Country Billboard Chart News December 19, 2013

Country Billboard Chart News December 19, 2013

In Brief:  Billboard Country Charts

Country Album Chart ** No. 1 (3 weeks) ** Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences Garth Brooks

Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (3 weeks) **  “Stay”  Florida Georgia Line

Country Airplay **  No.1 (1 week) **  “Drunk Last Night” Eli Young Band

Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (2 weeks) ** “Drink A Beer”  Luke Bryan

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News

After only three days on sale, Beyonce's new self-titled album has broken the U.S. iTunes Store's record for the largest sales week for an album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (BB200). It sold 617,319 downloads through the close of business on Sunday, Dec. 15. The 14-song set additionally comes with 18 videos. Fourteen of those are for each of the album's songs.

"Beyonce" breaks the previous one-week iTunes record, set by Taylor Swift's "Red" when it sold 465,000 (seven days of sales in its first tracking week) in the week ending Oct. 28, 2012. (The digital version of "Red" was exclusively sold through iTunes for its first week.

Beyonce displaced last week's No.1 album, Garth Brooks' Walmart-exclusive box set "Blame It All On My Roots: Five Decades of Influences," which slipped to No. 2 with 171,508 copies sold (up 17%) and held at #1 on Billboard Top Country Albums for the third week. It's Brooks' longest-running #1 album on the country chart since "Scarecrow" held tight for seven weeks in 2001-2002.This marks the first time the top two albums in the US are both exclusive to just one retailer.

At No. 3 this week on the BB200 is Kelly Clarkson's holiday album WRAPPED IN RED  holds firm with 136,016 sales (up 21%,  7 weeks total 577,769) The singer's NBC TV special, "Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale," aired during the tracking week (Dec. 11), and earned 5.3 million viewers..

"Wrapped In Red" has a narrow lead over The Robertsons' "Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas" , 5-6 BB200 (#2 Country) as the best-selling holiday album of 2013. "Wrapped" has sold 9,000 more than "Duck."

Zac Brown Band's The Grohl Sessions, Vol. 1 debuted at #25 on the BB200 (#5 Country) with sales of 26,707 copies. 

Dave Grohl produced the EP…Neil Young's "Live At The Cellar Door" also debuted at #28. The new 4 track set, exclusive to iTunes, was released independently (unlike their previous titles, which were sold through Atlantic Records).

Critical reception for “The Grohl Sessions, Vol 1” –  4 songs

Roughstock (Rating: 4.5 STARS) With The Grohl Sessions, Vol 1 Zac Brown Band offer fans a unique musical partnership with Foo Fighers frontman Dave Grohl, who coincidently also was the drummer for iconic band Nirvana.... The Grohl Sessions, Vol 1 features four tracks written and produced with Dave Grohl. The songs fit well within the recent Zac Brown Band albums likeUncaged and You Get What You Give and showcase the ever growing ban’s musicality. “All Alright” could be a massive soul/country hit for the group if it were to be released to radio while “The Muse” has both great melodies and strong storytelling. The tune people will notice the most here is CMA Awards performed “Day For The Dead,” a song which features some stunning virtuosic performances from the band, Dave Grohl (on drums) and an a cappella vocal break-down worth of “The Sing Off” or bands like Pentatonix. This EP is the first in a series of EPs with Grohl and is well worth your time and a fantastic addition to the group’s catalog.

Country Weekly (Rating: A) With no disrespect to Zac Brown or his group’s regular producer, Keith Stegall, but maybe the Zac Brown Band should have grunge pioneer and modern-rock warrior Dave Grohl produce all of their albums. The Foo Fighters’ leader stepped behind the console to oversee this four-song EP and the results are breathtaking. ZBB has never sounded as energized or as fierce. Not that the band’s past efforts and hit singles are dull—it’s simply that the songs on The Grohl Sessions are so full of life, especially “Day for the Dead,” which Zac and his mates performed with Dave Grohl at this year’s CMA Awards.

The group’s signature harmonies feel especially elevated on the track, and its creepy breakdown, with Zac bassist John Driskell Hopkins intoning Who says you can’t go back?, is a bit of voodoo magic. Grohl, the onetime drummer for Nirvana, mans the kit on “Let It Rain,” adding a little extra oomph to a cascading anthem, but otherwise his work is in pulling the strings behind the scenes, which, in this case, is right where he belongs.

Soundtrack, "Nashville: The Music of Nashville: Season 2, Volume 1 made a debut at No.34 with sales of 17,621.

It's the third "Nashville" TV soundtrack to chart. It follows two volumes from the first season, released in 2012 and 2013. The first, "Season 1: Volume 1," debuted and peaked at No. 14 (from a 59,000 start), while the "Season 1: Volume 2" set bowed and peaked at No. 13 (27,000 in its first week).

Music of Nashville: Season 2, Vol. 1 was released on Dec. 10 with a Feb 14, 2014 date drop for the UK. Produced by Buddy Miller, who also serves as Nashville's executive music producer, it spotlights the voices of cast members Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson, Clare Bowen, Sam Palladio, Chris Carmack, sisters Lennon and Maisy Stella, Aubrey Peeples, Chaley Rose and Will Chase.

Target's exclusive version adds four bonus tracks. See Press Release/ Track listing:

Critical reception for “Nashville: The Music of Nashville: Season 2, Volume 1” –

13 Tracks/ Time: 42:03 Amazon.com – US iTunes

Allmusic (Rating: 3.5 STARS) Buddy Miller took over the role of executive music producer for the musical ABC drama Nashville from T-Bone Burnett for season two, and is the in-studio producer for much of what's included on this first volume. Burnett's not missed. Arguably, Miller's song choices are stronger because most of these performances reflect the show better than Burnett's idiosyncratic choices. As a whole, this set is more diverse than either of its predecessors and at least as consistent. The highlights from the series' veterans include Lennon & Maisy Stella's "Life Is Good," and "Share with You," which are redolent of historical country music tunes; though they're presented in a contemporary setting, their harmonies are timeless. The other nod to county's storied past is in Charley Rose's excellent a cappella version of "Wayfaring Stranger." Jonathan Jackson's youthful reading of Mary Gauthier's and Gretchen Peters' "How You Learn to Live Alone" is one of the finest ballads on the set,

equaled only perhaps by Clare Bowen's and Sam Palladio's version of Kim Richey's and Angelo Petraglia's "Why Can't I Say Goodnight?" Speaking of Palladio, his reading of Matthew Perryman Jones' and Lily Costner's "Just Can't Get It Right" reflects the teeming, talented Nashville underground, with its swirling, minor-key melody adorned by accordion, banjo, mandolin, and slithering electric guitar by Colin Linden -- Costner delivers the harmony vocal to boot. There are a number of solid rockers in the contemporary country vein, too: Connie Britton's and Luke Chase's swaggering "Ball and Chain" could be a single on country radio, as could Chris Carmack's stomping set-opener "What If I Was Willing?" Hayden Panettiere's "Trouble Is," a sheeny bit of contemporary country, is more in keeping with the music from the beginning of season one, though her duet with Carmack on set-closer "Can't Say No to You" is much tougher. Charles Esten steps out a with a bumping modern rockabilly number on "Playin' Tricks" (with smoking electric guitar from Linden). The only complaint here is that there isn't enough Britton (but to be fair on this point, her character spent half the season without her singing voice). As evidenced by this first volume from season two, Nashville is a series that keeps on giving, both on and off the screen.

Associated Press - Like the rare, maybe mythical man who only reads Playboy for the articles, some must surely claim to watch "Nashville" solely for the music. That's no crime — those who aren't much for sudsy nighttime soaps would do well to check out the ABC show's songs on "The Music of Nashville: Original Soundtrack Season 2, Volume 1." While the storylines strain credulity, these sonic underpinnings hold the show together — as should be the case with a series set and filmed in Music City.

The actors sing their own parts, and the leads, Hayden Panettiere and Connie Britton, do fine jobs at the mic. Yet the true revelations are found in the musical chops of others, such as Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio. "The Music of Nashville" runs the gamut from the slick and sassy ("Can't Say No to You," ''Trouble Is") to tender, deeper cuts ("Why Can't I Say Goodnight," ''This Town"). Still, less can be more: The acoustic, demo-like take of "Ball and Chain" sung by Palladio and Bowen on the show is preferable to the Stetson and rhinestone-laden version on the soundtrack by Britton and Will Chase.

Overall, this collection has many hooks worth a listen — and could hook a few more viewers who might typically forgo froth on TV.

Country act Parmalee with FEELS LIKE CAROLINA made their album debut landing at No. 46 (#10 Country) with sales of some 14,000 copies. 

The group recently celebrated its first No. 1 on the Country Airplay and Mediabase charts chart with the album's single "Carolina."

This four-piece band says their 12-song debut was inspired by their lives and journey to Nashville over the last few years, including a 2010 armed robbery that nearly turned fatal for drummer Scott Thomas. "Every experience over the last few years – both positive and negative – has helped to mold the songs on Feels Like Carolina," says vocalist Matt Thomas.

Critical reception for “Feels Like Carolina” :

12 Tracks/ Time: 40:29 CD - Amazon.com - US iTunes

GAC - Country rock group Parmalee’s debut album, Feels Like Carolina, pounds to the blue-collar sound of a young band establishing themselves in a continually diverse format... Like a Southern fried AC/DC, the opener “Musta Had A Good Time” erupts to thick riffs and an infectious hook while a morning-after storyline tries to recollect exactly what happened the night before.... Whether it’s the rhythm and lead guitar interplay of the nostalgic “Back In The Day,” or the steady, locked in beat of the Luke Bryan-tinged love song “Close Your Eyes,” the chemistry of a tight group of musicians comes through with an electric buzz.

With songs like “I’ll Bring The Music,” which then urges others to bring the beer, and the retro-beach highlight “Day Drinkin’,” Feels Like Carolina makes sure the cooler is stocked.... Displaying influences that range from Blake Shelton to ’80s hard rock acts like Mötley Crüe, Parmalee successfully blurs the lines between country and rock. What sets Parmalee apart, however, is that their chemistry as a band and authentic love for both genres comes through with a powerful kick. Feels Like Carolina feels really good as Parmalee holds a torch for a new brand of contemporary country and Southern rock.

Roughstock - The album, which is named after the breakout smash hit “Carolina,” features a dozen tracks which showcase that whole brand of Modern Country Rock that has been gaining steam as of late on Country radio. It’s the kind of album that can be enjoyed by fans of both modern Country music and Modern Rock.... “Musta Had A Good Time” is the record that showcases this new sound’s archetype with the band’s playing accented by production from NV (Jason Aldean’s backing band and RedBow artist David Fanning). Feels Like Carolina showcases a tight band with a strong ear for melodies and lyrics which suit the same part of the genre which is also home to Eric Church and Jason Aldean, among others.

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Placings

(Issue dated Chart week of December 21, 2013)

(Country Album positions #1 - #25)

(TW) This Week, (LW) Last Week, Co (Country Album Chart placing / Movement)

Top 25 Hot Country Songs (week of December 21, 2013)

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:

Florida Georgia Line claimed a third week at No.1 on Hot Country Songs with “Stay” (Republic Nashville)

Top 25 Hot Country Songs:

Florida Georgia Line with “Stay” remains Top The Chart 

Parmalee with “Carolina” is up 3 slots, #5 - #2 p

Luke Bryan with “Drink A Beer” is down one, #2 - #3 q  

Eli Young Band with “Drunk Last Night” is down one, #3 - #4 q  

David Nail with “Whatever She’s Got” is up one, #6 - #5 p

Cassadee Pope with “Wasting All These Tears” is up three, #9 -6 p

Zac Brown Band with “Sweet Annie” jumps up five, #12 - #7 p

Cole Swindell with “Chillin’ It” moves up three, #11 - #8 p

Luke Bryan with former #1 “That’s My Kind Of Night” falls, #8 - #9 q

Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert with former No.1, drops, #4- #10 q  

Joe Nichols with “Sunny And 75” is down three, #4 - #7  q

Taylor Swift with “Red” is down two, #8 - #10 q

The Band Perry with “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely” is up four, #15 - #11 p

Jason Aldean with “When She Says Baby” jumps up five, #17 - #12 p

Eric Paslay with “Friday Night” stays at #13

Darius Rucker with “Radio” is up two, #16 - #14 p

John Pardi with “Up All Night” moves up three, #18 - #15 p

Lady Antebellum with “Compass” is up three slots, #19 - #16  p

Blake Shelton with “Mine Would Be You” falls three, #14 - #17 q

Hunter Hayes featuring Jason Mraz with “Everybody's Got Somebody But Me”, is up, #20 - #18 p

Scotty McCreery with “See You Tonight” is up five, #24 - #19 p

Frankie Ballard with “Helluva Life” moves up two, #22 - #20 p

Danielle Bradbery with “The Heart Of Dixie” is up five, #26 - #21 p

Tim McGraw with “Southern Girl” is down one, #21 - #22 q

Eric Church with “The Outsiders" stays at #23

Dierks Bentley with “Hold On” is up one, #25 - #24 p

Dan + Shay with “You + Me” is up 2 places, #27 - #25 p

Hot Country Songs

** No.1 (3 weeks) **  “Stay” Florida Georgia Line

Billboard Country Airplay Chart Week of December 27, 2013

Up 3-1 in its 27th chart week, Eli Young Band claimed its third leader on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with “Drunk Last Night” (Republic Nashville), marking the group’s quickest chart-topping ascent. 

The song, written by Josh Osborne and Laura Veltz, was first released by July 1, 2013 and is the GOLD-certified lead single from their forthcoming album with Taste of Country raving, “the chorus and production breathe new life into the band’s sound”.

The GOLD-certified lead single symbolizes a successful introduction to their forthcoming album on Republic Nashville with Taste of Country raving, “the chorus and production breathe new life into the band’s sound.”

EYB’s last project, the critically-acclaimed LIFE AT BEST, scored back-to-back chart-toppers with the Double Platinum smash “Crazy Girl” and PLATINUM hit “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” The former was also named Billboard’s 2011 #1 Country Song of the Year and won the 2012 ACM Award Song of the Year while the latter was nominated for GRAMMY Best Country Song, CMA Single of the Year, Song of the Year as well as ACM Single of the Year and Song of the Year.

The band first reached the summit in November 2011 with “Crazy Girl,” which needed 38 weeks to peak, followed by “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” which rang the top bell in its 31st week in July 2012.

“Drunk Last Night” logged 41.447 million audience impressions (+1.703) and received 6,277 radio plays (+299). Top local audience contributors during the Nielsen BDS tracking week: KKBQ Houston (1.9 million impressions), KILT Houston (1.3 million), KEEY Minneapolis (1.3 million), KCYY San Antonio (1.1 million) and KAJA San Antonio (1.1 million).

The new leader replaces Parmalee’s “Carolina” (Stoney Creek) at No. 1—that’s the first time in two years that one group (with more than two members) replaced another atop the chart, which hasn’t happened since Zac Brown Band’s “Keep Me in Mind” followed Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned the Night” on the chart dated Dec. 24, 2011.

David Nail landed his third top 10 on Country Airplay with “Whatever She’s Got” (MCA Nashville), which rose 13-10. Nail’s prior top 10s include “Red Light,” which peaked at No.7 four years ago, and “Let It Rain” (featuring Sarah Buxton), which spent one week atop the chart last year.

Jason Aldean with “When She Says Baby” bagged the week’s “Most Increased Audience” honours with a 4.889 million audience gain and received 3,643 radio plays (up by 601) .

Kip Moore’s “Young Love” at No.29 took the “Most Added” applause receiving 1,019 radio plays (+473) thanks to 42 new radio commitments (ADDS)

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood made their first appearances in roughly five years as a new duet titled “The Call” (Pearl) made a bow at No.49. That’s the first entry for Brooks since “Midnight Sun” peaked at No.36 in April 2008, and the first for Yearwood since “They Call It Falling for a Reason” stopped at No.54 four months later. The new track is from Brooks’ new boxed set, Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences.

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton open at No.57 with “You Can’t Make Old Friends” (Warner Bros./WMN), marking the first Country Airplay chart appearance for Rogers since “Calling Me” (featuring Don Henley) rose to No.53 in March 2007, and the first for Parton since “Jesus & Gravity” peaked at No.56 in April 2008. The song is the title track from Rogers’ current album.

Country Airplay

*** No. 1 (1 week)*** "Drunk Last Night" Eli Young Band

** Most Increased Audience ** No.13 “When She Says Baby” Jason Aldean 

 ** Most Added ** No.29 “Young Love” Kip Moore 

** Hot Shot Debut **  No.48 “Want Me Too” Charlie Worsham

Debut No.49 “The Call” Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood

Debut No.54 “Keep Them Kisses Comin’” Craig Campbell

Debut No.57 “You Can’t Make Old Friends”  Kenny Rogers duet with Dolly Parton

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart Week of December 27, 2013

Luke Bryan with “Drink A Beer” remained in the No.1 slot whilst previous hit “That’s My Kind Of Night” dropped 4-5.

Florida Georgia Line’s “Stay” held at No.2 while Parmalee’s breakout hit “Carolina” made a 18-3 jump and was certified Gold this week after passing the ½ million mark.

David Nail with “Whatever She’s Got” (3-4) also gained Gold-eligible.

Notable tracks from USA The Voice TV show include: Cassadee Pope “Wasting All These Tears” moved 7-6 as Cole Vosbury’s final track from “The Voice” and duo The Swon Brothers’ debuted singles in The Top 10.

Top 30 Digital Singles in Country Music (published December 18, 2013)

 (LW) Last Week  (TW) This Week

*Numbers are rounded to nearest 1000^th

Country Aircheck/ Mediabase chart

Parmalee with “Carolina” After remained at the No. 1 position on the Mediabase/ Country Aircheck chart with "Carolina" for a second consecutive week. For the chart week Dec 8 – Dec 14th it logged 6,636 radio plays (-102) with an audience of 51.709 million impressions (-1.162).

Click to view full size

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 376 - December 16, 2013 [PDF File]

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

Some 23 charts can be found at Billboard.biz. -

• Country Artists of the Year: Florida Georgia Line
• Top Country Artists-Duo/Group: Florida Georgia Line

• Top Country Artists-Female: Taylor Swift
• Top Country Artists-Male: Luke Bryan
• Top New Country Artists: Kacey Musgraves
• Top Country Imprints: Capitol Nashville
• Top Country Labels: Universal Music Group Nashville
• Top Hot Country Songs Artists: Florida Georgia Line
• Top Hot Country Songs: “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line
• Top Hot Country Songs Imprints: Republic Nashville
• Top Hot Country Songs Labels: Republic Nashville
• Top Hot Country Songs Producers: Joey Moi
• Top Hot Country Songs Publishing Corporations: Sony/ATV Music
• Top Hot Country Songs Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, BMI
• Top Hot Country Songwriters: Ashley Gorley
• Top Country Airplay Artists: Florida Georgia Line
• Top Country Airplay Songs: “Hey Girl,” Billy Currington
• Top Country Airplay Labels: Capitol Nashville
• Top Country Airplay Imprints: Capitol Nashville
• Top Country Digital Songs Artists: Florida Georgia Line
• Top Country Digital Songs Titles: “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line
• Top Country Albums Titles: Red, Taylor Swift
• Top Country Albums Artists: Luke Bryan
• Top Country Albums Imprints: Capitol Nashville
• Top Country Albums Labels: Universal Music Group Nashville
• Top Country Albums Distributors: Universal
• Top Country Indicator Songs: “All Over the Road,” Easton Corbin
• Top Country Streaming Songs: “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line