The competition is at a really high level this week. I can’t remember when there were so many really fine songs going head to head during one listening session. “I Make a Difference,” “Bad Angel,” “Raymond” and “Who Are You When I’m Not Around” all tugged at my emotions in different ways. It’s also a really good sign when there are so many worthy newcomers making noise.
The Lost Boys Foundation of Nashville is hosting the first-ever Music Row Walkathon, “Journey of Hope,” set to begin on Saturday, September 18, in Owen Bradley Park on the south side of Music Circle, with participants walking the length of Music Row West and then down Music Row East back to the park. It’s an […]
SPIN ZONE The CountryBreakout Chart’s Top 4 songs aren’t budging, at least not this week. Lady Antebellum’s “Our Kind Of Love” has the advantage of a comfortable lead in spins and holds the No. 1 spot for a third consecutive week. Closing the gap behind the Capitol trio is Billy Currington’s “Pretty Good At Drinkin’ […]
The stars are blindingly bright this week. Here for your listening enjoyment are top-tier new sounds from Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland and Jamey Johnson. That’s what I call an embarrassment of riches. Up-and-comers like Jaron & The Long Road to Love and Crossin’ Dixon have fresh offerings, too.
SPIN ZONE Congratulations to Capitol Records and its promoters on earning a second consecutive week as the CountryBreakout Chart’s No. 1 song with Lady Antebellum’s “Our Kind Of Love.” Lady A currently has a comfortable margin of victory, but Billy Currington’s “Pretty Good At Drinkin’ Beer,” Kenny Chesney’s “The Boys Of Fall,” and Darius Rucker’s […]
These may be the Dog Days of summer, but some of the puppies in this stack of new tunes are as cute as the dickens. Ashley Gearing, Taylor Swift, The Roys and Amber Hayes are all bopping brightly. Joey + Rory have teamed with The Zac Brown Band to record an excellent ode to country’s core fans. Jesse Lee wins the DisCovery Award. She not only has a richly evocative country vocal style, but also the listening session’s best written song.
SPIN ZONE And the hits keep on coming. Capitol Nashville locks the CountryBreakout Chart’s top spot as Lady Antebellum’s “Our Kind Of Love” ascends, following a multi-week stay at No. 1 by Keith Urban’s “I’m In.” Urban slips to No. 2, followed by another recent No. 1, Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight.” Yet another previous […]
It’s Independents’ Day. As regular readers know, I occasionally like to stray off the major-label path and devote a column entirely to indies. Just to survey the scene and see what’s going on.
SPIN ZONE Keith Urban’s “I’m In” and Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight” are still battling it out for the No. 1 spot, and again it’s Urban who emerges victorious by 17 spins. Not far behind is Lady Antebellum’s “Our Kind Of Love” at No. 3, which picks up 125 spins for a total of 3390. […]
Can I get a witness for Lloyd Maines? The steel-guitar wonder is behind two of the finest country performances in this stack of platters. And in the case of James Hand, I mean Country with a capital “C.”