Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Country Billboard Chart News May 15, 2017

In Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of May 27, 2017)

Country Album Chart ** No.1 (1 week) From A Room: Volume 1 Chris Stapleton
Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (14 weeks) ** “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt
Country Airplay ** No.1 (1 week) ** "Hurricane” Luke Combs
Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (15 weeks) ** “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News (Chart issue week of May 27, 2017)

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

Logic Scores His First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Everybody'

Rapper Logic notched his first No.1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200), as EVERYBODY bowed atop the list. The set, which was released on May 5 through Visionary/Def Jam Recordings, earned 247,000 equivalent album units in the week ending May 11, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 195,993 were in traditional album sales.
Everybody is Logic’s third top 10 album, and fourth entry overall on the list. It follows Bobby Tarantino (No. 12 in 2016), The Incredible True Story (No. 3, 2015) and Under Pressure (No. 4, 2014). Everybody also grants Logic his best sales week ever, surpassing his previous high of 118,000 sold by The Incredible True Story in its first week.

At No.2 on the new Billboard 200, Chris Stapleton scored his best sales week yet, as his second solo studio effort, FROM A ROOM: VOLUME 1, debuted with 219,000 units (and 202,154 in traditional album sales). His previous biggest sales frame was logged when his first album, Traveller, re-entered the chart at No. 1 with 153,000 sold following his big night at the 2015 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards.
From A Room: Volume 1, released through Mercury Nashville Records, also started at No.1 on the Top Album Sales chart, which ranks the best-selling albums of the week. (Everybody is No. 2 on that list.) Stapleton’s sales start is the largest sales week for a country album in more than a year-and-a-half. The last country set to sell more in a week was Luke Bryan’s Kill the Lights, which sold 320,000 copies in its first week (chart dated Aug. 29, 2015, reflecting the sales week ending Aug 13, 2015).

Billboard Top Country Albums (Chart issue week of May 20, 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.

Chris Stapleton 'From A Room: Volume 1' Is The Week's #1 Album
Chris Stapleton with From A Room: Volume 1 (Mercury/Universal Music Group Nashville) arrived atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (dated May 27), earning 219,000 equivalent albums (202,154 of those in pure sales) in its first week (ending May 11), according to Nielsen Music.
On Top Country Albums, Stapleton owned the top two positions, as his debut album, TRAVELLER (MERCURY/ UMGN) lifted 3-2 (#35-22 BB200) selling 15,089 copies (up 96%; 106 week total 1,930,500).. (The set has spent 28 weeks atop Top Country Albums and two atop the Billboard 200, selling 1.9 million copies to date.)

Stapleton’s hold on the Top Country Albums chart’s top two slots marked only the second such double-up this decade.
On Dec. 31, 2016, Garth Brooks’ 10-CD box set The Ultimate Collection entered at No.1, directly above his holiday set with wife Trisha Yearwood, Christmas Together, at No.2.
Before Brooks, no artist had held down No. 1 and No. 2 on Top Country Albums simultaneously since Feb. 7, 2009, when Taylor Swift led with FEARLESS while her self-titled debut ranked at No.2.  The last male artist to command the top two in the same week on Top Country Albums prior to Stapleton and Brooks? Almost 24 years ago, on the July 10, 1993, chart, Billy Ray Cyrus bowed at the summit with It Won’t Be the Last as his first LP, Some Gave All, took second place.
Stapleton co-penned eight of the nine songs on From a Room: Volume 1. The album was produced by Dave Cobb — who also produced Traveller — and was recorded at Nashville’s Studio A. It’s the first of two new planned Stapleton sets, with Volume 2 due later this year.
Lead single “Either Way” debuted at No. 17 on Hot Country Songs, sparked by its No.3 start on Country Digital Song Sales (23,000 sold).

Did Chris Stapleton feel the pressure to follow up Traveller?  “It would be easy to feel that way,” he admitted to Sounds Like Nashville. “But, about a day into getting into the studio to make records, I very much tried to put any expectations out [of the way], and just get back to making music for the sake of making music. I didn’t have any expectations on the last one. If we sold 50,000 records, it would have been a giant victory for me – as far as getting to go out and play live, and keep the wheels rolling.....

Promoting the album Chris Stapleton appeared on NBC-TV's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" (May 8). He took part in Fallon's "First Drafts Of Rock" sketch where he was joined by FALLON and actor Kevin Bacon for their "First Draft" version on ZZ TOP's "Legs." See that segment here.
Stapleton later took the stage to perform "I Was Wrong" from his newly-released album, "From A Room: Volume 1. Check out the full performance



The Mercury Nashville artist was the topic of conversation on CBS-TV's "CBS This Morning" (May 11) giving a candid interview with the show's Anthony Mason. He welcomed Mason into RCA Studio A, where both albums were recorded, for the sit-down interview. The pair also travelled to the Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum to see mementos of STAPLETON's recent success.

Critical reception for Chris Stapleton’s From A Room: Volume 1:
9 Tracks/ Time: 32:29 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Paste Magazine (Rating: 81/100)…It’s an efficient collection of performances that not only show off Stapleton’s skills, but also hint at a possible stylistic shift on the second volume, due later this year. That’s exciting.......Each one is charming and sturdy and well put together, evidence of an artist who is at the very top of his game and ready to reach even higher. Here’s looking forward to Volume 2.
Allmusic (Rating: 80/100) As good as each of these songs is individually--and there isn't a bad song in the bunch--what's best about From a Room, Vol. 1 is how it holds together. There's no grand concept here: it's just a collection of good tunes, delivered simply and soulfully, and that's more than enough.

The Independent (Rating: 80/100) ..The first of two albums planned for 2017, From A Room: Vol. 1 builds on the success of Chris Stapleton’s Grammy-winning debut Traveller, through a similar blend of country songwriting smarts and soulful engagement.

Slant Magazine (Rating: 3.1/2 STARS) ..Traveller proved, more than anything else, that Stapleton has the gravitas to pull off big ballads, and there are a few more of them here. From A Room: Volume 1, however, is most rewarding when he tackles stylistic detours, showing how capable he is of handling songs that are light-hearted, upbeat, or simply more stylistically varied.

Exclaim (Rating: 60/100) From a Room doesn't quite show the same ability to innovate. In fact, if someone told me Stapleton's album was Tompall Glaser attempting to return to basics, recorded in the late 1970s, I might believe them.....But there's something missing here. It's not that I don't like the album (I do), or the album didn't have hooks (it does), but Glaser's version of Rodgers sounds very far away from the original, and Stapleton's cover of Willie Nelson's "Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning" sounds exactly like Willie Nelson. Stapleton does what he does well, but the lack of risks here — From a Room is basically the ideal of pure country — means there isn't a ton of payoff, either.  The genre is wide, but Stapleton's Room is so narrow and old-fashioned that, despite its quality songwriting, it feels stifling at times.

Keith Urban with RIPCORD (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville) fell 2-3 (31-40 BB200) selling 7,386 copies (down 19%; 53-week total 570,000).
Brett Young with self-titled debut (BMLG) rose 5-4 (#45-48 BB200) selling 4,421 copies (up 8%; 13-week total 68,400).
Florida Georgia Line with DIG YOUR ROOTS (BMLG) rose 6-5 (#47-55 BB200) selling 2,484 copies (down 5%; 37-week total 386,900).
Willie Nelson with GOD’S PROBLEM CHILD (Legacy) fell 1-6 (#10-61 BB200) selling 9,807 copies (down 71%; 2-week total 44,300).

Colt Ford with LOVE HOPE FAITH (Average Joes Entertainment) made a debut at #7 (#64 BB200) selling 9,602 copies.
On the sixth studio album of his career, Colt Ford is joined by stars like Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Tyler Farr and Granger Smith along with newcomers and solo tracks.

Critical reception for Colt Fords’ Love Hope Faith:
13 Tracks/ Time: 43:44 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

100percentrock Rating (9.5/10)..Colt Ford has done it again – a disc full of 13 great tracks
that are rooted in country, but blends in textures of rap, rock, R&B / soul, swirls a ton of his musical friends into the mix, and tops it all off with a healthy portion of party vibes and good times!  Disc opener “Reload” is a killer track to start this collection off, as it sets the mood and pace for the rest of the disc.

Roughstock (Rating: Positive) Fiercely independent, Colt Ford is joined by the likeminded Taylor Ray Holbrook on album opener “Reload.” Here, Colt raps the verses which follow the “walk softly, carry a big stick” philosophy. It’s a strong, opinionated opener and deftly mixes snarling guitars and sinew-y fiddles for an ear pleasing record..Now nine projects into his unexpected career, Colt Ford continues to make interesting records. There is always a common theme between the projects (represented by the “Love Hope Faith” title) and the good times and good vibes found throughout Love Hope Faith will certainly appease longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Miranda Lambert with THE WEIGHT OF THESE WINGS (Vanner/ RCA Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) rose 10-9 (89 BB200) selling 3,975 copies (down 4%, 25-week total 346,700).
Thomas Rhett with TANGLED UP (Valory) fell 8-10 (#79-87 BB200) selling 1,577 copies (down 9%; 85-week total 571,600).

Outside the Top 10
Maren Morris with HERO (Columbia Nashville | SMN) rose 21-11 (142-88 BB200) selling 3,179 copies (up 70%; 49-week total 221,600).
Brad Paisley with LOVE AND WAR (Arista Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) fell 4-17 (#42-136 BB200) selling 4,567 copies (down 54%, 3-week total 40,200).
Little Big Town with THE BREAKER fell 9-22 (86- BB200) selling 3,134 copies (down 41%; 11-week total 108,000)

Outside the Top 25
Upchurch with SON OF THE SOUTH (Redneck Nation Records) made a debut at #29 (#182 BB200) selling 4,122 copies.

Ryan Upchurch with SUMMER LOVE (EP) (Redneck Nation Records) made a debut at #33 selling 3,679 copies. Upchurch has grown a large and loyal following as a “hick hop” artist.

FALLING SHORT of Top 50:
On the Country Album Sales list (pure sales; old methodology)
Tony Jackson with is 12 track self-titled album TONY JACKSON (DDS Entertainment) made a debut at #31 selling 1,400 copies.
The respect Jackson has already earned within the music community is evident throughout Tony Jackson, as the new album is titled.  It features songs and/or performances by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members John Sebastian, Steve Cropper and Dr. John “Mac” Rebennack, Country Music Hall of Famers Vince Gill, Bill Anderson and Conway Twitty and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame luminary Norro Wilson. Tony Jacksonmusic.com - Facebook

Critical reception for Tony Jackson’s self-titled album:
12 Tracks/ Time: 38:24 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Country Music Minds I’m not sure there’s enough missteps to truly call this bad, but as a whole it’s just very safe and boring, not really bringing out Tony’s full potential in my opinion.
That’s the thing too, I think Tony Jackson is extremely talented, and I want to see him succeed, but most of this album is just playing things too safe to really elevate him to that next level, and as a fan, that’s sad to see. Still, there’s a lot of good moments to be found here with the covers as well as “Drink by Drink” and “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?”, so as a whole, I’m feeling a light 6/10 for this project.
Best Songs: “Drink By Drink”, “The Grand Tour”, “It’s Only Make Believe”, “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?”
Worst Song: “They Lived It Up”

Your Life In A Song - A debut album from a new artist who is as traditional as it gets seems again to be pushing against the tide.
Tony Jackson is a throwback to those days when country music was more easily defined. Days when the country charts were dominated by George Jones, Glen Campbell, Conway Twitty and Kenny Rogers. Days when you put your needle onto your vinyl and you anticipated that the sounds that you heard defended the integrity of country music.
‘Drink By Drink’ has a ‘Wagon Wheel’ feel and ‘Old Porch Swing’ shows maturity and awareness of the genre that traditionalists will lap up. The highlight for me, however, has to be ‘Do I Ever Cross Your Mind’. It’s a song that was written by Billy Burnette and Michael Smotherman rather than the Dolly Parton B-side. It’s a stunning country ballad that would have been top of our charts in the seventies when Kenny Rogers and Glen Campbell were dominant…Listening to this album feels like the start of a journey. I’m not sure that Tony Jackson will attract too much interest from country radio but this probably won’t matter too much. Cream tends to rise to the top and the grapevine has many branches. Frankly you won’t hear many better traditional country albums all year.

Year-To-Date Albums
7,304,000 (Physical sales 4,908,000 (down -12.9%) + Digital sales 2,396,000 (down -18.8%) which is 14.9% down at the same point in 2016 (8,584,000 sales) 

Year-To-Date Digital Tracks
26,459,000 down 23.3% at the same point in 2016 (34,495,000)

Billboard Hot Country Songs (Chart issue week of May 27, 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:

Sam Hunt with “Body Like a Back Road” (MCA Nashville) dominated Hot Country Songs for a 14th frame atop Hot Country Songs (which combines streaming, airplay and sales data). It topped Country Digital Song Sales for a 15th week, down 6% to 48,000 downloads sold.

Florida Georgia Line with “God, Your Mama, and Me” (BMLG Records), featuring Backstreet Boys, hopped 11-9 on Hot Country Songs, fuelled by its 13% increase to 27.6 million in airplay; on Country Airplay, it strode 10-9.
The song is FGL’s 13th Hot Country Songs top 10 (in as many tries, counting officially promoted singles) and BSB’s first (in their first trip to the chart). Backstreet Boys have now gone where fellow hit-making boy band ’N Sync first did: the top 10 of Hot Country Songs. ’N Sync hit No. 3 on the chart in August 1999 as featured on Alabama’s remake of “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You”; ’N Sync’s original unaccompanied version reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1999.

Hot County Songs

** No.1 (14 weeks) ** “Body Like A Back Road” Sam Hunt
** Airplay Gainer ** No.2 “In Case You Didn't Know” Brett Young
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.17 “Either Way” Chris Stapleton
** Digital Gainer ** No.28 “I Could Use A Love Song” Maren Morris
** Streaming Gainer ** No.37 “Second One To Know” Chris Stapleton
Debut No.31 “Five More Minutes” Scotty McCreery
Debut No.39 “Roots” Zac Brown Band
Debut No.41 “I Was Wrong” Chris Stapleton
Debut No.43 “Tell Me Why” Lauren Duski
Debut No.47 “Heartache On The Dance Floor” Jon Pardi
Debut No.49 “Anyway” Brennley Brown

Billboard Country Airplay (Chart issue week of May 27, 2017)

Hurricane” (River House/Columbia Nashville), the debut single from Luke Combs, ascended 2-1 in its 30th week on Country Airplay, increasing 6% to 47.6 million. Combs is the first artist to reign with a first entry on the chart since Granger Smith, whose “Backroad Song” crowned the survey dated Feb. 27, 2016.

Growing up in North Carolina, I discovered and fell in love with country music through the radio. That shaped so much of my life,” Combs told Billboard. 
So it’s a full-circle moment to have country radio’s strong support of my music and carrying it to fans. I want to thank them for truly changing the game for me.” Combs’ debut full-length, This One’s for You, is due June 2.

Blake Shelton banked his 28th Country Airplay top 10, as “Every Time I Hear That Song” (Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville) pushed 11-10, up 15% to 25.4 million in audience.

Country Airplay
*** No.1 (1 week) *** "Hurricane” Luke Combs 47.622 million audience (+2.709 million) / 8,429 radio plays (+445)
** Most Increased Audience ** No.3 “In Case You Didn’t Know” Brett Young
** Most Added ** No.43 “They Don’t Know” Jason Aldean (# ADDS)
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.58 “Preachin’ To The Choir” A Thousand Horses
Debut No.59 “Losing Sleep” Chris Young
Debut No.60 “Sunday Morning” Parmalee

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart
(Chart issue week of May 27, 2017)

Sam Hunt with Body Like a Back Road” (MCA Nashville) held at No.1 on the Billboard Country Song Sales Chart for a 15th week selling 48,000 downloads (down 8%; 15-week total 905,000).
On the overall Digital Song Sales chart, it slipped 7-8, seven places behind the No.1 “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber (104,000 downloads sold, up 4%, in the week ending May 11, according to Nielsen Music).

Brett Young with “In Case You Didn’t Know” held at #2 (#16-20 Digital Songs; 30,000 sales; 32-week total 530,000)
Chris Stapleton with “Either Way” made a debut at #3 (#23 Digital Songs; 23,000 sales)
Luke Combs with “Hurricane” held at #4 (#28-25 Digital Songs; 22,000 sales; down 4%; 24-week total 391,000).
Keith Urban with “The Fighter,” featuring Carrie Underwood (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville), fell 3-5 (#25-28 Digital Songs; 21,000 sales; down 12%; 19-week total 514,000).

Scotty McCreery with “Five More Minutes” made a debut at #6 (#29 Digital Songs; 21,000 sales)
Darius Rucker with “If I Told You” fell 6-7 (#40 non-mover Digital Songs; 19,000 sales; up 5%; 20-week total 271,000).
Thomas Rhett feat. Maren Morris with “Craving You” fell 7-8 (#45 Re-Entry Digital Songs; 15,000 sales; up 7%; 6-week total 132,000).
Florida Georgia Line feat. Backstreet Boys with “God, Your Mama, And Me” slipped 8-9 (13,000 sales; down 7%; 14-week total 279,000).
Zac Brown Band with “Roots” made a debut at #10 (#61 Digital Songs) selling 12,000 downloads.

Outside the Top 10
The Voice season 12 contestant Lauren Duski with “Tell Me Why” (written by Karla Bonoff, recorded by Wynonna Judd) made a debut at #11 (#62 Digital Songs; 11,000 sales). Lauren whose coach is Blake Shelton performed it on Episode 23 (Top 10 week; Monday, May 8).
Blake Shelton with “Everytime I Hear That Song” made a re-entry at #12 (#63 Digital Songs; 11,000 sales; total 79,000)  
Jon Pardi with “Dirt On My Boots” fell 9-13 (#65 Digital Songs; 11,000 sales; down 15%; 33-week total 564,000).
Chris Stapleton with “Broken Halos” (Mercury) rose 15-14; (11,000 sales; 4-week total 74,000)

The Voice Season 12 contestant Brennley Brown (Team Gwen Stefani) with "Anyway" (co-written and recorded by Martina McBride) made a debut at #20 (#85 Digital Songs; 9,000 sales). Brennley >> performed the song on Episode 23 (broadcast Monday, May 8).

Country Aircheck MEDIABASE Chart

15 May 2017

Luke Combs Hits #1 With 'Hurricane'
Congrats to Luke Combs, Steve Hodges, Shane Allen and the Columbia promotion staff on landing the week’s No.1 with “Hurricane.” The song is Combs’ first chart-topper and the first single from his album THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, out June 2. Writers are Thomas Archer, Taylor Phillips and Combs.




















Hurricane logged 8,951 radio spins (+341) and 59.963 million audience impressions (+2.341 million) with 26733 Total Points from 159 tracking stations for the tracking week May 7 to May 13, 2017 and published chart May 15th 2017.


















Tyler Farr Is Most-Added With 'I Should Go To Church Sometime'
Kudos to Shane Allen and the Columbia Nashville crew artist Tyler Farr for earning 32 MEDIABASE adds for doubling up to also have the top of the add board with Tyler Farr’s “I Should Go To Church Sometime.” The song topped the "Most Added" board this chart week.
Pictured L-R: Columbia Nashville Mgr./Regional Promotion Lyndsay Church, Promotion Specialist Christy Garbinski; and Sony Music Nashville Mgr./Promotion & Artist Development Jenny Shearin
























For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 550 - May 15, 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: #18
Event Venue City/State: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Seth Ennis KFC Yum! Center Louisville, Ky.
Dates: April 28, 2017 Gross Sales: $1,220,499 Attend: 14,653/ 14,653
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices: $119.50, $89.50, $69.50
Promoters: Messina Touring Group/AEG Presents

Rank Artist: #19
Event Venue City/State: Eric Church Scottrade Center St. Louis, Mo.
Dates: May 13, 2017 Gross Sales: $1,199,824 Attend: 18,250/ 18,250
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices: $89, $23
Promoters: Messina Touring Group/AEG Presents

Rank Artist: #25
Event Venue City/State: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Seth Ennis Scottrade Center St. Louis, Mo.
Dates: April 27, 2017 Gross Sales: $1,066,330 Attend: 12,906/ 12,906
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices: $119.50, $89.50, $69.50
Promoters: Messina Touring Group/AEG Presents

Rank Artist: #46
Event Venue City/State: Florida Georgia Line, Dustin Lynch, Chris Lane Denny Sanford Premier Center Sioux Falls, S.D.
Dates: April 20, 2017 Gross Sales: $543,246 Attend: 8,490/ 10,496
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (1484 unsold tickets) Prices: $73, $27.75
Promoters: Live Nation

Rank Artist: #69
Event Venue City/State: Thomas Rhett Convocation Center DeKalb, Ill.
Dates: March 3, 2017 Gross Sales: $281,622 Attend: 6,573/ 6,573
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices: $54.75, $25
Promoters: Live Nation

Rank Artist: #91
Event Venue City/State: Justin Moore & Lee Brice, William Michael Morgan Schottenstein Center Columbus, Ohio
Dates: April 19, 2017 Gross Sales: $201,988 Attend: 5,343 / 6,827
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (1484 unsold tickets) Prices: $59.75, $29.75
Promoters: Police Productions/Spectra Presents
                                                                       
Latest Billboard Boxscore Chart 

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