Country Billboard Chart News October 1, 2018

RIAA Certification

NASHVILLE, TN. – Seven-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert has added six multi-Platinum certifications to her repertoire, as albums REVOLUTION and CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND have been certified double-Platinum by the RIAA, along with singles “The House That Built Me” (3X Platinum), “Mama’s Broken Heart” (3X Platinum), “Over You” (2X Platinum), and “Automatic” (2X Platinum).

The most-decorated female artist in CMA Awards history, Lambert is nominated this year for Female Vocalist of the Year, as well as Single and Musical Event of the Year for “Drowns the Whiskey” with Jason Aldean.

(Back l-r) Sony Music Nashville VP, Sales Caryl Atwood and EVP/COO Ken Robold; Shopkeeper Management’s Crystal Dishmon and Marion Kraft; Lambert; SMN Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman and EVP, Marketing and New Business John Zarling; RCA Director, Regional Promotion Mallory Michaels.
(Front l-r) Sony Music Nashville EVP, Promotions & Artist Development Steve Hodges; Director of Creative Services Tracy Fleaner ; and Director of Marketing Jen Way; RCA SVP, Promotion Dennis Reese.

Photo Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty

The GRAMMY Award-winner recently wrapped her stand as the 2018 Artist-in-Residence at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, performing two sold-out nights at the CMA Theater. Night one Lambert deemed “The Ones That Got Away,” performing deep cuts from her rich catalogue, many for the first time in a live setting. Her second show reunited supertrio Pistol Annies (Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley) for their first performance in five years, debuting tracks from their new album INTERSTATE GOSPEL, arriving Nov. 2 on RCA Records.

In Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of October 6, 2018)

Country Album Chart ** No.1 (2 weeks) ** CRY PRETTY Carrie Underwood

Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (44 weeks) ** “Meant To Be” Bebe Rexha feat. Florida Georgia Line

Country Airplay ** No.1 (2 weeks) ** “Hotel Key” Old Dominion
Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (11 non-consecutive weeks) “Simple” Florida Georgia Line

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News (Chart issue week of October 6, 2018)

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

Hip-hop collective Brockhampton bowed at No.1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200) with its fourth studio album, IRIDESCENCE. The set, which was released on Sept. 21 via Question Everything/RCA Records, launches with 101,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Sept. 27, according to Nielsen Music.

Of Iridescence’s 101,000 units, most were in album sales: 79,335, as noted above. The remainder was comprised of SEA units (22,000) and TEA units (a negligible figure).

At No. 2 on the new Billboard 200, Josh Groban arrived with his new studio album, Bridges. It starts with 96,000 units, of which 93,531 are in traditional album sales. Bridges is the top-selling album of the week. Bridges garnered just 1,000 SEA units (equaling 1.5 million on-demand audio streams for its songs) and a little more than 1,000 TEA units.

Carrie Underwood with CRY PRETTY tumbled 1-7 in its second week with 36,000 units (down 86 percent)

Billboard Top Country Albums (Chart issue week of October 6, 2018)

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.

Carrie Underwood with CRY PRETTY held at No.1 (1-7 Billboard 200) on Billboard Top Country Albums selling 28,382 copies (down 89%).

Her first week sales (250,704) were fuelled by sales generated from a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer

14 non-consecutive week No.1 Luke Combs with THIS ONE’S FOR YOU (River House/ Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) held at No.2 (#18-20 Billboard 200; 4,449 sales; 69-week total 331,300).

Kane Brown with his 10 non-consecutive week No.1 SELF-TITLED moved 4-3 (#45-47 BB200; 2,918 sales; 95-week total 458,100)

Chris Stapleton with the 178-week TRAVELLER (MERCURY/ UMGN) rose 6-4 (#52-48 BB200; 3,481 sales; 178 week total 2,358,300) as his set From A Room: Volume 1 (Mercury/Universal Music Group Nashville) climbed 16-14 (#149-158 BB200; 2,146 sales; 73-week total 842,600) and From A Room: Volume 2 rose 28-26 in its 43rd frame (2,042 sales; 43-week total 437,100).

Former No1 Dan + Shay with their self-titled album (Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville) held at No.5 (#46-48 BB200; 1,385 sales; 14-week total 55,700).

Former 6-week non-consecutive week No.1 Jason Aldean with REARVIEW TOWN (Macon/Broken Bow Records) fell 3-6 (#22-64 BB200; 2,216 sales; 24-week total 415,900).

Former No.1 Thomas Rhett with LIFE CHANGES (Valory/Big Machine Label Group) climbed 9-7 (#73-68 BB200; 1,076 sales; 55-week total 296,000).

In its sixth frame former No1 Cole Swindell with ALL OF IT (Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville) rose 10-8 (83-78 BB200; 5,078 sales; 6-week total 64,000).

Brett Young with self- titled BRETT YOUNG (BMLG) fell 8-9 (#71-86 BB200; 1,070 sales; 85-week total 235,500).

Outside the Top 10

Former No.1 Kenny Chesney with LIVE IN NO SHOES NATION (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville) fell 12-13 (123-155 BB200; 2,240 sales; 9-week total 112,940).

Former No.1 Luke Bryan with WHAT MAKES YOU COUNTRY (Capitol Nashville | UMGN) fell 14-15 (#133-159 BB200; 1,433 sales; 42-week total 330,100).

Frank Foster with his 10-track set- 'Til I'm Gone (Lone Chief Records | Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) made a debut at No.16 selling 5,335 copies.

Foster shared: "This is our seventh studio album, and I feel that we are an alternative to the pop-country that is going on right now. It is a mixture of outlaw country and rock and roll, with a traditional country mix in there. We are doing a pretty good job at it." While it was difficult to select a favorite song on the album, Foster said that "This Evenin'" is a very special track, as well as the title cut.

Florida Georgia Line with their 4-track EP FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE (Big Machine Label Group, LLC | UK iTunes) fell 20-21 (#170-190 BB200).

Dierks Bentley with THE MOUNTAIN (Capitol Nashville | UMGN) fell 7-23 (#70-193 BB200; 2103 sales; down 66%; 16-week total 158,200).

Of Note:

In his second week Willie Nelson with his 11-track MY WAY (Legacy Recordings | Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) fell 36-88 on the Billboard 200 selling 7,921 copies; down 44%; 2-week total 21.905)

FALLING SHORT of Top 50:

On the Country Album Sales list (pure sales; old methodology)

Joey+Rory with the Christian & Gospel 21-track- The Singer And The Song: The Best Of Joey+Rory (Gaither Music Group | Amazon UK – Amazon.com) made a debut at No.7 with 2,575 sales.

The best of collection includes a CD with the country music duo's hits, while a DVD offers interviews with Rory and more on the couple's love story and life together. The Singer And The Song CD features more than a dozen songs that brought out the best in the husband and wife's lives and careers, along with a personal, 28-page booklet from Rory. The DVD consists of more than two-and-a-half hours of content, including a tour of the family farm, acoustic performances by Rory and an interview with Bill Gaither that captures Rory's ever-inspiring story of hope in spite of hard times.

Amy Helm with her 10-track THIS TOO SHALL LIGHT (Yep Roc Records | Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) made a debut at No.23 with 1,000 sales.

Amy Helm sought what she calls a “circular sound” for her new album. It’s a well-rounded one, one marked by streaks of Americana, country, blues, and gospel, and the kinds of four-part harmonies that can burst open a melody and close the loop of an octave. And sentimentally, it’s a sound that represents the feeling of community.

'This Too Shall Light', comprises 10 songs produced by Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Joe Henry. Helm left her home and comfort zone of Woodstock, NY, choosing to record in Los Angeles within the confines of just a four-day window.

Bri Bagwell with her 10-track IN MY DEFENSE (Ruby Reds Records | Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com ) made a debut at No.30 with 800 estimated sales.

Tyler Rich with his 4-track EP TYLER RICH (EP; Big Machine Label Group) made a debut at No.31 with 700 estimated sales.

Mandy Barnett with her 10-track STRANGE CONVERSATION (Dame Productions | Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) made a debut at No.37 with 600 estimated sales.

Brian Grilli with his 10 track DEEP SOUTH SYMPHONY (Spectra Music Group | Amazon UK) made a debut at No.45

Maggie Rose with her 12-track Rock/ Pop set CHANGE THE WHOLE THING (Starstruck Records, LLC | Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) made a debut at No.46

The powerhouse vocalist recorded the songs for her forthcoming project live in one take with her 13-piece “family band." The full length LP will feature 12 songs, 12 live music videos and a 60-minute documentary on the making of the album.

>> Documentory

Year-To-Date Albums

11,635,000 (Physical sales 8,258,000 (down -15.2%) + Digital sales 3,387,000 (down -31.3%) which is 20.7% down at the same point in 2017 (14,671,000 sales) 

Year-To-Date Digital Tracks

37,512,000 down 27.5% at the same point in 2017 (51,722,000)

Billboard Hot Country Songs (Chart issue week of October 6, 2018)

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:

Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line with “Meant to Be” (Warner Bros./Big Machine Label Group) extended its record run to 44 weeks at No.1 on Hot.Country Songs chart (dated Oct. 6).

With its continued domination, FGL became the first act to top the chart for 100 cumulative career weeks.

“Meant” extended its reign as it leads Country Streaming Songs for a record-padding 40th week, decreasing by 2 percent to 11 million U.S. streams in the tracking week, according to Nielsen Music. It fell 4-10 on Country Digital Song Sales (6,000 sold, down 34 percent), where it ruled for 22 frames, and drew 12.3 million in country radio audience (43 million overall) after leading the Country Airplay chart dated April 28 (while being dually promoted to country and pop radio).

Florida Georgia Line — the duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley — celebrates its 100th total week atop Hot Country Songs among its six No.1s, a first in the chart’s 59-year history. (The list began as an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958. In October 2012, it became an airplay, streaming and sales-driven list, at which point songs began logging far longer average commands.)

“I continue to be humbled and am honestly speechless by watching what our supporters and fans have done for us,” said Hubbard. “Being a part of country music history is more than a dream come true, and getting to do what we love on this level is something we will never take for granted.”

“We set out to write good songs, so to see them travel far beyond our reach is still hard to wrap our heads around,” added Kelley. “We are so thankful to country radio, our fans and our team for believing in even our wildest dreams.”

Here’s how FGL achieved 100 weeks at No. 1: The pair’s first hit, “Cruise,” led for 24 weeks in 2012 and 2013; followed by “Stay” (six weeks, 2013-14); “This Is How We Roll” (featuring Luke Bryan; six, 2014); “Dirt” (two weeks, 2014); “H.O.L.Y.” (18, 2016); and “Meant” (44, 2017-18).

FGL’s 100 cumulative weeks in the Hot Country Songs penthouse outpace runner-up George Strait, as his record 44 No.1s spent 84 weeks atop the survey. Buck Owens ranks third with 82 weeks (from 21 No. 1s), followed by Tim McGraw (73 weeks, 26 No. 1s) and Kenny Chesney (72 weeks, 23 No. 1s).

With 44 weeks, Rexha owns the mark for the most time at No.1 among women on Hot Country Songs, thanks solely to “Meant.” She passes Tammy Wynette, in second place with 37 weeks at No. 1 (from 20 No. 1s); Carrie Underwood follows with 35 weeks at the apex (among 14 No. 1s).

Hot County Songs

** No.1 (44 weeks) ** “Meant To Be” Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line

** Airplay Gainer” No.4 “She Got The Best Of Me” Luke Combs  

** Digital Gainer/ Streaming Gainer ** No.26 “Homesick” Kane Brown  

** Hot Shot Debut ** No.49 “One That Got Away” Michael Ray  

Debut No.50 “Never Comin Down” Keith Urban

Billboard Country Airplay (Chart issue week of October 6, 2018)

Old Dominion with "Hotel Key" (RCA Nashville) held at No.1 for a second week atop the chart in the week ending Sept. 30.

Maren Morris with “Rich” (Columbia Nashville) entered the Country Airplay top 10, climbing 11-10 with a 6 percent increase to 22.7 million audience impressions.

The Morris co-penned “Rich” becomes her fourth top 10, following the No.1s “Craving You,” by Thomas Rhett featuring Morris (July 2017); “I Could Use a Love Song” (January 2018); and her breakthrough “My Church” (No. 9, May 2016).

Country Airplay

*** No.1 (2 weeks) *** “Hotel Key” Old Dominion 42.928 million audience / 7,957 radio plays

** Hot Shot Debut/Most Increased Audience/Most Added ** No.28 “Back To Life” Rascal Flatts +6.265 million audience gain

thanks to 48 fresh radio commitments (ADDS)

Debut No.59 “Buy My Own Drinks” Runaway June

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart 
(Chart issue week of October 6, 2018)

Florida Georgia Line with “Simple” (BMLG) held at No.1 (#25-27 Digital Songs; 9,000 sales, down 9 percent),) to log a 11th non-consecutive week atop the chart as their former 22 non-consecutive week No1 Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line with “Meant to Be" (Warner Bros. | BMLG) fell 4-10 (#30 to off the top 50 Digital Songs).

Simple was 26 places behind Eminem's Machine Gun Kelly diss track "Killshot" which logged a second week at No.1 on Digital Song Sales (53,000, up 37 percent), while falling 2-7 on Streaming Songs (32.6 million, down 36 percent).

Kane Brown with “Homesick” rocketed 22-2 in its third frame as his track “Lose It” fell 7-8 (#36-49 Digital Songs).

Luke Combs with “She Got The Best Of Me” held at No.3 (#29-30 Digital Songs) in its 8th as his single “Beautiful Crazy” rebounded 11-9.

Dan + Shay (Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) with “Speechless” moved 6-4 (#33-31 Digital Songs) as “Tequila” (Warner Bros. | WAR) climbed 9-6 (#45-41 Digital Songs).

Chris Stapleton with “Tennessee Whiskey” pushed 17-5 (#40 Re-Entry Digital Songs) in its 142nd frame.

Mitchell Tenpenny with “Drunk Me” rose 8-7 (#41-44 Digital Songs) in his 10th week.

Outside the Top 10

Jason Aldean feat. Miranda Lambert with “Drowns The Whiskey” (Macon | Broken Bow) fell 10-11 in their 20th frame.

Eric Church with “Desperate Man” held at No.12 in his 11th week.

Jake Owen with “Down To The Honkytonk” moved 16-13 in his 5th week.

DEBUTS:

Billy Currington with “Bring It On Over” made a bow at No.21.

Jimmie Allen with “Best Shot” made an appearance at No.22.

Russell Dickerson with “Blue Tacoma” made a debut at No.25.

Country Aircheck MEDIABASE Chart

October 1, 2018

Old Dominion 2 weeks at No1

2 bottles for 2 weeks at #1 - thank you for making #HotelKey a huge song for us! 🥂🍾🍾...🏆 pic.twitter.com/KsDn9U8JcM

— Old Dominion (@OldDominion) 2 October 2018

Chart Chat Congrats again to Old Dominion, Steve Hodges, Dennis Reese and the entire RCA promotion staff on landing adjoining weeks at No.1 with “Hotel Key.” The song is the third consecutive No. 1 from HAPPY ENDINGS. Writers are Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen and Josh Osborne.

“Hotel Key” (RCA) held at No.1 logging 8,784 radio spins (+209), 54.613 million audience impressions (+1.495 million) with 28387 Total Points (+678) from 158 tracking stations (158 ADDS) for the tracking week September 23 to September 29, 2018 and published chart October 1, 2018.

Thomas Rhett's 'Sixteen' Is Most-Added

Kudos to Chris Palmer and the Valory reps for securing 57 adds on Thomas Rhett’s “Sixteen”. The song topped the "Most Added" board this chart week.

In celebration of Valory Music Co's Thomas Rhett earning most-added at Country radio this week with his new single, "Sixteen" Pictured L-R: Valory Music Co. Dir./Southwest Promotion Christy DiNapoli and Coord./Promotion Lauren Simon

Mediabase Adds (Selective)

Artist/Title (Label) TW Total Historic Adds

THOMAS RHETT/Sixteen (Valory)         57         82        

RASCAL FLATTS/Back To Life (Big Machine)     28         28        

JASON ALDEAN/Girl Like You (Broken Bow)      21         91        

ADAM HAMBRICK/Rockin' All Night Long (Buena Vista/Capitol)  17         17        

CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Love Wins (Capitol)      13         80        

DAN + SHAY/Speechless (Warner Bros./WAR)   13         143      

BRETT YOUNG/Here Tonight (BMLGR) 11         66        

BILLY CURRINGTON/Bring It On Over (Mercury)            10         60        

MORGAN EVANS/Day Drunk (Warner Bros./WEA)         10         43        

TENILLE TOWNES/Somebody's Daughter (Columbia)    9          29        

KELSEA BALLERINI/Miss Me More (Black River)            7          7         

DAVID LEE MURPHY/I Won't Be Sorry (Reviver)            6          73        

MADDIE & TAE/Friends Don't (Mercury) 5          91        

BROTHERS OSBORNE/I Don't Remember Me (Before..) (EMI Nashville) 2         2         

LEE GANTT/Ruined This Town (HH Entertainment)         2          3         

RACHEL WAMMACK/Damage (RCA)     2          44        

WATERLOO REVIVAL/Wonder Woman (---)       2          2         

ALISSA GRIFFITH/Glasses (Dreamhaus)            1          1         

AUSTIN BURKE/Whole Lot In Love (Awal/In2une)           1          16        

CHRIS LANE/I Don't Know About You (Big Loud)            1          2         

ERIC CHURCH/Monsters (EMI Nashville)           1          1         

JOHN BERRY/Beautifully Broken (JB Music)      1          2         

KID ROCK/Po-Dunk (Wheelhouse)         1          1         

LUKE BRYAN/What Makes You Country (Capitol)           1          3         

LUKE COMBS/Beautiful Crazy (River House/Columbia)   1          7         

WALKER MCGUIRE/Growin' Up (Stoney Creek) 1     1

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly October 1, 2018, Issue 621  - Magazine View

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: #11

Event Venue City/State: Shania Twain, Bastian Baker, The Shires SSE Hydro Glasgow, Scotland

Dates: Sept. 19-21, 2018 Gross Sales: $2,097,620 Attend: 21,125/ 21,238

Shows/ Sellouts: 2/0 (113 unsold tickets) Prices: $111.75, $32.87

Promoters: DF Concerts

                                                         

Rank Artist: #18

Event Venue City/State: Shania Twain, Bastian Baker, The Shires Manchester Arena Manchester, England

Dates: Sept. 22, 2018 Gross Sales: $1,425,280 Attend: 14,331/ 14,548

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (217 unsold tickets) Prices: $111.88, $52.65

Promoters: Live Nation

                                     

Rank Artist: #25

Event Venue City/State: Chris Stapleton, Brent Cobb, Marty Stuart White River Amphitheatre Auburn, Wash.

Dates: July 21, 2018 Gross Sales: $1,062,696 Attend: 15,966/ 15,966

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices: $150, $34.75

Promoters: Live Nation

Rank Artist: #27

Event Venue City/State: Kylie Minogue SSE Hydro Glasgow, Scotland

Dates: Sept. 30, 2018 Gross Sales: $1,041,470 Attend: 11,206/ 11,443

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (237 unsold tickets) Prices: $195.36, $65.12

Promoters: Live Nation

Latest Billboard Boxscore Chart