Wednesday 15 November 2017

Country Billboard Chart News November 6, 2017

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

October 2017
MULTI-PLATINUM SINGLES:
Sam Hunt "Body Like A Back Road" (4X platinum) released February 1, 2017 | certified Gold, Platinum &  2x Multi-Platinum June 6, 2017 | certified 3x Multi-Platinum July 27, 2017 | certified 4x Multi-Platinum October 16, 2017 4 Million units
Lee Brice "Hard To Love" (2X platinum) | released April 17, 2012 | certified Gold Sept 13, 2012 | certified Platinum Dec 14, 2012 | certified 2x Multi-Platinum Oct 18, 2017           2 Million units            

PLATINUM SINGLES:
Kane Brown's (feat. Lauren Alaina) "What Ifs" | released Dec 2, 2016 | certified Gold July 17, 2017 | certified Platinum Oct 2, 2017 1 Million units       
Lee Brice "Drinking Class" | released Aug 12, 2014 | certified Gold March 18, 2015 | certified Platinum Oct 18, 2017 1 Million units

GOLD SINGLES
Brothers Osborne "It Ain't My Fault" | released Jan 15, 2016 | certified Gold Oct 2, 2017 0.5 Million units
Danielle Bradbery "The Heart Of Dixie" | released Jan 1, 2013 | certified Gold Oct 2, 2017 0.5 Million units
Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton with "Islands In The Stream" | released July 1, 1983 | certified Gold Oct 6, 2017 0.5 Million units
LanCo "Greatest Love Story" | released April 15, 2016 | certified Gold Oct 20, 2017 Digital 0.5 Million units
Lee Brice "That Don't Sound Like You" | released Sept 9, 2014 | certified Gold Oct 18, 2017 Digital 0.5 Million units           
Luke Combs "When It Rains It Pours" | released June 2, 2017 | certified Gold Oct 23, 2017 Digital 0.5 Million units           
Thomas Rhett "Unforgettable" | released July 28, 2017 | certified Gold Oct 26, 2017 Digital 0.5 Million units

GOLD ALBUMS
Lee Brice LOVE LIKE CRAZY | released June 8, 2010 | certified Gold Oct 18, 2017 0.5 Million units
Lee Brice I DON'T DANCE | released Sept 9, 2014 | certified Gold Oct 18, 2017 0.5 Million units

In Brief: Billboard Country Charts (Chart issue week of November 18, 2017)

Country Album Chart ** No.1 (1 week) LIVE IN NO SHOES NATION Kenny Chesney
Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (5 weeks) ** “What If’s” Kane Brown feat. Lauren Alaina
Country Airplay ** No.1 (1 week) *** "Unforgettable" Thomas Rhett
Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (1 week) ** “Greatest Love Story” LANCO

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News (Chart issue week of November 18, 2017)

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

Kenny Chesney's 'Live in No Shoes Nation' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart

Kenny Chesney collected his eighth No.1 album on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart (BB200), as his new live effort, LIVE IN NO SHOES NATION, started atop the list with 219,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Nov. 2, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 216,804 were in traditional album sales. The album was released on Oct. 27 through Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville.
Chesney continued to have the second-most No.1s among all country acts, trailing only Garth Brooks, who has nine. All eight of Chesney’s No. 1s have debuted in the penthouse, making him the country act with the most debuts at No. 1. (Seven of Brooks’ nine leaders started at No. 1.)

Live in No Shoes Nation is also the first live album to lead the chart in more than seven years. The last to do so was the various artists charity set Hope for Haiti Now, which spent at week at No. 1 on the Feb. 6, 2010-dated list. Live in No Shoes Nation is the first No.1 live set by a single act since 2009, when Sugarland’s LIVE on the Inside topped the list (dated Aug. 22, 2009).
Chesney’s set also garnered the largest sales week for a live album since 2002, when Paul McCartney’s Back in the U.S. Live 2002 bowed with 224,000 copies sold at No. 8 (Dec. 14, 2002-dated chart).
Chesney’s new album was powered almost entirely by traditional album sales, whose sum was generated largely by a concert ticket/album sale redemption promotion with Chesney’s 2018 stadium tour. The cost of the CD of Chesney’s album was bundled into the price of each ticket sold online for his tour (which went on sale Sept. 22). After purchasing a ticket, customers received (via email) a redemption offer for the album, where they could choose to redeem the CD and have it mailed to them. The only sales that count towards the charts are those albums that are redeemed by customers. Many ticket buyers never redeem the offer. As there over a million tickets available for Chesney’s stadium tour, and he regularly sells out his shows, it’s not surprising to see such a robust sales figure driven by the offer.

Billboard Top Country Albums (Chart issue week of November 18, 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.

Kenny Chesney Live in No Shoes Nation bundles in at No.1
Kenny Chesney’s new live album, LIVE IN NO SHOES NATION (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville), roared in at No.1 on Billboard Top Country Albums and the all-genre Billboard 200 (dated Nov. 18).  
That marked Chesney’s best weekly sales sum since Sept. 29, 2007, when JUST WHO I AM: POETS AND PIRATES launched with 386,685 sold.
Chesney’s No.1 arrival on the Billboard 200 is the second by a country artist in the last two months: Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes opened atop the Sept. 30-dated list with 123,000 units; no country album had reigned since Jason Aldean’s They Don’t Know (Oct. 1, 2016). 

Not counting albums by various artists, a country act also last crowned the Billboard 200 with a live album: Sugarland’s LIVE ON THE INSIDE (75,869 sales; Chart Aug 22, 2009) bowed at the summit in 2009.
At this point in my career, it’s a tribute to the fans and how hard they love these songs, this music and what we do together every summer,” Chesney told Billboard. “You know, these recordings start in 2007 with Dave Matthews at the close of our Flip Flop Summer Tour, but if you listen, it’s amazing how the excitement, the cheering and all of it has grown over the years.”

CHART HISTORY
Chesney previously led the Billboard 200 with:
LIFE ON A ROCK (released April 30, 2013; 152,805 copies sold; 86,413 Physical copies + 66,392 Digital albums; chart week May 18, 2013) in its first week at retail according to Nielsen SoundScan.)
HEMINGWAY’S WHISKEY (released Sept 28, 2010; 183,469 copies sold; chart Oct 16, 2010)
LUCKY OLD SUN (released Oct 14, 2008; 176,414 copies sold; chart Nov 8, 2017)
THE ROAD AND THE RADIO (released Nov 8, 2005)
BE AS YOU ARE: SONGS FROM AN OLD BLUE CHAIR (released Jan 25, 2005)
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN (released Feb 3, 2004; 3,7 million sold by Nov 2005)
NO SHOES, NO SHIRT, NO PROBLEMS (released April 23, 2002; 235,000 copies sold in first week; earned a 4× Platinum certification).

THE BIG REVIVAL (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville; released Sept 23, 2014) debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 of Top Country Albums (129,670 copies sold; Chart dated Oct. 11, 2014).
JUST WHO I AM: POETS & PIRATES (released Sept 11, 2007) his tenth studio album, debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 of Top Country Albums (386,685 copies sold; Chart dated Sept 29, 2007).

His 16th studio album COSMIC HALLELUJAH (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville; released Oct 28, 2016) sold and debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 of Top Country Albums 89,000 units multi-metric album consumption units; 79,485 copies in pure sales). Cosmic Hallelujah marked Chesney’s 12th consecutive charting album to debut inside the top four of the Billboard 200, going all the way back to 2004’s No.1 set WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN.
Chesney first debuted on the Billboard 200 a little more than 20 years ago, when ME AND YOU entered the list at No.196 on the Sept. 28, 1996-dated chart. It eventually peaked at No.78 the following year. He didn’t reach the top 40 until 2000, when his Greatest Hits album debuted and peaked at No.13.
EVERYWHERE WE GO" (released March 2, 1999) peaked at No.51 on the Billboard 200 and No.5 of Top Country Albums, opened with 30,000 units in 1999, and his 2000 "GREATEST HITS" compilation sold 85,000 units in its opening week.

Live in No Shoes Nation is a 29-track album and collects live highlights from Chesney’s various tours, stretching back to 2007’s Flip Flop Summer tour. Among the guests on the album: Taylor SwiftDave MatthewsDavid Lee Murphy (“Dust on the Bottle”), Mac McAnally (“Down the Road”), Grace Potter (You and Tequila”) and Eric Church (“When I See This Bar”). Chesney’s last live album, 2006’s LIVE: LIVE THOSE SONGS AGAIN (released Sept 19, 2006; 145,829 copies sold; chart Oct 14, 2006), peaked at No.4 in its debut frame, according to Nielsen Music.

The double-disc set contains wonderful moments of country music notables sharing the stage with Chesney. Appropriately, Taylor Swift is the first famous artist joining Chesney for a rousing performance of “Big Star.”

Critical reception for Kenny Chesney’s Live in No Shoes Nation:
29 Tracks/ Time: 2:18:55 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Allmusic (Rating: 3.1/2 STARS) Chesney may possess an unassuming voice and his songs, even the rocking ones, are laid-back, but he knows how to pump up a crowd. Maybe that's a reflection of their affection, maybe it's a testament to his craft, but what's evident from Live in No Shoes Nation is that Chesney has this connection with his fans, and it's also clear that he's developed a deep catalog in the 21st century.

Herald-Standard (Rating: Positive)….Since 2008’s “Lucky Old Sun,” Chesney has been channeling Jimmy Buffett and entertaining us with his signature style of carefree tracks detailing life as a happy beach bum with sun-drenched days full of white sand, cool ocean waves and plenty of liquid refreshments to keep the good times rolling seamlessly along

Granger Smith with his sophomore national release WHEN THE GOOD GUYS WIN (Wheelhouse/Broken Bow Music Group) made a debut at No.2 (No.29 Billboard 200; 17,000 units) selling 14,776 copies (pure sales). It marked his fourth appearance and highest peak on the list, besting his previous album, REMINGTON (No. 3, 2016; 23,967 copies sold).

Featuring lead single “It Happens Like That,” is No.24 at Billboard Country Airplay this chart week. Most of Smith’s second album was born on the road, with a mobile studio set up in the back of his bus for writing, editing and recording. Smith produced the 14-track project with Frank Rogers and Derek Wells and it includes a mystery tune by his alter ego, Earl Dibbles, Jr.

With most of 2016 and 2017 spent on tour, there wasn't much time for working on an album,” said Smith. “In fact, we only spent three days in a real studio for an entire year's worth of work. Instead, I set up a mobile studio in the back of my bus for all the writing, editing and even recording. I sang all of the lead vocals at home in Texas, and did a lot of file sharing back and forth with my co-producers. With the album evolving this way on the road, country fairs, parking lots, green rooms and hotel lobbies, it truly reflects the source of the inspiration: the fans. Without knowing it, my fans were involved in every step of this project and I believe they will hear that through the music. Looking back, I don't think there could have been a better way to do it

Sounds Like Nashville Chuck Dauphin (Rating; Positive)…the stronger moments on this album come with the songs that are a little more organic in their approach. “Raise Up Your Glass” and “Everybody Lives” both have deep messages, with the former urging the listener to take pride in everyday triumphs, and the latter testifying just how important those “little” moments are. He also keeps that same simpler tone on cuts such as the heartfelt “Love Ain’t Blind,” and the poignancy of the well-written title cut. The impressive “’Home Cooked Meal,” which takes an oft-recorded about subject, and offers a new and interesting take on it.

Another highlight of the album is the twang-filled track ‘Reppin’ My Roots” where the singer shows fans that he hasn’t forgotten where he comes from. And, indeed Granger Smith hasn’t. Granted, there are a few moments, “Stutter” and “4 Wheel Drive” being the main two, where the singer sounds as if he’s still chasing a sound a little too much, as neither really showcase anything different for the singer or the format. But, his longtime fan base will likely eat those songs, and this album, up!

Your Life In A Song Katie Hutchinson (Rating: Mixed)…. It is commercially pleasing and I can see why tracks like ‘Happens Like That’ do well on Country Radio. It just lacks that grabbing point that makes me, personally, connect with the artist. Granger seems like a totally humble guy, that loves each and every single fan for their support and he is dedicated to his music, but this album could have been so much more than it is.

Former No.1 Kane Brown with his SELF-TITLED album rose 4-3 (#24-40 Billboard 200) selling 4,802 copies (down 32%; 48-week total 244,200).
Former No.1 Thomas Rhett with LIFE CHANGES (Valory/Big Machine Label Group) climbed 5-4 (#33-44 Billboard 200) selling 4,489 copies (down 17%; 8-week total 159,300).

In his second week Darius Rucker with his new set, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME (Capitol Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville), fell 2-5 (8-26 Billboard 200) selling 9,611 copies (down 68%; 2-week total 39,683).
Previous week No.1 Chris Young with LOSING SLEEP (RCA Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) dropped 1-6 (5-51 BB200) selling 7,195 copies (down 77%; 2-week total 39,093).

Chris Stapleton with TRAVELLER (MERCURY/ UMGN) fell 6-7 (39-53 Billboard 200) selling 5,268 copies (down 16%; 131-week total 2,102,900). Stapleton’s From a Room: Volume 1 (Mercury/Universal Music Group Nashville) fell 8-11 (54-70 BB200) selling 5,805 copies (down 11%; 26-week total 553,700).

Former No.1 Luke Combs with THIS ONE’S FOR YOU (River House/ Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville) slipped 7-8 (#45-55 Billboard 200) selling 3,644 copies (down 6%; 22-week total 139,600).

Alan Jackson with 2-CD PRECIOUS MEMORIES COLLECTION (ARC/EMI Nashville | UMGN) pushed 18-9 (129-61 BB200) with 9,300 sales (total 80,900).
Zac Brown Band with WELCOME HOME (Southern Ground/Elektra | AG) rocketed up 48-10 (#63 Re-Entry BB200) selling 8,564 copies (23-week total 280,300).

Outside the Top 10
Brett Young with self-titled debut (BMLG) fell 9-12 (#59-62 BB200) selling 2,450 copies (38-week total 151,700).
Former 1-week No.1 Shania Twain with NOW (Mercury/Universal Music Group Nashville) fell 10-17 (#74-126 Billboard 200) selling 5,534 copies (down 22%; 5-week total 168,551).
In her third week Carly Pearce with EVERY LITTLE THING (Big Machine | BMLG) fell 17-24 (#32-124 Billboard 200) selling 1,868 copies in pure sales (down 39%; 3-week total 14,599).

Outside the Top 25
Lee Ann Womack with THE LONELY, THE LONESOME & THE GONE (ATO) made a debut at No.37 selling 3,152 copies. On Country Album sales it was the 13th best seller and No.63 on all genres Top Album Sales.

Recorded at the legendary SugarHill Studios in Houston and produced by Womack’s husband Frank Liddell ((fresh off a 2017 ACM Album of the Year win for Miranda Lambert's 'The Weight of These Wings'), the album features 14 songs, most co-written by Womack (than all her previous albums combined) who also put her spin on three covers, including George Jones’ “Please Take The Devil Out Of Me.”..
Lee Ann Womack released pregrat track the shimmering and ghostly "Hollywood." Written by Lee Ann, Adam Wright and Waylon Payne, the track poignantly portrays a relationship riddled with doubt and uncertainty. Every time I ask you, you just say 'we're good' Either I'm a fool for asking, or you belong in Hollywood Vice Noisey said the track is filled with "ambient, floating steel guitar glory." Lee Ann made several appearances at AmericanaFest, including her annual Lee Ann and Friends showcase at Music City Roots at the YeeHaw Tent on Thursday, September 14th.

On her new album:



Critical reception for Lee Ann Womack’s The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone:
14 Tracks/ Time: 53:37 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

NPR - On this new LP, though, Womack reminds us that she's much more than just a pretty voice. Start-to-finish, The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone has a cinematic quality to it, one buoyed both by lush, dynamic arrangements and by a skillfully executed sequence, which effortlessly ebbs and flows between torch songs (the smoldering "He Called Me Baby") and Texas twang (the jagged crunch of "Wicked"), giving equal credence to the bedroom (the sweet and clever "End of the World") and the bar (the laid-back shuffle of "Bottom of the Barrel").

Saving Country Music (Rating: 1.3/4 Guns Up (7.5/10)...The fuzzy, dream pop guitar tone on “Shine On Rainy Day” may be appropriate for some, but not for Lee Ann. She shouldn’t try to compete with the east Nashville retro hipsters. She’s better than them, and should be informing their sound instead of attempting to follow it.
But this record finds its footing in the middle portions, to the point where any disagreements
you may have with the production team become forgivable. “End of the End of the World” solo written by Adam Wright is one of those songs that would have put people in the Hall of Fame if it was written 50 years ago. The playful, swaying beat of “Bottom Of The Barrel” by Brent Cobb and Jason Saenz gives the record its most appetizing and infectious moment. The three primary songwriters on this record—Womack, Waylon Payne, and Adam Wright—team together on “Mama Lost Her Smile” and the heartbreaking “Sunday,” and the results are pure magic.
There’s a reason why Miranda Lambert—who shares many of the same songwriters and the same producer as Lee Ann—decided she needed to release two discs instead of one for her last album. During an era in country music when some of the best songs are being overlooked by Music Row, and it seems like a severe risk that this material maybe be resigned to demo tapes and legal pads for eternity, Lee Ann Womack is stepping up to give these songs breath and life, and contributing her own words more than ever, benefiting from the rest of country music’s shortsightedness. The rest of us benefit too when a record like The Lonely, The Lonesome, & the Gone gets pressed.

Allmusic (Rating: 4/5 STARS)...."Shine on a Rainy Day," by Brent Cobb and Andrew Combs, finds Womack channeling Dusty Springfield, albeit with a psychedelic country chart saturated with fuzzy guitars and a Wurlitzer. ... The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone provides listeners an exceptionally well-rounded portrait of both the mature writer and the iconic singer. What Womack delivers has little to do with Nashville -- a plus -- in favor of polished yet hardcore Texas Americana.

American Songwriter (Rating: 4.5/5 STARS) ..Womack covers two songs by singer-songwriter Brent Cobb. The highlight is “Shine On Rainy Day” (which Cobb co-wrote with Andrew Combs), a beautiful slice of folk country with affecting lyrics, a stunning guitar solo and an arrangement that makes this one of the few contemporary covers that’s (slightly) better than the original. .....There are a few lighter lyrical moments as on the acoustic, bittersweet “End of the End of the World” (perhaps a play on the Skeeter Davis classic), but generally the album’s title captures the forlorn vibe exuded by the majority of the material. Womack is in terrific voice throughout, the songs — including her co-writes — are top notch and with Lidell’s sympathetic backing and production, it’s hard to imagine how anything could be improved. It’s a late-breaking short list nominee for 2017’s album of the year.

Exclaim.ca (Rating: 5/10) ...Expectations are high with superstar Womack, but with the exception of church anthem "Sunday," which supplies endless Southern comfort, she's delivered a mediocre traditional folk and roots album here. Her move away from pop music  on The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone signals a deeper understanding of the country, blues and soul genres, but there aren't enough ideas here to make it succeed.

FALLING SHORT of Top 50:
On the Country Album Sales list (pure sales; old methodology)

Margo Price with ALL AMERICAN MADE (Third Man), fell of the Top 50 Country Albums after a No.12 debut, dropping 6-19 on the Country Albums Sales tally selling 1,972 copies (2-week total 8,831).
Willie Nelson with the 12 track Willie and the Boys: Willie’s Stash, Vol. 2 (Legacy; Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) fell 10-17 selling 5307 copies sold).

Last week’s No.3 The Turnpike Troubadours with A LONG WAY FROM YOUR HEART (Bossier City/Thirty Tigers) on the Top Country albums fell off the top 50 (3-21 Country Album Sales) selling 1,755 copies (down 90%; 2-week total 18,606).

Various Artists THE LIFE & SONGS OF KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: All-Star Concert Celebration (Blackbird Production Partners; Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) made a debut on Country Sales at No.22 selling around 1,600 copies.

The broadcast, concert film and music release features a collection of legendary singers, songwriters, and rising superstars who came together for a once-in-a-lifetime concert event taping in Nashville, Tennessee at the Bridgestone Arena to celebrate the songs of music icon Kris Kristofferson. 

CMT premiered the 90-minute broadcast on Friday, October 27 at 10 PM ET/PT, and Blackbird Presents Records released the full-length concert film as a CD/DVD combo at http://blackbirdpresents.com and Pledge Music

Tyminski with SOUTHERN GOTHIC (Mercury/ Decca (UMO) fell 23-46 on Country Album Sales (800 sales; 2-week total 2,500).

Craig Wayne Boyd with TOP SHELF (Copperline Music Group) fell short of all charts selling only 400 copies.
Boyd’s latest album includes current single “Stuck In My Head,” plus “We Sweat,” “Only In My Mind,” and “Better Together,” which Boyd co-wrote. Millions were thrilled by Boyd’s victory in Season 7 of NBC’s “The Voice,”. Boyd, who announced to People Magazine that his wife Taylor and him are expecting a new baby, said that although it will be a crazy next few months, he is thrilled to be releasing his first full-length album since winning “The Voice.”

During his rise to fame after winning Season 7 of NBC’s “The Voice,” Boyd’s “My Baby’s Got A Smile on Her Face” debuted at No.1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, becoming the second song (following Garth Brooks’ “More Than A Memory”) to achieve that level of chart success.

After his victory on “The Voice,” Boyd did not rush into turning out an album quickly, but instead approached the making of his album by ensuring each song was Top Shelf quality. 
Boyd and producer Will Edwards went through thousands of demos before compiling the 13 unique tracks on Top Shelf.
Millions of Americans watched the Texas native’s journey on "The Voice,” but for Boyd, that was only one chapter in a long journey that resulted in the release of an album that is a celebration of heartbreak, the sweet pain of love, and the comfort of faith’s embrace.
"This album has been a labor of love,” said Boyd. “We started the album shortly after coming off of "The Voice" but did not find a home for it until earlier this year. A lot of life has been lived at that point, so I wanted to go back in the studio and record a few more so that the album reflected where I am in life right now. I feel that this album is now reflective of my life and the happiness that I have found in it!"

Critical reception for Craig Wayne Boyd’s Top Shelf:
13 Tracks/ Time: 39:36 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Reviewers hailed Top Shelf as well worth the wait:
“With catchy lyrics, foot-tapping songs, and humble topics, 'Top Shelf' is a high-caliber debut album that offers everything country music fans crave.” - Kristin Brown, Cowboys and Indians
Craig's evolution as an artist on 'Top Shelf 'is both impressive and explosive as he draws from multiple influences to create an album that is eclectic, fun, and full of surprises that will 

Digital Journal (Rating: A) ... Craig Wayne Boyd has released a charming new studio album with Top Shelf. All of the songs on there are refreshing and distinct, and they all have their own identities. He manages to connect directly with the hearts of his listeners. Well done!.

Year-To-Date Albums
16,745,000 (Physical sales 11,263,000 (down -13.0%) + Digital sales 5,481,000 (down -20.1%) which is 15.5% down at the same point in 2016 (19,812,000 sales) 

Year-To-Date Digital Tracks
56,602,000 down 24.2% at the same point in 2016 (74,631,000)

Billboard Hot Country Songs (Chart issue week of November 18, 2017)
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:

On a fairly static top 10 Kane Brown with What Ifs” featuring Lauren Alaina (Zone 4/RCA Nashville) topped the chart for a fifth week in its 48th frame. It also continued to head Country Streaming Songs (dated Nov 11, 2017).

Hot County Songs
** No.1 (5 weeks) ** “What Ifs” Kane Brown feat. Lauren Alaina
** Digital Gainer ** No.10 “I'll Name The Dogs” Blake Shelton
** Streaming Gainer ** No.44 “Stay Downtown” Cole Swindell
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.46 “Salute The Brave” Adam Calhoun & Hosier
Debut No.47 “I Lived It” Blake Shelton
Debut No.49 “At The House” Blake Shelton

Billboard Country Airplay (Chart issue week of November 18, 2017)

Thomas Rhett Continues To Accelerate With Ninth Career No. One “Unforgettable,” His Third Chart-Topper In 2017 And Fastest Rising Single So Far
The multi-CMA 2017 nominee and ACM Awards Male Vocalist of the Year Thomas Rhett’s career continued to skyrocket as "Unforgettable" hit the No.1 (moving 2-1) on both the Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase charts, reaching the top in just 14 weeks as the fastest-peaking song of his career so far.
It ascended 2-1 in its 15th week, increasing 4% to 46.4 million audience impressions. The song follows “Craving You” (featuring Maren Morris), which led the Country Airplay list dated July 22.


The “charming” (Rolling Stone) single is also holding the No. One spot for the third straight week on the Mediabase Canada Country chart. "Unforgettable" is the second single from Thomas Rhett's Billboard 200 chart-topping release LIFE CHANGES (The Valory Music Co.), marking the third No.1 this year and the ninth of his career.
 “This is a really cool way to kick off CMA week,” said Thomas Rhett. “It’s always a good week because everyone is in town, we all get to see each other, hang out backstage at the show, but to also find out ‘Unforgettable’ is No. One is awesome."

In its 34th week, Carly Pearce’s co-penned launch single “Every Little Thing” held at its No.3 peak on Country Airplay, increasing 5% to 40.4 million in audience. The song is the highest-charting debut by a solo woman since Kelsea Ballerini’s chart-topping “Love Me Like You Mean It” (July 4, 2015).

On alphabetical order Blake Shelton with “At The House” (Warner Bros. | WMN) took the Hot Shot Debut, Most Increased Audience & Most Added stripes as one of 5 new charting singles from him all arrived in a bunch on the chart (33-37).
Shelton’s six-song Country Airplay blitz mareds the first since Jan. 8, 2011, when Lady Antebellum placed seven songs on the list, the most in a week in the top 60. (The chart launched as a 75-position survey in 1990.) Lady A matched Kenny Chesney, who rolled a lucky seven back on Jan. 10, 2004.

Country Airplay
*** No.1 (1 week) *** "Unforgettable" Thomas Rhett 46.407 million audience (+1.880 million) / 8,294 radio plays (+291)
** Hot Shot Debut/ Increased Audience/ Most Added ** No.33 “At The HouseBlake Shelton 5.354 million audience gain thanks to 49 fresh radio commitments (ADDS)
** ** No.
Debut No.34 “I Lived It” Blake Shelton
Debut No.35 “Turnin' Me On” Blake Shelton
Debut No.36 “Money” Blake Shelton
Debut No.37 “Why Me” Blake Shelton
Debut No.54 “Heaven” Kane Brown

Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart 
(Chart issue week of November 18, 2017)


















LANco with “Greatest Love Story” (Arista Nashville) rose 3-1 (#22 Digital Songs; 17,000 sales; 18-week total 340,000) to top the Country Digital Singles Chart summit.
It was 21 places behind Imagine Dragons' "Thunder" which kept at its No. 5 Hot 100 high and rebounded 2-1 for a third (non-consecutive) week atop Digital Song Sales (54,000 sales, down 9%).

The previous weeks No.1 Kane Brown feat. Lauren Alaina with “What If’s” slipped 2-1 (#19-26 Digital Songs; 16,000 sales; 25-week total 497,000).  
Luke Combs with “When It Rains It Pours” (River House | Columbia Nashville) rose 5-3 (#33-32 Digital Songs; 13,000 sales; 17-week total 260,000).
Dustin Lynch with “Small Town Boy” lifted 19-4 (#33 Re-entry Digital Songs; 13,000 sales; 36-week total 455,000).
Blake Shelton with “I'll Name The Dogs” (Warner Bros) advanced 11-5 (#50-37; 11,000 sales; 8-week total 104,000 Digital Songs).
Thomas Rhett with “Unforgettable” (Valory) climbed 7-6 (#39-45 Digital Songs; 10,000 sales; 14-week total 194,000).
Former No.1 Carly Pearce with Every Little Thing (Big Machine/Big Machine Label Group), rose 8-7 (40-47 Digital Songs; 9,000 sales; 20-week total 314,000).
Sam Hunt’s 31 non-consecutive week No1 “Body Like a Back Road” (MCA Nashville) fell 6-8 (#35-48 Digital Songs; 9,000 sales; 40-week total 1,744,000).

A country rapper who chronicles small-town life with a big-city swagger and a musical attack that mixes hip-hop and rock & roll, Hosier (not to be confused with the similarly named singer and songwriter Hozier) along with Adam Calhoun made a debut at No.9 with country song Salute The Brave selling 9,000 downloads. The almost “rap” like country single speaks of patriotism and working hard to achieve the ‘American Dream’ but also touches on a few controversial viewpoints. See Facebook video
Walker Hayes with “You Broke Up With Me“ (Monument) slipped 9-10 (9,000 sales; 16-week total 201,000).

Outside the Top 10
Brett Young with “Like I Loved You“ (BMLG) fell 10-11 (9,000 sales; 10-week total 127,000).
Russell Dickerson with “Yours” (Triple Tigers) rose 14-12 (8,000 sales; 9-week total 290,000).
Devin Dawson with “All On Me” pushed 23-16  (6,000 sales; total 82,000).

Country Aircheck MEDIABASE Chart

6 Nov 2017

Congrats to Thomas Rhett, George Briner, Ashley Sidoti and the Valory promotion crew on securing the week’s No.1 with “Unforgettable.” The song is the second chart-topper from Life Changes. Songwriters are Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley, Shane McAnally and Rhett.



















Unforgettable” (Valory) logged 8,970 radio spins (+458) and 60.959 million audience impressions (+2.892 million) with 24229 Total Points (+1181) from 158 tracking stations for the tracking week October 29 to November 4, 2017 and published chart November 6th 2017.

Kudos to Bob Reeves and the Reviver team on landing 50 adds for David Lee Murphy and Kenny Chesney’sEverything’s Gonna Be Alright”. The song topped the "Most Added" board this chart week.


(left) Pictured L-R: Reviver Entertainment Group EVP/GM Gator Michaels; All Access Nashville Editor RJ Curtis; Reviver Records Mgr./West Coast Promotion Dave Collins and Coord./Promotion Hayley Cowoski

Finally, a significant milestone for Blake Shelton and the WMN team, as six singles from his new album TEXOMA SHORE charted – unprecedented in the history of Country Aircheck. 

In addition to lead single “I’ll Name The Dogs” (#9) charting tracks were “At The House” (#42), “I Lived It” (#44), “Turnin’ Me On” (#45), “Money” (#46) and “Why Me” (#47). Driven largely by a program with iHeartMedia sponsored by Nissan, airplay for the five album cuts was significant enough to affect several other singles.
Mercury’s Lauren Alaina moved down (45-48) with “Doin’ Fine” and Curb’s Dylan Scott also dropped (47-50) with “Hooked.” Both songs retained their bullets. The following songs that were on last week’s chart dropped out of the top 50: Josh Turner’s “All About You” (MCA), Lindsay Ell’s “Waiting On You” and Runaway June’s “Wild West” (Wheelhouse) would have charted absent the WMN/iHeart program.

Mediabase Adds (Selective)

Artist/Title (Label) TW Total Historic Adds
DAVID LEE MURPHY & KENNY CHESNEY/Everything's Gonna Be Alright (Reviver/Blue Chair)  50         50        
RUNAWAY JUNE/Wild West (Wheelhouse)         16         69        
REBA MCENTIRE/God And My Girlfriends (Valory/Nash Icon)     14         14        
JON PARDI/She Ain't In It (Capitol)        12         81        
BLAKE SHELTON/At The House (Warner Bros./WMN)    11         11        
BLAKE SHELTON/I Lived It (Warner Bros./WMN)           11         11        
BLAKE SHELTON/Money (Warner Bros./WMN)  11         11        
BLAKE SHELTON/Turnin' Me On (Warner Bros./WMN)   11         11        
BLAKE SHELTON/Why Me (Warner Bros./WMN)            11         11        
BRAD PAISLEY/Heaven South (Arista)   8          38        
KANE BROWN/Heaven (RCA)   8          19        
LADY ANTEBELLUM/Heart Break (Capitol)        8          84        
OLD DOMINION/Written In The Sand (RCA)       8          131      
BRETT ELDREDGE/The Long Way (Atlantic/WMN)        7          130      
JAMES BARKER BAND/Chills (UMGC/New Revolution)  7          29        
MIDLAND/Make A Little (Big Machine)    7          136      
SHANIA TWAIN/We Got Something They Don't (Mercury)           7          29        

MORGAN EVANS/Kiss Somebody (Warner Bros./WEA) 4          37        
MORGAN WALLEN f/FGL/Up Down (Big Loud)  4          6         
ASHLEY MCBRYDE/A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega (Atlantic/WAR)         3          39        
DELTA RAE/No Peace In Quiet (Valory) 3          21        
KID ROCK/Tennessee Mountain Top (Red Bow/BBR/BMG)        2          26        
LAUREN ALAINA/Doin' Fine (19/Interscope/Mercury)      2          109      
CAM/Diane (Arista)        1          2         
DENNY STRICKLAND/We Don't Sleep (Red Star)          1          7         
JESSIE JAMES DECKER f/R. HOUSER/Almost Over You (Epic) 1          1         
KELSEA BALLERINI/Legends (Black River)        1          154      
LINDSAY ELL/Waiting On You (Stoney Creek)    1          81        
MIRANDA LAMBERT/Tin Man (RCA)     1          138      

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 575 - Nov 6, 2017 [PDF File] 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: #6
Event Venue City/State: Kid Rock, Robert Randolph & The Family Band Little Caesars Arena Detroit, Mich.
Dates:  Sept. 12-13, 15-16, 19-20, 2017 Gross Sales: $5,479,343 Attend: 86,893/ 86,893
Shows/ Sellouts: 6/6 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices: $75, $55, $35, $20
Promoters: Live Nation/Olympia Entertainment

Rank Artist: #51
Event Venue City/State: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, Steve Moakler Capital One Arena Washington, D.C.
Dates: Oct. 13, 2017 Gross Sales: $1,200,627 Attend: 13,537/ 13,537
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/1 Prices: $119.50, $89.50, $69.50
Promoters: Messina Touring Group/AEG Presents
                                                                       
Rank Artist: #63
Event Venue City/State: Outlaw Music Festival: Willie Nelson, Van Morrison, Sheryl Crow, The Avett Brothers & others Hersheypark Stadium Hershey, Pa.
Dates: Sept. 10, 2017 Gross Sales: $1,091,770 Attend: 20,387/ 24,942
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (4,555 unsold tickets) Prices: $275, $30
Promoters: Live Nation

Rank Artist: #98
Event Venue City/State: Zac Brown Band XFINITY Theatre Hartford, Conn.
Dates: July 6, 2017 Gross Sales: $759,348 Attend: 23,757/ 24,442
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (685 unsold tickets) Prices: $85.75, $35.75
Promoters: Live Nation 

Rank Artist: #118
Event Venue City/State: Chris Stapleton, Brent Cobb, Marty Stuart Van Andel Arena Grand Rapids, Mich.
Dates: Nov. 4, 2017 Gross Sales: $656,408 Attend: 10,351/ 10,351
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/1 ** SOLD OUT ** Prices: $70.75, $35.75
Promoters: Live Nation 

Rank Artist: #156
Event Venue City/State: Lady Antebellum, Brett Young, Kelsea Ballerini SSE Hydro Glasgow, U.K
Dates: Oct. 7, 2017 Gross Sales: $506,501 Attend: 11,088/ 11,238
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (150 unsold tickets) Prices: $49.86, $36.79 
Promoters: Regular Music

Rank Artist: #194
Event Venue City/State: Lady Antebellum, Kelsea Ballerini Manchester Arena Manchester, U.K.
Dates: Oct. 4, 2017 Gross Sales: $385,348 Attend: 6,759/ 8,058
Shows/ Sellouts: 1/0 (1,299 unsold tickets) Prices: $66.25, $46.37
Promoters: Live Nation
Latest Billboard Boxscore Chart


No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.