CountryBreakout No. 1 Song

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Things are often more memorable in groups of three. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness;” “blood, sweat and tears;” and because I need a third thing to make this statement complete let’s say Larry, Curly, and Moe. It is indeed a magic number.

So Luke Bryan should be feeling pretty satisfied about earning that magical third week at No. 1 on the CountryBreakout Chart with his “I Don’t Want This Night To End.” The song closed out the final chart of 2011 on top, and hung on through the break to remain in charge for the first two editions of 2012. Just days ago, the single received Gold certification from the RIAA and earned the Capitol Records artist the highest digital track sales week of his career with 128,000 downloads. His current album Tailgates & Tanlines is also certified Gold.

Bryan will soon join his Georgia buddy Jason Aldean on the road for the 2012 leg of Aldean’s My Kinda Party Tour, beginning January 20 in Greenville, SC.

SOLID Kicks Off 15th Year With Mayor Dean

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Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, SOLID President Jon Romero

SOLID (Society of Leaders in Development) held the first General Assembly meeting of the year for members on Tuesday night (1/10) and welcomed Nashville Mayor Karl Dean as the guest speaker. Mayor Dean discussed the impact of the Music Industry on the Nashville community and interacted with members in a question and answer forum.

“The Music Industry gives this city a special edge, more than any other city in America,” remarked Dean. “Because of creative people like you, we are one of the most dynamic cities in America.”

In 2011, SOLID raised over $20,000 for charity, educated members on current industry topics and offered numerous networking opportunities for members. Earlier this month, SOLID welcomed new members to the 15th class at the annual New Member Retreat. New members received motivational knowledge from industry veteran Tandy Rice. New members also had the chance to interact with some of today’s industry heavy-hitters during the alumni panel. The panel, moderated by Justin Levenson (SESAC), included Rusty Gaston (THIS! Music, Founding SOLID member), Kerri Edwards (Redlight Management, Founding SOLID member), Luellyn Latocki (Latocki Team Creative) and Chip Petree (Petree Law).

Weekly Chart Report (1/13/12)

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Alan Jackson recently flew into Philadelphia to visit WXTU in support of his new single "So You Don't Have To Love Me Anymore." (L-R): WXTU PD Shelly Easton, Jackson

SPIN ZONE
It’s good to be on top, but also tough work to defend your territory week after week. But Capitol’s Luke Bryan has successfully done that for three consecutive weeks now with “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” which is newly certified Gold for downloads. Bryan’s song takes a tiny dip in spins this week, and leaving The Band Perry’s “All Your Life” well positioned to earn the siblings another No. 1 next week. Making a big leap to No. 3 is Chris Young’s “You,” which gained an extra 193 spins to zoom ahead of Keith Urban’s “You Gonna Fly,” Dierks Bentley’s “Home,” and Kenny Chesney’s“Reality.”

Things are back to being slow in this chart edition, with Lady Antebellum’s “Dancin’ Away With My Heart” the lone new entrant to the Top 20. Help might be on the way in the form of Blake Shelton’s “Drink On It,” the week’s greatest spin increase, which is now at No. 27. The other half of the Shelton household, Miranda Lambert, is just a shade behind her husband at No. 30 with “Over You.” And Eli Young Band’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” is finding a spot on numerous playlists, rocketing up to No. 34 after a 281 spin gain.

Frozen Playlists: KBCR, KREK, WKWS

• • • • •

RADIO BENEFIT
Bold Gold Media’s WDNB/Thunder 102 in Liberty, New York has partnered with the American Red Cross and Catskill Regional Medical Center on the 6th Annual Thunder Blood Bowl to help facilitate local donations. The event takes place at Monticello Casino & Raceway 1-7 PM/ET Thursday, January 26. “The response of our listeners to the needs of others in Thunder Country has been phenomenal,” says Paul Ciliberto, GM and host of Ciliberto & Friends, “we are humbled by the acts of kindness by our ThunderHeads.” More info here.

Upcoming Singles
January 17
Ronnie Dunn/Let The Cowboy Rock/Arista
Bryan Cole/Love Doesn’t Live Here/Perfect Vision
Clay Walker/Like We Never Said Goodbye/Curb
Jana Kramer/Why Ya Wanna/Elektra/W.A.R.
Rascal Flatts/Banjo/Big Machine
Dustin Lynch/Cowboys and Angels/Broken Bow
Kelly Parkes/Don’t Make Me/Edge

January 23
Eli Young Band/Even If It Breaks Your Heart/Republic Nashville
Marlee Scott/Train Wreck/Big Ride
Jason Cassidy/What If/A-Blake/Quarterback

• • • • •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Rascal Flatts/Banjo/Big Machine – 60
Mark Cooke/Any Way the Wind Blows/CVR – 77
Claudia Lee/Hollywood Sunset/CLM96enterprises — 79

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Blake Shelton/Drink On It/WMN/Warner Bros. – 523
Lady Antebellum/Dancin’ Away With My Heart/Capitol – 422
Miranda Lambert/Over You/RCA – 351
Rascal Flatts/Banjo/Big Machine – 349
Eli Young Band/Even If It Breaks Your Heart/Republic Nashville — 281

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Rascal Flatts/Banjo/Big Machine — 28
Kellie Pickler/100 Proof/19/BNA — 25
Blake Shelton/Drink On It/Warner — 23
Miranda Lambert/Over You/RCA — 18
Eli Young Band/Even If It Breaks Your Heart/Republic Nashville — 18
Kip Moore/Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck/MCA — 10
Lady Antebellum/Dancin’ Away With My Heart/Capitol — 10
Josh Turner/Time Is Love/MCA — 8

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Bucky Covington/I Wanna Be That Feeling/E One – 151
Uncle Kracker/My Hometown/Top Dog/Atlantic – 147
Brent Anderson/Amy’s Song/Arista – 136
Kinsey Sadler/Sometimes I Forget/Motion/Evergreen – 128
James Meadows/Like A Radio/ATP Records  — 126

NOW That’s What I Call Releases Country Ballads

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NOW That’s What I Call Music! will release a collection of popular country music ballads to all major retail outlets on Jan 24, just before Valentines day.

The compilation is part of the NOW That’s What I Call Country series and features 18 chart hits from artists, including:

1.  Taylor Swift— Forever And Always (Piano Version)
2.  Keith Urban— Tonight I Wanna Cry
3.  Rascal Flatts— What Hurts The Most
4.  The Band Perry— If I Die Young
5.  Martina McBride— I’m Gonna Love You Through It
6.  Luke Bryan— Do I
7.  Jake Owen— Don’t Think I Can’t Love You
8.  Lady Antebellum— American Honey
9.  Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson— Don’t You Wanna Stay
10.  Shania Twain— Forever & For Always
11.  Carrie Underwood— I Told You So
12.  Sara Evans— I Could Not Ask For More
13.  Kenny Chesney— Better As A Memory
14.  Dierks Bentley— Come A Little Closer
15.  Chris Young— The Man I Want To Be
16.  Darius Rucker— Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It
17.  George Strait— I Saw God Today
18.  Alan Jackson— Remember When

NOW That’s What I Call Music! series debuted in 1998 generating more than 80 million albums sold in the in excess of 200 million internationally. The series will be distributed by EMI Music North America and is a joint venture from EMI, Sony, and UMG.

Charlie Cook On Air: Predictions

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Last month I wrote about Taylor Swift leading a Country Music charge and opening the door for the format going into 2012. I think that we all agree that this would be great for everyone involved.

At the end of the year CBS flipped a long time AC station in Minneapolis to Country to go up against long time market leader Clear Channel’s KEEY. I predict that there will be a minimum of 20 MORE stations flipping to Country Music in 2012. Many of them will be in the top 100 markets and the format will be even more forefront than it is today.

The coming Summer has a SUPER tour with Kenny and Tim sweeping the country. That is going create incredible excitement.

George and Martina are on tour this year. Jason Aldean continues his tour with Luke Bryan. Lady A is going to continue into 2012 with an even bigger show. The ACM show, in April, will raise the level of excitement and of course the CMA Music Fest promises to be the best ever with the biggest names already signed on.

Of course this is without even mentioning ZBB, Toby, and on and on.

In January it is always fun to make predictions. What is great about making predictions is that no one remembers them except they guy who got them correct. So read these predictions below. Then forget about them. If any of them turn out to be right I will remind you. If they are wrong, then both of us will forget them. You have no responsibility past the next couple of minutes.

Okay, I predicted 20 new Country radio stations in 2012. I am going to count Buzzin’ in Minneapolis and Biggie 96 in Wheeling/Moundsville, WV. Both of them flipped late in 2011. Good enough for me.  Cumulus flipped Journey in Cincinnati to Country on New Year’s Day. That’s three. I may up my count to 25.

Please do not disregard the OBVIOUS predictions. I am working on my predictions percentage.

2. Miranda Lambert is going to continue to be THE female artist in the format. Her music is just too good. Carrie has a new CD coming and she too will be forefront with great new music. Taylor continues to be everyone’s darling.

3. Last year Chris Young, Jake Owen and Eric Church broke out and became successful in selling CDs.  This year the break out CD sellers are going to be Easton Corbin, Brantley Gilbert and Luke Bryan.

4. First time chart success (apparently identified as a top 15 record) will come to Andy Gibson, James Wesley and Jana Kramer.

5. Ronnie Dunn will have a number one record this year, his first as a solo act.

6. The top 5 Country Radio performers for 2012 will be ZBB, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney and Miranda Lambert.  (think about this, 2 females in the top 5—BOLD Prediction)

7. There will be three major record company changes in 2012.  (I get to decide what is major-a guaranteed winner)

8. Skip Bishop is going to surface someplace special and big.   Because he is special and a big star.

9. Look out for a HUGE spike for Tim McGraw, already heard on most stations about 18 times a day. He will have two labels working his product this time. Lucky for all of us Tim fans.

10. HD radio is going to be a player for terrestrial radio. Maybe not by the end of 2012 but the pressure for success is going to continue to grow throughout the year and this is another FREE source for Country Music fans.

Nashville Singers Featured In New ABC Series

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Justin Nault, Jessica Ridley

Two Nashville singer/songwriters will be featured in the premiere episode of Bud United presents: The Big Time, which airs Saturday, January 21 at 2 PM/CT on ABC.

Nashville’s Jessica Ridley and Justin Nault, along with Laura Jeanne of St. Albans, England, will square off through a series of challenges to prove their entertainment skill to producer Narada Michael Walden (Whitney Houston) and Clear Channel’s Julie Pilat. The winner will get to open a show at the MGM Grand Arena with will.i.am, Sublime with Rome and Jane’s Addiction during the iHeartRadio Music Festival.

Jessica Ridley had a brief flirtation with MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart early in 2011, when a handful of stations picked up and spun her single “Flaming Red.” Nault is a seasoned performer who studied music at Berklee College and makes a living as a human jukebox in lower Broadway’s Big Bang Piano Bar. Laura Jeanne has landed some acting roles in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and began writing songs after discovering her singing talent in a school play.

The Big Time is a seven part series that claims to be the world’s first social reality show. Episodes will feature young adults attempting to fulfill their dreams of being a performer, race car driver, soccer player or professional baseball pitcher. Individuals were selected from casting applications submitted online. More info here.

Urban Plans Return To Stage Following Vocal Chord Surgery

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Photo: Chris Hollo

Keith Urban’s first live performance following vocal chord surgery will be at the Grand Ole Opry on Friday, Feb., 3. He underwent the successful procedure late last year.

Urban’s appearance will take place at the historic Ryman Auditorium, on the night the Opry concludes its winter run. The show will return to the Grand Ole Opry House the next day.

Urban is set for another Grand Ole Opry performance on Fri., March 9 at the Opry House.

Additional performers scheduled to appear on the Opry in upcoming weeks include Opry members Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Del McCoury, Craig Morgan, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ricky Skaggs, and Josh Turner, as well as special guests Shawn Colvin, Rodney Crowell, and more.

Read the MusicRow article that questions why so many artists are having the surgery.

KCRS Live! Showcase Talent Revealed

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(L-R) Jim Collins, Andy Gibson, Aaron Lewis and Bobby Pinson

The lineup for this year’s KCRS Live!, sponsored by R&J Records, will feature Jim Collins, Andy Gibson, Aaron Lewis and Bobby Pinson. The artist/songwriter showcase will be held Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 4-5 PM at CRS 2012.

Collins has written some of Country music hits for Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley and Jason Aldean. Gibson’s debut release as a songwriter was “Don’t You Wanna Stay” for Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson. His current single as an artist is “Wanna Make You Love Me.”

Staind frontman Lewis has sold more than 14 million albums to date, including more than 300,000 copies of his 2011 R&J Records debut Country release, Town Line. Lewis will perform cuts at KCRS Live! from his soon-to-be released album, produced by R&J Records President James Stroud. And Pinson, a BMI Songwriter of the Year, has penned hits for Sugarland, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, among others.

“R&J Records is thrilled to be hosting KCRS Live! again this year,” says R&J Records’ Bill Catino. “Our industry and lives would be pretty boring without the music, and it all begins with a song. We have an amazing lineup again this year.”

CRS 2012 is held Feb. 22-24, 2012, in downtown Nashville, TN. The $499 regular rate registration expires Friday, Jan. 27.  On-Site registration increases to $599 effective Jan. 28. Visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com to register today.

Performers Added to 2012 CMA Music Festival

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Faith Hill is among the new performers added to the nightly concert lineup at LP Field during CMA Music Festival 2012.

Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and Zac Brown Band have been added to the nightly performance lineup at LP Field during 2012 CMA Music Festival. Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry and Carrie Underwood and additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

The 40th annual CMA Music Festival will take place June 7-10 in downtown Nashville and for the second consecutive year, the nightly concerts at LP Field have sold out in advance.

To date, more than $4.7 million has been donated from CMA Music Festival proceeds to support music education. An announcement regarding the 2011 CMA Music Festival donations is expected soon.

CMA Music Festival nightly shows will be filmed for an ABC broadcast for the ninth consecutive year with Robert Deaton as the executive-producer.

Grammy Update: New Performers and Nominees Album

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Current Grammy nominees Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, and Nicki Minaj are the first performers announced for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards telecast. The ceremony will be held Sunday, Feb. 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast live on CBS.

Aldean and Swift are up for three awards each. Aldean has nominations for Best Country Solo Performance for “Dirt Road Anthem,” Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Don’t You Wanna Stay” (with Kelly Clarkson), and Best Country Album for My Kinda Party. Clarkson is a two-time Grammy winner.

Four-time winner Swift has nods for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “Mean,” and Best Country Album for Speak Now.

In related news, the 2012 Grammy Nominees album includes music from several country stars in the running for awards. The album will be available Jan. 24 from Universal Republic Records and The Recording Academy’s Grammy Recordings. (Full track list below).

Nominees for many of the most widely recognized Grammy categories are on the collection including nominees for Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best New Artist, Best Country Album, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

One music fan who purchases the album will win a trip to the 2013 Grammy Awards. Each 2012 Grammy Nominees album includes a special game piece featuring a unique entry code which must be entered at www.grammy.com/grammyticketgame.

Now in its 18th edition, the best selling album rotates labels from year to year. A portion of the proceeds benefit the MusiCares® Foundation and the GRAMMY Foundation®.

2012 Grammy Nominees Album Tracklist:

1. Adele, “Rolling In The Deep”
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year

2. Bruno Mars, “Grenade”
Record Of The Year
Album Of The Year

3. Katy Perry, “Firework”
Record Of The Year

4. Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera, “Moves Like Jagger”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

5. Nicki Minaj, “Super Bass”
Best New Artist

6. Rihanna ft. Drake, “What’s My Name?”
Album Of The Year

7. J. Cole, “Work Out”
Best New Artist

8. Lady Gaga,”You And I”
Album Of The Year

9. Foster The People, “Pumped Up Kicks”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

10. Skrillex, “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites”
Best New Artist

11. Coldplay, “Paradise”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

12. Foo Fighters, “Walk”
Album Of The Year

13. The Band Perry, “If I Die Young”
Best New Artist

14. Mumford & Sons, “The Cave”
Record Of The Year

15. Bon Iver, “Holocene”
Record Of The Year
Best New Artist

16. Lady Antebellum, “Just A Kiss”
Best Country Album

17. Taylor Swift, “Mean”
Best Country Album

18. Blake Shelton, “Honey Bee”
Best Country Album

19. Eric Church, “Drink In My Hand”
Best Country Album

20. The Black Keys, “Dearest”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

21. Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
Best Country Album

22. Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse, “Body And Soul”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance