Country Billboard Chart News May 1, 2017

Country Billboard Chart News May 1, 2017

RIAA Certifications

Multi-Platinum = 2,000,000 plus units

Platinum = 1-million units

Gold = 500,000 units

Note: For ALBUM certifications the RIAA base their figures on the number of units SHIPPED together with, track sales and on demand audio/ video stream units and NOT based purely on traditional retail sales.

1,500 on-demand audio and/or video song streams = 10 track sales = 1 album sale.

150 on-demand streams = 1 track download

Dierks Bentley’s single “Different for Girls” (released May 27, 2016; 1 Million) was certified PLATINUM and Black (the song; released May 27, 2016; 0.5 Million) was certified GOLD.

John Denver led the RIAA GOLD and PLATINUM honors in April 2017 for the Country format.

Denver received PLATINUM Single honors for "Take Me Home, Country Road" (released February 4, 1971; 1 Million) and Gold Single honors for "Rocky Mountain High." (released April 12, 1972)

Brett Eldredge (ATLANTIC/WMN) earned RIAA GOLD Single honours for "Wanna Be That Song" (release date May 23, 2016; 0.5 Million)

Brett Young (BMLG RECORDS) earned RIAA GOLD Single honours for "In Case You Didn't Know" (release date February 12, 2017; 0.5 Million)

Keith Urban (CAPITOL NASHVILLE) was the only Country artist to receive RIAA PLATINUM Album honours during the month of April for "RIPCORD" (release date May 6, 2016; 1 Million units; 546,000 pure sales). Additionally, certified PLATINUM were his albums GET CLOSER (released Nov 16, 2010; 1 Million) and FUSE (released Sept 10, 2013; went GOLD on Nov 10, 2014; Platinum | April 14, 2017 1 Million)

In Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of May 13, 2017)

Country Album Chart ** No.1 (1 week) LOVE AND WAR Brad Paisley

Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (12 weeks) ** “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt

Country Airplay ** No.1 (2 weeks) ** “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt

Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (13 weeks) ** “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News (Chart issue week of May 13, 2017)

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

Kendrick Lamar with DAMN. ruled the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart (BB200) for a second week, as the set earned 238,000 equivalent album units in the week ending April 27, according to Nielsen Music. That marked a decline of 61% compared to its debut frame a week earlier of 603,000 units.

DAMN.’s second week was driven by streams, as its SEA total is 136,000 units (down 40%). The set sold 87,338 in traditional album sales (down 75%) and earned 14,000 in TEA units (down 39%).

Sheryl Crow with BE MYSELF (Wylie Songs | Warner Bros.) made a debut at #22. It sold 9,583 copies and was the 8th best seller of the week in America.

Billboard Top Country Albums (Chart issue week of May 13, 2017)

Top Country Albums now ranks the most popular country albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music, based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA)).

10 digital track sales from an album = 1 track equivalent album (TEA) “sale”

1,500 on demand song streams from an album to one streaming equivalent album (SEA) “sale”.

Nielsen Music compiles the sales and streaming data. Billboard continues to publish pure album sales charts (subscription to billboard biz ), exclusively comprising Nielsen’s sales data.

Brad Paisley with LOVE AND WAR (Arista Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) bounded in atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (dated May 13), earning 29,000 equivalent album units (25,577 in pure sales) in its first week (ending April 27), according to Nielsen Music. On the all-genre Billboard 200, the set made a bow at No.13.

Love and War marked Paisley’s ninth Top Country Albums No.1, all of which have launched at the summit.

Promoting the album Paisley was confirmed to make three national TV appearances: NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”,  nationally-syndicated “Entertainment Tonight” on Thursday, April 20 and on the album’s street date, Friday, April 21, the Arista Nashville entertainer was a guest on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

An Associated Press review of the album enthuses, “The hidden secret is that Paisley can play the paint off a guitar and get the biggest names in the business to sing along with him on his strongest tracks”

Chart History: He first ruled with his third album, MUD ON THE TIRES, which bowed at No.1 on Aug. 9, 2003 (with 86,000 sold). He followed with the leaders TIME WELL WASTED (2005; 193,000 debut sales), 5TH GEAR (2007; 197,000 sales), PLAY (2008; 54,000), AMERICAN SATURDAY NIGHT (2009; 130,000 sales), THIS IS COUNTRY MUSIC (May 23, 2011; 152,598 sales), WHEELHOUSE (April 9, 2013; 100,441 sales) and MOONSHINE IN THE TRUNK (Aug 26, 2014; 53,312 sales).

Paisley’s first set, WHO NEEDS PICTURES, released June 1, 1999, debuted on the Top Country Albums chart dated June 19, 1999, at No.29 (selling 4,000 copies) and peaked at No.13 that November. It was certified Gold on April 10, 2000 and then Platinum on Feb 27, 2001 for 1 Million sales.

His sophomore LP, PART II, released May 29, 2001, opened and peaked at No. 3 in 2001 (38,000 sold). It was certified Gold on April 10, 2002 and Platinum on August 26, 2002 for sales of 1.0 million units.

Love and War‘s album cover features a full-body shot of Paisley, signature white cowboy hat flying off his head, playing his guitar. The album’s title appears next to him, spray-painted in white block lettering.

Paisley co-produced Love and War with Luke Wooten and co-wrote all 16 of the LP’s songs. Collaborators on the album range from Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson (“Dying to See Her”) to rock legends Mick Jagger (“Drive of Shame”) and John Fogerty (the title track), and pop/R&B-hip-hop luminary Timbaland (“Grey Goose Chase”).

Meanwhile, the set’s “Gold All Over the Ground” is based on a poem Johnny Cash wrote in 1967 as a tribute to his wife, June Carter Cash. The song’s video, filmed at the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tenn., includes footage of the legendary couple.

The first track from Love and War, “Today,” reached No. 7 on Hot Country Songs (March 11) and No.3 on Country Airplay (March 25). Current single “Last Time for Everything” re-enters Hot Country Songs at No. 42

and jumps 54-42 on Country Airplay, increasing 108% to 2.6 million audience impressions.

Critical reception for Brad Paisley’s Love and War:

16 Tracks/ Time: 58:41 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Allmusic (Rating 2.1/2 STARS) Paisley hauls out all his old tricks, singing about the love of country and family, heartbreak, and middle-aged melancholy, then adds a heavy dose of superstar power.....the shiny production, shopworn jokes, and eager melodies have the

cumulative effect of seeming too ready to please any audience that comes his way. Since Paisley still has his skills, this is often enjoyable -- he knows how to craft songs and can play a mean guitar -- but it's hard not to hear Love and War and think Paisley would be a little bit better off if he learned a lesson from Jagger and Fogerty: sometimes, it's better not to try so hard.

Rollingstone (Rating: 3 STARS) …Also per usual, there's filler, none too embarrassing – Paisley's pro enough that even his apparent phone-ins are well-crafted. But over 16 tracks, you can't help but wish that one of country's greatest would shoot consistently higher than easy chuckles and sentimental homilies.

Paste Magazine (Rating: 6.7/10) The back half of the album with “selfie” and his Timbaland collabs is pure chaff, the kind of filler that a major label artist can afford to get away with. As with so many other artists of his tax bracket, he needs some better angels in his entourage who can steer him away from indulgence or trim the fat from overstuffed albums like this. Then again, it won’t matter much once Paisley’s onstage, coaxing the exact emotional response that these songs demand from thousands of likeminded fans.

Sounds Like Nashville (Rating: Positive) Few artists could segue as effortlessly as Paisley does from a rocking number with Jagger to a poignant ballad. While his collaborations are impressive, so is his insight. Love and War is a roller coaster ride of emotions that blends the good and evil of our society..... It is this insight that stays with the listener long after the final note is played, making Love and War a welcomed addition to country fans’ collections.

Keith Urban with RIPCORD (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville) fell 1-2 (#26-31 Billboard 200) selling 8,107 copies (down 5%; 51-week total 553,300).

Chris Stapleton with TRAVELLER (MERCURY/ UMGN) fell 2-3 (#33-36 BB200) selling 7,180 copies (up 6.5%; 104 week total 1,907,600).

Florida Georgia Line with DIG YOUR ROOTS (BMLG) slipped 3-4 (#36-42 BB200) selling 2,866 copies (down 12%; 35-week total 381,800).

Brett Young with self-titled debut (BMLG) fell 4-5 (#42-45 BB200) selling 4,200 copies (up 5%; 11-week total 59,900).

Miranda Lambert with THE WEIGHT OF THESE WINGS (Vanner/ RCA Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) held at #7 (53-69 BB200) selling 4,873 copies (down 14%, 23-week total 338,500).

Thomas Rhett with TANGLED UP (Valory) fell 6-8 (#52-70 BB200) selling 1,856 copies (down 20%; 83-week total 568,200).

Brantley Gilbert with THE DEVIL DONT SLEEP (Valory) lifted 10-9 (#69- BB200) with 3,454 copies sold (down 9%; 13-week total 159,800).

Jason Aldean with THEY DON'T KNOW (Macon/Broken Bow) rose 11-10 (#77-84 BB200) selling 2,915 copies (down 4%; 33-week total 371,000).

Outside the Top 10

Jon Pardi with CALIFORNIA SUNRISE fell 9-11 (#65-86 BB200) selling 2,230 copies (down 8%; 45-week total 142,100).

Taylor Ray Holbrook with his 5 track BACKROADS (EP, UK iTunes) made a debut at #13 selling 5,500 copies.

The SouthWest Virginia born and raised artist with the confidence & support from over 100,000 newly acquired fans, he quit his job in 2014 as a Lumberjack to pursue a career in music. Immediately after moving to Nashville, he wrote "Tie ME Down" which peaked at #22 on the Billboard's Country Digital Singles Chart.

Kane Brown with self-titled set Kane Brown lifted 22-14 (#126-121 BB200) selling 3,087 copies (down 2%; 21-week total 141,300)

Dierks Bentley with BLACK (Capitol Nashville | UMGN) fell 16-15 (#111-126 BB200) selling 1,400 copies (down 10%; 48-week total 256,300).

Blake Shelton with IF I’M HONEST (Warner Bros./WMN) retreated 8-17 (#61-128 BB200) in his 49th frame.

Maren Morris with HERO (Columbia Nashville | SMN) fell 15-18 (110-132 BB200) selling 2,005 copies (down 33%; 47-week total 216,500).

Kelsea Ballerini with THE FIRST TIME (Black River) fell 17-21 (118-147 BB200) selling 1,630 copies (down 22%; 102-week total 275,900)

Little Big Town with THE BREAKER (Capitol Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville) fell 20-22 (#123-152 BB200) selling 2,763 copies (down 16%; 9-week total 99,500).

Josh Turner with DEEP SOUTH (MCA Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville) rounded out the Top 25 moving 24-25 (#133-158 BB200) selling 2,294 copies (down 13%, 7-week total 38,800).

Outside the Top 25

Reba McEntire with Sing It Now: Songs Of Faith & Hope (Rockin' R/Nash Icon | BMLG) 21-29 (125-169 BB200) selling 4,067 copies (down 24%; 12-week total 163,200).

In its third chart frame Joey Feek with IF NOT FOR YOU (Farmhouse/Gaither/Capitol CMG), fell 14-30 (#102-181 BB200) selling 4,339 copies (down 35%; 3-week total 21,500).

FALLING SHORT of Top 50:

On the Country Album Sales list (pure sales; old methodology) Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit with his Record Store Day Live From Welcome To 1979 (EP) debuted at #14 (2,100 sales), Jimmy Fortune with Sings The Classics debuted at #26 (1,600 sales) and Jason Eady with his 10 track self-titled set Jason Eady (Old Guitar Records) made a bow at #38 selling 1,100 copies.

Angaleena Presley with her 12 track set WRANGLED (Mining Light Music/Thirty Tigers; Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com ) arrived at #32 with 1,300 copies sold.

Two years after releasing her debut solo album American Middle Class, Angaleena Presley geared up to release her second album, WRANGLED. Dropping via Mining Light Music/Thirty Tigers, the full-length project features 12 songs co-written by the former Pistol Annies member. Among the tracks is a song called “Cheer Up Little Darling,” a song Presley wrote with acclaimed singer/songwriter Guy Clark (Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney). The track was the last song Clark completed before his passing in the spring of last year.

Year-To-Date Albums

6,358,000 (Physical sales 4,317,000 (down -12.5%) + Digital sales 2,042,000 (down -21.2%) which is 15.5% down at the same point in 2016 (7,524,000 sales) 

Year-To-Date Digital Tracks

23,711,000 down 23.0% at the same point in 2016 (30,796,000)

Billboard Hot Country Songs (Chart issue week of May 13, 2017)

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:

NEW PB: Sam Hunt with “Body Like a Back Road” (MCA Nashville) topped Hot Country Songs for a 12th week, marking his longest-leading No.1 on the list (which combines streaming, airplay and sales). His fourth No.1 surpassed the 11-week reign of “Take Your Time” in 2015. Further, “Body” led Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay, Country Digital Song Sales and Country Streaming Songs, simultaneously dominating all four country song charts for a second week. It’s just the fourth song to top all four tallies at the same time.

Chris Stapleton with “Last Thing I Needed, First This Morning” (from album, From a Room: Volume 1, due May 5) made a debut at #37. Willie Nelson’s 1983 version peaked at No.2 on Hot Country Songs.

Hot County Songs

** No.1 (12 weeks/ Airplay Gainer ** “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt

** Streaming Gainer ** No.3 “Hurricane” Luke Combs

** Digital Gainer ** No.14 “My Girl” Dylan Scott

** Hot Shot Debut ** No.36 “Long Long Time” Brennley Brown

Debut No.37 “Last Thing I Needed, First This Morning” Chris Stapleton

Debut No.38 “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good” Lauren Duski

Debut No.43 “All The Best” Zac Brown Band

Billboard Country Airplay (Chart issue week of May 13, 2017)

Sam Hunt with “Body Like A Back Road' “commanded Country Airplay for a second week, gaining 7% to 47.1 million in audience. It led Country Digital Song Sales for a 13th frame (57,000 downloads sold, down 18%) and Country Streaming Songs for a 12th week (14.7 million U.S. streams, down 1%).

Dan + Shay banked their third Country Airplay top 10, as “How Not To” (Warner Bros./WAR) lifted 12-9 in its 31st week, increasing 9% to 27.1 million.

Kenny Chesney notched his 52nd Country Airplay top 10, as “Bar at the End of the World” (Blue Chair/ Columbia Nashville) bumped 11-10 in its 20th week, up 2% to 25.5 million. He passed Alan Jackson (51) for a solo share of the third-most top 10s, dating to the Country Airplay chart’s Jan. 20, 1990, launch. George Strait leads with 61, followed by Tim McGraw with 57.

John Mayer logged his first visit to a Billboard country chart, as “In the Blood” (Columbia/Arista Nashville) entered Country Airplay at No.59 with 1.1 million impressions. Rock singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow contributes background vocals, but is not officially credited as an artist in the song’s billing. Crow has made 10 credited trips to the chart as performer,

between 2003 and 2014. The track is from Mayer’s new LP The Search for Everything, which leads the Americana/Folk Albums chart for a second week (20,000 units). It debuted a week earlier with 132,000 units.

Country Airplay

*** No. 1 (1 week) *** "Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt 47.125 million audience (+3.143 million) / 8,517 radio plays (+543)

** Most Increased Audience ** No.2 “Hurricane” Luke Combs 4.155 million audience gain

** Most Added ** No.42 “Last Time For Everything” Brad Paisley (21 ADDS)

** Hot Shot Debut ** No.49 “Heartache On The Dance Floor” Jon Pardi

Debut No.56 “They Don’t Know” Jason Aldean

Debut No.57 “Yours” Russell Dickerson

Debut No.59 “In The Blood” John Mayer

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart 

(Chart issue week of May 13, 2017)

Sam Hunt with “Body Like a Back Road” (MCA Nashville) held at No.1 on the Billboard Country Song Sales Chart for a thirteenth week selling 57,000 downloads (down 7%; 13-week total 805,000).

On the overall Digital Song Sales chart, it rose 4-3, two places behind the No.1 “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber (86,000 downloads sold, in the week ending April 27, according to Nielsen Music).

Brett Young with “In Case You Didn’t Know” climbed 3-2 (#23-16 Digital Songs; 30,000 sales; 30-week total 470,000).

Keith Urban with “The Fighter,” featuring Carrie Underwood (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville), rose 4-3 (30-25 Digital Songs; 24,000 sales; 17-week total 470,000).

Luke Combs with “Hurricane” lifted 5-4 (#40-33 Digital Songs; 20,000 sales; 22-week total 346,000).

Chris Stapleton “Broken Halos” (Mercury) fell 2-5 (#19-47 Digital Songs; 15,000 sales; down 59%, 2-week total 52,000)

Jon Pardi with “Dirt On My Boots” held at #6 (#46-48 Digital Songs; 15,000 sales; 31-week total 540,000).

The Voice Season 12 15-year old contestant Brennley Brown with "Long, Long Time" (first released by Linda Ronstadt in 1970) made a debut at #7 (#48 Digital Songs; 15,000 sales). Brennley who is one Team Gwen Stefani >> performed the song on Episode 19 (broadcast Monday, April 24).

Florida Georgia Line feat. Backstreet Boys with “God, Your Mama, And Me” slipped at 7-8 (non-mover #50 Digital Songs; 15,000 sales; 12-week total 251,000).

Outside the Top 10

Another The Voice season 12 contestant Lauren Duski with “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good” (written by Dave Hanner, and   recorded by Don Williams) made a debut at #11 (12,000 sales). Lauren whose coach is Blake Shelton performed it on Episode 19 (Top 12 week; Monday, April 24) .

Miranda Lambert with “Tin Man” retreated 10-12 (12,000 sales; 5-week total 111,000).

Dylan Scott with “My Girl” held at # 13 (11,000 sales; 15-week total 206,900).

Chris Stapleton with another album pre-grat track “Last Thing I Needed” made a debut at #14 (11,000 sales)

Josh Turner with “Hometown Girl” fell 12-15 (14,000 sales; 9-week total 102,000).

Zac Brown Band with “All The Best” made a debut at #19 (9,000 sales)

Country Aircheck MEDIABASE Chart

1 May 2017

Sam Hunt Is #1 With 'Body Like A Back Road'

Congratulations to MCA NASHVILLE artist Sam Hunt for landing the #1 spot on the Mediabase Country singles chart this week with "Body Like A Back Road." The song is the first single from Hunt’s upcoming album.  It is Hunt's fifth trip to the top of the charts, following four #1 hits from his debut album, "MONTEVALLO" (Aug 2016).

The song logged 9,164 radio spins (+583) and 61.856 million audience impressions (+4.311 million) with 27489 Total Points from 157 tracking stations for the tracking week April 23 to April 29, 2017 and published chart May 1st 2017.

Kudos to Bobby Young and the Capitol staff on notching 49 adds for Jon Pardi’s “Heartache On The Dance Floor.”

The song topped the "Most Added" board this chart week.

Capitol Nashville staff celebrated with hopes they wouldn’t turn that “Heartache” into a “Tummy Ache.” Pictured L-R: (front) UMG Nashville VP/Promotion David Friedman; Capitol Nashville Dir./Southeast Promotion Ashley Laws, Coord./Promotion Sarah Beth Watson; VP/Promotion Bobby Young; (back) UMG Nashville Dir./Promotion & Radio Marketing Chris Schuler, Coord./Promotion Jason McColl; and Capitol Nashville Dir./Midwest Promotion Brent Jones

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 548 - May 1, 2017  [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: #83  

Event Venue City/State: Luke Bryan, Brett Eldredge, Brett Young Richmond Coliseum Richmond, Va.

Dates: March 9, 2017 Gross Sales: $625,629 Attend: 9,004/ 12,343

Shows/ Sellouts: (3339 unsold tickets) 1/0 Prices: $73, $47.75 Promoters: Live Nation

                                               

Rank Artist: #93

Event Venue City/State: Zac Brown Band, Pierce Brothers ICC Sydney Theatre Sydney, Australia

Dates: April 21, 2017 Gross Sales: $559,937 Attend: 7,810/ 7,810

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices: $97.64, $75.09

Promoters: Chugg Entertainment

Latest Billboard Boxscore Chart