Country Billboard Chart News December 17, 2018

Country Billboard Chart News December 17, 2018

In Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of December 22, 2018)

Country Album Chart ** No.1 (1 week) ** TICKET TO L.A Brett Young

Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (4 weeks) ** “Speechless” Dan + Shay

Country Airplay ** No.1 (1 week) *** “Speechless” Dan + Shay

Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (1 week) ““Don't Wanna Write This Song” Brett Young

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

GOLD ALBUM:

Brantley Gilbert THE DEVIL DON'T SLEEP | released Jan 27, 2017 The Valory Music Co | certified Gold Dec 12, 2018 0.5 Million units

MULTI-PLATINUM ALBUMS:

2X PLATINUM ALBUM:

Martina McBride WHITE CHRISTMAS | released Sept 29, 1998 RCA Nashville | certified 2x Multi-Platinum Dec 12, 2018 2 Million units

4X PLATINUM ALBUM:

Martina McBride GREATEST HITS | released Sept 18, 2001 RCA Nashville | certified 4x Multi-Platinum Dec 12, 2018 4 Million units

GOLD SINGLES:

Chris Stapleton Millionaire | released Oct 20, 2017 Mercury Nashville | certified Gold Dec 6, 2018 0.5 Million units

Lee Brice Boy | released April 27, 2017 Curb Records | certified Gold certified Gold Dec 12, 2018 0.5 Million units

Martina McBride Anyway |

Cole Swindell Break Up In The End | released Feb 23, 2018 Warner Bros | certified Gold Dec 12, 2018 0.5 Million units

Martina McBride Independence Day | released Sept 14, 1993 RCA Nashville | certified Gold Dec 12, 2018 0.5 Million units

PLATINUM SINGLES:

Eric Church Round Here Buzz | released Nov 3, 2015 EMI Records Nashville | certified Platinum Dec 6, 2018 1 Million

Brothers Osborne It Ain't My Fault | released Jan 15, 2016 EMI Records Nashville | certified Platinum Dec 7, 2018 1 Million units

Cole Swindell Flatliner | released May 6, 2016 Warner Bros | certified Platinum Dec 12, 2018 1 Million units

Florida Georgia Line Simple | released June 1, 2018 Big Machine Label Group | certified Platinum Dec 12, 2018 1 Million units

MULTI-PLATINUM SINGLES:

2X PLATINUM SINGLE:

Florida Georgia Line May We All | released July 17, 2016 BMLG Records | certified 2x Multi-Platinum Dec 12, 2018 2 Million units

3X PLATINUM SINGLE:

Dierks Bentley Drunk On A Plane | released Dec 6, 2018 Capitol Records Nashville | certified 3x Multi-Platinum Dec 6, 2018 3 Million units

Luke Bryan Do I | released May 5, 2009 Capitol Nashville | certified 3x Multi-Platinum Dec 10, 2018 3 Million units

Eli Young Band Crazy Girl | released March 8, 2011 The Valory Music Co | certified 3x Multi-Platinum Dec 12, 2018 3 Million units

Florida Georgia Line Get Your Shine On | released Dec 4, 2012 Republic Nashville | certified 3x Multi-Platinum Dec 12, 2018 3 Million units

5X PLATINUM SINGLE:

Luke Bryan Play It Again | released August 13, 2013 Capitol Records Nashville | certified 5x Multi-Platinum Dec 10, 2018 5 Million units

Florida Georgia Line This Is How We Roll | released Dec 4, 2012 BMLG Records | certified 5x Multi-Platinum Dec 12, 2018 5 Million units

6X PLATINUM SINGLE:

Zac Brown Band Chicken Fried | released Oct 28, 2008 Elektra | certified 6x Multi-Platinum Dec 6, 2018 6 Million units

Sam Hunt Body Like A Back Road | released Feb 1, 2017 MCA Records Nashville | certified 6x Multi-Platinum Dec 6, 2018 6 Million units

Luke Bryan Country Girl (Shake It For Me) | released April 19, 2011 Capitol Nashville | certified 6x Multi-Platinum Dec 10, 2018 6 Million units

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News (Chart issue week of December 22, 2018)

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

XXXTentacion’s first posthumously released album, SKINS, debuted at No.1 the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200). The set, which was released on Dec. 7 via Bad Vibes Forever/EMPIRE, is XXXTentacion’s second No.1, and it earned 132,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Dec. 13, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 52,000 were in album sales.

Skins is the first posthumous No.1 album since Prince’s The Very Best of Prince re-entered the chart dated May 6, 2016 at No. 1, following his death on April 21 of that year.

Skins’ debut week was largely driven by streaming activity of the album, as it tallied 78,000 SEA units, which equals 121.8 million on-demand audio streams of the set’s tracks.

XXXTentacion (real name: Jahseh Onfroy) died on June 18, 2018. Before his death, he notched a pair of top 10 albums with Skins’ predecessor, ?, which opened at No. 1 on the list dated March 31, 2018.

Billboard Top Country Albums (Chart issue week of December 22, 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.

Brett Young notched his first No.1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, as his sophomore full-length, Ticket to L.A., arrives atop the tally (dated Dec. 22) with 37,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week, ending Dec. 13, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 27,000 were from traditional sales. On the all-genre Billboard 200, Ticket boards at a career-best No.15.

"Having my second record out was already super-exciting, but seeing it debut at No. 1 is something special," Young told Billboard. "I have the most amazing fans."

Ticket follows the 37-year-old singer-songwriter's self-titled debut LP, which entered and peaked at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart dated March 2, 2017 (with 25,000 first-week units; pure sales were 17,827). Young first appeared on Top Country Albums with his self-titled EP, which opened at No. 35 in March 2016 and peaked at No. 30 in February 2017. On the Billboard 200, the LP hit No. 18 and the EP reached No.189.

The 13-song Ticket, with 10 of its songs co-written by Young, was produced by Dann Huff, who returns after producing Young's first album.

The first single from Ticket, "Here Tonight," penned by Young with Ben Caver, Justin Ebach and Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley, rose 24-18 for a new high on the airplay-, streaming- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart. It's helped by a 22 percent burst to 7.7 million radio audience impressions, as it climbed 30-26 on Country Airplay. It also rose by 29 percent to 3.8 million U.S. streams.

Young's first LP yielded four top five Hot Country Songs hits and three No. 1s on Country Airplay: "In Case You Didn't Know," "Like I Loved You" and "Mercy." (And his only other single, debut hit "Sleep Without You," reached No. 2 on the chart.)

Previous week No.1 (20 non-consecutive weeks) Luke Combs with THIS ONE’S FOR YOU (River House/ Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) slipped 1-2 (#28-31 Billboard 200).

Gene Autry with Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer And Other Christmas Classics cheld at No3 (#49-42 Billboard 200; 10 chart frames).

Elvis Presley with IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME fell 2-4 (#45-51 Billboard 200).

Burl Ives with RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER held at No.5 (#53-54; 12 chart frames).

Former No1 Dan + Shay with their self-titled album (Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville) held at No.6 (#57-66 BB200).

Former No.1 Kane Brown with sophomore album, entitled EXPERIMENT fell 4-7 (#51-67 BB200).

In its 106th chart frame Brown’s 10 non-consecutive week No.1 SELF-TITLED (released Dec 2, 2016) fell 9-11 (#86-95 Billboard 200).

Chris Stapleton with the 189-week TRAVELLER (MERCURY/ UMGN) fell 7-8 (#67-70 BB200) as his set From A Room: Volume 1 (Mercury/Universal Music Group Nashville) dropped 17-18 (#161 non-mover BB200) and From A Room: Volume 2 rebounded 25-23.

Brenda Lee with The Best Of Brenda Lee: 20th Century Masters The Christmas Collection fell 8-9 (#81-79 BB200).

Brett Eldredge with GLOW climbed 11-10 (#111-89 BB200).

Outside the Top 10

Former 6-week non-consecutive week No.1 Jason Aldean with REARVIEW TOWN (Macon/Broken Bow Records) fell 10-13 (#106-113 BB200) in its 35th week.

Former No.1 Carrie Underwood with CRY PRETTY slipped 13-14 (#123 non-mover BB200).

Dolly Parton with 12-track DUMPLIN' (Soundtrack; Dolly Records/RCA Nashville | Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) held at No.16 (#160-143 Billboard 200) in its second frame.

Country Year-End Charts

Following are the No.1 entries on each of the country year-end charts.

Most of the 33 lists can be found at billboard.biz.

• Top Country Artists Chris Stapleton

• Top Country Artists — Duo/Group Florida Georgia Line

• Top Country Artists — Female Carrie Underwood

• Top Country Artists — Male Chris Stapleton

• Top New Country Artists Jordan Davis

• Top Country Labels Universal Music Group Nashville

• Top Hot Country Songs Artists Florida Georgia Line

• Top Hot Country Songs “Meant to Be,” Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line

• Top Hot Country Songs Imprints Warner Bros.

• Top Hot Country Songs Labels BMLG Records

• Top Hot Country Songs Producers Dann Huff

• Top Hot Country Songs Publishing Corporations Warner/Chappell

• Top Hot Country Songs Publishers Warner-Tamerlane Publishing (BMI)

• Top Hot Country Songwriters Tyler Hubbard

• Top Country Airplay Artists Thomas Rhett

• Top Country Airplay Songs “Heaven,” Kane Brown

• Top Country Airplay Labels Capitol Nashville

• Top Country Airplay Imprints Warner Bros.

• Top Country Digital Songs Artists Florida Georgia Line

• Top Country Digital Songs Titles “Meant to Be,” Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line

• Top Country Albums Titles This One’s for You, Luke Combs

• Top Country Albums Artists Chris Stapleton

• Top Country Albums Imprints Capitol Nashville

• Top Country Albums Labels Universal Music Group Nashville

• Top Country Albums Distributors Universal Music Group

• Top Country Streaming Songs “Meant to Be,” Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line

• Top Country Streaming Songs Artists Luke Combs

• Top Americana/Folk Albums Traveller, Chris Stapleton

• Top Bluegrass Albums Artists Old Crow Medicine Show

• Top Bluegrass Albums Titles: The Long-Awaited Album, Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers

• Top Country Boxscores Kenny Chesney, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.

• Top Country Tours Kenny Chesney

Billboard Hot Country Songs (Chart issue week of December 22, 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:

Dan + Shay with “Speechless” (Warner Bros./ WAR) led Hot Country Songs for a fourth week.

Jason Aldean banked his 30th Hot Country Songs top 10, as "Girl Like You" hopped 11-10. It gained by 18 percent to 26 million audience impressions, as it pushes 10-9 on Country Airplay, and by 5 percent to 3.8 million streams.

"Girl" is the third single from Aldean's eighth studio LP Rearview Town, which debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums and the Billboard 200 charts dated April 28 (183,000 opening-week units).

Town’s lead single "You Make It Easy" hit No. 2 on Hot Country Songs in February and second single "Drowns the Whiskey," featuring Miranda Lambert, reached No. 3 in September. Both songs topped Country Airplay for two weeks each

Hot County Songs

** No.1 (4 weeks) ** “Speechless” Dan + Shay **

** Hot Shot Debut ** No.32 “Don't Wanna Write This Song” Brett Young  

Debut No.45 “Don't Let The Old Man In” Toby Keith
Debut No.47 “Blue” Chevel Shepherd

Billboard Country Airplay (Chart issue week of December 22, 2018)

In it’s 19th chart frame Dan + Shay with “Speechless” (writers Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) advanced 5-1.

Country Airplay

*** No.1 (1 week) *** No.1 “Speechless” Dan + Shay 38.629 million audience impressions

** Hot Shot Debut/ Most Increased Audience/  Most Added ** No.32 “What Happens In A Small Town” Brantley Gilbert + Lindsay Ell  +4.846 million audience impressions gain

Debut No.43 “Don't Let The Old Man In” Toby Keith

Debut No.59 “Got My Name Changed Back” Pistol Annies

Debut No.60 “Girl Goin' Nowhere” Ashley McBryde

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart 
(Chart issue week of December 22, 2018)

Brett Young with new album pre-grat track “Don't Wanna Write This Song” blew in at No.1 (#11 Digital Songs).

It was ten places behind Halsey’s "Without Me" which hit a new Hot 100 peak, rising 3-2. It led Digital Song Sales for a fourth week (37,000, down 26 percent) and lifted 4-3 on Streaming Songs.

Previous weeks’ chart topper (7 non-consecutive weeks) Dan + Shay (Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) with “Speechless” slipped 1-2 (#16-12 Digital Songs) as their hit “Tequila” rose 9-8 in its 47th frame.

Seasonal chesnutt Brenda Lee with “Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree” rose 4-3 (#34-29 Digital Songs).

Luke Combs with “She Got The Best Of Me” fell 3-4 (#30-31 Digital Songs).

Mitchell Tenpenny with “Drunk Me” advanced 10-5 in its 21st frame.

Chevel Shepherd with a cover of Leann Rimes’ “Blue” made a debut at No.6 (#45 New Entry Digital Songs). Team Kelly's (Kelly Clarkson) Chevel performed it during The Voice Season 15’s Episode 23 (Monday, December 10, 2018) Top 8 Semi Final.

Jake Owen with “Down To The Honkytonk” held at No.7 (#49-47 Digital Songs).

The Voice Season 15 contestant Kirk Jay (team Blake) with a cover of John Michael Montgomerys “I Swear” made a bow at No.9. He too performed it on The Voice Live Semi-Final, Top 8.

Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” rose 12-10.

Outside the Top 10

Jimmie Allen with “Best Shot” fell 8-11. 

Thurl Ravenscroft with “You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” was new at No.23. The Christmas song that was originally written and composed for the 1966 cartoon special How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Country Aircheck MEDIABASE Chart

December 17, 2018

Congrats to Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, Kristen Williams, Tom Martens, James Marsh and the WAR promotion staff on landing the week’s No. 1 with “Speechless.” The song is the second chart-topper from their current self-titled album. Writers are Jordan Reynolds, Laura Veltz, Smyers and Mooney

“Speechless” (Warner Bos./WAR) climbed 3-1 logging 8,040 radio spins (+747), 48.104 million audience impressions (+5.111 million) with 25306 Total Points (+2264) from 155 tracking stations (155 ADDS) for the tracking week December 9 to December 15, 2018 and published chart dated December 17, 2018.

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers

JASON ALDEAN/Girl Like You (Broken Bow) 2540

SCOTTY MCCREERY/This Is It (Triple Tigers) 2428

BRANTLEY GILBERT f/L. ELL/What Happens In A... (Valory) 2370

THOMAS RHETT/Sixteen (Valory) 2352

DAN + SHAY/Speechless (Warner Bros./WAR) 2264

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly December 17, 2018, Issue 632 - 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: #29

Event Venue City/State: Shania Twain RAC Arena Perth, Australia

Dates: Nov. 30, 2018 Gross Sales: $1,310,410 Attend: 11,499/ 12,633

Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (1,134 unsold tickets) Prices: $188.23, $76.47

Promoters: Live Nation

Latest Billboard Boxscore Chart