ASCAP’s charter members. Pictured (L-R): Gustave Kerker, Raymond Hubbell, Harry Tierney, Louis A. Hirsch, Rudolf Friml, Robert Hood Bowers, Silvio Hein, Alfred Baldwin Sloane and Irving Berlin.
“If music did not pay, it would be given up. Whether it pays or not, the purpose of employing it is profit and that is enough,” wrote
Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in a landmark Supreme Court decision in 1917. Holmes was referencing businesses where copyrighted musical compositions were heard, and whether or not it generated direct revenues. Holmes’ decision was a victory for songwriter
Victor Herbert, who sought protection for his musical works that were performed on a player-piano in a New York City restaurant. The decision also marked a victory for Herbert’s newly founded organization,
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), which was founded on this day (Feb. 13) in 1914.
ASCAP celebrates its centennial this week, commemorating 100 years of championing the rights of songwriters. Along with Herbert, the earliest members of ASCAP included several musical legends of the era:
Irving Berlin (“There’s No Business Like Show Business”),
James Weldon Johnson (“Life Ev’ry Voice and Sing”),
Jerome Kern (“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”), and
John Philip Sousa (“The Stars and Stripes Forever”). Publisher
George Maxwell served as ASCAP’s first president.
Paul Williams, Chairman and President of ASCAP
Since its origination, ASCAP has been owned and operated by songwriters and publishers. Decades later, musicians of different career stages, from independent artists to established songwriters such as
Shane McAnally, Josh Kear, Ben Glover and
Hillary Lindsey, to household names such as
Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Michael W. Smith and are able to be compensated fairly for their compositions. “ASCAP’s 100th birthday provides us with an exciting opportunity to celebrate our future as much as our history,” says ASCAP President and Chairman
Paul Williams, who recently earned a Grammy for his songwriting and vocal work on Daft Punk’s
Random Access Memories. “It gives us a chance to honor and thank our members for creating music that touches the world, while emphasizing ASCAP’s ongoing and important role in helping to shape a musical landscape where everyone wins—music creators, businesses and everyone who loves music.”
To celebrate, ASCAP created the
ASCAP.com/100 website, which chronicles the organization’s legacy of supporting songwriters from its beginnings in 1914 through today. Additionally, the song “More Than The Stars” celebrates ASCAP’s centennial with artists including
Charles Kelley and
Dave Haywood from Lady Antebellum,
Ne-Yo and
Bill Withers.
The PRO is still fighting to protect the rights of its songwriters in various musical genres. Some songwriters, such as ASCAP member Brett James, are aiding in the battle. James, known for penning hit songs including “Jesus, Take The Wheel” for Carrie Underwood and Chris Young’s “The Man I Want to Be,” gave a deposition during the Pandora trial last month. “They are spending a lot of their own money trying to make sure our rights are protected going forward. When you hear that ASCAP is standing up to Pandora in court, that means that ASCAP is putting their money where their mouth is, because trials are not cheap. Not all PROs do that and that’s something that I’m very proud ASCAP is taking a stand on. I’ve been with ASCAP on the Hill in Washington D.C., where we talk to senators and congress people to educate them on issues facing songwriters. I feel like now as we reached our 100-year anniversary, copyright as a whole is being attacked more than any other time in history. I think ASCAP’s role in defending our rights to copyright and intellectual property is huge.”
Pictured (L-R): Michael Martin, LeAnn Phelan, George Strait, Paul Williams, John Titta
“Advocacy is one of the greatest benefits to being an ASCAP member because there is always a team of people working on behalf of the songwriter to make sure they get fair payment,” says
LeAnn Phelan, who co-leads ASCAP Nashville’s creative team with
Michael Martin. “Our biggest challenge is the way that we are governed in that fight. We have some outdated rules and regulations that we have to adhere to and they need to be revised. The last revision was before the iPod and streaming services even popped into our universe. Another challenge is making sure that the companies that are using music value it. I’m hopeful that there will be a lot of changes that will benefit songwriters in the near future. Getting as much money as possible back into the hands of songwriters and publishers is the main focus of what we do.”
Brett James
In addition to advocacy, ASCAP offers an array of professional development opportunities to songwriters. ASCAP’s Nashville office hosts ongoing workshops that focus on Country, film/TV, Christian and pop music. The DIY U program brings in companies to educate independent songwriters and artists on how to efficiently conduct business. The regional office also reaches out to students and emerging songwriters at universities including Belmont, Middle Tennessee State University, and Baylor.
Meanwhile, ASCAP’s Guidance From Publishers For Songwriters (GPS) project, which was created by Phelan and ASCAP Creative Manager
Ryan Beuschel, lets publishers get to know prospective unsigned songwriters. “We saw a need in the community to keep our fellow publishers involved in developing writers,” says Phelan. “My thought is that the need arose after publishing companies merged, and when that happens, creative people get let go and the creative people in this town are amazing. Many companies have too much on their plates working with their current roster of writers.” Each month, the GPS system pairs 12 writers with 12 publishers via one-on-one meetings. “We’ve had a 30 percent finding rate out of that program; 30 percent of songwriters have gotten publishing deals from this,” says Phelan.
ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan
Other programs include monthly shows at Nashville’s Bluebird Café, recent performances at the 30A Songwriters Festival and at the Sundance Music Café, and the ASCAP songwriter’s show on WSM 650 AM, hosted by Beuschel. “It fits into the philosophy of the show,” says Phelan. “It’s educational to our listeners to hear about ASCAP and to hear the stories behind some of their favorite songs.” Another program, the Music City Trifecta, brings together writers from the Country, Christian and pop genres.
For established songwriters, ASCAP reps might aid in several ways, depending on what a writer might need, from introducing a writer to an artist or label representative, helping a writer develop a team, or aiding in the transition from one publishing deal to another.
“ASCAP did a good job of taking care of me early on in my songwriting career, and they have carried me all the way through,” James sums. “I’ve always had an open door, open phone call. They’ve always taken care of whatever I needed. I’m a proud ASCAP member.”
Guitarist Leon Rhodes To Be Honored As 'Nashville Cat' by CMHoF
/by Jessica NicholsonLeon Rhodes
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s quarterly program series Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Musicians returns on Saturday, March 8, with a salute to guitarist Leon Rhodes. The 1:30 p.m. interview, held in the museum’s Ford Theater, is included with museum admission and free to museum members. The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/
Hosted by Bill Lloyd, the program will include a brief performance and an in-depth, one-on-one interview illustrated with vintage recordings, photos and film clips from the museum’s Frist Library and Archive and Rhodes’ private collection. Seating for the program is limited, and program passes are required for admittance. Immediately following, Rhodes will sign limited edition, commemorative Hatch Show Print posters in the Museum Store. (Visit the museum’s website for complete admission and signing details.)
Though a multi-instrumentalist, Rhodes is best known for his lead guitar work. He was a member of the classic 1960s lineup of Ernest Tubb’s Texas Troubadours and served long tenures as a staff musician for the Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw. He is also featured on recordings by Julie Andrews, Roy Clark, John Denver, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison and Dottie West, among others.
Rhodes was born March 10, 1932, and raised in Dallas, Texas. He grew up in a musical family, with his mother playing piano and his dad and brother playing guitar. Rhodes got his own guitar as a teenager and, at 16, landed his first professional gig at the Big D Jamboree.
Over the next several years, Rhodes began playing recording sessions—including some of Lefty Frizzell’s earliest sessions. He also got a job in the house band at a night club owned by the infamous Jack Ruby.
In 1960, while playing at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, Rhodes unwittingly auditioned for a spot in Ernest Tubb’s band when band members Buddy Emmons and Jack Drake asked him to play one of the singer’s songs. Rhodes made a good impression and earned an invitation to join the Texas Troubadours. It took some convincing, but he eventually moved to Nashville.
The early 1960s Troubadours lineup, which included Buddy Charleton on steel guitar, Drake on bass, Jack Greene on drums, Rhodes on guitar and Cal Smith on rhythm guitar, became one of the best backing groups in country music. The band developed their own following, performing their own sets and releasing their own recordings with Decca in the mid-1960s. The group’s recordings include “Honey Fingers,” “Texas Troubadour Stomp” and jazz standards such as “C Jam Blues” and “Red Top.”
Tubb and the Texas Troubadours played well over 200 shows a year. After nearly seven years, Rhodes decided to take a break from the road and devote his time to session work in Nashville. The week after he left the band, he was hired as a member of the staff band at the Grand Ole Opry, where he remained for more than three decades. In 1971, he began his 20 year run on Hee Haw. After his Opry tenure, Rhodes toured and performed with various country artists including Porter Wagoner and the Whites.
Today, Rhodes still lives in Nashville and continues to perform and record.
Taylor Swift To Bring 'The Red Tour' To Asia
/by Jessica NicholsonTaylor Swift in concert during The Red Tour
Taylor Swift brought her electrifying The Red Tour to North America, Australia and New Zealand in 2013; so far in 2014, she’s added sold-out shows in London and Berlin to her list of international travels. Swift will soon bring her concert tour to Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
The tour features two stages, elaborate costumes and multiple changing sets. The Asian dates of The Red Tour Presented by Cornetto include:
June 4 Jakarta, Indonesia-MEIS (Mata Elang International Stadium)
June 6 Manila, Philippines-Mall of Asia Arena
June 9 Bangkok, Thailand-Impact Arena
June 11 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil
June 12 Singapore-Singapore Indoor Stadium
Ticket on-sale dates will vary by market.
ASCAP Celebrates 100 Years of Championing Songwriters
/by Jessica NicholsonASCAP’s charter members. Pictured (L-R): Gustave Kerker, Raymond Hubbell, Harry Tierney, Louis A. Hirsch, Rudolf Friml, Robert Hood Bowers, Silvio Hein, Alfred Baldwin Sloane and Irving Berlin.
“If music did not pay, it would be given up. Whether it pays or not, the purpose of employing it is profit and that is enough,” wrote Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in a landmark Supreme Court decision in 1917. Holmes was referencing businesses where copyrighted musical compositions were heard, and whether or not it generated direct revenues. Holmes’ decision was a victory for songwriter Victor Herbert, who sought protection for his musical works that were performed on a player-piano in a New York City restaurant. The decision also marked a victory for Herbert’s newly founded organization, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), which was founded on this day (Feb. 13) in 1914.
ASCAP celebrates its centennial this week, commemorating 100 years of championing the rights of songwriters. Along with Herbert, the earliest members of ASCAP included several musical legends of the era: Irving Berlin (“There’s No Business Like Show Business”), James Weldon Johnson (“Life Ev’ry Voice and Sing”), Jerome Kern (“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”), and John Philip Sousa (“The Stars and Stripes Forever”). Publisher George Maxwell served as ASCAP’s first president.
Paul Williams, Chairman and President of ASCAP
Since its origination, ASCAP has been owned and operated by songwriters and publishers. Decades later, musicians of different career stages, from independent artists to established songwriters such as Shane McAnally, Josh Kear, Ben Glover and Hillary Lindsey, to household names such as Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Michael W. Smith and are able to be compensated fairly for their compositions. “ASCAP’s 100th birthday provides us with an exciting opportunity to celebrate our future as much as our history,” says ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, who recently earned a Grammy for his songwriting and vocal work on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories. “It gives us a chance to honor and thank our members for creating music that touches the world, while emphasizing ASCAP’s ongoing and important role in helping to shape a musical landscape where everyone wins—music creators, businesses and everyone who loves music.”
To celebrate, ASCAP created the ASCAP.com/100 website, which chronicles the organization’s legacy of supporting songwriters from its beginnings in 1914 through today. Additionally, the song “More Than The Stars” celebrates ASCAP’s centennial with artists including Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood from Lady Antebellum, Ne-Yo and Bill Withers.
The PRO is still fighting to protect the rights of its songwriters in various musical genres. Some songwriters, such as ASCAP member Brett James, are aiding in the battle. James, known for penning hit songs including “Jesus, Take The Wheel” for Carrie Underwood and Chris Young’s “The Man I Want to Be,” gave a deposition during the Pandora trial last month. “They are spending a lot of their own money trying to make sure our rights are protected going forward. When you hear that ASCAP is standing up to Pandora in court, that means that ASCAP is putting their money where their mouth is, because trials are not cheap. Not all PROs do that and that’s something that I’m very proud ASCAP is taking a stand on. I’ve been with ASCAP on the Hill in Washington D.C., where we talk to senators and congress people to educate them on issues facing songwriters. I feel like now as we reached our 100-year anniversary, copyright as a whole is being attacked more than any other time in history. I think ASCAP’s role in defending our rights to copyright and intellectual property is huge.”
Pictured (L-R): Michael Martin, LeAnn Phelan, George Strait, Paul Williams, John Titta
“Advocacy is one of the greatest benefits to being an ASCAP member because there is always a team of people working on behalf of the songwriter to make sure they get fair payment,” says LeAnn Phelan, who co-leads ASCAP Nashville’s creative team with Michael Martin. “Our biggest challenge is the way that we are governed in that fight. We have some outdated rules and regulations that we have to adhere to and they need to be revised. The last revision was before the iPod and streaming services even popped into our universe. Another challenge is making sure that the companies that are using music value it. I’m hopeful that there will be a lot of changes that will benefit songwriters in the near future. Getting as much money as possible back into the hands of songwriters and publishers is the main focus of what we do.”
Brett James
In addition to advocacy, ASCAP offers an array of professional development opportunities to songwriters. ASCAP’s Nashville office hosts ongoing workshops that focus on Country, film/TV, Christian and pop music. The DIY U program brings in companies to educate independent songwriters and artists on how to efficiently conduct business. The regional office also reaches out to students and emerging songwriters at universities including Belmont, Middle Tennessee State University, and Baylor.
Meanwhile, ASCAP’s Guidance From Publishers For Songwriters (GPS) project, which was created by Phelan and ASCAP Creative Manager Ryan Beuschel, lets publishers get to know prospective unsigned songwriters. “We saw a need in the community to keep our fellow publishers involved in developing writers,” says Phelan. “My thought is that the need arose after publishing companies merged, and when that happens, creative people get let go and the creative people in this town are amazing. Many companies have too much on their plates working with their current roster of writers.” Each month, the GPS system pairs 12 writers with 12 publishers via one-on-one meetings. “We’ve had a 30 percent finding rate out of that program; 30 percent of songwriters have gotten publishing deals from this,” says Phelan.
ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan
Other programs include monthly shows at Nashville’s Bluebird Café, recent performances at the 30A Songwriters Festival and at the Sundance Music Café, and the ASCAP songwriter’s show on WSM 650 AM, hosted by Beuschel. “It fits into the philosophy of the show,” says Phelan. “It’s educational to our listeners to hear about ASCAP and to hear the stories behind some of their favorite songs.” Another program, the Music City Trifecta, brings together writers from the Country, Christian and pop genres.
For established songwriters, ASCAP reps might aid in several ways, depending on what a writer might need, from introducing a writer to an artist or label representative, helping a writer develop a team, or aiding in the transition from one publishing deal to another.
“ASCAP did a good job of taking care of me early on in my songwriting career, and they have carried me all the way through,” James sums. “I’ve always had an open door, open phone call. They’ve always taken care of whatever I needed. I’m a proud ASCAP member.”
Steven Dale Jones Re-signs With Word Publishing
/by Sarah SkatesSteven Dale Jones
Grammy nominated and Dove Award winning songwriter Steven Dale Jones has re-signed with Word Music Publishing. He is best known for writing or co-writing hits “One More Day” recorded by Diamond Rio, “He Gets That From Me” recorded by Reba McEntire, “10,000 Angels” recorded by Mindy McCready, “Little Things” recorded by Tanya Tucker, “She Wants To Be Wanted” recorded by Ty Herndon, “That’s A Man” recorded by Jack Ingram, and “I Know How The River Feels” recorded by Diamond Rio.
Jones is the recipient of eight ASCAP awards, including a pop award for the crossover hit “One More Day.”
Jones has had over 150 songs recorded on albums selling over 20 million units, including cuts by Alabama, John Legend, George Strait, John Waite, Love And Theft, Josh Turner, Trace Adkins, Moe., Randy Travis, Point Of Grace, Lee Greenwood, Dobie Gray, Jo Dee Messina, Darryl Worley, Sammy Kershaw, Steve Holy, Shenandoah, Kenny Rogers, Chely Wright, Linda Davis, John Michael Montgomery and Englebert Humperdink.
Parmalee's "Carolina" Triumphs After Long Journey To Top of Charts
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (back L-R): Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Tom Luteran, Broken Bow/Stoney Creek Records’ Carson James, producer Kurt Allison, Broken Bow/Stoney Creek Records’ Jon Loba and Benny Brown, producer Tully Kennedy, Gallo & Landers Music’s Jim Landers, producer David Fanning, BMI’s Bradley Collins, Buddy Lee Attractions’ Kevin Neal, Revelry Music Group’s AJ Burton, Gallo & Landers Music’s Greg Gallo; (front l-r) co-writer Richard Beato and Parmalee’s Scott Thomas, Matt Thomas, Josh McSwain and Barry Knox. Photo credit: Steve Lowry
BMI celebrated the team behind North Carolina band Parmalee’s two-week No. 1 hit “Carolina” Tuesday (Feb. 11) at the company’s offices in Nashville. Written by Richard Beato and Parmalee’s Scott Thomas, Matt Thomas, Josh McSwain and Barry Knox, the song earned all five writers their first No. 1 song. It has been a long journey for the band, but a fulfilling one. In February 2011, the band performed a final showcase for Stoney Creek Records, after enduring a near-fatal robbery attempt that severely injured Scott Thomas. “The label waited for Scott to heal, and we came down to do another full showcase [before signing Parmalee to a deal]. We are definitely a family band, and so we found the perfect family for us,” said his brother and bandmate Matt.
Among those celebrating were BMI’s Jody Williams, Bradley Collins, Sony-ATV’s Tom Luteran, BBR Music Group/Stoney Creek Records’ Benny Brown, Jon Loba, Chris Loss and Carson James and the entire promotions staff. “All No. 1 records are fights,” said Loba. “This one had a long journey, but represents how much this team cared about the artist and the song.” The song spent 44 weeks on its slow journey to the top of the charts, including several weeks at No. 40. “I don’t think anyone has seen a song chart quite like this,” said James. “We bought real estate at the No. 40 spot. The song fell off the chart twice and had to be put back on, but our staff was tenacious, and it paid off.”
The song marked the third No. 1 tune for production company New Voice Entertainment’s Rich Redmond, Kurt Allison, David Fanning, and Tully Kennedy. Publishers on the songs include Lonely Runer Music, B Knox Music, Slip Joint Music, Pooskie Music, Boogall Music and Revelry Music.
Avenue Bank’s Ron Cox announced that Avenue Bank would be making a donation to North Carolina Children’s Hospital.
Sidewalk Records' Dylan Scott Releases Self-Titled EP
/by Jessica NicholsonDylan Scott
Sidewalk Records recording artist Dylan Scott released his five-song EP Tuesday (Feb. 11) on iTunes.
Scott’s current single “Makin’ This Boy Go Crazy” has garnered nearly 50,000 downloads to date, and is getting consistent airplay on SiriusXM The Highway.
Tracks on the EP include:
1. Makin’ This Boy Go Crazy
2. Catch Me If You Can
3. Hurtin’ In The Morning
4. Mmm, Mmm, Mmm
5. Twanging On My Heartstrings
For more information, visit dylanscottmusic.com.
Snapshots (2/12/14)
/by Sarah SkatesNatalie Stovall and the Drive In New Orleans
WNOE welcomed HitShop’s Natalie Stovall and the Drive to the Big Easy where they performed at The Howlin’ Wolf. The band has been motoring in high gear after getting 42 first week radio adds. HitShop President Skip Bishop insisted that showcasing the band live would pave the group’s highway to success, and it appears the strategy is working.
(L-R): WNOE’s Don Gosselin and Mary Steele; the band’s Joel Dormer; WNOE’s Nina Hazard; the band’s James Bavendam; WNOE’s Jeanne LaCombe; the band’s Zach Morse, Natalie Stovall and Miguel Cancino; WNOE’s Brad Howell and Lindsey Luquette; HitShop President Skip Bishop; WNOE’s Megan Parenti; and HitShop’s Kim Stephens.
Suzy Bogguss Debuts Music
Members of the press and Music Row came together to hear new music from country artist Suzy Bogguss this week at BMI’s Nashville office. Bogguss played an intimate set of tunes from her new album, Lucky, a collection of reinterpreted Merle Haggard songs.
(L-R): Joy Emery, legendary country disc jockey Ralph Emery, Bogguss, and BMI’s Jody Williams. Photo: Steve Lowry
Irene Kelley Offers Bluegrass Collection
Established singer-songwriter Irene Kelley celebrated the Feb. 11 release of her new collection, Pennsylvania Coal, with a show at The Bluebird Cafe. Joining her were special guests on the project Jerry Salley, Claire Lynch, and Carl Jackson. The bluegrass album on Patio Records is a tribute to her coal-mining grandfather. It was produced by Grammy Award-winner Mark Fain, and also features Rhonda Vincent, Dale Ann Bradley, Darren Vincent, Stuart Duncan, Bryan Sutton and Trisha Yearwood.
(L-R): Irene Kelley with Jerry Salley, Claire Lynch, and Carl Jackson
Mason Named GM Of Edgehill Music Nashville
/by Jessica NicholsonKevin Mason
Larry Pareigis, President, Nine North/Turnpike Music has promoted Kevin Mason to the role of General Manager for Edgehill Music Nashville.” Edgehill Music Nashville, as the newest member of the Nine North/Turnpike Music family, will fill the need for an entry level company for independent Country artists desiring to pursue MusicRow radio and other secondary radio outlets,” says Mason.
The new company will offer radio promotion, social media, publicity, marketing, management, web design, consulting and other services on an a la carte basis, much like its related divisions, Nine North and Turnpike Music.
Mason can be reached at kevin@edgehillmusic.com.
The company’s initial artist signings are Knoxville-based entertainer Homer Hart, Chicago-native singer/songwriter Elisa Grace and former EMI artist Dana McVicker.
SESAC Promotes Pitt-Sholar To Sr. Director of Operations, Business Affairs
/by Jessica NicholsonTeresa Pitt-Sholar
SESAC has promoted Teresa Pitt-Sholar to Senior Director of Operations, Business Affairs. In the new position, Pitt-Sholar will oversee the domestic and international management of affiliate content for SESAC writers and publishers. Additionally, she will serve as business operations liaison to the systems development team and will work closely with other SESAC departments in the processing and execution of affiliate agreements and other legal documents.
“During her tenure at SESAC, Teresa has proven herself to be a leader and an invaluable member of our SESAC team,” said Dennis Lord, SESAC’s Executive Vice President. “As Senior Director of Operations for Business Affairs, I know Teresa will continue the tradition of excellence we maintain in that department and throughout all of SESAC. I expect continued accomplishments and growth under her leadership.”
Pitt-Sholar joined SESAC in 2002, after working in the Accounting department at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and after working as an independent tour manager for several artists. Before transferring to the Business Affairs department in 2007, Pitt-Sholar worked in SESAC’s Accounting department. In April 2010, she was promoted to Director of Business Affairs.
Established in 1930, SESAC is a service organization created to serve both the creators of music and music users through music licensing and timely, efficient royalty collection and distribution. Headquartered in Nashville, the company also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami and London.
Weekly Register: Eric Paslay's Noteworthy Debut
/by Michael_SmithAlbums
Two albums are enjoying a noteworthy surge in sales this week. Sales for Vince Gill and Paul Franklin’s Bakersfield soared 88 percent this week (3.2k last week, 6.1k this week), jumping to No. 7 on the chart (No. 47 overall) with 56k units sold RTD. Additionally, sales for Bruno Mars’ Unorthodox Jukebox continue to rise following the singer’s Super Bowl XLVII halftime performance, increasing 92 percent this week (42k last week, 81k this week), moving to No. 3 with more than 2 million units sold RTD.
Florida Georgia Line’s Here’s To The Good Times is the top Country album (No. 19 overall), selling 14k units this week and 1.6 million RTD. Now 49 by Various Artists is the top overall album, debuting with 98k units sold. In comparison, Now 48 sold 114k units when it debuted in November 2013. YTD, overall album sales are down 14.8 percent, while Country album sales are down 20 percent. Around the same time last year, Josh Groban’s All That Echoes debuted, selling 145k units, while Tim McGraw’s Two Lanes of Freedom debuted, selling 107k units.
Tracks
Katy Perry and Juicy’s “Dark Horse” reigns over the competition, remaining at No. 1 with another 291k units sold this week (2.9 million RTD). YTD, overall track sales are down 11.4 percent, while Country track sales are down 17.1 percent. Around the same time last year, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop” sold 300k units (2.6 million RTD), while McGraw and Taylor Swift’s “Highway Don’t Care” debuted with 86k units sold.
Next week’s numbers will include Eric Church’s The Outsiders, Frankie Ballard’s Sunshine & Whiskey and The Civil Wars’ Between the Bars.