Weekly Register: Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw, Beyoncé Top Charts

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Chris Stapleton Traveller

Roots-flavored music rules this week’s country album rankings. Chris Stapleton continues his tight rein on the country album rankings, with Traveller selling 25K this week (1.25 million to date). Sturgill Simpson‘s A Sailor’s Guide To Earth follows at No. 2, selling just over 13K. 

Joey+Rory‘s Hymns collection lands at No. 3 with just over 11K sold (and 340K to date). Sam Hunt‘s Montevallo is at No. 4, with nearly 8K moved this week. Luke Bryan‘s Kill The Lights wraps the Top 5 country albums, with 7.4K sold.

Beyonce Lemonade

On the overall albums rankings, Beyoncé rules with her project Lemonade debuting at No. 1 and selling more than 652K (485k album only), making the sixth Beyoncé project to debut atop the all-genre album rankings. Additionally, 10 Beyoncé tracks debuted in the Top 20, totaling 825K tracks sold.

The new project is not without some Nashville connections. Music City residents Jack White and vocalist Ruby Amanfu are credited on the Lemonade track “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” while Beyoncé adds some country flavor on the track “Daddy Lessons.”

Tim McGraw Humble and Kind

On the digital country tracks listings, Tim McGraw stays at No. 1 this week with “Humble and Kind,” selling 35K and closing in on 500K RTD. Rounding out the Top 5 this week are Dierks Bentley‘s “Somewhere on a Beach” (28K), Maren Morris‘ “My Church” (27K), Thomas Rhett‘s “T-Shirt” (25K), and the Chris Young/Cassadee Pope duet “Think of You” (22K).

Cole Swindell‘s “Remember Boys” makes a solid debut, landing at No. 10 and selling 18K. Other notable debuts include The Voice contestant Adam Wakefield‘s “Lights” (No. 18, 12K) and Hillary Scott & The Scott Family‘s “Thy Will” (No. 22, 11K).

Hillary Scott Thy Will

Overall, digital tracks are down 24.2 percent from this time last year, while country digital tracks sales are down 20.9 percent.

Industry Ink: FlyteVu, HoriPro, The Country Network

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FlyteVu Adds Account Manager Paige Reese

Paige Reese

Paige Reese

FlyteVu has hired new Account Manager Paige Reese to its staff.

Reese previously worked as an Account Supervisor at BOHAN advertising agency, where she managed marketing activities and was responsible for client communication and leading internal teams for media, traditional and digital creative development. Prior to her work at BOHAN, she worked as Director of Sales & Marketing for the BOK Center in Oklahoma.

 

HoriPro To Host HoriPro Honors Golf Tournament

horipro_honors_golf_tourney

 

HoriPro Entertainment Group will be hosting their 2016 HoriPro Honors Golf Tournament at Henry Horton State Park on May 13. The event will take place all day, ending with a dinner, drinks, live music and awards. All proceeds are going to the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Recently, HoriPro announced Bob Jennings and Erv Woolsey as the honorees for the 2016 tournament. Jennings was a part of the Four Star Music Publishing Company that started the original golf tournament that is now known as the HoriPro Honors. Woolsey is the manager of George Strait, Lee Ann Womack, Clay Walker and others.

The tournament is being sponsored by Lyons Chevrolet Buick GMC, Legends Bank, ASCAP, BMI, N Sound Entertainment, Regions Bank and more.

Those interested in sponsoring or playing in this year’s tournament can call 615-255-9837 or email Courtney Crist (courtney@horipro.com).

 

The Country Network Returns

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The Country Network (TCN), which was established in 2010, has been purchased from ZUUS Media by Texas-based TCN Country LLC, and has relaunched under its original branding. TCN will focus on Americana, Texas, and Red Dirt music from both major label and independent artists, as well as mainstream country. TCN is currently broadcasting in 34 markets and online via tcncountry.com.

TCN has an office in Nashville’s Cummins Station, as well as a 43,000 square foot recording/production facility with three sound studios located in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Country Network launched in 2010 with former CMA President Tammy Genovese as President of its Nashville office. In 2013, TCN was rebranded to ZUUS Country, after it was acquired by ZUUS Media.

James Robert Webb Releases ‘Pictures’ On Bison Creek Records

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James Robert Webb album

Country singer/songwriter James Robert Webb has released the Bison Creek Records project Pictures, featuring the single, “How That Feels.” The 11-track album was co-produced by Webb and songwriter/musician Daniel Kleindienst.

“When I started making this album two years ago, I had a couple of goals. I wanted to make this a full-length album with enough songs about real life so that fans can really hear who I am as an artist and writer. Above all else, I wanted the soul of this album to be and to sound country,” Webb explains.

He adds, “It has been an inspiring journey and I have to thank God, my fans and my family for it. I’m thunderstruck to think that as an indie artist, I have already debuted on Billboard and had a top 40 hit at MusicRow [CountryBreakout Chart]. To me that’s pretty astonishing. If it wasn’t for the radio stations playing and fans requesting the songs, I wouldn’t have the amazing success we’ve already been blessed with.”

The Tulsa-based singer is also a physician. He established MusicCan, a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation designed to support music education among children and strengthen his longtime commitment of giving back.

Track Listing for Pictures:

1. “Party In The Barn”
2. “Makin’ Love Tonight”
3. “Absotively Posilutely”
4. “1865”
5. “Pictures”
6. “Put It In Drive”
7. “Book Of Me”
8. “All I See”
9. “Daddy Made A Million”
10. ” Know You”
11. “How That Feels”

Dan + Shay To Release Sophomore Album On June 3

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Dan+Shay

Dan+Shay

Duo Dan + Shay will released their sophomore album, Obsessed, on June 3 via Warner Bros. / Warner Music Nashville.

“The idea for the album title, Obsessed, came directly from our fans,” shares Dan Smyers.

“Our fans know we live on social media both when we’re in and out of the studio, and we started noticing that hashtag ‘#obsessed’ being tagged in all our fans’ posts when we first revealed our single, ‘From The Ground Up,’” Shay Mooney adds. “So when it came time to pick a title for this album, it seemed pretty appropriate that we’re even more obsessed with making music for our fans than they are to hear it.”

“From The Ground Up,” the first single off of Obsessed, is Top 30 on country radio and climbing. Written by the pair along with Chris DeStefano and co-produced by Smyers and Scott Hendricks, the track has already accumulated more than 8 million streams.

Earlier this month, the duo earned American Country Countdown Award nominations for Group/Duo of the Year and Breakthrough Group/Duo of the Year, as well as a nod from the Radio Disney Music Awards for their No. 1 hit single, “Nothin’ Like You.” With their debut album, Where It All Began, producing three Top 40 singles, Dan + Shay have sold an excess of 1.6 million tracks, over 400,000 album equivalents and racked up more 140 million streams in addition to their 30 million YouTube views. They also earned platinum certification from the RIAA for their debut single, “19 You + Me.”

MusicRow magazine, which named the pair one of their Next Big Thing artists of 2016, declared, “Dan + Shay are equipped to be superstars, possessing the unbeatable combination of musical talent, good looks and outgoing charm.”

Dan + Shay are currently on the road and will join Darius Rucker on his Good for a Good Time Tour this summer, kicking off on June 3 in Tampa, Florida.

Trisha Yearwood’s “Broken” Rises On Adult Contemporary Chart

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Trisha Yearwood performs "Broken" as part of FOX's The Passion. Photo: Ben Krebs

Trisha Yearwood performs “Broken” as part of FOX’s The Passion. Photo: Ben Krebs

Trisha Yearwood has earned her highest-ranking AC chart hit as “Broken” hits No. 20 on the Nielsen BDS-based Adult Contemporary rankings (dated April 30). After performing the song as part of FOX’s The Passion on March 20, Yearwood visited Live With Kelly & Michael on March 23 for another rendition of “Broken.”

Since then, fans have requested the song during Yearwood’s live shows as part of The Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood.

“I love to look out from the stage and see fans with their signs, requesting ‘Broken,'” said Yearwood. “It’s proof to me how powerful the song is. I felt it myself when I first heard the original version, sung by Lifehouse, and it’s confirmed each night on the road. I truly am blessed by ‘Broken.’”

Yearwood’s music garnered 19 Top 10 hits, including five No. 1 songs on Nielsen’s country songs rankings over the past 25 years.

Yearwood covered five songs on The Passion soundtrack from Rogers & Hammerstein (“You’ll Never Walk Alone” from the musical, Carousel), Jewel (“Hands”), Lifehouse (“Broken”), Jason Mraz (“I Won’t Give Up”) and Whitney Houston (“My Love Is Your Love”).

Weekly Register: The Lumineers, Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw Top Charts

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The Lumineers

The Lumineers

Nashville-based Dualtone Records has this week’s top overall albums chart release, as The Lumineers secures its first No. 1 album with its second project, Cleopatra (125k sold, 108K traditional album sales). The trio’s self-titled debut album released in 2012 and ascended to the No. 2 slot, selling 1.7 million, largely due to its hit single “Ho Hey.”

On the country albums rankings, Chris Stapleton again takes the top spot, with 39K sold, followed by Joey+Rory‘s Hymns, with 19K sold. Carrie Underwood‘s Storyteller takes the third slot, with 8.9K sold, followed by Thomas Rhett‘s Untangled at No. 4 with 6K and Sam Hunt‘s Montevallo at No. 5 with 5.9K.

This week’s top country debut album comes from Average Joe’s Charlie Farley. All I’ve Been Through debuts at No. 35 selling 1.1K. Merle Haggard takes five of the top six country catalog titles. 20 Greatest Hits tops that list, selling 5K.

Overall album sales YTD have decreased 16.9 percent, while overall digital album sales have decreased 23.9 percent. Country album sales are down 3.6 percent YTD, while country digital album sales are down 11.7 percent.

Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw‘s “Humble and Kind” leads this week’s country track sales, with 42K. Dierks Bentley‘s “Somewhere On A Beach” follows at No. 2, with 34K sold. Blake Shelton‘s “Came Here To Forget” lands at No. 3 with 28K, followed by American Idol winner Trent Harmon‘s debut single “Falling,” with 28K. Cole Swindell‘s “You Should Be Here” rounds out the top 5, with 28K.

Swindell also has the top country track debut, with “Flatliner,” featuring Dierks Bentley. The track debuts at No. 18 on the country tracks rankings (No. 61 overall), with 14K sold.

Overall tracks sales are down 25.2 percent YTD, while country track sales are down 19.4 percent.

Buddy Lee Attractions Taps PLA Media For PR Representation

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PLA Media, led by Pam Lewis, will handle public relations, social media, and marketing for Buddy Lee Attractions’ roster of artists. With a team of 18 agents and assistants, Buddy Lee Attractions has positioned itself as an agency that works to build and guide an artist beyond the touring arena.

Among the artists represented by Buddy Lee Attractions are Kree Harrison, Kristen Kelly, Sonia Leigh, Rhett Akins, Daphne Willis, Halfway To Hazard, Darryl Worley, Jason Michael Carroll, and more.

“For over 50 years, Buddy Lee Attractions has built a business on finding the highest quality talent in the industry,” says Lewis. “They believed in Garth Brooks before we signed with Capitol and it was at that moment that I truly understood their team’s vision—to find the best in the business and work diligently to develop that talent.”

“We’ve worked with Pam and her team on and off for the last 30 years and the one thing she continues to fiercely represent is the best in signed and unsigned artists,” says Buddy Lee Attractions CEO Donna Lee. “Her team thinks out of the box and really engages with their clients to define and market to the most responsive audiences.”

Little Big Town Surprised With Double-Platinum Plaque For “Girl Crush”

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Pictured (L-R): LBT’s Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook, RIAA EVP Public Policy & Industry Relations Michele Ballantyne, LBT’s Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip Sweet. Photo: Becky Fluke

Pictured (L-R): LBT’s Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook, RIAA EVP Public Policy & Industry Relations Michele Ballantyne, LBT’s Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip Sweet. Photo: Becky Fluke

Little Big Town received a surprise visit from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) prior to a performance at Baltimore’s Royal Farms Arena Friday night (April 8). Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet were presented with an RIAA double-platinum certification plaque celebrating their hit, “Girl Crush.”

“Girl Crush,” written by Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose, won two CMA Awards (Single of the Year and Song of the Year), was nominated for Grammy Song of the Year and earned the distinction of Grammy Best Country Song. The group also took home a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the record-breaking tune.

“Girl Crush,” the second single off Little Big Town’s gold-selling sixth studio album Pain Killer (Capitol Records Nashville), remained at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for 13 consecutive weeks, setting the longest run in the top spot for a group since 1959.

Weekly Register: Chris Stapleton Jumps To No. 2 On Overall Albums Chart

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Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Becky Fluke

After winning numerous honors during last week’s ACM Awards, Chris Stapleton lands at No. 2 on the overall albums rankings, with Traveller selling 73K/59K album only (a 149 percent increase).

The jump is enough to put him on the top of the country albums rankings this week as well, followed by Joey+Rory‘s Hymns That Are Important To Us (21K), Carrie Underwood‘s Storyteller (9.5K), Sam Hunt‘s Montevallo (7.7K), and Thomas Rhett‘s Untangled (7.3K).

Other performers and winners saw increases after the awards show as well, including Little Big Town (72 percent increase), Kelsea Ballerini (58 percent increase), and Eric Church (56 percent). Underwood and Rhett were also performers during the ACMs. Joey + Rory’s The Album Collection, a Walmart exclusive that comprises their first three album releases on Sugar Hill Records, debuts at No. 10 (4.1K) on the country albums chart.

Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard

The passing of country legend Merle Haggard last week spurred album sales. Haggard holds the top two spots on the country album catalog rankings, with 20 Greatest Hits selling 5.6K and 40 Greatest Hits selling 4.2K. A total of four Haggard albums make the top 10 in the country catalog rankings, with Essential Merle Haggard and 40 No. 1 Hits also making the Top 10.

Kanye West‘s Life of Pablo takes the top spot in the overall albums chart with 94K units (28K album only).

Overall album sales are down 17.1 percent, while overall digital album sales are down 24.1 percent. Country album sales are down 4.1 percent, while overall country digital album sales are down 11.9 percent.

Jason Aldean. Photo: Jim Wright

Jason Aldean. Photo: Jim Wright

Newly-crowned ACM Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean‘s latest track, “Lights Come On,” leads the country digital tracks rankings, debuting at No. 1 with 70K. Tim McGraw‘s “Humble and Kind” is at No. 2 with 64K, followed by Blake Shelton‘s “Came Here to Forget” (44K), Dierks Bentley‘s “Somewhere On A Beach” (40K), and Thomas Rhett‘s “Die A Happy Man” (40K).

Meanwhile, Haggard has eight songs on the country digital tracks chart this week.

The overall tracks rankings finds Lukas Graham‘s “7 Years” at the top spot, with 127K. The track has sold over 1 million RTD.

Overall tracks sales are down 25.1 percent YTD, while country tracks sales are down 19.6 percent YTD.

Information provided by Nielsen Soundscan.

Weekly Register: Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton Lead Country Charts

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Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton, who picked up even more trophies on Sunday night’s ACM Awards, moves back to the No. 1 spot on the country albums chart (and No. 8 overall) this week, as Traveller moves 24K. This make 1.1 million sold RTD for Traveller.

He’s followed by Joey+Rory‘s Hymns project, which sold 21K this week. Sam Hunt‘s Montevallo moved 6.6K this week, enough to put it third this week. Thomas Rhett‘s Tangled Up, which features the new ACM Single of the Year “Die A Happy Man,” moved 5.5K to move into the fourth spot this week, while Loretta Lynn‘s Full Circle is at No. 5, with 4.9K sold.

The top country debut is from Margo Price. Her Midwest Farmer’s Daughter debuts at No. 10, with 4K sold.

Zayn takes the top spot in the overall album rankings, with Mind of Mine selling 157K (112 album only). Album sales are down 16.6 percent overall YTD, while overall digital album sales are down 23.9 percent. Country album sales are down 4.3 percent, while country digital album sales down 13.9 percent.

Tim McGraw Humble and KindTim McGraw‘s “Humble and Kind” powers to the top of the country tracks chart (and No. 18 overall), with 38K. Kenny Chesney‘s “Noise” debuts at No.2 (No. 23 overall) with 33.4K, while Maren Morris‘ “My Church” lands at No. 3 with 32.9K sold. Brett Eldredge‘s “Drunk On Your Love” is at No. 4 with 32.7K. Blake Shelton‘s “Came Here To Forget” rounds out the Top 5 with 32.6K sold.

Overall digital track sales are down 25.2 percent from last year, while country digital track sales are down 21.3 percent.

On the overall digital track sales rankings, Lukas Graham’s “7 Years” returns to the No. 1 spot, with 155K sold. The top debut comes from Nick Jonas with “Close” landing at No. 12 with 55K sold.

Information provided by Nielsen Soundscan.