Wednesday 2 July 2014

Country Billboard Chart News June 26, 2014

Country Billboard Chart News June 26, 2014

In Brief:  Billboard Country Charts

Country Album Chart ** No. 1 (1 week) “Band Of Brothers” Willie Nelson
Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (9 weeks; non consecutive) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan
Country Airplay ** No. 1 (1 week) ** "Lettin’ The Night Roll" Justin Moore
Country Digital Songs ** No.1 ** (6 weeks; non consecutive) “This Is How We Roll” Florida Georgia Line

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News

Singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey captures her first No. 1 album on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200), as "Ultraviolence" made a bow atop the list. The album, which was released June 17, sold 182,338 copies in the week ending June 22, according to Nielsen SoundScan — her best sales week yet. Del Rey's arrival is the largest sales week for a female artist since the week ending Dec. 29, 2013, when Beyonce's self-titled album sold 310,000 in its third week on the chart. It also bettered Miranda Lambert’s first week sales of 179,646 by nearly 2,700 sales.

Willie Nelson scored his highest-charting album since 1982 — and only his third solo top 10 — as BAND OF BROTHERS (Legacy/Sony Music) made a debut at No.6 with 37,441 copies sold. 
It closed a 28-year gap atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums, as “Brothers” arrived as his 12th leader. 81-year old Abbott, TX native Nelson last reached No. 1 when THE PROMISELAND spent its first of two weeks at the summit on the May 31, 1986 list. It represents the second-longest span between No.1s in the chart’s 50-year history
The only artist with a longer break between chart-toppers is Johnny Cash, who spanned 35 years between Man in Black (1971) and American V: A Hundred Highways (2006). Cash died in 2003.

The new set was supported by a well-received concert and promotion with shopping channel QVC. Sources suggest the network contributed a significant portion of the album's first-week sales. Nelson last charted higher with ALWAYS ON MY MIND, which spent four weeks at No.2 on the BB200 between July 10 and July 31, 1982.

"Band of Brothers" is Nelson's second top 10 in a row, following the all-star collaborations set TO ALL THE GIRLS, which debuted and peaked at No.9 on the BB200 (#2 Country; 42,622 copies sold; chart frame Nov 2, 2013 ) with the collaborations set. Like "Band of Brothers," the "Girls" album was also promoted through QVC. Previous to that from Nelson’s prolific output LET’S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE (Legacy/Sony Music) debuted at No.49 BB200 (No.16 Country, first week sales of 9,587 copies, chart frame May 4, 2013) and HEROES made a bow at #18 BB200 bow (#4 Country album; selling 16,898 copies) on  May 23, 2012
“The Band Of Brothers” This marks the first time in Nelson's 52-year recording career that he has had back-to-back top 10 albums. Nelson has also collected one other top 10 album: the 1976 collaborations set "Wanted! The Outlaws." The effort, recorded with Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, peaked at No.10.
“Brothers” released Tuesday, June 17 is the artist’s first album of predominately new original material in nearly two decades, debuting the master tunesmith’s first major batch of newly-penned songs since his SPIRIT album in 1996. ”I got on kind of a writing kick,” Willie Nelson said, ”it’s good to be writing again.”
All 14 tracks on Band of Brothers are new recordings and none of the songs have been previously recorded by Willie Nelson,  featuring nine original songs and five additional tracks written by friends including Vince Gill and Billy Joe Shaver. Produced by Buddy Cannon, the album was recorded by Nelson during October 2013 and March 2014. The sessions took place at Nashville's Sound Emporium Studios with additional recordings at Pedernales Studio in Austin, Texas and The Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, Florida  - Read More + Tracklisting

Critical reception for “Band Of Brothers
14 Tracks/ Time: 47:09 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes - Smart Choice Music - Amazon.com 
Allmusic (Rating: 4 STARS) .. He is in excellent voice as Mickey Raphael's harmonica moans to underscore his lyric... The lost romance portrayed in the waltz "Send Me a Picture" is another clear standout...Nelson can still write first-rate, irreverent barroom tunes as well. "Wives and Girlfriends" is a swaggering honky tonker, with wiseass lines and a punchy
groove..... It's been 40 years since Nelson gave us "On the Road Again." This is a companion in a sense, less celebratory, more weathered and ornery, but no less restless... On Band of Brothers, Nelson reminds us that no matter the iconic place he occupies in American popular music as a vocal stylist, he is a classic country singer and songwriter first.

Rollingstone (Rating; 3.5 STARS) A minute into Willie Nelson's new set of songs – largely self-penned for a change – it's clear the man who wrote Patsy Cline's "Crazy" 50-some years ago has lost neither verve nor cojones. Co-writing with producer Buddy Cannon, Nelson sticks to his wheelhouse: love, heartache, rambling and music-making itself. The vocals remain indelibly creaky against stony acoustic guitar, bright steel whines and dusty harmonicawhinnies.... an 81-year-old outlaw that, even at this late date, rings 100 percent true.

The Guardian (Rating: 3 STARS) Nelson's mammoth discography has its flat spots, but since changing labels two years ago the cowboy sage has been on a roll....The melodies are familiar, but the stuttering guitar style and weathered, laid-back vocals are still unique, still oddly touching.

American Songwriter (Rating: 3.5 STARS) ... “There is no gain without pain, well I must be gaining a lot” are the first words of Willie Nelson’s latest (and surely not his last) record, Band of  Brothers. ....The album is largely comprised of the type of the laid back country waltzes one might expect from Nelson. But there’s also mid-tempo rhythm and blues (“Used to Her”), playful rockabilly (“Crazy Like Me”), and heartbreaking balllads (“Whenever You Come Around”)....Brothers is a retrospective record,
but it rarely falls prey to cheap nostalgia.... on “Hard to Be An Outlaw” Nelson gets cranky (and a bit self-righteous) looking down upon the younger generation of country singers who sing songs “they call country, but that’s not how it sounds.” It’s not a great look, but if anyone’s earned it, it’s Willie.

Willie displaced fellow Texan as 30-year old Lindale, TX native Miranda Lambert and her 3-week PLATINUM (RCA Nashville/ SMN) fell 2-6 on the BB200 (1-2 Country) selling 34,000 copies (down 45%).
Brantley Gilbert with JUST AS I AM fell 4-10 on the BB200 (2-3 Country) with 26,000 copies (down 34%) in his fifth chart frame.

2014 Country Album sales Year-To Date:
14,794,000 (Physical sales 9,752,000 (down 9%) + Digital sales 5,042,000 (down 13.3%)) which is 21.9% down at the same point in 2013 (18,937,000 sales)

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Placings

(Issue dated Chart week of July 5, 2014)
(Country Album positions #1 - #25)

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


























Top 25 Hot Country Songs (week of July 5, 2014)


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:

  • Luke Bryan with “Play It Again” (Capitol Nashville) spends a nineth non-consecutive week at No.1 as it returned to the top (2-1). 
  • Kenny Chesney landed the Hot Shot Debut at No.17 with “American Kids” (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville). It’s his fourth title (of 77 total entries) to start so high. “Kids” opened at No.7 on Country Digital Songs with 40,000 downloads sold and No.27 on Country Airplay. The song introduces Chesney’s as-yet untitled upcoming album.
  • Lady Antebellum made a 10-6 hop to set a new peak with “Bartender” (Capitol Nashville), securing the weeks top Streaming and Digital Gainer honuors. The track boasts 820,000 U.S. streams, up 22%, along with a 16% sales spike selling  61,000 downloads.
Top 25 Hot Country Songs:

Luke Bryan returned to #1 as “Play It Again” climbs one, #2 - #1 p
Jake Owen  with “Beachin’” is up one, #3 - #2 p
Florida Georgia Line feat Luke Bryan with former #1 “This Is How Me Roll” fell, #1 - #3 q
Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Sebastion with “My Eyes” stays at #4 
Dierks Bentley with “Drunk On A Plane” held at #5
Lady Antebellum with “Bartender” climbs four, #10 - #6 p
Lee Brice with “I Don’t Dance” slips one, #6 - #7 q
Chris Young with “Who I Am With You” is up one, #9 - #8 p
Joe Nichols with “Yeah” ascends four, #13 - #9 p
Justin Moore with “Lettin’ The Night Roll” falls three, #7 - #10 q
Tyler Farr with “Whiskey In My Water” is up one, #12 - #11 p
Brad Paisley with “River Bank” rises four, #16 - #12 p
Billy Currington with “We Are Tonight” moves up one, #14 - #13 p
Dustin Lynch with “Where It’s At” (Yep, Yep) jumps up four, #18 - #14 p
Craig Campbell with “Keep Them Kisses Comin’” climbs two, #17 - #15 p
Tim McGraw feat Faith Hill with “Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” is up, #20 - #16 p
Kenny Chesney with “American Kids” debuts at #17 NEW
Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood with “Somethin’ Bad” is up one, #19 - #18 p
Chase Rice with “Ready Set Roll” climbs three, #22 - #19 p
The Band Perry with “Chainsaw” is up one, #21 - #20 p
Miranda Lambert with “Automatic” falls six, #15 - #21 q
Eric Paslay with “Song About A Girl” hops up two, #24 - #22 p
Brantley Gilbert with “Small Town Throwdown” is up two, #25 - #23 p
Cole Swindell with “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight” climbs two, #26 - #24 p
Eli Young Band with “Dust” lifts two, #27 - #25 p

Hot County Songs
** No.1 (9 weeks) ** “Play It Again” Luke Bryan
** Airplay Gainer ** No.4 “My Eyes” Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Sebastian
** Digital & Steaming Gainer ** No.6 “Bartender” Lady Antebellum
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.17 “American Kids” Kenny Chesney
Debut No.26 “Leave The Night On” Sam Hunt
Debut No.42 “That’s What’s Up” Lennon & Maisy
Debut No.46 “The Trailer Song” Kacey Musgraves


Billboard Country Airplay Chart Week of July 5, 2014

Justin Moore snared his fourth No.1 and best weekly audience on Billboard’s Country Airplay tally, as “Lettin’ the Night Roll” (Valory) stepped 2-1 in its 35th chart week. First released on Oct 21, 2013 the song written by Justin Moore, Jeremy Stover and Rodney Clawson logged 46.900 million audience impressions (+1.266 million; up 3%) and received 7,255 radio plays (+214) this chart frame.
The Arkansas native previously led with “Til My Last Day,” which crowned the Jan. 5, 2013 Country Airplay chart (in its 41st week); “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” (July 23, 2011; 22 weeks); and “Small Town USA” (Oct. 3, 2009; 33 weeks).
Last Autumn Moore reached No.2  with “Point at You” taken from his third studio album, and second No.1 on Top Country Albums, OFF THE BEATEN PATH.

Top local audience contributors for “Night” during the June 16-22 tracking week: KKBQ Houston (1.6 million impressions), WUSN Chicago (1.6 million), WNSH New York (1.2 million) and KPLX Dallas (1.1 million).












  •  Kenny Chesney took home all three honours bagging “Most Increased Audience”, “Hot Shot Debut” and  “Most Added” stripes as “American Kids” (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville) blew in at No.27 logging 12.864 million audience impressions, a gain of +12.864 million receiving 1,337 radio plays (+1,337) thanks to 77 fresh radio commitments (ADDS). Chesney has debuted higher nine times, starting highest at No.13 two years ago with “Feel Like a Rock Star” (with Tim McGraw), which eventually peaked at No. 11. Dating to the Country Airplay chart’s Jan. 20, 1990 launch, Chesney’s 10 top 30 starts are the most of any artist, Garth Brooks ranks second, with seven.
  • Newcomer Sam Hunt posted a second-week surge with “Leave the Night On” (MCA Nashville), which rocketed 53-33, aided by play at Clear Channel Media and Entertainment-owned stations that featured the song in the company’s “On the Verge” spotlight during the tracking week.
  • Luke Bryan debuted at No. 60 with “Roller Coaster” (Capitol Nashville), the fifth single from his Crash My Party album, as fourth single and former 4-week No.1 “Play It Again” fell 3-4.
Women of Country 2014 Watch:
Miranda Lambert at No.16 ("Automatic") was the lone solo female artist in the Top 30 Country Airplay songs.
Cassadee Pope #36, Kacey Musgraves #41, Jana Kramer #49, Danielle Bradbery #54, Sheryl Crow #56 and Leah Turner #59 were an additional six solo females in the remaining 31-60 slots, to make it 11.6% of the entire Top 60 chart.

Country Airplay
*** No.1 (1 week) *** "Lettin’ The Night Roll" Justin Moore
** Most Increased Audience/ Hot Shot Debut/ Most Added  ** No.27 “American Kids” Kenny Chesney
Debut No.60 "Roller Coaster” Luke Bryan


Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart Week of July 5, 2014

  • Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan with “This Is How We Roll" (which additionally has a pop remix featuring Jason Derulo) logged its sixth non consecutive week at No.1 (62,000 sales; down 42%) and on the overall all genre Hot Digital Songs chart moved 10-16.
  • Lady Antebellum with “Bartender” (Capitol Nashville/ UMGN) rose 5-3 (26-19 Digital Songs), in their 5th chart frame, with sales up 15%
  • Lee Brice’s “I Don’t Dance,” hit GOLD status as sales of 45,000 in its 17th chart week took it to 524K easily passing the ½-million mark.
  • Kenny Chesney with “American Kids(Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville) made a debut at No.7 in just 3 days at retail. 
  • Sam Hunt made a bow with “Leave The Night On” (MCA Nashville) at No.19 scanning 22,000 downloads sold.
Women Of Country Watch
Miranda Lambert with single "Automatic" at No.26 was the ONLY solo female artist on the Top 30 placings:
Miranda Lambert duet with Carrie Underwood and former #1 “Something Bad” slipped back 7-10 in its fifth week

Dropping off the Top 30:
27-31 Jerrod Niemann “Drink To That All Night”
20-33 Keith Urban “Cop Car”
30-34 Eric Paslay “Song About A Girl”

Top 30 Digital Singles in Country Music (published June 26, 2014)
 (LW) Last Week  (TW) This Week
*Numbers are rounded to nearest 1000th

Country Aircheck/ Mediabase chart

Justin Moore landed the No1 on Mediabase with “Lettin’ The Night Roll” (Valory) moving 2-1. The song logged 7,618 radio spins (+370) and 57.457 million audience impressions (+1.635 million) from 149 tracking stations for the tracking week June 15 to June 21, 2014 and published chart June 23rd.
Its congratulations to Valory Music’s VP/Promotion George Briner and his entire promo team for nabbing this week’s #1 spot on the MEDIABASE Country singles chart with Lettin' The Night Roll.” This is Moore’s fifth career chart-topper and the second single from his OFF THE BEATEN PATH album, which was released in Sept 2013.














Congratulations to Columbia Nashville’s VP/Promotion Norbert Nix, Dir./National’s David Friedman and RJ Meacham and the entire Columbia promo team, for garnering 111 MEDIABASE Country adds on Kenny Chesney’sAmerican Kids.”
Those triple-digit adds gave Chesney the "Most Added" title for this week. Bagels were due to be delivered to the Columbia offices (June 24th) to congratulate the staff on their achievement.
For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 402 - June 23, 2014 [PDF File]
For the very latest up to the minute Mediabase Chart (Past 7 Days) go here - www.mediabase.com


Billboard Boxscores (Selective Country concerts)

Rank Artist: #1
Event Venue City/State: Keith Urban, Sheppard Allphones Arena Sydney, Australia
Dates: June 21-22, 2014  Gross Sales: $2,245,750  Attend: 19,868/ 21,220 (1,352 unsold tickets)
Capacity Shows: 2/0  Sellouts Prices: $131.45, $93.87
Promoters: Nine Live/Chugg Entertainment

Rank Artist: #3
Event Venue City/State: Keith Urban, Sheppard Brisbane Entertainment Centre Brisbane, Australia
Dates: June 17-18, 2014  Gross Sales: $1,651,720  Attend: 14,623/ 18,292 (
Capacity Shows: 2/0  Sellouts Prices: $131.42, $93.85   
Promoters: Nine Live/Chugg Entertainment

Rank Artist: #19  
Event Venue City/State: Florida Georgia Line, Nelly, Chris Lane Joseph P. Riley Jr. Ballpark Charleston, S.C.
Dates: June 12, 2014  Gross Sales: $550,962 Attend: 13,598/ 13,598 SOLD OUT
Capacity Shows: 1/1 Sellouts Prices: $39.75
Promoters: Outback Concerts/Jam Productions/Madison House

Rank Artist: #173
Event Venue City/State: First Aid Kit, Willy Mason 9:30 Club Washington, D.C.
Dates: June 12, 2014  Gross Sales: $30,000  Attend: 1,200/ 1,200 SOLD OUT
Capacity Shows: 1/1 Sellouts Prices: $25 Promoters: I.M.P.

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