In
Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of September 30, 2017)
Country Album
Chart ** No.1 (1 week) LIFE CHANGES Thomas
Rhett
Hot Country
Songs ** No.1 (32 weeks) ** “Body Like A Back
Road” Sam Hunt
Country Airplay
** No.1 (3 weeks) "Small Town Boy” Dustin Lynch
Country Digital
Songs ** No.1 (1 weeks) ** “Found You” Kane
Brown
Billboard Top 200 / Country
Album Chart News (Chart issue week of
September 30, 2017)
The
Billboard 200 chart measures multi-metric album consumption, which includes
traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent
albums (SEA).
Thomas Rhett’s LIFE CHANGES Becomes
First Country Album to Top Billboard 200 in 2017
Thomas
Rhett achieved his first No.1 album on the Billboard Top
200 Album Chart (BB200), as his new effort LIFE CHANGES bowed atop
the list. The set -- which brings country back to No. 1 for the first time in
exactly one year -- earned 123,000 equivalent album units in the week
ending Sept. 14, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 94,032 were in traditional album sales, Rhett’s best
sales week and the third largest sales week of 2017 for a country effort.
Rhett brings country music back to the penthouse on the Billboard 200 for
the first time in a year. Four country sets came close to hitting No. 1 earlier
in 2017, as titles by Brett Eldredge, Zac Brown Band, Chris
Stapleton and Brantley Gilbert all debuted and peaked at No. 2.
The last
country album to lead the chart? Jason Aldean with THEY DON’T KNOW (chart Oct. 1,
2016; 130,873 copies sold), which also marked the only country effort to hit
No.1 in 2016.
Comparatively, in 2015, three country albums hit No. 1: Zac
Brown Band’s Jekyll + Hyde, Luke
Bryan’s Kill the Lights and Chris
Stapleton’s Traveller.
Life Changes additionally notched Rhett his best sales week ever for an
album. Its 94K pure sales figure of 94,000 easily beat Rhett’s previous high of
63,000 logged by TANGLED UP’S first week. Further, Life Changes has the
third-biggest sales for a country set in 2017, following the debut frames of
Stapleton’s From A Room: Volume 1 (202,154 copies sold) and Zac Brown Band’s
Welcome Home (138,780 copies sold).
Rhett led a big week for country in the top 10 on the Billboard 200, as a
total of three country efforts arrive in the top 10.
Dustin
Lynch with CURRENT MOOD bowed at No. 7, while Kip Moore with SLOWHEART
started at No.10. It’s the first time there are three country albums in the top
10 in nearly a year, since the Oct. 8, 2016 chart, when Aaron Lewis’ SINNER
bowed at No. 4, Jason Aldean’s THEY DON’T KNOW slipped 1-6 in its second
week, and Florida Georgia Line’s DIG YOUR ROOTS held at No.10 in its
fourth week. Further, this is the first week we’ve had three country albums bow
in the top 10 in almost two years. The top 10 last had a trio of country
arrivals on the Oct. 17, 2015 chart, when Don Henley’s Cass County, George Strait’s Cold
Beer Conversation and Thomas Rhett’s Tangled
Up debuted at Nos. 3, 4 and 6, respectively.
Billboard Top Country
Albums (Chart issue week of
September 30, 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.
Marking
a first for 2017, a country act ruled the all-genre Billboard 200 as Thomas Rhett with
third full-length album, LIFE CHANGES
(Valory), roared in atop the chart dated Sept. 30.
The
singer-songwriter scored his first No.1 on the Billboard 200 as well as No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums. With 94,032 copies sold, he also recorded his best sales week.
“It
blows my mind to have a No. 1 album,” Rhett told Billboard. “I feel like we started working on this
project the moment we put out [prior album] Tangled Up in 2015, so it’s the end
of a couple of years of hard work and growth. It’s an autobiographical album in
a lot of ways, which makes it really personal. So for it to be received the way
that it has is extra gratifying. And to be the first country artist this year
to have a No.1 on the all-genre chart is really humbling.”
Rhett
had a hand in writing 10 of the 14 songs on Life Changes, which melds styles
from contemporary pop to traditional country (?). “I’m influenced by a wide variety of genres, and it’s reflected in my
songwriting,” he said.
“When we went in the studio, we just allowed
each song to be whatever it was when we created it, without feeling the need to
try and change it and make it fit into a certain box.”
Currently
“Unforgettable,”
Life Changes’ sophomore single, hit Hot Country Songs’ top five (7-4) and became
his 10th Country Airplay top 10 (24.2 million in audience, up 8%). Lead single
“Craving You,” featuring Maren Morris, topped the latter chart and reached No.3
on Hot Country Songs.
CHART HISTORY:
IT GOES LIKE THIS, Rhett’s first full-length,
which debuted and peaked on Top Country Albums at No.2 on Nov. 16, 2013 (36,253 copies)
Second
LP TANGLED UP, arrived at No.3 (#6 Billboard 200) on Oct. 17,
2015 (62,614 copies sold; chart dated Oct
17, 2015) and peaked at No. 2.
His
fourth Top Country Albums appearances with his 2012 SELF-TITLED EP (released Aug 28, 2012) debuted and peaked at #24
(#133 Billboard 200) selling 3,323 copies. Singles “Something
To Do With My Hands” and “Beer With
Jesus” had shown on radio airplay charts.
LIFE CHANGES is slated to be “the biggest, boldest-sounding record of his
career, filled with songs that stretch his sound to new limits. Craving You,”
carves a path as wild and wide as Thomas Rhett's own career. There are
coming-of-age country ballads, heartland rock & roll anthems,
EDM-influenced pop tracks and R&B slow jams all wrapped together by the
songwriting skills and elastic vocals of a frontman who's willing to shine a
light on his own milestones and mistakes”.
"I
am and will always be a country artist,” Thomas Rhett said. "It's who I am, it's in my blood. I will
always try to push boundaries because that rebellious side has been in me since
I was a kid. My voice and my journey that inspired these songs is the glue that
makes this album cohesive. This is where I'm at musically, and these are my
stories."
Thomas
Rhett found himself in the producer’s chair for the new album alongside Dann Huff and Jesse Frasure, as well as new collaborators Julian Bunetta and Joe
London.
The
Press Release stated: Having a hand in writing 10 of the album’s 14 tracks,
there's plenty of autobiography, but Thomas Rhett's stories are so compelling
because they are our stories, too. And like any great storyteller, he weaves a
wide narrative with the new collection, delivering the album from several
different perspectives.
Thomas
shared the album's next single ‘Unforgettable’
2017
will also see Thomas bring his ‘Home Team’ tour
to the UK after drawing impressive crowds last year. The GRAMMY nominated
singer marks his debut with a sold-out show on London’s Roundhouse stage on 10th November.
PROMOTION: Rhett geared up with a
solid week of television performances
and one-time-only fan events. The multi-CMA nominee performed single "Unforgettable" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
on NBC. He also joined fans at his iHeartCountry
Album Release Party: Inside the Making of LIFE CHANGES at NYC's iHeartRadio
Theater. Hosted by iHeartRadio's nationally syndicated on-air personality Bobby
Bones, the event gave fans a first listen to the “sizzling fusion of soul, funk
R&B and country” (Rolling Stone) music silent disco style before a Q&A
with Thomas Rhett and the album’s producers Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann
Huff and Joe London. The special was broadcast across iHeartRadio’s Mainstream
Country stations and streamed on iHeartRadio.com/ThomasRhett September 12 at
8pm.
Who
Wants Cocktails?
Valory's Thomas Rhett and friends put in their drink orders in
Boston. Also, he has a No. 1 album.
Pictured (l-r) are BMLG's Mike Rittberg,
WKLB's David Corey and Dawn Santolucito, Valory's George Briner, Rhett, WBWL's
Jessica Callahan, Valory's Don Gosselin and WBWL's Lance Houston and Colton
Bradford.
Following
an interview with Hoda Kotb as part
of SiriusXM’s “Town Hall” Series (The Highway, noon EST) on Thursday (Sept 7),
Rhett visited Z100's nationally syndicated Elvis
Duran and the Morning Show Friday (Sept 8), followed by a special,
three-city LIVE FROM THE B-STAGE
album release experience on Friday inspired by the B-stage moment in his live
show. All in one day, he visited Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago, three nostalgic and personally meaningful cities, to
perform more new music from
LIFE
CHANGES and shared stories behind the new music. Fans were wrapped around the
building in each city hours before doors opened. Inspired by the B-stage moment
in his live show, in each city Thomas Rhett shared his "musical
diversity" (Billboard), with stripped down, acoustic performances of
never-before-performed new music, spontaneously taking requests from the crowd
and answering fans’ questions.
 |
| Thomas Rhett - LIVE FROM THE B-STAGE |
At
10am, Thomas Rhett kicked off the day at Boston's
House Of Blues, then he jetted to a packed house at Philadelphia's The
Fillmore - two markets built from the ground up, where fans have been with him
right from the start. In Philadelphia, Thomas Rhett surprised fans when he
brought friend Brett Eldredge out to
perform a song. Thomas Rhett rounded out the evening in Chicago at Joe's Rosemont. Chicago, being one of
the first markets he ever performed to a sold-out venue as a headliner, holds a
special place for the 27-year-old now father of two.
The
release day event was streamed live on Thomas Rhett's >> Facebook page and via Entertainment Weekly, who exclusively joined
Thomas Rhett in all three cities to cover the day's festivities.
On
Sunday (Sept 10), he headed to Atlantic City, NJ as a judge for the finals of
the Miss America 2018 competition (Highlights) airing live on ABC at 8:00P CT.
He
rounded-out the festivities when he returned to TODAY on Tuesday (Sept 12) to perform two new songs including his
No. One Gold certified lead single “Craving You.”
Thomas
Rhett Talks Mixing Zedd, Tom Petty
on New Album 'Life Changes': "A lot of this record is very autobiographical and
nostalgic," says the "Craving You" singer, who releases a bold
new project
Critical
reception for Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes:
14
Tracks/ Time: 46:23 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Entertainment Focus (Rating: 4/5) ...Life Changes, Rhett’s third album, continues
his path to cross-genre superstar. Like Tangled Up, Life Changes is pretty
schizophrenic when it comes to its sound. Following the poppy Craving You,
Unforgettable is an acoustic ballad with a radio-friendly chorus that shows the
sensitive side of Rhett, which has served him well considering his biggest hit
to date was Die a Happy Man. Drink a Little Beer embraces bro-country and
features Rhett’s father Rhett Akins, who is a country singer and songwriter in
his own right....One of the strongest tracks is one of the most surprising;
Gateway Love. The rhythmic track is almost R&B and it allows Rhett to show
off his falsetto. It sounds like nothing else on the record and it’s a damn
catchy tune. The album comes to an end with Grave, a song about everlasting
love that I can already imagine being played at thousands of weddings in the
near future...Quite honestly if you’ve never been a fan of Rhett’s, Life
Changes isn’t going to change your mind and actually it’ll probably reinforce
the reasons he’s not your cup of tea. If however you’re open to a modern
poppier twist on the genre then you’ll love everything about it.
Allmusic (Rating: 4 STARS) ... Just months after adopting an 18-month-old
baby, Rhett's wife became pregnant, so the singer became a father twice over in
the wake of Tangled Up, an experience he chronicles in the concluding verse of
the album's title track. It's a sentimental tale, so it's not surprising he
gets a little sticky when he recites autobiographical particulars, but his
willingness to open up the entirety of his heart signals how Rhett is a modern
man, and Life Changes stands as a testament to that fact.... Life Changes is
littered with references to the modern world -- blue check marks on an
Instagram, burned CDs, mango green tea, and Coldplay songs -- but, more
impressively, the music engages with contemporary pop trends, going far beyond
the R&B inclinations of Tangled Up. ...but Life Changes isn't just flash;
it's grounded by its 14 well-constructed songs. Sometimes that craft is in the
service of nothing more than slick radio pop, but the breezy "Smooth Like
the Summer" and simmering "Gateway Love" retain their charms
after multiple plays due to their sculpted melodies and Rhett's light touch, a
quality that helps sell such life lessons as "Sixteen," a song of
experience that serves as the counterpoint to the mawkish "Life
Changes." But even that title track is expertly assembled, sailing along
on a lilting groove and drum loop, evidence that Rhett is as savvy a musician
as he is a pop star.
Hollywood Life (Rating: Positive)
...All-in-all, fans will be beyond satisfied with the perfect mix of songs on
TR’s third record!
Sounds Like Nashville (Rating: Very Positive) …The 14-track release has Rhett doing what he
does best: blending sounds from the country, rock, R&B and even EDM genres
for a versatile release. ...The album’s sweetest song comes in the form of
album closer “Grave”
where Rhett sings of how his wife is his
everything....While Rhett’s sentimental side is showcased on Life Changes so is
his swagger. The singer proves that he can hold his own with artists like Bruno
Mars, the Weeknd and even Drake on several R&B influenced tracks. The
sultry beats of “Gateway Love,” bombastic rhythms of “Leave Right Now” and
impressive falsetto on “When You Look Like That” showcase his natural ability
to segue effortlessly from genre to genre while leaving his distinct mark on
each song...His most ambitious release yet, Life Changes has something for
every listener. As Rhett embraces new sounds and unpredictable production, he
also allows a closer look into his personal life, all while showcasing some of
the best songwriting within the country genre. With songs that can both strike
a chord and start a party, Life Changes proves that Rhett is a force to be
reckoned with.
Digital Journal (Rating: 5/5) Overall, Thomas Rhett's new studio album
Life Changes is superb from start to finish. It is highly recommended for fans
of modern country music, especially those that were fans of his song "Die
a Happy Man." The songs on here are in that poignant musical direction,
and he delivers in all of them.
Your Life In A Song James Daykin (Rating: Very
Positive)…Let’s get one thing out there
right away. This is NOT a Country album, but neither is it a pop album. It is a
rare beast of a product, almost unpigeon-holeable .....‘Life Changes’ is a
three-part chameleon of an album. There are a good chunk of Country sounding
songs and they are the best songs on the album. ‘Drink a Little Beer’ could
become a live classic for Rhett. An old fashioned, Nitty Gritty Band or Alabama
‘Song of the South’ sounding track that reeks of good, old fashioned fun, right
down to the three-part harmonies in the chorus. An extended, hoe-down style
ending containing banter between Rhett and his father is an unashamed attempt to
re-launch Akins senior’s career that might well prove to be a genius
move.....There are enough Country songs on ‘Life Changes’ to float my boat and
even the poppier ones have enough of the South about them, be it lyrically or
musically, to niggle away into my consciousness like they should. Music is a
rich and varied art-form yet somewhere along the way we have lost the freedom
to explore and create, as fans and the media alike, have become obsessed with
pigeon-holing and the confines of genre definitions. ........Grave’, ‘Marry
Me’, ‘Life Changes’ and ‘Drink a Little Beer’ are the timeless, ageless
classics on this album that will outlive and outlast the other songs – after
all, as Michael Jackson proved, pop music doesn’t age well but Country lasts forever.
Dustin Lynch with his third studio set,
Current Mood (Broken Bow/Broken Bow Music Group), made a bow at No.2 (No.7 Billboard 200; 36,000 units) with 26,549 pure sales.
The album follows 2014’s WHERE IT’S AT, which debuted and peaked at No.2 (#8 Billboard 200) with 30,866 sold, and his 2012 SELF-TITLED first album (released August 21, 2012 Broken Bow) and lone No.1 (#13 BB200 selling 23,077 copies) which was the first debut album to enter the country chart at #1 since Scotty McCreery's CLEAR AS DAY in October 2011.
Lynch’s new set arrives on the strength of second single (following the Country Airplay No.1 “Seein’ Red”) “Small Town Boy,” which ruled Country Airplay for a third week (44.1 million, down 5%).
Lynch
revealed the track listing for the project Tues (Aug 22), but not before
letting fans know he has secretly been trolling them with clue to the track
listing for weeks. Starting in early August, Dustin began posting photos of
himself wearing t-shirts covered in what turned out to be song titles, lyrics,
and the album's sequence. LYNCH has been donning these shirts for concert
performances since then, and posting the photos of himself to social media.
Lynch’s label calls his new 13-track album “genre-bending”. He co-wrote 7 of
the 13 tracks including “Why We Call Each Other,” “State Lines” and “New Girl.”
Critical
reception for Dustin Lynch’s Current Mood:
13
tracks/ Time: 43:39 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Sounds Like Nashville (Rating: Mixed)….Dustin Lynch has made a name for himself as
an engaging live performer and his third release, Current Mood, ups the ante. The
album boasts beat-heavy production bound to keep Lynch’s audience on their feet
as the Resistol hat wearing singer kicks off his own headlining tour later this
year....Lynch co-wrote seven of the album’s 13 tracks and says his goal for the
project was to stretch himself. As a result, the upbeat songs take the
forefront throughout the album while the ballads take a backseat, which is
unfortunate....That’s not to say the album is at a complete loss, though. The
seductive and sultry lead single “Seein’ Red” was just an introduction to where
Current Mood was headed with its infectious pop-rock sound. Meanwhile,
follow-up hit “Small Town Boy” showcases a country storyline with light R&B
production appeal....The overproduction on some tracks proves distracting and,
as a result, loses the storyline and the listener on the song. In a genre with
a foundation for storytelling this is unfortunate. More heartfelt ballads like
“Love Me Or Leave Me Alone” could have solved this problem and given what’s an
already compelling album more depth.
Country Music Tattle Tale (Rating: Positive)...It’s easy to hear how he’s also been
influenced be contemporary pop styles in songs like “I’d Be Jealous Too,” which
has a similar vibe to Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself.” Other pop-flavored songs
on the album include “New Girl” and “Sun Don’t Go Down on That.”..Dustin is
also known for the sultry low range of his voice, which serves him well on the
slow jam “Back On It,” an ode to love addiction.
Taste Of Country ….Current Mood isn’t the Lynch we met in 2012, but that’s not a negative
statement. By blending sounds, he’s avoiding the trap of being just another
bland country singer. He’s kicking his schtick. Listeners will be divided by
Lynch’s evolution on Current Mood, but he’s effectively created an intoxicating
listen that has the power to take you to a different place with dark energy and
earworm beats, making for a project that’s not just an album, but a compelling
character.
Key
Tracks: “Love Me or Leave Me Alone,” “Why We Call Each Other,” “Back on It,”
“State Lines”
Kip Moore with SLOWHEART (MCA Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville) started
at No.3 (No.10 Billboard 200; 29,000units)
with 25,011 copies in pure sales.
It’s
his third top 10, following WILD ONES (No.2
Country; #4 Billboard 200; Sept 12, 2015) with 35,240 copies sold.
His
first album UP ALL NIGHT debuted at No.3
Country (released April 24, 2012; #6 Billboard 200; chart dated May 12, 2012) selling 36,666
copies.
Moore
said his third offering is named after his band and fans, both called The
Slowhearts. He co-wrote 11 out of the 13 tracks and was the sole producer on
seven. Songs include lead single "More Girls Like You," plus
"Blonde" and "The Bull."
Critical
reception for Kip Moore’s Slowheart (MCA Nashville):
13
Tracks/ Time: 46:47 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Allmusic (Rating: 4 STARS) ....Delivered just two years later, Slowheart is
the record Moore has been attempting to make all along: a big-sounding,
big-hearted album that's as much Midwestern rock as it is modern country. Moore
made this progression by taking the reins into his own hands, seizing control
of the production, and co-writing all but two of the record's 13 songs, with
the remaining two brought to him by songwriter Luke Dick. All this means
Slowheart is an auteurist album, one driven by Moore's sense of self, and he
winds up precisely articulating his blend of arena country and AOR...He's not
wallowing in his misery, he's brushing himself off and moving forward, and this
weathered sensitivity when combined with the music's full-throated roar gives
Slowheart a soul uncommon in contemporary country. Moore isn't a bro-country
goofball or a dour revivalist: he's a passionate true believer in the redeeming
power of loud guitars and sturdy songs, and Slowheart is proof he can deliver
what he preaches.
Sounds Like Nashville (Rating; Very Positive)…Kip Moore is not one to chase trends and as
a result, his third studio album, SLOWHEART, is a breath of fresh air. While
the country genre has become one that frequently embraces pop-country infused
sounds and R&B styled production, Moore’s SLOWHEART brings the focus back
to quality songwriting and welcomed diversity....While each of the 13 tracks
give a closer look into Moore, it’s on album closer “Guitar Man” that best
showcases the singer’s depth as a person and as a songwriter. Penned with
frequent collaborators Dan Couch (“Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck,” “Hey Pretty Girl”)
and Westin Davis (“I’m To Blame,” “That Was Us”), “Guitar Man” has Moore
sharing the struggles the life of a musician can bring. ...With an album this
good, Moore’s fans will surely be singing along loudly.
NPR Moore consciously framed his new album, Slowheart, as the product of
his independent spirit: a thoroughly vital, 13-song collection he insisted on
producing mostly on his own after hiking Iceland, surfing Costa Rica and
spending a lot of time in his own head. In interviews, he's emphasized that he
began working on it without his label's knowledge and took a stance against pop
perfectionism by singing through a kind of microphone that vocalists might use
in sweaty clubs, not typically in state-of-the-art studios. ...It's not that
Moore avoids contemporary country conventions. He enlivens them by injecting
self-awareness or playing up the tensions between country and rock's various
masculine ideals. In "Just Another Girl," whose sinewy '70s rock
riffs have boogieing swagger, he spends the chorus backing away from the naïve,
youthful portrayals of romance found in so many oldies rock tunes and recent
country hits
Roughstock (Rating: 4/5 Stars) ...As
stated in the open, there isn’t an artist like Kip Moore in all of modern
country music and that’s precisely why he has a place within it. He isn’t a “me
too” artist. He’s as moody as the melodies and storytelling found on Slowheart
but he’s a singular kind of artist that makes those qualities endearing and
worthy of coming back to again and again
Exclaim.ca (Rating: 6/10)..The smoothness of Kip Moore's music might
evoke R&B seduction, but he spends his (overly long, singularly focused)
new album, Slowheart, going all in on grungy rock....It's not that country
music doesn't have its share of drinking songs, or sex songs, or drinking songs
masquerading as sex songs, but it's rare that we have 13 songs over an hour
with such singular focus. I'm not sure that's a good thing, but the music
almost convinces.
Dan
Wharton Your Life In A Song (Rating: Very Positive)...The focal point of Kip’s career isn’t his
track record on radio, it’s the unique underground community of fans he’s
garnered on the road. With stubbornness and a will to stay true to himself, Kip
seems to have moved into a position of creative freedom with Universal which
many artists are restricted from; only time will tell if ‘Slowheart’ proves him
right. ‘Slowheart’ is yet another hugely impressive collection from one of the
genre’s most authentic, talented artists and it will touch the hearts of his
committed fan base, whether it receives any recognition from radio or not. It
shows another development in both Kip’s lyrical content and musical abilities,
showing diversity across the board and a refusal to hold back. It’s straight
from the heart – no interference from a record label, nothing artificial, just
pure Kip Moore. And that’s the way we like it.
Kane Brown with
self-titled KANE BROWN (Zone 4/RCA
Nashville) held at #4 (#56-30 BB200) selling
2,535 copies
(down 8%; 41-week total 192,000).
Previous weeks
No.1 Luke
Combs with
THIS ONE’S FOR YOU (River House/
Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) fell 1-5 (#23-35 Billboard 200) selling 4,514
copies (down 36%; 15-week total 110,672).
Toby Keith with THE BUS SONGS (Show Dog/Thirty Tigers) rolled in at No.6 (#38 Billboard 200) selling 11,075 copies, marking his 23rd top
10, a total that includes 10 No.1s.
Keith's
latest album contains road-worthy songs with adult humor and self-explanatory titles
He wrote, produced and released "Wacky Tobaccy," whose accompanying music video features Willie Nelson and has quickly become a surprise runaway viral hit, amassing millions of views immediately after it's posting.
Toby Keith's new disc features his latest single, "Wacky Tobaccy," an ode to weed. There is also a live cut of "Weed With Willie." Other songs include "Shitty Golfer" and "Call a Marine."
CHART HISTORY:
Toby
Keith 35 MPH TOWN (Show
Dog-Universal Music) released October 9, 2015; debuted at No.2 Country (#14 BB 200) selling 18,671 copies (chart October 31, 2015).
DRINKS
AFTER WORK (Show Dog-Universal) released October 29, 2013 opened at No.3 Country (#7 BB200) with first week
sales of 35,355 copies.
CLANCY’S TAVERN (released October 25, 2011)
opened at No.1 Country (#5 BB200) selling
69,000 copies in its first week.
HOPE ON THE ROCKS (Show Dog-Universal Music)
released October 30, 2012 made a bow at No.3
Country (#6 BB200) with first week sales of 49,710 on November 8, 2012.
BULLETS IN THE GUN (Show Dog-Universal Music)
released October 5, 2010 debuted at No.1
on both the US Billboard 200 chart and Top Country albums chart, selling 71,000 copies in its first week of
release. At the time it marked the smallest debut at #1 since Nielsen SoundScan
began tracking the chart in May 1991.
AMERICAN RIDE (Show Dog Nashville)
released October 6, 2009 debuted at No.1
Country (#3 BB200) selling 90,217 copies.
THAT DON'T MAKE ME A BAD GUY released October 28, 2008
debuted at No.1 Country (#53 BB200)
selling 90,617 copies.
BIG DOG DADDY (Show Dog Nashville) released
June 12, 2007 debuted at No.1
Country (#1 BB200) selling 204,414 copies.
Critical
reception for: Toby Keith’s The Bus Songs:
12
Tracks/ Time: 42:03 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Allmusic (Rating: 3 STARS) Toby Keith began publicly using the term
"Bus Songs" back in 2003, separating "The Taliban Song" and
"Weed with Willie" from the proper album of Shock'n Y'All. Keith
called these "Bus Songs" because they were the naughty tunes he and
his band sang to each other to pass the time while on tour, and before long the
line between the back of the bus and the front of the album started to blur.
...What's remarkable is that The Bus Songs doesn't feel markedly sillier than a
typical Keith record, and that's because of the heartache and wry observations
on the margins of the songs, elements that give these purported novelties soul.
Maybe The Bus Songs isn't quite as consistent as it could've been, but by this
point that's expected from Keith. Instead, it's as messy and complex as any of
his post-White Trash with Money records, and it's every bit as enjoyable too.
Chris Stapleton with TRAVELLER (MERCURY/
UMGN) fell 3-7
(36-44 Billboard 200) selling 5,199 copies
(down 13%; 124-week total 2,065,100). Stapleton’s From a Room: Volume 1 (Mercury/Universal
Music Group Nashville) dropped 9-15
(69-88 BB200) selling 5,271 copies
(19-week total 513,600).
Old Dominion’s HAPPY ENDINGS (RCA Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) fell 2-8 (7-35 BB200) in their third week selling 3,737 copies
(down 40%; 3-week total 41,253).
Brett Young with self-titled debut (BMLG) fell 7-9
(#65-67 BB200) selling 2,647 copies (down 13%;
31-week total 133,600).
Sam Hunt with MONTEVALLO (MCA Nashville | UMGN) fell 5-10 (#61-70 BB200)
Outside the
Top 10
Jon Pardi with CALIFORNIA SUNRISE fell 8-11
(66-73 BB200) selling 1,696 copies (down 11%;
65-week total 180,700).
Florida Georgia Line with DIG YOUR ROOTS (BMLG) fell 6-12
(#63-74 BB200) selling 1,358 copies (down 27%; 55-week total 422,300).
Thomas Rhett with TANGLED UP (Valory | BMLG) fell 11-13 (#89-83 BB200) selling 1,670 copies
(up 3%; 103-week total 597,700).
The late Don Williams with
20 GREATEST HITS (MCA Nashville | Ume) was new at #14 (#85 BB200)
Keith Urban with RIPCORD (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville)
fell 10-16 (#73-97 BB200) selling 2,650 copies
(down 22%; 71-week total 656,600).
The Texas Tenors with
their 13-track album RISE (The Texas
Tenors; Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com ;
tagged Musicals & Cabaret / Pop) made a debut at No.17 (#111
BB200) selling 6,126 copies.
This TV special
is a collection of music straight from our hearts," said Marcus Collins of
The Texas Tenors. "To quote our title song "Rise," 'Life Can
Change in a Moment.' There are no truer words and we're so excited to share our
new music with everyone!"
All songs on
the album feature original orchestrations and select songs feature a 20-person
choir. Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers joins The Texas Tenors for a duet
of "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin' (on the album only)."
Since their
whirlwind debut eight years ago on NBC's "America's Got Talent", The Texas Tenors have accumulated a
long list of awards, accolades and an enthusiastic fan base, including three
Emmy Awards for the PBS special "You Should Dream."
They have
performed more than 1000 concerts around the world including a 24-city tour of
the United Kingdom and China, and collaborations with some of the most
prestigious symphonies in the United States including the Cleveland Pops,
Atlanta Symphony, Houston Symphony and the Pittsburgh Symphony to name a few.
People are
clearly enjoying their talent as they were recently named the #10 Classical
Artist in the world according to Billboard magazine, and in 2018 will make
their Canadian debut at the world-renowned Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music.
From Bruno Mars
to Puccini, Marcus Collins, John Hagen and JC Fisher share with audiences a
unique blend of country, classical, Broadway and current pop music. - Facebook
After
the death of Troy Gentry in a New Jersey helicopter
crash on Sept. 8, Playlist: The Very
Best of Montgomery Gentry re-entered Top Country Albums for the first time
since 2012 at a new No.18 peak (#143
BB200; 5,000 equivalent album units) selling 1,642 copies.
Outside the Top 25
Lady Antebellum with HEART BREAK (Capitol Nashville | UMGN) fell 25-38 (Falls of Billboard 200 from #184) selling 1,901 copies (down 29%, 13-week total 129,400)
FALLING
SHORT of Top 50:
On the Country Album Sales list (pure sales;
old methodology)
Stephanie Quayle with LOVE THE WAY YOU SEE ME (Rebel Engine) made a debut at #30 selling 1,215
copies (the 197th best seller in America this chart frame; total sales
to date 1,400)
“This album is a blend of my songs that I’ve co-written and songs that I’ve found and fallen in love with,” Quayle told PEOPLE. “There’s every emotion covered, except super angry — I don’t really do angry.”
Quayle co-wrote six out of 11 songs on
the album, including "Selfish," "I've Got Your Six," and
"Post It."
“This music has changed me, and I have
found what I believe to be my place in Country music," Quayle noted.
"I have never been more comfortable in my voice and skin as I am today.”
Critical reception for Stephanie Quayle’s Love the Way You See Me:
11 Tracks/ Time: 39:49 Amazon UK - UK iTunes -
Amazon.com
Rollingstone -
Why You Should Pay Attention: Quayle
made a splash last year when she released "Drinking With Dolly," a
wistful number about hanging out with country music royalty in the good ol'
days. …
Sounds Like Nashville - Empowering
is just one characteristic that encompasses this album. Quayle manages to bring
to life a unique spirit with each individual song, whether it’s a sense of
freeness on “Winnebago,” honoring the history of powerful women in country
music with “Drinking With Dolly” or feeling bold and feisty when you put on
“Selfish.” When putting the eclectic mix of songs together, she wanted her fans
to feel each emotion to its fullest intent….
Parker McCollum with his 4-track EP Probably Wrong: Session Two (2017 Parker McCollum; Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com )
made a debut at No.33 selling around
1,000 copies.
Year-To-Date Albums
13,998,000 (Physical sales 9,308,000
(down -15.7%) + Digital sales 4,689,000 (down -20.5%) which is 17.3% down at the same point in 2016
(16,931,000 sales)
Year-To-Date Digital Tracks
49,622,000 down 23.8% at the same point in 2016 (65,119,000)
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:
Sam Hunt with “Body Like a Back Road”
(MCA Nashville) crowned Hot Country Songs for a record-extending 32nd week.
Blake Shelton banked his 29th top 10
as his “I’ll Name the Dogs” (Warner Bros./ Warner Music Nashville)
zoomed 40-10. Following its first
full week of tracking, it launched at No. 2 on Country Digital Song Sales (27,000
sold) and No.20 on Country Streaming Songs (3 million U.S. streams), and also
lifted 23-22 on Country Airplay (10 million, up 5%).
Kane Brown earned his highest debut on Hot Country
Songs as “Found You” (Zone 4/RCA Nashville) entered at No. 13.
Hot County
Songs
** No.1 (32
weeks) ** “Body Like A Back Road” Sam
Hunt
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.13 “Found You” Kane Brown
Debut
No.23 “Marry Me” Thomas Rhett
Debut
No.36 “Tennessee Mountain Top” Kid Rock
Debut
No.38 “Leave Right Now” Thomas Rhett
Debut
No.41 “Sweetheart” Thomas Rhett
Debut
No. 42 “Drink A
Little Beer” Thomas Rhett Featuring
Rhett Akins
Debut
No. 49 “When
You Look Like That” Thomas Rhett
Dustin
Lynch with “Small
Town Boy” (Broken Bow) led the Country Airplay chart for a third week, decreasing
10% to 44.09 million audience impressions in the week ending Sept. 17.
Maren Morris with her ballad “I Could Use a Love Song”
bulleted at No. 18 on Hot Country Songs as its lifted 15-13 on Country Airplay (19.3 million impressions, up 5%) and
re-entered Country Streaming Songs at No.24 (3.5 million U.S. streams, up 3%).
Morris performed a different song, “Rich”, on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring
Jimmy Fallon on Sept. 13.
Country
Airplay
***
No.1 (3 weeks) *** "Small Town Boy” Dustin
Lynch 45.639 million audience (+2.967 million) / 7,881 radio plays (+590)
**
Most Increased Audience ** No.5 “What Ifs” Kane
Brown feat. Lauren Alaina +3.262 million audience gain.
** Most
Added ** No.22 “I'll Name The Dogs” Blake
Shelton (43 ADDS)
** Hot
Shot Debut ** No. 53 “Drink A Little Beer” Thomas
Rhett feat. Rhett Akins
Debut
No.58 “Written In The Sand” Old Dominion
Debut
No.59 “Sixteen” Thomas Rhett
Billboard Country Digital
Singles Chart
Kane
Brown earned his highest debut on Hot Country Songs as “Found You” (Zone 4/RCA Nashville)
entered at No.13. It arrived at No.1 on Country Digital Song Sales
(#10 Digital Songs) with sales of 33,000, where it’s his first leader. It also
boasted 2.2 million U.S. streams for the week. “Found” is one of four new
tracks on the deluxe version of Brown’s self-titled debut album, due Oct. 6.
It was 9 places behind Sam Smith with "Too Good at Goodbyes"
which arrived at No.1 on Digital
Song Sales with 90,000 sold. Smith
scores his second leader on the sales tally, following "Stay With
Me," which spent two weeks on top in 2014. Also
Kane Brown feat. Lauren Alaina with
“What
If’s” fell 2-3 (#18-19 Digital Songs; 23,000 sales;
18-week total 346,000).
Blake Shelton with “I'll Name The Dogs” (Warner
Bros) made a debut at No.2 (#18 Digital Songs) with his new single selling 27,000
downloads.
After 31
non-consecutive weeks atop the chart Sam Hunt with “Body Like a Back Road” (MCA
Nashville) fell 1-4 (#16-20 Digital Songs; 20,000 sales; 33-week total 1,643,000).
Dustin Lynch with “Small Town Boy” fell 4-5
(#31-23 Digital Songs; 17,000 sales; 29-week
total 377,000).
Luke Combs with “When It Rains It Pours”
(River House | Columbia Nashville) fell 3-6
(#25-30 Digital Songs; 15,000 sales; 10-week total 153,000).
Thomas Rhett with “Marry Me” made a debut at
#7 (#32 Digital Songs) selling 14,000
downloads.
Kid Rock with “Tennessee Mountain Top” was new at
#8 (#35 Digital Songs) selling 13,000
downloads.
LANco with “Greatest Love Story” (Arista
Nashville) fell 7-9 (#39-37 Digital
Songs; 13,000 sales; 11-week total 220,000).
Thomas Rhett with “Unforgettable” (Valory)
fell 6-10 (10,000 sales; 7-week
total 104,000)
Outside
the Top 10
Jon Pardi with “Heartache On The Dancefloor”
fell 8-11 (10,000 sales; 13-week
total 179,000).
Carly Pearce with “Every Little Thing” (Big Machine)
fell 11-12 (9,000 sales; 13-week
total 222,000).
Brett Young with “In Case You Didn’t Know”
slipped 10-13 (8,000 sales; 50-week
total 902,000)
Midland with “Drinkin’
Problem” fell 9-14 (8,000 sales; 22-week total 314,000).
Luke Bryan with “Light It Up” (Capitol
Nashville) fell 13-15 (7,000 sales;
4-week total 56,000).
The late Don Williams with one of his signature tunes “I
Believe In You” (MCA Nashville) was new at #20 (6,000 sales; historic digital total 286,000).
Following the
death of Troy Gentry, Montgomery Gentry with
“Something
To Be Proud Of” (Columbia Nashville) was new at #22 (6,000 sales; historic digital total 579,000)
Country Aircheck MEDIABASE
Chart
18
Sept 2017
Dustin Lynch Is #1 For
Second Consecutive Week With 'Small Town Boy'
Congratulations
to Broken Bow Records' Dustin Lynch, who topped the MEDIABASE Country singles chart this
week with his single, "Small Town Boy." This is the
single's second consecutive frame at #1.
"Small
Town Boy” (Broken Bow logged 9,084 radio spins (-28) and 60.989 million audience impressions
(-1.252 million) with 27266 Total Points (-381) from 159 tracking stations for the tracking week
September 10 to September 16, 2017 and published chart September 18th 2017.
Blake Shelton Is
Most-Added For Second Consecutive Week
Kudos to Warner
Bros./WMN's Blake
Shelton landing the most-added at
Country radio with his newest release, "I'll Name The Dogs."
The song topped the "Most Added"
board this chart week for a second consecutive week. Shelton and his
team earned 46 MEDIABASE adds, bringing
the song's total historic adds to 146.
We Have The Babies And The Dogs... Now
What?
As the weeks go
by, Shelton's team at Warner Music Nashville (WMN) gets more and more creative
when it comes to taking the perfect 'most-added' photo.
(Please note: No babies or dogs were harmed in the making of this photo.) Pictured L-R: WMN Coord./Radio & Streaming Justin Newell and Dir./National Radio & Streaming Katie Bright with pup Henry Rose
(Please note: No babies or dogs were harmed in the making of this photo.) Pictured L-R: WMN Coord./Radio & Streaming Justin Newell and Dir./National Radio & Streaming Katie Bright with pup Henry Rose
Mediabase Adds (Selective)
Country
Aircheck Add Leaders Adds
Artist/Title (Label)/ TW/ Total Historic
Adds
BLAKE SHELTON/I'll Name The Dogs (Warner
Bros./WMN) 46 146
OLD
DOMINION/Written In The Sand (RCA) 32 38
JUSTIN
MOORE/Kinda Don't Care (Valory) 29 33
SCOTTY
MCCREERY/Five More Minutes (Triple Tigers) 14 84
COLE
SWINDELL/Stay Downtown (Warner Bros./WMN) 13 59
RASCAL
FLATTS/Back To Us (Big Machine) 11 62
BILLY
CURRINGTON/Wake Me Up (Mercury) 9 31
BRETT
YOUNG/Like I Loved You (BMLGR) 9 144
BRETT
ELDREDGE/The Long Way (Atlantic/WMN) 8 75
DARIUS
RUCKER/For The First Time (Capitol) 8 72
MIDLAND/Make
A Little (Big Machine) 8 16
DANIELLE
BRADBERY/Sway (BMLGR) 4 52
DREW
BALDRIDGE/Guns & Roses (Cold River) 4 38
LADY
ANTEBELLUM/Heart Break (Capitol) 4 4
KELSEA
BALLERINI/Legends (Black River) 3 126
LAUREN
ALAINA/Doin' Fine (19/Interscope/Mercury) 3 99
LEVON/Ms.
Marianne (Columbia) 3 47
LINDSAY
ELL/Waiting On You (Stoney Creek) 3 73
JOE
NICHOLS/Never Gets Old (Red Bow) 2 58
MIRANDA
LAMBERT/Tin Man (RCA) 2 130
FIONA
CULLEY/Act Like A Lady (Marro/In2une) 1 9
RAELYNN/Lonely
Call (Warner Bros./WMN) 1 44
Billboard Boxscores (Selective Country
concerts)
Rank
Artist: #15
Event
Venue City/State: Jimmy Buffett Jiffy Lube Live Bristow, Va.
Dates:
May 20, 2017 Gross Sales: $1,234,190 Attend:
21,916/ 22,338
Shows/
Sellouts: 1/0 (422 unsold tickets) **
Prices: $130, $30
Promoters: Live Nation
Rank
Artist: #16
Event
Venue City/State: Zac Brown Band, Darrell Scott Verizon
Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park Alpharetta, Ga.
Dates:
May 12-13, 2017 Gross Sales: $1,210,361 Attend:
23,789/ 23,789
Shows/
Sellouts: 2/2 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices:
$91, $71, $39
Promoters: Live Nation
Rank
Artist: #41
Event
Venue City/State: Jason Aldean, Chris Young,
Kane Brown,
Dee Jay Silver USANA
Amphitheatre West Valley City, Utah
Dates:
Sept. 14, 2017 Gross Sales: $813,685 Attend:
19,443/ 19,443
Shows/
Sellouts: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices:
$71.75, $31.75
Promoters:
Live Nation
Rank
Artist: #90
Event
Venue City/State: Florida Georgia Line, Dustin Lynch, Chris Lane
Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, Tenn.
Dates:
April 29, 2017 Gross Sales: $551,266 Attend:
10,401/ 11,057
Shows/
Sellouts: 1/0 (656 unsold tickets) Prices:
$75, $29.75
Promoters: Live Nation
Rank
Artist: #128
Event
Venue City/State: Willie Nelson The Fillmore San Francisco, Calif.
Dates:
May 2-3, 5-6, 2017 Gross Sales: $345,312 Attend:
4,796 / 5,171
Shows/
Sellouts: 4/0 (375 unsold tickets) Prices:
$75
Promoters: Live Nation
Rank
Artist: #146
Event
Venue City/State: Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, Adam Wright Ascend Amphitheater Nashville, Tenn.
Dates:
May 19, 2017 Gross Sales: $284,688 Attend:
6,442/ 6,835
Shows/
Sellouts: 1/0 (393 unsold tickets) **
Prices: $99, $35
Promoters: Live Nation
Rank
Artist: #221
Event
Venue City/State: John Prine, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Duluth, Minn.
Dates:
Sept. 9, 2017 Gross Sales: $122,127 Attend:
1,491/ 2,012
Shows/
Sellouts: 1/0 (521 unsold tickets) **
Prices: $101.50, $61.50
Promoters: NS2
Rank
Artist: #292
Event
Venue City/State: Maddie & Tae Express Live! Columbus, Ohio
Dates:
Aug. 2, 2017 Gross Sales: $45,950 Attend:
4,238/ 4,500
Shows/
Sellouts: 1/0 (262 unsold tickets) Prices:
$25, $10
Promoters: PromoWest Productions
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