tallied seven non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 between July 10 and Sept. 4, 2010.
Three
of Taylor Swift’s albums released since 2008 have earned at least seven weeks
at No.1. Adele’s last two studio albums — 25 and 21 — have notched 10 and 24
weeks at No. 1, respectively. (25’s first seven weeks were all at No. 1.) And
the Frozen soundtrack notched a mighty 13 weeks at No. 1, with eight of those
consecutive.
Music
legend Paul Simon arrived at No. 3
with STRANGER TO STRANGER, securing his highest debut ever -- and his highest
charting solo album in over 29 years.
The
new album bows with 68,000 units, of which 66,962
copies were in traditional album sales. The effort was also the top selling
album overall for the week, and it starts at No.1 on the Top Album Sales chart.
Simon
was last in the top three on the Billboard 200 chart on April 4, 1987, when his
GRACELAND album spent one week at No. 3 – its peak.
Stranger
to Stranger is Simon’s seventh solo top 10-charting album on the Billboard 200.
He’s led the list once with Still Crazy After All These Years, for one week in
in 1975. In addition, Simon was of course one-half of the successful duo Simon
& Garfunkel. The act notched five top 10s, including two No. 1s (Bookends,
No. 1 for seven weeks in 1968, and Bridge Over Troubled Water, No. 1 for 10
weeks in 1970).
Country
singer Maren Morris bowed at No. 5 on the new Billboard 200 with her debut full-length
album for Columbia Records, HERO. It
starts with 45,000 units (of which 37,142
were in pure album sales).
Morris
has charted two top 40 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart: “My Church” (No. 3
peak in March) and a featured turn on Dierks Bentley’s “I’ll Be the Moon”
(No.40 in April).
Morris
has previously released a self-titled EP for Columbia, which peaked at No.96 in
March. Before that, she issued three independently distributed albums between
2005 and 2011 which did not chart.
Country
duo Dan + Shay with OBSESSED, made a
debut at No.8 with 33,000 units (25,848
were in pure album sales). It’s the second top 10 effort for the pair,
following 2014’s No. 6-peaking Where It All Began.
Closing
out the new top 10 was Blake Shelton with If I’m Honest (5-9 with 33,000 units; down 48%)
Singer-songwriter
Maren Morris with
her debut major-label, full-length album, HERO
(Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville), became the first launch album to
debut atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart in 2016.
The set started with 37,142 copies sold in its first week
(ending June 9), according to Nielsen Music. On the all-genre, multimetric
consumption-based Billboard 200, Hero opened at No.5 with 45,000 equivalent
album units.
“I am still in shock at the response to Hero,”
Morris told Billboard. “This album is
everything I had envisioned when I first thought about making a full record. I
couldn’t be more proud, and I’m so grateful.”
“Debuting
Maren at No.1 is significant in many ways,” said Sony Music Nashville
chairman/CEO Randy Goodman.
“Maren
was our first signing since I took over [in the role on July, 8, 2015], and
that set the tone for us to become a highfunctioning team. We talked on day one
[about] how we had to have an early breakthrough. So, on that level, Maren’s
debut is a huge step forward for our team and for a most deserving artist.”
The
11-song Hero, led by the No. 5 Hot Country Songs hit “My Church” (up 8-6 on the
June 25 chart), and with all cuts co-written by the 26-year-old Morris, is the
first debut album to arrive at No.1 on Top Country Albums since Sam Hunt’s
Montevallo bowed at the summit with 70,000 sold (Nov. 15, 2014). The last
female to start atop the tally was Sugarland lead vocalist Jennifer Nettles,
whose first solo album, That Girl, debuted at No. 1 with 54,000 sold (Feb. 1,
2014).
When
considering only female artists with no prior chart history, Cassadee Pope, the
first female to win NBC’s The Voice (during season three in 2012), was the last
to begin at No. 1 on Top Country Albums, with Frame by Frame (43,000; Oct. 26,
2013). Before Pope, the last female soloist to bow at No.1 with her first
charted album was Kacey Musgraves, with Same Trailer Different Park (43,000;
April 6, 2013).
In
pure sales, Cam’s debut full-length album, UNTAMED, narrowly edged Morris’ Hero
for the biggest start by a rookie female this year. Untamed debuted at No.2 on
the Top Country Albums chart & #12 Billboard 200 dated Jan. 2, 2016, with 37,346 copies sold (204 more than
Hero’s opening-week sum).
Promoting
the album Maren appeared on NBC-TV's "The TONIGHT Show Starring JIMMY
FALLON" (June 6). Check out her performance of "My Church" here. She also took the stage on
NBC-TV’s “The TODAY Show” (June 7) and performed her current single, “80s
Mercedes.” - www.today.com
Critical
reception for Maren Morris’ Hero:
Allmusic (Rating: 4.1/2 STARS)….. Hero certainly felt unexpected and fresh
upon its release. Much of this inventiveness reflects Morris' cross-cultural
sensibility, cultivated from equal exposure to classic country, modern pop, and
hip-hop, an aesthetic that places Hero at the crossroads of a couple of strands
of modern country. At her core, Morris is a singer/songwriter in the vein of
Brandy Clark, Miranda Lambert, and Kacey Musgraves -- writers with a keen eye
for telling domestic details, composing songs that draw upon tradition but
address the present -- but the production she developed with Busbee draws
sharply from the lithe R&B influences pioneered by Sam Hunt and the
colorful crossover pop of Little Big Town. With its stuttering reggae-inflected
electronic rhythms, "Rich" recalls "Painkiller" but it's
not a re-creation....One of the pleasures of Hero is how Morris skillfully
slides between styles, blurring distinctions between genre and eras. Much of
the album takes its cue from its breakthrough single, "My Church," a
piece of secular gospel praising the power of the radio: she draws her strength
from the power of pop culture. Maybe that's why she can so easily glide between
old-school soul, glistening pop, trash talk, and contemporary R&B on Hero,
letting each provide an essential element on an album that feels thoroughly
modern and thoroughly country. By drawing upon so many cross-currents, Hero
belongs to the digital era but it's the songs -- smart, sharp, and hooky --
that make this a great modern pop album, regardless of genre.
Renowned For Sound (Rating: 3.5 STARS)…Sonically HERO never strays too far from
country-pop – at least for too long – which is good for maintaining a coherency
throughout but will probably limit the albums appeal more than was intended,
which is a shame as Morris has a strong and versatile voice that should be
heard. Sugar opens HERO with a slinky,
funky riff which is discarded for a brutally country-pop – yet somewhat catchy
– chorus, making it a shame the lyrics are a little insipid and bubble-gum pop,
and Rich continues with lyrical content that isn’t especially original, though
the main riff is almost worth sticking around for – if only because The Joker
by Steve Miller Band is a good song.....HERO is a good album, even if the
lyrics prove lacking on occasion, and Morris’ voice calls out for more to be
done with it. If Morris can find her
feet outside of country based music hers will be a voice readily welcomed into
the mainstream.
NY Times (Rating: Positive) …Profanities — well, really just one — are
sprinkled throughout “Hero,” this 26-year-old singer and songwriter’s
outstanding major label debut album, and perhaps the canniest country record in
recent memory.
Think of all the ways
dissenters have tried to upend country in recent years: by sneaking in rhythmic
vocal tics learned from rappers, by thinning out the genre’s musical baggage,
by pledging inclusive values. Ms. Morris, an astute synthesizer, has studied
and perfected them all. “Hero,” as a result, is both utterly of its moment and
also savvy enough to indicate how the future might sound.....And then there’s
that four-letter word, which comes up time and again: on “Sugar,” on “Rich,” on
“Drunk Girls Don’t Cry.” Ms. Morris uses it fluently, casually and effectively,
which is to say, you hardly notice at all as she’s breaking what may be
country’s last remaining taboo.
Saving Country Music (Rating: Two Guns DOWN
(1/10) ……. mainstream country has scared off or abandoned its core audience
from the last 60 years. In a word, Maren Morris’ HERO is bullshit.
I
had high hopes for this record after hearing Maren’s debut single “My Church”
and its references to the old greats of country music set in a
distressed-sounding recording like it was pouring out of an old tape deck
attached to Montgomery Ward speakers. Those who ventured to listen a little
farther than the single and pulled up her previously-released EP would have
known that any hope of Maren developing into some sort of vintage-inspired
starlet were unfounded. But you thought that maybe she could at least bring
something unique and interesting to the mainstream marketplace. Instead HERO is
all about attitude served up with three snaps in a ‘Z’ formation. This is way
more Beyoncé than Barbara Mandrell, or even Taylor Swift. Meghan Trainor’s
record is more country than this. HERO is simply an urban format album released
to the country format…..Comment:
If this is country, John Tesh is Alan Jackson. It’s the equivalent of slapping
“nut-free” on a package of Planters. This is flat-out pop/adult contemporary,
no question about it. What is wrong with you, Nashville?
Dan + Shay with their second studio LP,
OBSESSED (Warner Bros./Warner Music
Nashville), entered Top Country Albums at No.2
with 25,848 copies sold. (It also
entered the Billboard 200 at No.8 with 33,000 equivalent album units.)
The
duo’s first album, released April 1, 2014, WHERE IT ALL BEGAN, debuted and
peaked at No.1 on Top Country (28,648 sales) and No.6 on the Billboard 200. Meanwhile, Obsessed’s lead
single, “From the Ground Up,” becomes Dan+ Shay’s third Hot Country Songs top
10, jumping 16-9.
The
Platinum-selling country duo (Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) promoted the release
album with a performance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Friday, June 17.
Critical reception for Dan + Shay’s Obsessed:
Critical reception for Dan + Shay’s Obsessed:
Allmusic (3 STARS) …."Obsessed" seems too strong a word for
Dan + Shay, the country-pop duo who seem constitutionally allergic to any
forceful emotion. Hardness is anathema to this Nashville pair, something that
was evident on their 2014 debut, Where It All Began, but its 2016 sequel
doubles down on softness, offering a syrupy reduction of Rascal Flatts'
sweetest moments. This is the essence of Dan + Shay, but they're clever,
realizing that they can't simply recycle Y2K adult contemporary crossovers in
2016....Even if the production often overwhelms the duo's personalities, that
is part of the album's appeal: it's music that drifts into the background in a
mall, office, car, or lifestyle. Oddly, the title track provides an exception
that proves the rule. By stripping away the modern accouterments and relying on
a classic slow-burning Southern soul foundation, "Obsessed" shows
that Dan + Shay can sell a song, plus they sound more convincing unadorned. The
rest of the record, though, is enjoyable background music where the singers are
incidental to the album's charms.
Sounds Like Nashville (Rating: Very Positive)….It’s safe to say that Dan + Shay fans
will be obsessed with their sophomore release, out June 3. Fittingly titled
Obsessed, the album’s name actually comes from the duo’s fan base.
“Our fans know we live on
social media both when we’re in and out of the studio, and we started noticing
the hashtag #obsessed being tagged in all our fans’ posts when we first
revealed our single ‘From the Ground Up,'” Shay Mooney explains. “So when it
came time to pick a title for this album, it seemed pretty appropriate that
we’re even more obsessed with making music for our fans than they are to hear
it.”
Current single “From the
Ground Up” anchors the album and Dan + Shay say it’s the most honest song on
their release....Another highlight is the title track which is a throwback song
that showcases sultry vocals and an impressive horn section..... While sadness
is featured throughout some tracks on Obsessed, “Already Ready” is a welcomed
diversion as Mooney’s impressive rapid fire singing is showcased for the first
time. The sexy song details a guy going to a party with his girl and as soon as
they get there he’s ready to go, hoping to spend more alone time with his lucky
lady.
Overall, Obsessed is a
standout release that showcases Dan + Shay’s staying power as two of the most
promising songwriters and performers in the genre. Their ability to translate
the emotion in a song they didn’t write like “How Not To” is the sign of a true
artist. Meanwhile, surprise moments like “Already Ready” and “Obsessed”
demonstrate the duo’s versatility and ability to leap out of their comfort zone
to try something new.
In
his third week Blake Shelton with IF I’M HONEST (Warner Bros./Warner Music
Nashville) fell 2-3 Country (5-9 Billboard 200) selling 25,631 copies
(down 50%; 3-week total 230,300)
In
his second chart frame Dierks Bentley with BLACK (Capitol Nashville/Universal Music
Group [UMG] Nashville), fell 2-12 Billboard 200 and 1-4 Country selling 20,410
copies (down 77%; 2-week total 108,300)
Chris Stapleton with TRAVELLER fell 3-5 Country
(13-14 Billboard 200) selling another 18,061
copies (58-week total 1,375,900).
Keith
Urban with RIPCORD (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville/ Universal Music Group
Nashville) fell 4-6 (23-28 Billboard 200) in his fourth chart frame with sales of 10,001 (5-week
total 160,100)
Cole Swindell with YOU SHOULD BE HERE (Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville [WMN]) fell
#5-7 Country (31-43 Billboard 200) selling
7,915 copies (5-week total 117,400)
Joey + Rory with HYMNS (Farmhouse/Gaither | Capitol CMG) in its 17th frame fell 80-108
BB200 and fell #6-8 Country (6,073; 17-week
total 395,100). It led Top Christian Albums for 17 non-consecutive weeks.
Jennifer
Nettles with PLAYING WITH
FIRE (Big Machine/BMLG), fell 62-99 on the Billboard 200 & 7-9 country with 5,451 sales (4-week
total 55,600).
Cassadee Pope with her 4 track Summer EP made a debut at No.164 on the
Billboard 200, #69 Top Albums and No.14
Country selling 3,783 copies.
A
week after she celebrated her first number one with “Think of You,” Cassadee
Pope announced that new music was on the way. The West Palm Beach, Florida
native’s new single is the title track from her EP Summer. It’s one of three
tunes on the project Cassadee had a hand in writing. Corey Crowder, who both
co-wrote and co-produced her chart-topping duet with Chris Young, helmed the four-song
EP as well. Cassadee and Chris will play several dates together this summer,
before picking up their I’m Comin’ Over tour in the fall.
Critical
reception for Cassadee Pope’s Summer EP:
Roughstock (Rating: Positive) …it is this EP, Summer, which fully announces
a woman who should be country music’s next big power vocalist. She writes and
records songs that recall the best of Jennifer Nettles, Faith Hill, Trisha
Yearwood and Martina McBride and prove that while she became a pop/punk kid in
her teens as she’s matured country music is a natural spot for her..... “Piano”
and “Alien” (which like "Summer" were co-written by Cassadee) are
both strong songs too, helping the whole “statement” feel of the Summer EP.
This is only a taste of what’s to come from the forthcoming album, which
Cassadee is working on with Corey Crowder in the producer’s chair. They’re a
strong team (like he is with Chris Young, the guys behind Cassadee’s first #1,
the duet “Think Of You.” After “The Voice,” it was easy to see Cassadee Pope as
someone cashing in on country music’s more open borders but with the Summer EP,
she delivers and may become that show’s first true superstar.
Taste Of Country (Rating: Positive) .. is a short sampler of a larger project. The
four songs don’t form a cohesive artistic statement as much as they speak to
the overwhelming optimism that’s becoming the trademark of her sound.
The title track is a playful
summer love song that’s easy to believe coming from the Florida-raised Pope.
“Piano” is equally effective. Here she sings about a guy who “played me like a
piano,” but the mid-tempo vocal showcase turns toward how she’ll respond in the
future. “Alien” is the most forward thinking. The empowering message and sheer
honesty of the lyric makes up for a title that’s difficult to embrace or
imagine coming from the lips of a radio deejay. Pope was not bullied, yet
somehow she’s the perfect advocate.
Corey Crowder produced the
Summer EP. He also helmed Chris Young’s most recent album, which resulted in
Pope’s first No. 1 hit in “Think of You.” The 26-year-old leans heavy into
songs that tell her story on this album, and the result is an ear-catching
appetizer that leaves one hungry for something more substantial.
Did You Know?: “Piano” was
written about an ex-boyfriend. Pope says the relationship ended years ago, but
she has no troubles accessing those emotions once again.
Key
Tracks: “Summer,” “Alien”
Craig Morgan with A WHOLE LOT MORE TO ME (Black River Entertainment) made a debut at
No.74 Top Albums & No.16 Country
selling
3,454 copies.
To
promote the album the Black River Entertainment artist performed on NBC-TV's
"The TODAY Show” (June 13). Having served 17 years in the military, Morgan
performed his touching and meaningful current single, "I'll Be Home
Soon". He returned to TV on Friday, June 17 to headline Fox News’ Fox
& Friends All-American Concert Series.
Critical
reception for Craig Morgan’s A Whole Lot More to Me:
CMC Chat (Rating: Very Positive) ..It’s been about four years since Craig
Morgan’s last album and his fans couldn’t be more excited about his new album A
Whole Lot More To Me on Black River Entertainment.
After listening to his
entire album multiple times, I have to say that this is his best work yet. Each
track has potential to be a No. 1. He and his team took their time picking each
song, producing it and recording it. His fans will be relieved to know that it
was worth the wait. This new album will be listened to for decades to come.
Nash Country Daily There are 11 more
songs on A Whole Lot More to Me—five of which he co-wrote—that showcase Craig’s
commanding vocals and artistic growth. From the emotionally charged current
single “I’ll Be Home Soon” to the poignant “Hearts I Leave Behind” (featuring
Mac Powell) to the charismatic “I’m That Country,” there’s a renewed energy in
Craig’s voice.
After all, this is his first
studio album in more than four years. “The material, more than anything, has
reinvigorated me and the people around me,” says Craig. “Vocally, there are
some things on this record that are a whole lot different than things I’ve done
in the past...
Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen with WATCH THIS (Lil’ Buddy Toons) made a debut at No.98 Top Albums
& No.21 Country selling 2,783 copies.
Critical reception for Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen’s Watch This:
CMC Chat (Rating: Very Positive)….For those who missed the performances,
Rogers & Bowen have now released a fantastic 19-song live acoustic album
called Watch This which features songs from Hold My Beer and a few songs thrown
in from their respective solo albums. A nicely put together acoustic performance,
the two vocally skilled songwriters showcase their witty personalities and
their oddly strong chemistry which mostly resembles brothers who like to pick
on one another. Rogers and Bowen both have nearly a decade of experience
performing on their own and it’s certainly captured within this album....Watch
This brings you extremely close to a live experience and can be enjoyed in any
situation. There is something for everyone on this 19-track storybook. So sit
back, grab a cold one and enjoy the untouched technique of these two amazing
talents.
Outside
Top 25 Country Albums
Royal Bliss with THE TRUTH (EP) made a debut at No.28 with 1,500 copies sold.
Critical
reception for Royal Bliss’ The Truth:
Moments In Sound Salt Lake City’s own Royal
Bliss have some experience when it comes to making music. After 18 years, Neal
Middleton (vocals), Taylor Richards (guitar), Jake
Smith (drums), Dwayne
Crawford (bass) and Sean “Memphis” Hennesy (guitar) have found the Royal Bliss
sound in the form of their 5-song EP, The Truth. Released on June 3, the five
songs are a reflection of a band that likes to have a good time and wants to
send out a positive message....For long time fans of Royal Bliss, The Truth may
feel like a bit of a departure from the rock songs they’ve released in the past
and to some degree, that is the case. However, these songs are Royal Bliss
being honest with themselves. For me, I couldn’t ask for anything more from any
band. Actually, my only complaint is that there aren’t more songs. Hopefully it
won’t be too long before we get a bigger dose of what Royal Bliss has to offer.
Hard
driving Denver, CO country band Jackson Taylor & The
Sinners
with WHICH WAY IS UP (Sin House
Records) made a debut at No.47
This
Sinners comprise Jackson Taylor (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Brandon Burke (Drums/Percussion/Vocals)
and Mike Battiato (Bass).
Jackson
Taylor is a story teller, plain and simple. Jackson Taylor tells stories about
what he knows - life. Jackson's lyrics paint tales of lives filled with passion
and joy as much as of a life tainted by sorrow and disappointment - his life.
Jackson sings of heaven and hell, beauty and grit - Jackson sings of real life.
Combining his real life experiences with old school country elements, and
throwing in the flavors of punk and southern rock to create a style all his
own, Jackson Taylor continues to break the rules of traditional country music with
his straightforward lyrics, "take it or leave it" approach, intense
live performances, and the drive and determination of a freight train. The end
result cannot be pigeon holed into any style and can only be rightfully defined
as what it is: "Jackson Taylor Music."
Critical
reception for Jackson Taylor & the Sinners’ Which Way Is Up:
Saving Country Music (Rating: 7.5/10) Which Way Is Up is only eight songs long and
includes two covers—the Delbert McClinton/Emmylou Harris standard “Two More
Bottles of Wine,” and the old Cheap Trick song “He’s a Whore.” But like most
every Jackson Taylor release, including the ones of old material done anew, it
is worth the effort to acquire. Unlike some of the other true Outlaw artists
who can be guilty of being too stuck behind the times or that cut corners on
the recording side, Jackson Taylor and the Sinners have an unique attack to
their music, bred from a distinctive “chuck chuck” raking of the electric
guitar strings that drives the songs and gives the music an energy that is
almost unmatched in country…..Which Way Is Up is a timely record to help get
your mind off the turmoil and divisiveness of the political season by reminding
you that we all just like to have a good time, and music is one of the best
ways to do it.
Year-To-Date
Albums
10,649,000 (Physical sales 6,941,000
(down 9%) + Digital sales 3,707,000 (down -15.2%)) which is 9.2% down at the same point in 2015 (11,722,000
sales)
Year-To-Date
Digital Tracks
41,863,000 down 21.4% at the same point in 2015 (53,234,000)
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:
Florida
Georgia Line with new single “H.O.L.Y.”
(Republic Nashville) held the No.1 for a sixth straight week atop Billboard’s
Hot Country Songs chart (dated June 25).
Hot County
Songs
** No.1 (6 weeks)
** H.O.L.Y. Florida Georgia Line
** Airplay
Gainer ** No.10 “Lights Come On” Jason
Aldean
** Digital
& Streaming Gainer ** No. 21
“Different For Girls” Dierks Bentley
featuring Elle King
** Hot Shot
Debut ** No.39 “The Only One Who Gets Me” Charles
Kelley
Debut
No.47 “80's Mercedes” Maren Morris
Tim
McGraw notched his 28th No.1 on Country Airplay, as “Humble
and Kind” (McGraw/Big Machine), which won the CMT Awards’ video of the year
trophy on June 8, jumped 4-1 in its 21st week, increasing by 11% to 44.8
million in audience.
He extended his record for the most Country Airplay No.1s, dating to the chart’s Jan. 20, 1990, inception. Behind McGraw’s 28, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and George Strait each have 26, followed by Blake Shelton with 22.
Notably, “Humble” (released Jan 20, 2016) written by Americana/country
singer-songwriter Lori McKenna, is the first Country Airplay No.1 to be
penned by only one person in more than four years, since Taylor Swift’s
self-authored “Ours” topped the March 31, 2012, survey. Before “Ours,” Swift
notched the prior one-writer No.1 “Sparks Fly” (Nov. 26, 2011). That was just
after Shelton’s “God Gave Me You,” originally a Christian hit for its lone
writer, Dave Barnes, ruled Country Airplay for three weeks beginning Oct. 29,
2011.
Evidencing just how rare it is for a country hit to be written by just
one person, “Humble” is the only song on the June 25-dated Country Airplay
chart, which runs 60 positions deep, that is credited to one songwriter. The
trend has been declining for decades, as analysed when “Humble” topped the Hot
Country Songs chart, which encompasses airplay, sales and streaming data, on
April 23.
Country
Airplay
***
No. 1 (1 week) *** "Humble And Kind” Tim
McGraw 44.795 million audience (+4.304 million) / 8,069 radio plays (+848)
** Most
Increased Audience ** No.6 “Lights Come On” Jason Aldean
**
Most Added ** No.32 “Different For Girls” Dierks
Bentley feat. Elle King ( ADDS)
**
Hot Shot Debut ** No.53 “Song For Another Time” Old Dominion
Debut
No.54 “Sober Saturday Night” Chris Young
feat. Vince Gill
Debut
No.59 “Summer” Cassadee Pope
The
CMT Music Awards helped the chart
score a few bonus sales from fans watching at home on TV.
Florida
Georgia Line (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley) with “H.O.L.Y.”
(Republic Nashville) remained at No.1 for the sixth week on Billboard’s
Country Digital Singles Chart and held at #6 on the all genre Digital
Songs Chart with sales of 75,000 downloads (6-week total 509,000) .
Tim
McGraw with “Humble and Kind” (McGraw/Big
Machine/Big Machine Label Group) rose #3-2 (#27-25 Digital Songs; 34,000
sales; 21-week total 676,000).
Dan+Shay with "From The Ground Up" leapt 18-3 (#28 re-entry Digital Songs; 32,000 sales;
18-week total 258,000) coinciding with their sophomore album release Obsessed.
Maren
Morris with "My Church" (Columbia
Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) climbed 10-4 (#42-33 Digital Songs; 29,000 sales; 22-week total 607,000)
Luke Bryan with "Huntin' Fishin' & Loving Every Day"
rose 7-5 (41-37 Digital Songs; 26,000
sales; 14-week total 299,000).
Bolstered
by her CMT performance Carrie Underwood with "Church Bells" jumped 11-6 (#39
Digital Songs; 25,000 sales; 10-week total 174,000).
Dierks
Bentley feat. Elle King with “Different
for Girls" fell 2-9 (#26-45 Digital Songs; 20,000 sales; 2-week total 52,000) as “Somewhere
On A Beach" retreated 4-7 (#33-43 Digital Songs; 22,000 sales; 21-week
total 542,000)
Thomas Rhett with “T-Shirt” (Valory | BMLG) fell 5-8
(#37-44 Digital Songs; 22,000 sales; 21-week total 407,000) whilst "Die A Happy Man" at #17 has
scanned 1.5 million copies in its 38th frame (13,000 sales; total 1,499,000)
Jason Aldean with "Lights Come On" rounded out the
Top 10, lifting 14-10 (#46 re-entry Digital Songs; 19,000 sales; 10-week total 222,000)
Jon Pardi with “Head Over Boots” fell 9-11
in his 31st frame (#49-47 Digital Songs; 19,000 sales; 32-week total 405,000)
Charles Kelley with "The Only One Who Gets Me" was new
at #18 (12,000 sales)
Country Aircheck MEDIABASE
Chart
13
June 2016
Congrats
to Tim McGraw, Jack Purcell, Erik Powell and the entire Big Machine promo staff on landing the week’s No.1 with “Humble And
Kind.”
The
song is from his current album DAMN COUNTRY MUSIC. "Humble And Kind"
is the second single from the album and has already been awarded an RIAA GOLD
certification (June 6, 2016).
The
song logged 8,563 radio spins (+1172)
and 58.204 million audience impressions
(+6.32) with 27247 Total Points from
158 tracking stations for the tracking
week June 5 to June 11, 2016 and published chart June 13th 2016.
Kudos to Kristen Williams and the WMN crew for notching 53 adds for Blake Shelton’s “She’s Got A Way With Words”. The song topped the week’s "Most Added" board.
 |
Pictured L-R: WMN Promotion Coordinator Branden Bosler,
Dir./National Promotion Katie Bright, and VP/Promotion Kristen Williams.
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