Weekly Register: Chesney, Eldredge, Swindell Make Top Debuts

Kenny Chesney, Brett Eldredge and Cole Swindell all have albums debuting in the Top 5 in the country albums sales rankings this week. Recent CMA Pinnacle Award winner Chesney’s Cosmic Hallelujah took the crowning spot, with 89K total consumption and 79.5K album-only.

On the Top 200, Chesney comes in at No. 2, but still outsold Jeezy‘s Trap or Die 3, which moved 73K album-only. Trap or Die 3 earned 89.5K in total consumption to take the No. 1 spot.

Eldredge’s Glow debuts at No. 2, with 14K sold. Following stellar performances at last week’s CMA Awards, Keith Urban’s Ripcord lands at No. 3 with 13K, followed by Male Vocalist of the Year winner Chris Stapleton, whose Traveller album lands at No. 4 with 12K sold. Swindell’s Down Home Sessions III debut rounds out the Top 5 with 11K sold.

Overall album sales are down 14 percent year to date, while overall digital album sales are down 18.9 percent. Country album sales have declined 9.4 percent year to date, while country digital sales are down 16.1 percent.

After the 50th Annual CMA Awards, several artists saw sales increases (Increases in total consumption/album only):

Alan Jackson, Precious Memories 462%/ 516%
Maren Morris, Hero 229% / 410%
Thomas Rhett, Tangled Up 187%/ 373%
Brothers Osborne, Pawn Shop 103%/ 187%
Tim McGraw, Damn Country Music 113%/ 113%
Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood 86%/ 160%
Dierks Bentley, Black 83%/ 168%
Keith Urban, Ripcord 69%/ 93%
Carrie Underwood, Storyteller 57%/ 100%

Keith Urban

Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” is at the top of the country digital track sales rankings, with 54K (381K RTD). Little Big Town’s “Better Man” lands at No. 2, with 47K. Chesney’s “Setting The World On Fire” (featuring Pink) lands at 3, with 38K (496K RTD). McGraw’s “Humble and Kind,” which earned Song of the Year at the recent 50th CMA Awards, lands at No. 4 with 29K (and 950K RTD). Florida Georgia Line (with McGraw) takes the No. 5 spot with “May We All,” a song they performed with McGraw at the CMA Awards. The track moved 28K this week (281K RTD).

The top country debut is from The Voice contestant Josh Halverson. “Whiskey and You” debuts at No. 16, selling 11.4K.

Overall digital track sales have declined 24.7 percent, while country digital track sales have declined 22.7 percent.

Several tracks saw sales increases after last week’s CMA Awards, including:

Maren Morris, “My Church” 879%
Keith Whitley, “Don’t Close Your Eyes” 837%
George Strait, “Troubadour” 570%
Tim McGraw, “Humble and Kind” 432%
Alan Jackson, “Remember When” 393%
Thomas Rhett, “Die A Happy Man” 305%
Chris Stapleton, “Whiskey and You” 208%
Brothers Osborne, “21 Summer” 184%
Randy Travis, “Forever and Ever, Amen” 175%
Brothers Osborne, “Stay A Little Longer” 148%
Little Big Town, “Better Man” 138%

Information courtesy Nielsen Soundscan.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at [email protected]

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