Country Update

Transcription

Country Update
Country Update
BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS
INSIDE
Cole Swindell
Doubles Up On Charts
>page 4
Chris Stapleton
Already A Winner
At ACMs
>page 8
Classic Country News:
Hank, Haggard, Cash
>page 9
Makin’ Tracks:
Granger Smith’s
‘If The Boot Fits’
>page 13
Stark Report:
‘Walking Jukebox’
Terri Clark Goes Gold
>page 14
Country Coda:
Little Texas’
‘My Love’
>page 19
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 1 OF 19
Tom.Roland@billboard.com
Death & Ballads: What Makes An Ideal
ACM Song Of The Year Nominee?
When the Academy of Country Music hands out its song of
the year award on April 3, it probably won’t seem a whole lot
­d ifferent to the average CBS viewer than it has the previous
45 times the ACM presented the trophy. Fans will recognize
the artist — or artists — who trot up to the podium but won’t be
able to identify the other winners.
Music executives, of course, recognize those faceless people
as songwriters, the sensitive folks who hole up regularly in a
small room and bang out
a few words and chords,
hoping to find a kernel of
truth that resonates with
millions of listeners. The
ACM changed the way it
determines the finalists
this year, allowing the
academy’s songwriter
members to pick the final
PASLAY
CAM
five after several rounds
of backroom deliberations had cut the initial field of 197 ­eligible
titles down to about 20.
But as invested as the songwriting community got in the
process, the finalists probably won’t seem all that different to
either the public or the industry. The nominees are the kinds
of titles that seem to get recognized every year.
The list starts off with a couple of artful pieces: Cam’s
“Burning House” (written by Cam, Tyler Johnson and Jeff
Bhasker) and Keith Urban and Eric Church’s “Raise ’Em Up”
(Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston and Jeffrey Steele). Little
Big Town’s “Girl Crush” (Hillary Lindsey, Lori ­McKenna and
Liz Rose) was widely considered to be controversial, Chris
­Stapleton’s “Nobody to Blame” (Stapleton, Barry Bales and
Ronnie Bowman) bristles with classic country sound and
­imagery, and Eric Paslay’s “She Don’t Love You” (Paslay and
Jennifer Wayne) is a spare, revealing ballad.
“You have some songs that ref lect changing culture,”
says Sony/AT V Music
­P u b l i s h i n g N a s h v i l le p r e s ide nt Tr o y
­T o m l i n s o n , w h o s e
compa ny has a sta ke
i n “B u r n i n g Ho u s e”
a nd “R a ise ’Em Up.”
“The writers are either
­looking ahead at where
the culture is headed, or
STAPLETON
in other cases, you have
long-held, basic ideas that are timeless.”
The ACM notably changed its voting procedures in the
­entertainer and new-artist categories this year, rescinding the
fan balloting it had used for the previous eight years. But while
the academy widened its voting net in those fields d
­ uring that
period, it pulled inward for song of the year, in part because the
songwriting process itself is such a mystery to people who don’t
pursue it. Many members of the public, for example, might not
be able to differentiate between the song — which consists of
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
the words, melody and chords — and the single that gets made from it. (The
ACM’s 1995 song of the year, “I Swear,” is the same song no matter who
­performs it, but All-4-One and John Michael Montgomery delivered very
different versions of it.)
Even inside the industry, large swaths of voters don’t always recognize the
subtle differences that make some songs stand out — the alternating time
signatures in “Burning House,” for example, or the fact that the chorus to
“Raise ’Em Up” changes lyrics every time it’s sung — and that’s a big reason
the voting procedure changed.
“We felt like this is really the songwriters’ category, and we wanted
more input and feedback from the
songwriters themselves,” says ACM
executive vp/managing director Tiffany Moon, who oversaw the song
of the year committee.
For the previous three years,
an elite panel that included both
­s ongwriters and publishers did all
the work, whittling the contenders
through four or five rounds to create
the final five. This year, the duty fell
MOON
exclusively to s­ ongwriters, but the
committee’s work ended one round
earlier. Once it had established the top 10 percent of the eligible songs, those
20 were then voted on by the ACM’s songwriter members, who thus determined the final five.
The panel discussed all kinds of factors — subject matter, key signatures,
tempos, commercial success — but, according to Moon, the biggest factor was
a predictable one: storytelling.
“In country music,” she says, “the song is all about the lyric. It starts there.”
Song of the year nominees, however, don’t necessarily ref lect the tone
of country radio, which provides the genre’s biggest source of exposure.
The m
­ edium leans toward mid- and uptempo songs, and programmers are
­extremely cautious with ballads or with songs about such weighty subjects as
death or unemployment. By contrast, it’s been 39 years since the ACM song
of the year was awarded to an uptempo title: Mickey Gilley’s “Don’t the Girls
All Get Prettier at Closing Time” (Baker
Knight). And the academy rewards a
disproportionate number of songs about
death. Twelve of the 45 previous w
­ inners
(27 percent) have incorporated mortality
in some way, from the death of a dog in
“The House That Built Me” to mass killings in “Where Were You (When the World
Stopped Turning).” Two of the last three
song of the year ­w inners, “I Drive Your
Truck” and “Over You,” were explicitly
songs of mourning.
“Writers will tell you they write a ballad
most of the time when they’re inspired,”
STEELE
says Spirit Music Nashville president Daniel Hill, whose company owns shares of
“She Don’t Love You” and “Nobody to Blame.” “But you can’t get ballads cut
as often as you can uptempos, so when a ballad does get cut, it’s usually a really great song.”
The songs that make the biggest difference are invariably the ones that
make an emotional connection, whether that’s anger, joy, love or fear. The
ones that “transcend typical commercial appeal,” according to Hill, are the
ones the ACM hopes to honor as song of the year finalists. They’re the kinds
of songs that — like all five of this year’s nominees — don’t require a whole lot
of embellishment to leave an impression.
“The song is everything,” says “Burning House” co-writer/co-producer
Bhasker. “If a song can have really interesting devices going on, then we don’t
need the hippest drum sound, we don’t need the most slammin’ guitar player.
To me, that is really the holy grail of popular music.”
Whatever faceless men or women walk to the podium at the ACMs, they’ll
represent a body of other faceless men and women who weigh tempos and the
meatiness of subject matter almost daily. The process of picking the winner
is a little bit different, but their pursuit remains the same.
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 2 OF 19
Dot recording artist Drake White made a March 18 visit to Cumulus’
Nash campus to appear on its syndicated America’s Morning Show.
From left: AMS co-hosts Chuck Wicks and Kelly Ford, White and AMS
co-host Blair Garner.
Warner Music Nashville duo High Valley visited KDRK Spokane,
Wash., in the midst of a massive radio promotion tour. From left: High
Valley’s Curtis Rempel, KDRK assistant PD/music director Jamie
Patrick, High Valley’s Brad Rempel and WMN Team WEA West Coast
regional Pat Surnegie.
Big Loud Shirt recording artist Chris Lane played a KASE Austin
­showcase on March 19 at Rebel’s Saloon. From left: iHeartMedia/
Austin-San Antonio director of country operations Travis Moon, Lane
and KASE music director Bob Pickett.
Chris Janson met up with WGGY Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pa., staff
when he opened for Blake Shelton at the Mohegan Sun Arena on
March 18. From left: Warner Music Nashville team W.A.R. Northeast/
Midwest regional promotion manager Anna Cage, Janson, WGGY
assistant PD/music director Tanya Burko and WMN president/CEO
John Esposito.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 4 OF 19
ON THE CHARTS JIM ASKER jim.asker@billboard.com
‘Here’ & There: Cole Swindell
Tops Two Tallies
Cole Swindell’s “You Should Be Here” (Warner Bros./Warner Music ­Nashville)
rules two of Billboard’s country songs charts (dated April 9). It rises 2-1 on
­Country Airplay, increasing by 5 percent to 43.8 million audience impressions,
according to Nielsen Music, and leads Hot Country Songs for a third week.
“Here” is Swindell’s third Country Airplay leader, following “Hope You Get
Lonely Tonight” (2014) and “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey” (2015), both from his
self-titled debut album. Penned by the artist with Ashley Gorley as a tribute to
Swindell’s late father, William, “Here” is the launch single from his u
­ pcoming
sophomore album of the same name, due May 6.
“Finding out that you have the No. 1 song in the country while backstage at
the Grand Ole Opry is the coolest feeling in the world,” Swindell
tells Billboard of his reaction (and esteemed location when he
heard the news). “This song is so special to me, and hearing fans’
stories and the way country radio has embraced it is amazing.
I’m a lucky guy, and I know my dad is smiling down right now.”
“The brilliant part about this song is it speaks to so many
­different people,” says WBWL Boston PD Lance Houston. “Cole
wrote it about a specific [person], but listeners relate it to their
own ­circumstances. Plus, he wrote it in the parking lot at Gillette
SWINDELL
­Stadium, just outside of Boston, so that made it significant here.”
Warner Music Nashville vp promotion Kristen Williams
­believed the song was a hit after one listen. “I actually heard it as a demo on
Cole’s phone,” she says. “I could tell immediately we had something, which was
validated when we played it for programmers at the Country Radio S
­ eminar
and there were tears in the room.”
TOP 10 SOUNDS “I Like the Sound of That” (Big Machine) becomes Rascal Flatts’ 30th Hot Country Songs top 10, jumping 12-8 on the survey (which measures airplay, sales and streaming). On Country Airplay,
it pushes 4-3 (39.7 million, up 7 percent). Pop singer-songwriter Meghan
Trainor co-wrote the song with Jesse Frasure and Shay Mooney. (Having the band record it was Trainor’s “biggest dream come true,” she told
Billboard in 2014.) ... Additionally on Hot Country Songs, Chris Young and
Cassadee Pope’s “Think of You” (RCA ­Nashville/Republic Nashville) lifts
12-9, fueled in part by its 9-8 lift on Country Airplay (29.4 million, up 19 percent). The love song is Young’s 10th Hot Country Songs top 10 and Pope’s
fourth ... Old Dominion’s “Snapback” (RCA Nashville), its sophomore
­single, becomes its second Hot Country Songs top 10 (11-10), ­following its
No. 3 hit “Break Up with Him.” “Snapback” advances 8-7 on Country Airplay
(30. 1 million, up 3 percent).
MAKING WAVES Dierks Bentley scores his milestone 20th Country Airplay
top 10, as “Somewhere on a Beach” (Capitol Nashville) swells 13-10 (25.7
million, up 10 percent). The song previews his LP Black. Meanwhile, Kenny
Chesney’s new single “Noise” (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville)
bounds onto the chart at No. 21 with 13 million in first-week audience. The track marks Chesney’s record-extending ninth top
25 debut; Garth Brooks ranks second with five.
‘HUMBLE’ GUY Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind” (McGraw/
Big Machine/Big Machine Label Group) ascends 3-1 on Country
Digital Songs (35,000 sold, up 6 percent). It’s his third No. 1 on
the survey, which launched in 2010.
BROWN, BONES & MORE Three debuts arrive in the Top Country
Albums top 10, led by Kane Brown’s first major-label EP, Chapter 1 (Zone 4/
RCA Nashville/Sony Music Nashville), at No. 3 with a career-best 22,000
sold. His self-released EP Closer hit No. 7 in November 2015 (­ peaking with
8,000) ... New at No. 4 on Top Country Albums is The Critics Give It 5 Stars (Black
River) (11,000), the comedy/country effort from Bobby Bones & The Raging
Idiots, which mainly comprises iHeartMedia syndicated morning ­talent Bones
and producer/personality Eddie Garcia. Several artists make appearances,
­including Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks, who’s on
the set’s first single, “Fishin’ With My Dad,” which debuts at No. 60 on Country
­Airplay. The song is the only non-comedic track on the album ... Southern ­Family
(LCS/Elektra/­Atlantic Group), compiled by producer Dave Cobb, debuts at
No. 5 with 11,000. It features, among others, Zac Brown, Brandy Clark, Jason
Isbell, Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton.
NOW, ONE WEEKLY EDITION,
EVERY MONDAY
Country
The country music industry’s must-have
source for news, charts, analysis and features.
UPDATE
Sign up for FREE delivery every Monday
www.billboard.com/newsletters
• Airplay, album sales, track sales and streaming
charts, as well as the all-encompassing Hot
Country Songs chart.
• Expert commentary and insights by
Tom Roland, Phyllis Stark and Jim Asker.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
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WEEK
LAST
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CHART
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MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 5 OF 19
Country Airplay
AIRPLAY
MONITORED BY
AUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS)
PLAYS
TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist
THIS WEEK
+/–
THIS WEEK
+/–
RANK
15
YOU SHOULD BE HERE W
arner Bros./WMN Cole Swindell
43.842
+2.119
8022
594
1
3
21
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE A
tlantic/WMN
Brett Eldredge
42.981
+3.290
8012
586
2
4
28
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT B ig Machine
Rascal Flatts
39.744
+2.580
7306
510
3
21
CONFESSION R epublic Nashville
Florida Georgia Line
37.922
+1.038
6878
195
4
7
50
LITTLE BIT OF YOU R ed Bow
1
29
BEAUTIFUL DRUG S outhern Ground/John Varvatos/Dot
8
19
SNAPBACK R CA Nashville
9
13
THINK OF YOU R CA Nashville/Republic Nashville
6
18
HEARTBEAT 1 9/Arista Nashville
13
10
SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH C apitol Nashville
12
26
MIND READER B roken Bow
10
21
NOBODY TO BLAME M
ercury
11
13
14
15
16
3
CAME HERE TO FORGET W
arner Bros./WMN
17
9
T-SHIRT V alory
HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY C apitol Nashville
HH No. 1 (1 week) HH Chase Bryant
34.998
+3.098
6796
514
5
Zac Brown Band
30.834
-11.756
5845
-1716
6
Old Dominion
30.785
+0.912
5682
345
7
Chris Young Duet With Cassadee Pope
29.433
+4.690
5294
648
9
Carrie Underwood
29.279
-7.493
5628
-1085
8
Dierks Bentley
25.716
+2.346
4897
467
11
13
Dustin Lynch
25.382
+1.289
4866
308
Chris Stapleton
25.000
+0.453
4912
45
10
MY CHURCH C olumbia Nashville
Maren Morris
24.589
+0.448
4892
212
12
10
HUMBLE AND KIND M
cGraw/Big Machine
Tim McGraw
24.007
+2.263
4427
442
14
42
THAT DON’T SOUND LIKE YOU C urb
Lee Brice
22.736
+0.978
4359
148
15
Blake Shelton
21.924
+3.864
4010
960
16
Thomas Rhett
20.051
+2.634
3885
511
17
Luke Bryan
19.164
+6.216
3327
1058
19
Jon Pardi
15.446
+1.580
3383
143
18
Brantley Gilbert
13.957
+0.142
3172
110
20
NOISE B lue Chair/Columbia Nashville HH Hot Shot Debut/Breaker/ Most Increased Audience/Most Added HH Kenny Chesney
13.095
+13.095
2148
2148
25
FIX B ig Loud
Chris Lane
12.320
+0.559
2782
124
21
Eric Church
10.738
+1.462
2361
422
23
Frankie Ballard
10.178
+0.951
2727
146
22
David Nail
9.016
+0.570
2205
51
24
Justin Moore
8.765
+0.860
2141
241
26
28
21
3
19
26
HEAD OVER BOOTS C apitol Nashville
20
30
STONE COLD SOBER V alory
NEW
22
16
24
8
RECORD YEAR E MI Nashville
25
19
IT ALL STARTED WITH A BEER W
arner Bros./WAR
26
34
NIGHT’S ON FIRE M
CA Nashville
27
21
YOU LOOK LIKE I NEED A DRINK V alory
AMERICAN COUNTRY LOVE SONG R CA Nashville
30
4
28
32
29
8
31
23
HH Airpower HH
HOLE IN A BOTTLE M
ercury
FROM THE GROUND UP W
arner Bros./WAR
RUNNING FOR YOU M
CA Nashville
Jake Owen
8.748
+2.699
1755
410
Canaan Smith
8.185
+0.759
1959
197
27
Dan + Shay
8.137
+0.846
1561
144
30
Kip Moore
6.663
+0.735
1566
102
29
BILLBOARD COUNTRY AIRPLAY PANEL — 151 STATIONS
Albany, N.Y.
WGNA
Albuquerque, N.M.
KBQI
KRST
Allentown, Pa.
WCTO
Atlanta
WKHX
WUBL
Augusta, Ga.
WKXC
Austin, Texas
KASE
Bakersfield, Calif.
KUZZ
Baltimore
WPOC
Baton Rouge, La.
WYNK
Birmingham, Ala.
WDXB
WZZK
Boise, Idaho
KAWO
KIZN
BostonWBWL
WKLB
Buffalo, N.Y.
WYRK
Charleston, S.C.
WCKN
WEZL
Charlotte, N.C.
WKKT
WSOC
Chattanooga, Tenn.
WUSY
ChicagoWEBG
WUSN
CincinnatiWUBE
ClevelandWGAR
Colorado Springs, Colo.
KATC
Columbia, S.C.
WCOS
Columbus, Ohio
WCOL
Corpus Christi, Texas
KRYS
DallasKPLX
KSCS
DenverKWOF
KYGO
Des Moines, Iowa
KHKI
KJJY
DetroitWYCD
El Paso, Texas
KHEY
Ft. Myers, Fla.
WCKT
WWGR
Ft. Wayne, Ind.
WQHK
Fresno, Calif.
KSKS
Gainesville, Fla.
WOGK
Grand Rapids, Mich.
WBCT
Greensboro, N.C.
WPAW
WTQR
Greenville, S.C.
WESC
WSSL
Harrisburg, Pa.
WRBT
Hartford, Conn.
WWYZ
HoustonKILT
KKBQ
Huntsville, Ala.
WDRM
IndianapolisWFMS
WLHK
Jacksonville, Fla.
WGNE
WQIK
Johnson City, Tenn.
WXBQ
Kansas City
KBEQ
WDAF
KFKF
Knoxville, Tenn.
WCYQ
WIVK
Lafayette, La.
KMDL
Lakeland, Fla.
WPCV
Las Vegas
KCYE
KWNR
Lexington, Ky.
WBUL
Little Rock, Ark.
KSSN
Los Angeles
KKGO
Louisville, Ky.
WAMZ
WQNU
Madison, Wis.
WWQM
McAllen, Texas
KTEX
MemphisWGKX
WLFP
MiamiWKIS
MilwaukeeWMIL
MinneapolisKEEY
KMNB
Mobile, Ala.
WKSJ
Monmouth/Ocean, N.J.
WKMK
Monterey, Calif..
KTOM
Nashville
WKDF
WSIX
WSM-FM
Nassau, N.Y.
WJVC
New Bern, N.C.
WRNS
New Orleans
WNOE
New York
WNSH
Norfolk, Va.
WGH
WUSH
Oklahoma City, Okla.
KJKE
KTST
Omaha, Neb.
KXKT
Orlando, Fla.
WWKA
PhiladelphiaWXTU
Phoenix
KMLE
KNIX
PittsburghWDSY
WOGI
WPGB
Portland, Maine
WPOR
WTHT
Portland, Ore.
KUPL
KWJJ
Providence, R.I.
WCTK
Raleigh, N.C.
WNCB
WQDR
Richmond, Va.
WKHK
Riverside, Calif.
KFRG
Roanoke, Va.
WSLC
Rochester, N.Y.
WBEE
Sacramento, Calif.
KBEB
KNCI
KNTY
St. Louis
KSD
WIL
Salt Lake City
KEGA
KSOP
KUBL
San Antonio, Texas
KAJA
KCYY
San Diego
KSON
San Jose, Calif.
KRTY
KSJO
Santa Rosa, Calif.
KFGY
Sarasota, Fla.
WCTQ
SeattleKKWF
KMPS
Shreveport, La.
KXKS
Spokane, Wash.
KXLY
Springfield, Mass.
WRNX
Springfield, Mo.
KTTS
Stockton, Calif.
KATM
Syracuse, N.Y.
WBBS
Tampa, Fla.
WFUS
WQYK
Tucson, Ariz.
KIIM
Tulsa, Okla.
KTGX
KVOO
KWEN
Visalia, Calif.
KJUG
Washington, D.C.
WMZQ
West Palm Beach, Fla.
WIRK
Wichita, Kan.
KFDI
KZSN
Wilkes Barre, Pa.
WGGY
Wilmington, Del.
WXCY
York, Pa.
WGTY
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 6 OF 19
Country Airplay
THIS
WEEK
LAST
WEEK
WKS
ON
CHART
31
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32
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33
25
35
5
33
32
12
LOVIN’ LATELY B $R/New Revolution
l
35
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3
l6
34
24
HIGH CLASS E MI Nashville
37
22
POWER OF POSITIVE DRINKIN’ W
arner Bros./WAR
34
TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist
38
16
LIVIN’ THE DREAM D
ot
37
36
11
UNLOVE YOU B ig Machine
38
l
3
l9
39
9
AUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS)
PLAYS
THIS WEEK
+/–
THIS WEEK
William Michael Morgan
5.255
+0.174
1214
-21
33
Sam Hunt
5.029
+0.988
1038
165
35
Big & Rich Featuring Tim McGraw
4.978
-0.204
1314
-2
32
Eric Paslay
4.864
+0.230
1360
-34
31
Chris Janson
3.733
+0.051
1149
33
34
I MET A GIRL W
arner Bros./WMN
MAKE YOU MISS ME M
CA Nashville
AIRPLAY
MONITORED BY
HH Hot Shot Debut HH
SOUTHERN BOY B roken Bow
+/–
RANK
Drake White
3.536
+0.292
994
124
37
Jennifer Nettles
3.462
-0.301
1012
40
36
Jordan Rager With Jason Aldean
3.067
+0.024
774
32
39
42
7
MAYDAY A
rista NashvilleCam
2.745
+0.211
826
88
38
40
41
7
USED TO LOVE YOU SOBER Z one 4/RCA Nashville
Kane Brown
2.625
-0.098
695
103
40
41
l
4
l2
43
l
4
l4
43
15
Sam Hunt
2.469
+0.082
454
31
48
46
7
44
RAISED ON IT M
CA Nashville
Brandy Clark
2.127
+0.093
545
64
Lauren Alaina
2.125
+0.323
627
22
42
Billy Currington
2.111
+0.109
624
38
43
GIRL NEXT DOOR W
arner Bros./WMN
RE-ENTRY
NEXT BOYFRIEND 1 9/Interscope/Mercury
47
8
IT DON’T HURT LIKE IT USED TO M
ercury
45
45
6
21 SUMMER E MI Nashville
Brothers Osborne
2.070
-0.086
508
30
46
46
44
8
I KNOW SOMEBODY R eviverLoCash
1.926
-0.288
522
-23
45
47
l
48
10
JESUS AND JONES W
heelhouse
Trace Adkins
1.857
+0.192
674
41
41
48
49
4
RECKLESS N
ash Icon
Martina McBride
1.455
-0.179
460
46
47
l
50
l
51
l
52
l
53
l
54
l
55
l
5
l6
57
l
5
l8
59
l
51
5
MAKE YOU MINE A
tlantic/WEA
High Valley
1.414
+0.266
405
64
52
52
4
IF THE BOOT FITS W
heelhouse
Granger Smith
1.380
+0.308
438
109
50
49
60
54
2
PETER PAN B lack River
Kelsea Ballerini
1.358
+0.711
450
261
49
50
3
ROCK ON D
ot
Tucker Beathard
1.191
+0.025
345
62
54
55
8
DANCE WITH YA C old River
Drew Baldridge
0.872
+0.173
424
54
51
Brooke Eden
0.849
+0.025
357
2
53
Brett Young
0.671
+0.207
158
84
60
Randy Houser
0.563
+0.030
159
47
59
56
53
5
DADDY’S MONEY R ed Bow
59
5
SLEEP WITHOUT YOU R epublic Nashville
57
3
SONG NUMBER 7 S toney Creek
58
2
NEW
RE-ENTRY
NEW
A Thousand Horses
0.544
+0.062
248
17
WHISPER D
ack Janiels/Columbia Nashville
Chase Rice
0.495
+0.163
265
46
55
TUXEDO M
CA Nashville
Clare Dunn
0.491
+0.124
198
19
58
Bobby Bones And The Raging Idiots
0.442
-0.007
87
20
-
SOUTHERNALITY R epublic Nashville
FISHIN’ WITH MY DAD B lack River
GOING FOR ADDS
4/4
CHERIE DARLING
Sittin’ On A Step
Generic/Orchard
RUDY PARRIS
Party Out Back
Warrior
42
BRANDY
CLARK
Girl Next
Door
TYLER HAMMOND
Drunk Over A Girl
TLB
Co-written by Clark with Jessie Jo Dillon and
Shane McAnally, “Girl” grows 46-42
on Country Airplay, up 5 percent to
2.1 million in audience. The official video for
the single, the first from Big Day in a Small
Town (due June 10), debuted March 14.
4/11
BLACKJACK BILLY
The Booze Cruise
Reviver
BRETT YOUNG
Sleep Without You
Republic Nashville
CRAIG CAMPBELL
Outskirts Of Heaven
Red Bow
HILLBILLY VEGAS
Shake It Like A Hillbilly
SMG Nashville
TRAILER CHOIR
Ice Cold Summer
Average Joes/Star Farm
4/18
MATT CLINE FEAT.
RAY STEVENS, STEVE
CROPPER, BUDDY JEWELL
& ANDY GRIGGS
If You Want My Vote
Spin Doctors
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 7 OF 19
Country Airplay
MOST ADDED®
TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist ADDS
NOISE B
lue Chair/Columbia Nashville
HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY C
apitol Nashville
AMERICAN COUNTRY LOVE SONG R
CA Nashville
LIVIN’ THE DREAM D
ot
RECORD YEAR E MI Nashville
PETER PAN B
lack River
MAKE YOU MISS ME M
CA Nashville
CAME HERE TO FORGET W
arner Bros./WMN
IF THE BOOT FITS W
heelhouse
YOU LOOK LIKE I NEED A DRINK V
alory
102
34
20
19
17
17
15
13
13
12
K
enny Chesney
L
uke Bryan
Jake Owen
Drake White
Eric Church
Kelsea Ballerini
Sam Hunt
Blake Shelton
Granger Smith
Justin Moore
NEW AND ACTIVE
TOTAL
TOTAL
TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist AUDIENCE STATIONS
ADDS
BEER CAN IN A TRUCK BED R
CA Nashville Old Dominion
0.413
2
0
CASTAWAY V
arvatos/Republic/BMLG/Southern Ground
Zac Brown Band
0.368
2
1
Craig Campbell
0.359
1
1
WASN’T THAT DRUNK P retty Damn Tough/1608 J osh Abbott Band Feat. Carly Pearce
0.329
8
3
SAID NO ONE EVER E lektra Nashville/WAR
Jana Kramer
0.318
5
1
Olivia Lane
0.278
8
2
OUTSKIRTS OF HEAVEN R
ed Bow
MAKE MY OWN SUNSHINE B
ig Spark
RECURRENTS
MOST INCREASED AUDIENCE
GAIN
TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist (IN MIILIONS)
NOISE B
lue Chair/Columbia Nashville
Kenny Chesney
HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY C
apitol Nashville
L
uke Bryan
THINK OF YOU R
CA Nashville/Republic Nashville Chris Young Duet With Cassadee Pope
CAME HERE TO FORGET W
arner Bros./WMN
Blake Shelton
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE A
tlantic/WMN
Brett Eldredge
LITTLE BIT OF YOU R
ed Bow
Chase Bryant
AMERICAN COUNTRY LOVE SONG R
CA Nashville
Jake Owen
T-SHIRT V
alory
T
homas Rhett
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT B
ig Machine
R
ascal Flatts
SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH C
apitol Nashville
Dierks Bentley
AIRPLAY
MONITORED BY
+13.095
+6.216
+4.690
+3.864
+3.289
+3.098
+2.699
+2.634
+2.580
+2.346
THIS
WEEK TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist
TOTAL AUD.
(IN MILLIONS)
1
DIE A HAPPY MAN V
alory
Thomas Rhett
25.219
2
BACKROAD SONG W
heelhouse
Granger Smith
21.176
3
HOME ALONE TONIGHT Capitol NashvilleLuke Bryan Feat. Karen Fairchild
20.779
4
WE WENT S
toney CreekRandy Houser
19.296
5
I LOVE THIS LIFE R
eviver
LoCash
17.682
6
STAY A LITTLE LONGER E MI NashvilleBrothers Osborne
15.134
7
BREAK UP IN A SMALL TOWN M
CA NashvilleSam Hunt
13.844
8
I’M COMIN’ OVER RCA NashvilleChris Young
13.426
9
BREAK ON ME. H
it Red/Capitol NashvilleKeith Urban
11.765
10
SAVE IT FOR A RAINY DAY B
lue Chair/Columbia NashvilleKenny Chesney
10.934
BILLBOARD COUNTRY BOXSCORE
MOST INCREASED PLAYS
TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist
GAIN
Gross
Artist
Attendance
NOISE B
lue Chair/Columbia Nashville
K
enny Chesney
HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY C
apitol Nashville
Luke Bryan
CAME HERE TO FORGET W
arner Bros./WMN
Blake Shelton
THINK OF YOU R
CA Nashville/Republic Nashville Chris Young Duet With Cassadee Pope
YOU SHOULD BE HERE W
arner Bros./WMN
Cole Swindell
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE A
tlantic/WMN
Brett Eldredge
LITTLE BIT OF YOU R
ed Bow
Chase Bryant
T-SHIRT V
alory
T
homas Rhett
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT B
ig Machine
R
ascal Flatts
SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH C
apitol Nashville
Dierks Bentley
+2148
+1058
+960
+648
+594
+586
+514
+511
+510
+467
$742,990
$298.69, $106.68
$689,975
$89, $49
$684,175
$129.50, $79.50
$680,672
$76, $46
$618,663
$64.75, $24.75
C2C COUNTRY TO COUNTRY
Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, Scotland/March 11-13
BLAKE SHELTON
FedExForum, Memphis/March 3
THE LIFE & SONGS OF KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville/March 16
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Va./Feb. 20
JASON ALDEAN
Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa/Jan. 21
5,842, 5,985
three shows
12,342
sellout
9,283
9,893
10,277
sellout
11,111
14,041
Ticket Price(s)
Venue/Date(s)
Capacity
Promoter(s)
DF CONCERTS
LIVE NATION
OUTBACK
CONCERTS
AEG LIVE
LIVE NATION
Reported worldwide boxscore figures for Country artists. Boxscore figures should be submitted to Bob
Allen by phone (615-891-1976), fax (615-891-2054) or email (bob.allen@billboard.com).
TEXAS REGIONAL RADIO REPORT
WEEK ENDING MARCH 27, 2016
THIS
WEEK
LAST WKS ON
WEEK CHART TITLE (Label)ARTIST
TW
SPINS
SPINS
+/–
THIS
WEEK
LAST WKS ON
WEEK CHART TITLE (Label)ARTIST
1
l
2
l
3
l
4
l
3
24
REST OF FOREVER ( Independent) HH 1 week at 1 HH Jason Cassidy 1900
152
11
l
14
9
ALL NIGHTER (Independent)
2
21
WHERE THE SUN DON’T SHINE ( Independent)
Whiskey Myers 1892
67
12
12
14
RINGING IN THE YEAR (Independent)
4
10
HERE’S TO YOU ( Independent)
Zane Williams 1692
131
13
l
18
12
HALF AS GOOD ( Independent)
6
19
WINNING HAND (Independent)
Cory Morrow 1611
107
14
8
23
NEON BLUES (Thirty Tigers)
Mark McKinney 1585 -334
5
1
18
SUNSHINE ( Texas Evolution)
6
l
7
15
CAST NO STONES ( Independent)
7
5
21
COME ON (Independent)
8
l
9
l
10
l
9
13
THE LUCKY ONES ( Independent)
11
6
‘TIL IT DOES ( Lil Buddy Toons)
13
15
FEELS LIKE HOME ( Smith)
15
l
17
11
DEAR MUSIC, (Independent)
Cody Jinks 1465
16
16
16
25
COUNTRY MUSIC GOLD ( Vision Ent)
Kyle Park 1457
-80
17
15
17
ALL I SEE IS YOU ( Independent)
18
l
19
l
20
l
22
18
I CAN’T RUN ( Independent)
23
25
LET’S DO THIS THING (Stag)
24
10
BAD REPUTATION (Independent)
Sam Riggs 1399
42
Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen 1373
83
Deryl Dodd 1364
94
TW
SPINS
Cody Canada & The Departed 1296
SPINS
+/–
32
Turnpike Troubadours 1249 -24B
Bri Bagwell 1166
190
Randy Rogers Band 1127
-232
Bart Crow Band 1077
100
Prophets and Outlaws 1068
-3
Shane Smith & The Saints 1036
-37
Bleu Edmondson 1027
116
Stephen Chadwick 1002
99
Mike Ryan
96
994
Texas Regional Radio Report Top 100 is compiled from weekly online playlist reports from 86 radio stations located in Texas and surrounding states, including reports from specialty
shows, internet and satellite radio outlets. Songs are ranked by total plays. For tracking, complete chart methodology and more information, visit www.texasregionalradio.com, or
contact Dave Smith at 817-283-7984. Copyright 2016, Texas Regional Radio Report
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 8 OF 19
NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Nash Nights Live co-host Elaina Smith and WNSH New York personality Shila
Nathan will receive Gracie Awards from the
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation.
Smith’s honor will be presented May 24 in
Beverly Hills, while Nathan’s trophy, recognizing her 2015 work at WUSN Chicago, will
be handed out June 21 in New York … Chris
Clare has taken the PD role at WTHT ­Portland,
Maine, RadioInfo.com reported. He was recently music director/afternoon personality
for WYCT Pensacola, Fla. … Chris “Muttley”
NATHAN
Stevens was hired as Townsquare/MidlandOdessa, Texas, operations manager, a
­ ccording
to RadioInfo.com. The five-station cluster includes country KNFM … Cumulus/
Youngstown, Ohio, added Jeff Pezzano as vp sales, InsideRadio.com reported.
Formerly Dix/Kent, Ohio, vp advertising sales and marketing, P
­ ezzano’s new
responsibilities include country WQXK … KKGO Los Angeles personality
Christine Martindale is no longer with the station, according to InsideRadio.
com. PD Tonya Campos has taken her shift on an interim basis.
’ROUND THE ROW
Promotion veteran Bob Mitchell
got a lot of lip when he met Marie
Osmond in Las Vegas March 24 to
talk strategy for her new single,
“Music Is Medicine.”
New artist Kalie Shorr performed
March 19 for Perez Hilton’s One
Night in Austin charity show
during South by Southwest.
STAPLETON ALREADY AN ACM WINNER
Chris Stapleton could win as many as seven trophies at the 51st annual
­Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on April 3 — and the first of
those is already in the bag.
Stapleton claimed his first-ever ACM trophy when the academy announced
the new-artist winners on March 23. He collected new male artist of the year,
while Kelsea Ballerini scored new female and Old Dominion secured new
duo/group.
The honors were decided strictly by a vote of the ACM’s industry membership since the academy ended a fan-voting component that started eight years
ago when balloting for entertainer of the year was opened up to the public.
The new-artist trophies were confusing during the fan-voting years. The
awards often went through several tiers of voting using different ­partners, and
the categories seemed to shift almost yearly, thanks in large part to a paucity
of female acts. The ACM hadn’t recognized all three categories since 2013
when Brantley Gilbert took new male, Jana Kramer earned new female and
Florida Georgia Line accepted new duo/group. FGL also won the umbrella
trophy, new artist of the year, in 2013.
The last time the ACMs divvied up the new-artist honors without naming
an overall new artist of the year was 2008, when the titles went to new male
Jack Ingram, new female Taylor Swift and new duo/group Lady Antebellum.
Much has changed since that time. Swift is now considered a pop artist,
­Ingram recently signed with indie label Rounder, and Lady A’s Charles ­Kelley
is performing solo on the April 3 ACMs for the first time.
Kelley, Old Dominion, Little Big Town and Blake Shelton were all
­a nnounced March 28 as new additions to the April 3 performance lineup,
while the ACM also rolled out a few of the presenters’ names. They include
Chris Janson, Kramer, Martina McBride, Kip Moore, Kacey Musgraves,
Jake Owen, Chase Rice and Cole Swindell.
It should be the least pressure Shelton has felt at the ACMs since 2010. He
co-hosted each of the last five award shows with either Reba McEntire or
Luke Bryan, including the 2015 soiree at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas,
an event that marked the only major awards show held in a stadium to date.
Lyndsay Church joined Columbia Nashville as regional promotion manager.
A senior legal analyst for Loomis, Sayles & Company in Boston, she previously worked at Capitol Nashville. She will relocate
to Music City … Three Round Hill Music A&R staff
members were promoted within the Nashville office. Mark Brown rose to senior vp from VP, Josh
Saxe was upped to director from a
­ ssociate director,
and Bob Squance became manager, shedding his
senior coordinator title … Reviver is in the market
for a publicity manager. I­ nterested parties can send
résumés to this email address with the subject line
“Reviver Records Publicity Manager” … Speaking of
Reviver, the label signed Kayla Adams to its artist
CHURCH
­roster … Singer-songwriter Jerrod ­Niemann signed
a ­recording deal with Curb … Singer-songwriter
Alyssa Micaela signed a ­publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell and
Liz Rose Music … Neste Event Marketing president Gil Cunningham won the
Academy of Country Music’s Don Romeo talent buyer of the year award, and
Live National ­C ountry Music president Brian O’Connell claimed promoter
of the year. They’ll r­ eceive their honors on April 2 in Las Vegas at an event
hosted by Charles Kelley. Go here for the entire list of ACM Industry Award
winners … The Source Awards, which honor significant women in Nashville’s
music business, will be p
­ resented Aug. 30 at the Musicians Hall of Fame and
Museum at Municipal ­Auditorium … Former Bobby Roberts Booking Agency
president Bob Younts died March 21. His clients through the years included
Mel Tillis, John ­Anderson, Merle Haggard and Bobby Bare.
OMG artist Sierra Black visited with KBOE Oskaloosa, Iowa, music
director Steve Shettler as she promotes her debut single, “Heart On
Ice.”
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 9 OF 19
NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND
Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” was one of this year’s 25 additions to the
­National Recording Registry, one of several developments that brought ­classic
country into the news in the past week. Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Hank
Williams’ likenesses were added to the Madame Tussauds ­Hollywood wax
­museum, and Williams was also r­ ecognized March 24 with a memorial plaque
on Main Street in Oak Hill, W.Va., the city where his death was made ­official
on Jan. 1, 1953. The Williams biopic I
Saw the Light debuted in movie theaters
on March 25.
Jon Pardi and Brandy Clark will release
their sophomore albums in June. Warner
Bros. releases Clark’s Big Day in a Small
Town, her first effort with producer Jay
Joyce (Eric Church, Little Big Town),
on June 10. She co-wrote each of its 11
tracks, including lead single “Girl Next
Door,” which is No. 42 on Country Airplay. Capitol Nashville issues Pardi’s California Sunrise on June 17. The package
PARDI
features 12 tracks recorded with a sevenplayer core band, i­ ncluding first single
“Head Over Boots,” which is currently No. 19 on Country Airplay.
So it only took 75 years to make this happen: Kenny Chesney’s April 23
­ ppearance at Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., will mark the first time
a
in the structure’s history that it hosts a full-stadium concert. It’s also the first
stadium gig on Chesney’s 2016 calendar, and it boasts Miranda Lambert,
Sam Hunt and Old Dominion.
Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell and Chris Young are
set to play Nissan Stadium on June 11 during the CMA Music Festival. It’s the
third of the event’s four nights at the venue, where the concerts will be distilled into an ABC special, CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, for a
13th consecutive year. Among the previously announced acts scheduled for
the first two nights are Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean,
Sam Hunt and Hank Williams Jr.
GOOD WORKS
With the 51st annual Academy of Country Music Awards on deck for April 3,
the organization’s ACM Lifting Lives is getting lots of attention.
Chris Stapleton, whose seven ACM nominations make him the leader
going into the CBS telecast, played a March 24 homecoming concert in
­Paintsville, Ky., that saw Ram Trucks and Lifting Lives partner to build an
outdoor ­performance space at Johnson Central High School.
Chris Janson announced a day later the establishment of Harmonicas
for Health, an initiative of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Discorder
­Foundation, which is funded by ACM Lifting Lives.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the annual ACM Party for a Cause
Festival, a Las Vegas fundraiser for the academy’s charitable efforts. Stapleton
and Janson are both on the bill, as are Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney,
Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice and Martina McBride, among a slew of acts.
One of the programs previously associated with the festival, ­O utnumber
Hunger, continues. Jennifer Nettles appears on boxes of General Mills
­products this spring as part of the campaign, created in conjunction with Big
Machine Label Group and Feeding America.
ON THIS DATE IN COUNTRY MUSIC
March 28
•2009 — Darius Rucker takes command of the Billboard country chart
for the first of three weeks with “It Won’t Be Like
This for Long.”
March 29
•2015 — Jennifer Nettles concludes a run as
Roxie Hart in a Broadway production of Chicago
at the Ambassador Theatre in New York.
•2005 — Contestant Carrie Underwood performs RUCKER
the Martina McBride hit “Independence Day” during the American
Idol competition on Fox-TV.
March 30
•2013 — Kacey Musgraves sings “Merry Go ’Round” during her Grand
Ole Opry debut.
March 31
•2014 — Warner Bros. releases Frankie Ballard’s “Sunshine &
­Whiskey” to radio.
April 1
•2008 — MCA releases George Strait’s album Troubadour.
•1999 — April fools! Radio station KALF Chico, Calif., tells l­ isteners
that the San Diego Padres have cut Garth Brooks and that he’s
­signing with the Chico Heat. The team pulls the plug on the stunt
when ­season-ticket requests jam the phone system.
April 2
•2006 — Craig Morgan breaks his left wrist and suffers a ­concussion
when he’s thrown over the handlebars in an accident during a crosscountry motorcycle race in Bucksnort, Tenn. He still manages to
­f inish the race and to perform that evening.
•1956 — Johnny Cash records “I Walk the Line” and “Get Rhythm”
at Sun Studio in Memphis.
April 3
•2012 — Surprise! Kelly Clarkson welcomes several unannounced
guests during a concert at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Blake
Shelton joins her on “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” Michelle Branch duets
on “Leave the Pieces,” and Reba McEntire trades vocals on “Because
of You.”
•2011 — Miranda Lambert wins four trophies during the 46th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand in Las
Vegas. She nabs top female vocalist, while “The House That Built
Me” lands single record, song and video of the year.
Source: RolandNote.com, the Ultimate Country Music Database
TWEET OF THE WEEK
“Fast Cars and Freedom” author Wendell Mobley (@wensongs) captured the
angst of many Music City drivers bothered by out-of-county plates:
“If you just recently moved to Nashville from a corn field map dot please
know that I’m available for big city/interstate driving lessons!”
To follow BCU, go to Twitter.com/bbcountryupdate.
Singer-songwriter Steve Moakler performed his debut single,
“Suitcase,” during his first-ever appearance on WSM-AM Nashville’s
Grand Ole Opry on March 19. From left: Creative Nation co-founder
Luke Laird, Moakler and Opry vp/GM Pete Fisher.
JIM WRIGHT
MUSIC NOTES
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 10 OF 19
Hot Country Songs
THIS
WEEK
1
l
2
l
3
4
l
5
l
6
l
7
l
8
l
9
l
10
l
11
12
l
LAST
WEEK
1
TWO
WEEKS WKS ON TITLE
AGO
CHART PRODUCER (SONGWRITER)
1
15 YOU SHOULD BE HERE
4
3
8
6
9
10
12
13
11
2
14
M.CARTER (C.SWINDELL,A.GORLEY)
4
2
8
5
10
9
14
12
11
6
19
19
27
10
11
10
21
27
13
19
3
15
R. COPPERMAN,B.ELDREDGE (B.ELDREDGE,R.COPPERMAN)
DIE A HAPPY MAN
D.HUFF,J.FRASURE (THOMAS RHETT,S.M.DOUGLAS,JOE LONDON)
MY CHURCH
SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH
R. COPPERMAN (M.TYLER,J.BOYER,A.PALMER,D.KUNCIO,J.MIRENDA)
CONFESSION
J.MOI (R.CLAWSON,R.COPPERMAN,M.JENKINS)
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT
J.DEMARCUS,RASCAL FLATTS (M.TRAINOR,J.FRASURE,S.MOONEY)
THINK OF YOU
C.CROWDER,C.YOUNG (C.YOUNG,C.CROWDER,J.HOGE)
SNAPBACK
S.MCANALLY (M.RAMSEY,T. ROSEN,B.TURSI)
CAME HERE TO FORGET
S.HENDRICKS (C.WISEMAN,D.RUTTAN)
T-SHIRT
D.HUFF,J.FRASURE (A.GORLEY,L.LAIRD,S.MCANALLY)
HEARTBEAT
3
22
14
l
15
l
16
l
17
l
21
D.COBB,C.STAPLETON (C.STAPLETON,B.BALES,R.BOWMAN)
17
21
20
M.J.CONES (R.AKINS,B.HAYSLIP)
18
20
31
D.GEORGE,C.BRYANT (C.BRYANT,D.GEORGE,A.GORLEY)
20
22
39
J.STONE,L.BRICE (L.BRICE,R.AKINS,A.GORLEY)
19
l
20
l
21
l
22
l
23
l
24
l
25
l
16
21
34
23
27
25
30
26
15
23
—
25
32
27
35
18
20
LUKE BRYAN
Huntin’,
Fishin’ And
Lovin’ Every
Day
23
24
4
14
7
19
6
3
Z.CROWELL (C.UNDERWOOD,Z.CROWELL,A.GORLEY)
NOBODY TO BLAME
MIND READER
LITTLE BIT OF YOU
THAT DON’T SOUND LIKE YOU
HOME ALONE TONIGHT
J.STEVENS,J.STEVENS (J.STEVENS,C.TAYLOR,J.DREYER,T.CECIL)
HEAD OVER BOOTS
B.BUTLER,J.PARDI (J.PARDI,L.LAIRD)
HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY
J.STEVENS,J.STEVENS (L.BRYAN,D.DAVIDSON,R.AKINS,B.HAYSLIP)
HH Airplay Gainer HH
FIX
J.MOI (S.BUXTON,J.FRASURE,A.STOKLASA)
FROM THE GROUND UP
2
1
STONE COLD SOBER
D.HUFF (B.GILBERT,BRETT JAMES,D.LAYUS)
RECORD YEAR
J.JOYCE (E.CHURCH,J.HYDE)
AMERICAN COUNTRY LOVE SONG
S.MCANALLY,R. COPPERMAN (R.COPPERMAN,A.GORLEY,J.JOHNSTON)
24
ERIC
CHURCH
Record Year
1
Tim McGraw
4
Maren Morris
5
Dierks Bentley
C
APITOL NASHVILLE
Florida Georgia Line
R
EPUBLIC NASHVILLE
Rascal Flatts
B
IG MACHINE
Chris Young Duet With Cassadee Pope
R
CA NASHVILLE/REPUBLIC NASHVILLE
Old Dominion
R
CA NASHVILLE
Blake Shelton
W
ARNER BROS./WMN
Thomas Rhett
V
ALORY
Carrie Underwood
19/ARISTA NASHVILLE
Chris Stapleton
M
ERCURY
Dustin Lynch
B
ROKEN BOW
Chase Bryant
R
ED BOW
Lee Brice
C
URB
Luke Bryan Featuring Karen Fairchild
C
APITOL NASHVILLE
Jon Pardi
C
APITOL NASHVILLE
6
7
8
9
10
2
12
2
13
15
16
17
3
19
Luke Bryan
20
Chris Lane
B
IG LOUD
Dan + Shay
21
C
APITOL NASHVILLE
W
ARNER BROS./WAR
Brantley Gilbert
V
ALORY
Eric Church
E MI NASHVILLE
Jake Owen
R
CA NASHVILLE
D.SMYERS,S.HENDRICKS (D.SMYERS,S.MOONEY,C. DESTEFANO)
The fourth single from Kill the Lights
resembles traditional country classics
like Alabama’s “Tennessee River” and
Hank Williams Jr.’s “A Country Boy Can
Survive.” It flies 34-20 on Hot Country Songs,
bolstered by a 48 percent surge, to
19.2 million, on Country Airplay (21-18).
1
Brett Eldredge
A
TLANTIC/WMN
Thomas Rhett
W
ARNER BROS./WMN
C
OLUMBIA NASHVILLE
BUSBEE,M.MORRIS (BUSBEE,M.MORRIS)
16
PEAK
POSITION
M
CGRAW/BIG MACHINE
B.GALLIMORE,T.MCGRAW (L.MCKENNA)
7
CERTIFIED
Cole Swindell
VALORY
HUMBLE AND KIND
15
18
Artist
IMPRINT / PROMOTION LABEL
HH No. 1 (3 weeks) HH
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE
13
SALES, AIRPLAY &
STREAMING DATA
COMPILED BY
The song chronicles soothing a breakup
by listening to old albums (with a few
drinks, of course). It jumps 30-24 on
Hot Country Songs, jolted by boosts of
25 percent in sales (to 8,000) and
6 percent in streams (to 915,000) after
its official video premiered March 22.
22
23
24
18
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 11 OF 19
Hot Country Songs
THIS
WEEK
LAST
WEEK
26
l
27
l
28
l
29
l
28
TWO
WEEKS WKS ON TITLE
AGO
CHART PRODUCER (SONGWRITER)
28
27 NIGHT’S ON FIRE
Artist
IMPRINT / PROMOTION LABEL
1
CERTIFIED
PEAK
POSITION
David Nail
26
Kane Brown
27
Frankie Ballard
W
ARNER BROS./WAR
28
Kane Brown
15
Maddie & Tae
D
OT
Tyler Farr
30
M
CA NASHVILLE
C.AINLAY,F.LIDDELL,G.WORF (J.SINGLETON,D.RUTTAN)
NEW
SALES, AIRPLAY &
STREAMING DATA
COMPILED BY
HH Hot Shot Debut HH
THERE GOES MY EVERYTHING
M.MCVANEY (K.BROWN,J.HOGE,M.MCVANEY,C.YOUNG)
Z ONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE
IT ALL STARTED WITH A BEER
31
33
15
38
38
22
30
33
34
16
D.HUFF (M.MARLOW,T.DYE,P.SALLIS,A.SCHERZ)
31
32
29
19
J.KING,J.CATINO (J.WILSON,D.PITTENGER,N.COOKE)
C
OLUMBIA NASHVILLE
32
l
33
l
34
l
35
l
36
l
35
37
13
J.S.STOVER,J.RAYMOND,S.BORCHETTA (R.CLAWSON,M.DRAGSTREM,N.HEMBY)
YOU LOOK LIKE I NEED A DRINK
Justin Moore
V
ALORY
Kenny Chesney
32
Kane Brown
34
Canaan Smith
M
ERCURY
Kane Brown
35
Jennifer Nettles
B
IG MACHINE
Chris Stapleton
M
ERCURY
Kip Moore
M
CA NASHVILLE
Eric Paslay
E MI NASHVILLE
William Michael Morgan
W
ARNER BROS./WMN
Cam
A
RISTA NASHVILLE
Chase Rice
37
Lauren Alaina
39
37
38
39
l
40
l
41
l
42
l
43
44
l
45
46
l
47
l
48
49
l
50
l
1
NEW
1
NEW
40
39
14
1
NEW
37
36
41
42
45
47
44
49
48
50
43
8
31
7
40
9
46
45
9
13
47
4
44
50
7
15
49
—
NEW
46
—
4
3
1
2
M.ALTMAN (J.JOHNSTON,N.MASON,J.S.STOVER)
USED TO LOVE YOU SOBER
M.MCVANEY (K.BROWN,M.MCVANEY,J.HOGE)
HH Digital & Streaming Gainer HH
Z ONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE
SHUT UP AND FISH
BETTER IN BOOTS
NOISE
B
LUE CHAIR/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE
B.CANNON,K.CHESNEY (K.CHESNEY,R.COPPERMAN,S.MCANALLY,J.M.NITE)
WIDE OPEN
Z ONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE
M.MCVANEY (K.BROWN,C.CROWDER,J.LANTZ)
HOLE IN A BOTTLE
B.BEAVERS,J.ROBBINS (C.SMITH,B.BEAVERS,D.COUCH)
EXCUSES
Z ONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE
M.MCVANEY (K.BROWN,J.HOGE,M.MCVANEY)
UNLOVE YOU
D.HUFF (J. NETTLES,B.CLARK)
FIRE AWAY
D.COBB,C.STAPLETON (C.STAPLETON,D.GREEN)
RUNNING FOR YOU
B.JAMES,K.MOORE (K.MOORE,T.VERGES,B.DALY)
HIGH CLASS
J.FRASURE,M.ALTMAN (E.PASLAY,C.CROWDER,J.FRASURE)
I MET A GIRL
J.RITCHEY,S.HENDRICKS (T. ROSEN,S.HUNT,S.MCANALLY)
MAYDAY
J.BHASKER,T.JOHNSON (C.OCHS,T.JOHNSON)
WHISPER
D
ACK JANIELS/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE
C. DESTEFANO (C. DESTEFANO,J.M.NITE,C.RICE)
NEXT BOYFRIEND
19/INTERSCOPE/MERCURY
Big & Rich Featuring Tim McGraw
B
$R/NEW REVOLUTION
Chris Janson
W
ARNER BROS./WAR
Kelsea Ballerini
B
LACK RIVER
Randy Houser
S
TONEY CREEK
Clare Dunn
M
CA NASHVILLE
Sam Hunt
M
CA NASHVILLE
BUSBEE (L.ALAINA,E.WEISBAND,M.MCVANEY)
LOVIN’ LATELY
B.KENNY,J.D.RICH (W.K.ALPHIN,J.D.RICH,T.MCGRAW)
POWER OF POSITIVE DRINKIN’
B.ANDERSON,C.DUBOIS,C.JANSON (C.JANSON,MARK IRWIN,C.DUBOIS)
PETER PAN
F.G.WHITEHEAD,J.MASSEY (K.BALLERINI,F.G.WHITEHEAD,J.LEE)
SONG NUMBER 7
D.GEORGE (J.WILSON,B.HAYSLIP,C.JANSON)
TUXEDO
NEW
1
C.DUNN,B.WEST (C.DUNN,BRETT JAMES,B.WEST)
RE-ENTRY
3
Z.CROWELL,S.MCANALLY (S.HUNT,Z.CROWELL,J.FLOWERS)
RAISED ON IT
26
33
36
27
37
40
41
42
17
45
46
47
46
49
49
The week’s most popular country songs, ranked by radio airplay audience impressions as measured by Nielsen Music, sales data as compiled by Nielsen Music and streaming activity data from online music sources tracked by
Nielsen Music. Descending titles below No. 25 are moved to recurrent after 20 weeks.
AVAILABLE
FREE
TO CURRENT
BILLBOARD
SUBSCRIBERS
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AN ENHANCED VERSION OF EVERY ISSUE, FEATURING:
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.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 12 OF 19
SALES, AIRPLAY &
STREAMING DATA
COMPILED BY
KANE BROWN
NEW
1
BOBBY BONES AND THE RAGING IDIOTS
NEW
1
VARIOUS ARTISTS
2
RANDY HOUSER
BLACK RIVER 2106
CHAPTER I (EP)
3
1
3 CAME HERE TO FORGET
BLAKE SHELTON(Warner Bros./WMN)
THE CRITICS GIVE IT 5 STARS
4
4
10 SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH
DIERKS BENTLEY(Capitol Nashville/UMGN)
SOUTHERN FAMILY
5
5
15 YOU SHOULD BE HERE
COLE SWINDELL(Warner Bros./WMN)
27 43
l
28 27
l
29 41
l
30 30
l
6
l
7
l
8
l
9
10 T-SHIRT
THOMAS RHETT(Valory/BMLG)
31 24 12 BETTER IN BOOTS
TYLER FARR(Columbia Nashville/SMN)
8
10 THINK OF YOU
CHRIS YOUNG DUET WITH CASSADEE POPE( RCA Nashville/SMN)
32 36
l
9
7
LCS/ELEKTRA 553152/AG
5
5
8
4
4
9
7
6
RHETT
26 THOMAS
VALORY RT0200A/BMLG
10
l
10
8
UNDERWOOD
22 CARRIE
19/ARISTA NASHVILLE 510539*/SMN
11
8
7
BRYAN
33 LUKE
CAPITOL NASHVILLE 022813/UMGN
12
l
11
13
6
FIRED UP
STONEY CREEK 16767/BBMG
HUNT
74 SAM
MCA NASHVILLE 021502/UMGN
3
3
MONTEVALLO
LORETTA LYNN
2
2
FULL CIRCLE
LEGACY 51689*
TANGLED UP
MCGRAW
12 20 TIM
MCGRAW/BIG MACHINE TM0300A/BMLG
14
9
11
SHELTON
22 BLAKE
WARNER BROS. 551788/WMN
6
VINCE GILL
MCA NASHVILLE 024354/UMGN (024354)
CHURCH
17 12 10 21 ERIC
EMI NASHVILLE 024200*/UMGN
NEW
1
WADE BOWEN
BOWEN SOUNDS 1381
3 HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ AND LOVIN’ EVERY DAY
LUKE BRYAN(Capitol Nashville/UMGN)
10 IT ALL STARTED WITH A BEER
FRANKIE BALLARD(Warner Bros./WMN)
4 RECORD YEAR
ERIC CHURCH(EMI Nashville/UMGN)
33 25 22 BACKROAD SONG
GRANGER SMITH(Wheelhouse/BBMG)
34 35
l
40 BURNING HOUSE
CAM(Arista Nashville/SMN)
1
11 10 13 SNAPBACK
OLD DOMINION(RCA Nashville/SMN)
36 38
l
12 11
l
13 14
l
37 31 5 NIGHT’S ON FIRE
DAVID NAIL(MCA Nashville/UMGN)
16 I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT
RASCAL FLATTS(Big Machine/BMLG)
38 28 35 WE WENT
RANDY HOUSER(Stoney Creek/BBMG)
39 32 4 UNLOVE YOU
14 12 23 BEAUTIFUL DRUG
JENNIFER NETTLES(Big Machine/BMLG)
ZAC BROWN BAND(John Varvatos/Southern Ground/BMLG/Republic)
BREAK ON ME.
FROM
THE
GROUND
UP
40
26
22
15 22 7 DAN + SHAY(Warner Bros./WMN)
KEITH URBAN(Hit Red/Capitol Nashville/UMGN)
l
16 18
l
17 16
l
MR. MISUNDERSTOOD
THEN SINGS MY SOUL: SONGS FOR MY MOTHER
41 39 52 HOUSE PARTY
21 CONFESSION
SAM HUNT(MCA Nashville/UMGN)
FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE(Republic Nashville/BMLG)
42 34 4 FIRE AWAY
19 NOBODY TO BLAME
CHRIS STAPLETON(Mercury/UMGN)
CHRIS STAPLETON(Mercury/UMGN)
18 13 20 HEARTBEAT
CARRIE UNDERWOOD(19/Arista Nashville/SMN)
I’M COMIN’ OVER
19
l
NEW
WIDE OPEN
KANE BROWN(RCA Nashville/SMN)
20 17 62 BREAK UP IN A SMALL TOWN
SAM HUNT(MCA Nashville/UMGN)
DOMINION
21 16 16 20 OLD
RCA NASHVILLE 513496/SMN
MEAT AND CANDY
0
23 19 22 TENNESSEE WHISKEY
CHRIS STAPLETON(Mercury/UMGN)
The week’s most popular country albums, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen Music. Albums are
defined as current if they are less than 18 months old or older than 18 months but still residing in the Billboard
200’s top 100. Charts update weekly on Thurdays at www.Billboard.Biz/charts. Copyright 2016, Prometheus
Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved.
RE-ENTRY
WHEN THE RIGHT ONE COMES ALONG
SAM PALLADIO(ABC Studios/Lions Gate/Big Machine)
47 49
l
BROWN BAND
JEKYLL + HYDE
23 17 18 48 ZAC
JOHN VARVATOS/SOUTHERN GROUND/BMLG 022962/REPUBLIC
HITS & HYMNS
45
l
MIND READER
DUSTIN LYNCH(Broken Bow/BBMG)
0
FORTUNE
35 32 18 JIMMY
GAITHER /CAPITOL CMG
44 42 5 SHUT UP AND FISH
MADDIE & TAE(Dot/Republic/BMLG)
46 44 36 STRIP IT DOWN
LUKE BRYAN(Capitol Nashville/UMGN)
ANYTHING GOES
ILLINOIS
43 40 74 TAKE YOUR TIME
SAM HUNT(MCA Nashville/UMGN)
EXCUSES
KANE BROWN(RCA Nashville/SMN)
21 NEW
l
22 21 11
l
ELDREDGE
24 18 24 28 BRETT
ATLANTIC 549782/WMN
16 STONE COLD SOBER
BRANTLEY GILBERT(Valory/BMLG)
21 HEAD OVER BOOTS
JON PARDI(Capitol Nashville/UMGN)
+ RORY
COUNTRY CLASSICS: A TAPESTRY OF OUR MUSICAL HERITAGE
20 13 13 16 JOEY
FARMHOUSE/GAITHER 48979/CAPITOL CMG
24 15
3 AMERICAN COUNTRY LOVE SONG
JAKE OWEN(RCA Nashville/SMN)
25 23
l
11 FIX
CHRIS LANE(Big Loud)
35 DIBS
KELSEA BALLERINI(Black River)
48 45 41 STAY A LITTLE LONGER
BROTHERS OSBORNE(EMI Nashville/UMGN)
49
l
50
l
NEW
RE-ENTRY
TUXEDO
CLARE DUNN(MCA Nashville/UMGN)
MAKE YOU MISS ME
SAM HUNT(MCA Nashville/UMGN)
Top-selling paid download country songs compiled from sales reports collected and provided by Nielsen
Music. Charts update weekly on Thurdays at www.Billboard.Biz/charts. Copyright 2016, Prometheus
Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved.
2
3
4
The 22-year-old Vicksburg, Miss.,
native released his major-label debut
EP digitally on March 18 and physically
on March 25. The self-titled set opens
on Top Country Albums at No. 28, selling
2,000 copies. Lead single “I Met a Girl”
two-steps 33-31 on Country Airplay
(5.3 million in audience, up 3 percent).
28
WILLIAM
MICHAEL
MORGAN
l
6
l
5
7
8
l
9
l
10
l
ARTIST
DIE A HAPPY MAN
26 T HOMAS RHETT
BREAK UP IN A SMALL TOWN
2 34 SAM HUNT
YOU SHOULD BE HERE
3 12 COLE SWINDELL
TAKE YOUR TIME
4 65 SAM HUNT
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE
6 10 BRETT ELDREDGE
SNAPBACK
8
6 OLD DOMINION
CONFESSION
5
8 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE
THINK OF YOU
12 5 CHRIS YOUNG DUET WITH CASSADEE POPE
SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH
10 4 DIERKS BENTLEY
1
11
5
MY CHURCH
AREN MORRIS
M
11
9
12 13
13
7
14
l
15
l
16
l
21
14
24
17 15
18 17
19 18
WKS ON
CHART
TITLE
LAST
WEEK
1
WKS ON
CHART
THIS
WEEK
COUNTRY
STREAMING SONGS
LAST
WEEK
25
l
28 THAT DON’T SOUND LIKE YOU
LEE BRICE(Curb)
KILL THE LIGHTS
DOWN TO MY LAST BAD HABIT
GEORGIA LINE
22 19 21 76 FLORIDA
REPUBLIC NASHVILLE /BMLG
19 USED TO LOVE YOU SOBER
KANE BROWN(Zone 4/RCA Nashville/SMN)
35 29 66 GIRL CRUSH
LITTLE BIG TOWN(Capitol Nashville/UMGN)
RELOADED: 20 #1 HITS
YOUNG
15 14 19 CHRIS
RCA NASHVILLE 506963/SMN
16 DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE
BRETT ELDREDGE(Atlantic/WMN)
ARTIST (IMPRINT/LABEL)
10 6 27 DIE A HAPPY MAN
THOMAS RHETT(Valory/BMLG)
REMINGTON
WHEELHOUSE /BBMG
THERE GOES MY EVERYTHING
KANE BROWN(RCA Nashville/SMN)
TITLE
0
DAMN COUNTRY MUSIC
GRANGER SMITH
NEW
ARTIST (IMPRINT/LABEL)
STORYTELLER
20 17 15 CAMUNTAMED
RCA/ARISTA NASHVILLE 507049/SMN
9
WKS ON
CHART
11 MY CHURCH
MAREN MORRIS(Columbia Nashville/SMN)
1
TITLE
LAST
WEEK
2
ZONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE 531694/SMN
7
18
l
19
l
2
TRAVELLER
1
—
16
l
HOME ALONE TONIGHT
26 20 21 LUKE BRYAN FEAT. KAREN FAIRCHILD(CapitolNashville/UMGN)
FARMHOUSE/GAITHER 49134/CAPITOL CMG
3
15
10 HUMBLE AND KIND
TIM MCGRAW(McGraw/Big Machine/BMLG)
HYMNS
STAPLETON
47 CHRIS
MERCURY 019405*/UMGN
6
14
l
3
JOEY + RORY
NEW
3
1
l
Title
IMPRINT & NUMBER / DISTRIBUTING LABEL
THIS
WEEK
3
l
4
l
5
l
WKS ON
CHART
2
LAST
WEEK
2
THIS
WEEK
2
PEAK
POSITION
WEEKS
ON CHT
6
CERT.
2 WEEKS
AGO
1
LAST
WEEK
1
THIS
WEEK
1
ARTIST
THIS
WEEK
COUNTRY
DIGITAL SONGS
TOP COUNTRY ALBUMS
SALES, AIRPLAY &
STREAMING DATA
COMPILED BY
STREAMING DATA
COMPILED BY
TITLE
ARTIST
HOUSE PARTY
44 S AM HUNT
TENNESSEE WHISKEY
21 CHRIS STAPLETON
HEARTBEAT
9 CARRIE UNDERWOOD
CAME HERE TO FORGET
2 BLAKE SHELTON
HUMBLE AND KIND
3 TIM MCGRAW
T-SHIRT
2 THOMAS RHETT
CRUISE
154 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE
GIRL CRUSH
57 LITTLE BIG TOWN
I’M COMIN’ OVER
41 CHRIS YOUNG
20 16 12 BEAUTIFUL DRUG
Z AC BROWN BAND
Country Streaming Songs -The week’s top Country streamed radio songs, on-demand songs and videos
on leading online music services. Charts update weekly on Thurdays at www.Billboard.Biz/charts. Copyright
2016, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 13 OF 19
MAKIN’ TR ACKS TOM ROLAND tom.roland@billboard.com
Granger Smith’s ‘If The Boot Fits’
Embraces The Cinderella Story
The last 12 months in country music have featured numerous Cinderella
­stories, artists who seemingly stepped out of the shadows to claim a ­prominent
place in the format. They include Cam, Chris Janson, Michael Ray and
Granger Smith.
Smith self-released his first album in 1998 and — thanks in large part to
an alter-ego, redneck Earl Dibbles Jr. — developed a big online following,
though he was fairly anonymous in mainstream circles. A five-song EP, 4x4,
finally nabbed a No. 6 slot on Country Albums after its release in May 2015,
leading to a deal with BBR’s Wheelhouse label. His first single on the imprint,
“Backroad Song,” topped the Country Airplay chart dated Feb. 27, completing
Smith’s Cinderella story and effectively changing expectations.
“We’ve had a No. 1 song, and you can’t settle for anything less on the second
single or it’s considered a failure, right?” says Smith. “Challenge accepted. I
don’t mind that at all.”
Smith stands up to the challenge with “If the Boot
Fits,” a follow-up that appropriately leans on a fairytale
plot. Released to radio via Play MPE on Feb. 22, the
song has its own Cinderella story. It was one of the
final two tracks recorded in December 2015 for Smith’s
first Wheelhouse album, one of only two titles he didn’t
write that made the final 15 on Remington (released
March 4).
Smith wasn’t looking for material, and Downtown
Music Nashville creative manager Danny Berrios wasn’t
trying to pitch him a song when he sent the “Boot” demo
to Tyler Smith, Granger’s manager/brother. Berrios
was merely hoping to set up a co-writing session with
Smith for the song’s three writers — Jordan M. Schmidt,
Andy Albert and Mitchell Tenpenny — and “Boot” was
­intended to demonstrate their compatibility. “If the Boot
SMITH
Fits” was clearly a good floor model.
“It sounded like something I would write,” says Smith,
who put it on hold within a matter of hours.
Smith was not the target when the writers started working on the song in
fall 2015 in Schmidt’s office at Florida Georgia Line’s Tree Vibez Music in
midtown Nashville. And the 1950 Disney movie Cinderella wasn’t originally a
reference point, either. Albert had served up the song’s title, and they o
­ riginally
tried writing it as a Jason Aldean-style anthem — presumably listing all the
country credentials one would exhibit if the boot fits.
They weren’t too deep into the song when Schmidt and Tenpenny pushed to
make the boot a metaphor for Cinderella’s glass slipper. Albert initially r­ esisted
but followed his co-writers’ lead once they convinced him they wouldn’t overdo
the fairytale references.
“The thing about doing a Cinderella story is it’s obvious a guy has to cut it,”
says Schmidt. “And what guy is going to want to sing a song about Cinderella
if it’s too much of a girly kind of metaphor?”
They set up the country twist in the opening lines, introducing the woman
as “a small-town Cinderella” whose father wants her back home before the
clock strikes midnight. By the time they hit the chorus, the glamour of Prince
Charming’s royal palace had been reimagined as “diamonds in the sky,” set
between a couple of singalong “whoa-oh-oh” passages. Midway through that
chorus, the melodic arc takes a surprising twist, as a series of three-note,
­syncopated phrases — “Cross my heart, hope to die, pick a star, make a wish”
— changes the character of the sonic narrative.
“It keeps turning [the story] and turning it faster,” says Albert. “That was
just the magic of writing it. We weren’t planning on it, we weren’t thinking
hard about it. It just kind of rolled into that.”
In verse two, the singer focuses on his pickup truck, his version of the
­ umpkin carriage. “We didn’t know if we wanted to put the truck stuff in just
p
because it’s everywhere,” notes Tenpenny. “But there’s a reason it’s ­everywhere:
It’s country. That’s why we decided to keep the truck in it.”
Schmidt built instrumental tracks on his laptop as the writing session
wore on, and Albert was already laying down the lead vocal for the demo
before they decided on a bridge. They had a line — “Let me show you how
a country boy treats a lady” — that underscores the singer as the good guy
in the story. Schmidt offered a line about Cinderella kicking her boots off
that finished it. The insinuation is that the singer wants her to be comfortable, but ­u nderneath it all is the possibility that it’s just the beginning of
her shedding clothes.
“Take it however you want,” says Tenpenny. “I think the way we wrote it,
you can kick it off and we can go back and hook up, or you can just kick it off
and relax. It’s all good.”
Schmidt’s demo leaned on sounds that his Tree Vibez
bosses, Florida ­G eorgia Line, would appreciate, and
when he turned it in, he s­ uggested pitching it to Luke
Bryan. By the time the FGL guys agreed, Smith already
had it, and he asked for some alterations. The writers
weren’t extremely familiar with him, so the assignment
was tough.
“Granger wanted something that was a little bit more
‘him,’ whatever that was,” says Albert. “Jordan, Mitchell
and I wrote an alternate second verse for it, and he took
a little bit of that, a little bit of the original version and a
little bit of his own thing, and kind of combined it into
what would eventually end up being the final product.”
Co-producer Frank Rogers (Brad Paisley, Josh
Turner) booked the Castle Studio in Franklin, Tenn.,
to cut “Boot” and one other song in December. Smith
was out of town at the time, but they discussed ways to
tone down the demo’s electronic vibe and “
­ rootsify it,”
as Smith says. He recorded a scratch vocal in an ­appropriate tempo and key,
and sent it to Rogers in time for the session.
“His brother was in the back of the room with his phone,” recalls Rogers,
“every couple takes, recording it and sending it out to Granger, wherever he
was on the West Coast, and going, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ He
would text me, ‘Hey, can you try this on the bridge?’ So he was kind of giving
input long distance.”
Guitarist Derek Wells invented a new intro riff, and Smith came back later
to Rogers’ studio, the PoolHouse, to do final vocals. Because he was r­ evamping
the lyrics on the fly, the process required numerous attempts to make it less
aggressive and more like the guy next door.
“He would sing it like 10 different variations of lines until we kind
of b
­ rainstormed, ‘OK, there it is,’ ” says Rogers. “It’s going for what the
­songwriters are going for, but it sounds more like the Granger brand.”
Smith changed the tense from the third person to first, replaced a first-verse
truck reference with a “long, slow kiss” and moved the prince and princess
­references around in the second verse, where he also played up Cinderella’s outfit.
“Cinderella has that very iconic blue dress,” explains Smith. “My d
­ aughter
loves Cinderella, so I know the story very well. I added in the blue dress, but
made it cotton.”
Tyler Smith had always seen “If the Boot Fits” as a potential summer ­single,
so it became an easy choice to follow “Backroad Song.” “That was at the top of
the list for him, and I didn’t have an argument with it,” says Smith.
“If the Boot Fits” is currently at No. 50 in its fourth week on Country Airplay.
Should it find its way to No. 1, there’s a good chance that someone in the chain
will complete its Cinderella story in the most obvious way: by going to Disney.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 14 OF 19
THE STARK REPORT PHYLLIS STARK phyllis.stark@billboard.com
Terri Clark Is ‘Giddy’ Over
New Gig As Host Of Country Gold
Terri Clark is a big fan of ’90s country music, and not just because most of
her own hits occurred during the latter half of that decade. She calls the era’s
music “pretty amazing,” noting, “They were still writing songs about stories
and life” in those days.
Those are some of the many reasons why she’s delighted to be taking over
from Alabama frontman Randy Owen
as host of Westwood One’s ­syndicated
classic country show ­C ountry Gold,
which airs on more that 100 radio
­stations nationwide. Along with the new
host — who begins her job with the program set to air the weekend of April 9-10
— the long-running show will also make
some programming a
­ djustments, refocusing primarily on those ’90s hits.
Clark says the music mix on the fourhour weekly show will now be about
50-60 percent ’90s and 30-40 percent
’80s, with the balance being older tunes.
“I am just so excited to get to sort
of be a spokesperson for my era,” says
Clark, describing herself as “giddy”
over the opportunity to spotlight not
only her artist peers, but the elder acts
that influenced her musically, like Reba
CLARK
McEntire and Ricky Skaggs. “If I wasn’t
doing this show I would be listening to
it,” she adds.
Clark, a Grand Ole Opry member, has
notched 10 top 10 hits on Hot C
­ ountry
Songs since making her U.S. debut in
1995, including the No. 1s “You’re
Easy On the Eyes” and “Girls Lie Too.”
In her native countr y she has won
eight ­C anadian Country Music Assn.
­entertainer of the year awards and five
female vocalist trophies.
In 2013 Clark embarked on a new
phase of her career when she joined Cumulus’ A
­ merica’s Morning Show as part
of a Blair ­Garner-led cast that included
fellow ­a rtists Chuck Wicks, Sunny
­Sweeney and Lee Ann Womack. Only
Wicks now remains on the syndicated
show with Garner.
Clark says she left the show after a
little less than two years by “mutual” decision. The full-time, five-day-a-week
gig proved very challenging for her. “The artist part of me had a really hard
time with the schedule on weekends,” she explains. “I was trying to do tour
dates. There are some clubs that don’t want you onstage until 10:30 p.m. So to
have to flip my clock back around to ­getting up at 3:30 a.m. again on ­Monday
morning was difficult.
“Blair knew that it was hard on me to do both. I think that show takes
­somebody who is dedicated to that 100 percent and willing to pretty much
give up everything they’ve got going on for it,” she continues, while noting with
admiration that Wicks has managed to find the right balance. “It’s a lot of work,
and it’s not easy. I enjoyed it, but I feel like this [weekly] show is a much better
fit for me. Face it: Morning shows don’t necessarily need five artists on them.”
Despite the challenges, Clark still loved working in radio, so when Cumulus
programmer Charlie Cook came to her with the Country Gold opportunity, she
jumped at it. “This is the kind of show I was hoping the morning show would
eventually lead me to do,” she says, adding that it was her “ultimate goal” to
do a program exactly like this one.
She learned a lot about how good
radio is made while working on the
morning show and plans to apply that
new skill set to the job. In particular, she
cites ­p ointers picked up from ­G arner
about doing compelling artist interviews
since she hopes to have plenty of stars
dropping by her show.
“There are a lot of artists from my
era doing new music,” she says. “I want
people to be aware of them. They’re still
touring and making new records … I’d
love to have people bring their guitar
in and sing some acoustic versions of
their past hits or new music. There’s all
kinds of stuff that we can do to make
this interesting.
“I don’t want it to be a show about me
telling stories about me,” she continues.
“I’m like a walking jukebox, especially
with ’70s and ’80s country, and the ’90s
was my era. I know a lot of these artists
personally, so I’ll be able to interject
facts and stories where I can about the
artists as we’re going into songs.”
C la rk b el ieves a r t i st- on-a r t i st
­interviews tend to have a different feel
than those conducted by a full-time air
personality, and she plans to ­capitalize on
that. “I think there is a trust f­ actor, a loose
factor that goes along with that,” she
says of the peer-to-peer c­ onversations.
­“Everybody knows I’m one of the guys,
so it’s going to be fun. I’ve been on the
road with a lot of these people. I still do
shows with a lot of them.”
She has about 80 concerts booked
this year, including a not-yet-announced
fall tour, and plans to use some of those
­o pportunities to grab interviews and
audio of backstage banter with her
­fellow artists for the show. But she’s ­making sure to carve out plenty of time
in her schedule to devote to the show in-studio as well.
“Touring and singing and playing is second nature to me,” she says. “This
[radio] thing is a little bit newer, so I really want to make sure that I’m ­focusing
on what I am doing here on this show and not rushing it.”
Although Owen hosted Country Gold for four years, Clark says she
­deliberately chose not to listen back to any of his shows to help prepare. “I
do not want to bring in any preconceived thing to it. I want this to be fresh to
me and make it unique and make it my own if I can. I know a lot of people will
miss hearing Randy, but hopefully they will stick around to hear what we do.”
Even before officially starting the gig, however, there’s one thing Clark
knows about it for sure: “I’m going to have a blast. No doubt about that.”
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 15 OF 19
Country Indicator
THIS
WEEK
LAST
WEEK
WKS
ON
CHART
l
2
l
3
l
4
l
5
l
6
l
7
l
8
l
9
l
10
l
11
l
2
13
YOU SHOULD BE HERE W
arner Bros./WMN
1
21
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE A
tlantic/WMN Brett Eldredge
3
20
6
7
1
TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist
AUDIENCE
(IN MILLIONS)
PLAYS
THIS WEEK
+/–
THIS WEEK
+177
8.868
4585
+40
8.782
CONFESSION R epublic Nashville Florida Georgia Line
4392
+267
8.149
28
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT B ig Machine Rascal Flatts
4083
+272
7.864
16
SNAPBACK R CA Nashville Old Dominion
3915
+287
7.317
5
21
NOBODY TO BLAME M
ercury Chris Stapleton
3885
+44
7.115
9
12
THINK OF YOU R epublic Nashville/RCA Nashville Chris Young Duet w/ Cassadee Pope
3807
+452
7.120
6.216
HH No. 1 (1 week) HH
Cole Swindell
4686
11
10
SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH C apitol Nashville Dierks Bentley
3372
+261
10
11
MY CHURCH C olumbia Nashville Maren Morris
3315
+164
6.013
12
10
HUMBLE AND KIND B ig Machine Tim McGraw
3282
+209
6.102
13
25
MIND READER B roken Bow Dustin Lynch
2925
+94
5.392
12
4
28
BEAUTIFUL DRUG J ohn Varvatos/Southern Ground/Republic/Dot Zac Brown Band
2854
-1121
5.912
13
l
14
45
THAT DON’T SOUND LIKE YOU C urb Lee Brice
2645
+78
5.149
14
8
18
HEARTBEAT 1 9/Arista Nashville Carrie Underwood
2576
-839
5.081
15
l
16
l
17
l
18
l
19
l
20
l
21
l
22
l
23
l
15
28
HEAD OVER BOOTS C apitol Nashville Jon Pardi
2568
+73
4.636
17
8
T-SHIRT V alory Thomas Rhett
2555
+349
4.665
23
3
CAME HERE TO FORGET W
arner Bros./WMN Blake Shelton
2438
+726
4.339
26
3
HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY C apitol Nashville Luke Bryan
2166
+623
4.092
18
29
STONE COLD SOBER V alory Brantley Gilbert
2042
+36
3.803
20
19
IT ALL STARTED WITH A BEER W
arner Bros./WAR Frankie Ballard
1934
+120
3.628
22
7
RECORD YEAR EMI Nashville Eric Church
1904
+184
3.406
19
16
FIX B ig Loud Chris Lane
1881
+41
3.257
24
21
YOU LOOK LIKE I NEED A DRINK V alory Justin Moore
1732
+48
3.043
24
25
36
NIGHT’S ON FIRE M
CA Nashville David Nail
1657
-12
2.942
l
26
l
27
l
2
l8
29
4
AMERICAN COUNTRY LOVE SONG R CA Nashville Jake Owen
1245
+239
2.100
27
31
HOLE IN A BOTTLE M
ercury Nashville Canaan Smith
1244
+41
2.136
31
7
FROM THE GROUND UP W
arner Bros./WAR Dan + Shay
1122
+150
1.970
HH Hot Shot Debut/ Most Increased Plays/Most Added HHKenny Chesney
1090
+1090
2.073
29
28
23
RUNNING FOR YOU M
CA Nashville Kip Moore
1035
-9
1.706
30
l
30
24
HIGH CLASS E MI Nashville Eric Paslay
994
+13
1.514
25
NEW
NOISE B lue Chair/Columbia Nashville
BILLBOARD COUNTRY INDICATOR PANEL — 106 STATIONS
Abilene, Texas
KEAN
Alexandria, La.
KRRV
Amarillo, Texas
KGNC
Asheville, N.C.
WKSF
Atlantic City, N.J.
WPUR
Beaumont, Texas
KYKR
Beckley, W. Va.
WJLS
Biloxi, Miss.
WZKX
Bloomington, Ill.
WIBL
Bluefield, W. Va.
WHKX
Burlington, Vt.
WOKO
Cape Girardeau, Mo.
KEZS
Charleston, W. Va
WKWS
WQBE
College Station, Texas
KAGG
Columbia, Mo.
KCLR
Columbus, Ga.
WKCN
WSTH
Cookeville, Tenn.
WGSQ
Dothan, Ala.
WTVY
Duluth, Minn.
KKCB
Eau Claire, Wis.
WAXX
Elizabeth City, N.C.
WRSF
Erie, Pa.
WTWF
Eugene, Ore.
KKNU
Evansville, Ind.
WKDQ
Fargo, N.D.
KBVB
WSTH
Fayetteville, N.C.
WKML
Flagstaff, Ariz.
KAFF
Flint, Mich.
WFBE
Florence, Ala.
WXFL
Florence, S.C.
WEGX
Ft. Collins, Colo.
KUAD
Ft. Smith, Ark.
KTCS
Frederick, Md.
WFRE
Fredericksburg, Va.
WFLS
Green Bay, Wis.
WNCY
Hagerstown, Md.
WAYZ
Hot Springs, Ark.
KQUS
Huntington, Ky.
WDGG
Huntington, W. Va.
WTCR
Idaho Falls, Idaho
KTHK
Jackson, Miss.
WMSI
WUSJ
Janesville, Wis.
WJVL
Jonesboro, Ark.
KDXY
Joplin, Mo.
KIXQ
Kalamazoo, Mich.
WNWN
Kalispell, Mont.
KDBR
Kingmah, Ariz.
KFLG
Lafayette, Ind.
WKOA
Laredo, Texas
KRRG
Lansing, Mich.
WITL
Laurel, Miss.
WBBN
Lebanon, N.H.
Lincoln, Neb
Longview, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lufkin, Texas
Mason City, Iowa
Medford, Ore.
Meridian, Miss.
Montgomery, Ala.
Morgantown, W. Va.
Muskegon, Mich.
New London, Conn.
Odessa, Texas
Palm Springs, Calif.
Pensacola, Fla.
Peoria, Ill.
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Rapid City, S.D.
Rockford, Ill.
Rocky Mount, N.C.
Saginaw, Mich.
St. Cloud, Minn.
Salina, Kan.
Salisbury, Md.
San Angelo, Texas
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
WXXK
KFGE
KYKX
KLLL
KYKS
KIAI
KRWQ
WOKK
WLWI
WKKW
WMUS
WCTY
KHKX
KPLM
WXBM
WXCL
WRWD
KOUT
WXXQ
WDWG
WCEN
KZPK
KYEZ
WKTT
KGKL
KKJG
Santa Barbara, Calif.
KRAZ
Santa Maria, Calif.
KSNI
Sheboygan, Wis.
WBFM
Savannah, Ga.
WJCL
WUBB
Shreveport, La.
KXKS
Sioux Cty, Iowa
KSUX
South Bend, Ind.
WBYT
Springfield, Ill.
WFMB
Springfield, Mo.
KTTS
Terre Haute, Ind.
WTHI
Topeka, Kan.
WIBW
Traverse City, Mich.
WTCM
Tupelo, Miss.
WWZD
Utica, N.Y.
WFRG
Victor Valley, CA.KATJ
Waco, Texas
WACO
Wausau, Wis.
WDEZ
Wheeling, W. Va.
WOVK
Williamsport, Pa.
WILQ
Yakima, Wash.
KXDD
Youngstown, Ohio
WQXK
WWGY
Westwood One
HOT COUNTRY
MAINSTREAM COUNTRY
Music Choice
TODAY’S COUNTRY
Sirius XM
THE HIGHWAY
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 16 OF 19
Country Indicator
AUDIENCE
(IN MILLIONS)
THIS
WEEK
LAST
WEEK
WKS
ON
CHART
THIS WEEK
+/–
THIS WEEK
l
32
l
3
l3
34
l
35
l
TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist
32
11
LOVIN’ LATELY B $R/New Revolution Big & Rich Feat. Tim McGraw
959
+82
1.608
33
8
MAYDAY A
rista Nashville Cam
787
+30
1.112
34
23
POWER OF POSITIVE DRINKIN’ W
arner Bros./WAR Chris Janson
774
+32
1.260
39
4
MAKE YOU MISS ME M
CA Nashville Sam Hunt
722
+186
1.261
36
9
IT DON’T HURT LIKE IT USED TO M
ercury Billy Currington
686
+30
0.969
36
35
11
UNLOVE YOU B ig Machine Jennifer Nettles
668
-7
1.138
l
38
l
3
l9
40
l
41
l
42
l
4
l3
44
l
37
21
I MET A GIRL W
arner Bros./WMN William Michael Morgan
645
+9
0.913
41
5
21 SUMMER E MI Nashville Brothers Osborne
595
+126
0.826
40
8
I KNOW SOMEBODY R eviver LoCash
565
+40
0.966
44
6
USED TO LOVE YOU SOBER R CA Nashville Kane Brown
523
+130
0.719
42
14
LIVIN’ THE DREAM D
ot Drake White
484
+62
0.791
43
12
MAKE MY OWN SUNSHINE B ig Spark Olivia Lane
441
+43
0.650
49
2
PETER PAN B lack River Kelsea Ballerini
397
+170
0.594
50
4
IF THE BOOT FITS W
heelhouse Granger Smith
363
+139
0.516
322
-4
0.559
31
37
45
RE-ENTRY
NEXT BOYFRIEND 1 9/Interscope/Mercury Lauren Alaina
PLAYS
46
45
10
JESUS AND JONES W
heelhouse Trace Adkins
312
-52
0.404
l
48
l
49
l
50
l
51
l
52
l
53
l
54
l
55
l
59
2
SONG NUMBER 7 S toney Creek Randy Houser
284
+124
0.434
51
3
RECKLESS N
ash Icon Martina McBride
258
+37
0.240
48
6
TUXEDO M
CA Nashville Clare Dunn
252
+10
0.287
47
7
TAKE ME DOWN M
CA Nashville Vince Gill
251
+5
0.412
52
6
SOUTHERN BOY B roken Bow Jordan Rager with Jason Aldean
246
+27
0.429
56
4
SOUTHERNALITY R epublic Nashville A Thousand Horses
219
+40
0.266
55
3
GIRL NEXT DOOR W
arner Bros./WMN Brandy Clark
211
+26
0.335
54
2
HEALING HIGHWAY B lue Light Brian Collins
206
+21
0.285
58
8
RUNNIN’ OUTTA LIPSTICK C ircle S Sarabeth
200
+25
0.264
56
53
9
QUICKSAND M
omentum/in2une Rachele Lynae
197
-2
0.258
l
58
l
59
l
60
l
57
5
Y’ALL GIRLS P urple Cow Jake McVey
184
+9
0.309
60
2
JUST DON’T KNOW IT YET C hris Chitsey/Premier Nashville Chris Chitsey
146
+8
0.203
NEW
TELL ME V illa One/Grassroots Frank Ortega
121
+17
0.171
NEW
DADDY’S MONEY R ed Bow Brooke Eden
116
+8
0.172
47
57
CHARTS LEGEND
RANKINGS
Country Airplay is ranked by
total audience impressions
for the week ending Sunday
based on monitored airplay of
151 stations by Nielsen BDS.
Audience totals on the chart are
derived, in part, using certain
Arbitron Inc. copyrighted
Persons 12+ audience
estimates (under license ©
2016, Arbitron Inc.) Country
Indicator is tabulated using
reported playlists and Nielsen
BDS-monitored airplay at 106
stations, ranked by total plays.
station downtime for the format.
Titles that decline in audience
but increase in detections will
also receive a bullet if the total
audience erosion for the week
does not exceed 3%. Bullets are
awarded on Country Indicator to
titles gaining plays or remaining
flat from the previous week.
BULLETS
TIES
On Country Airplay, if two songs
are tied in total audience, the song
with the larger increase in audience
is placed first. On Country Indicator,
if two songs are tied in total plays,
the song with the larger increase in
plays is placed first.
remaining flat from the previous
week. A song will also receive
a bullet if its percentage loss
in audience does not exceed
the percentage of monitored
RECURRENTS
On Country Airplay, descending
titles below No. 10 in either
audience or detections are moved
to recurrent after 20 weeks,
provided that they are not still
l Awarded on Country Airplay
to titles gaining audience or
gaining enough audience points
to bullet or if they rank below No.
10 and post a third consecutive
week of (non-bulleted) audience
decline, regardless of total chart
weeks. On Country Indicator,
descending, non-bulleted titles
below No. 10 are moved to
recurrent after 20 weeks or if they
post a third consecutive week of
decline in plays after 10 weeks.
HOT SHOT DEBUT
Awarded to the highest-ranking
new entry on Country Airplay and
Country Indicator, respectively.
MOST ADDED
The total number of new adds
officially reported to Billboard by
each reporting station, or by an
automatic-add threshold (seven plays
for the first time in a chart tracking
week, according to Nielsen BDS) for
stations that do not report adds.
MOST INCREASED AUDIENCE/
PLAYS
Most Increased Audience on
Country Airplay and Most
Increased Plays on Country
Indicator list the songs with the
greatest week-to-week increases
in total audience or plays,
respectively.
AIRPOWER
Awarded on Country Airplay to
titles ranking inside top 20 in
plays and audience rankings for
the first time, with increases in
both plays and audience.
BREAKER
Awarded on Country Airplay
to titles achieving airplay (at
least one detection) at 60% of
reporting stations for the first
time.
© 2016 Prometheus Global Media, LLC
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
TITLE P ublishing-Licensing Org.
(Songwriter) C hart Position
21 SUMMER W
B Music Corp., ASCAP/Trampy
McCauley, ASCAP/All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Songstein
Publishing, ASCAP/Big Loud Shirt Industries, ASCAP ( J.
Osborne, T.J. Osborne, C.Wiseman) 4 5
A AMERICAN COUNTRY LOVE SONG E MI
Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room, BMI/
Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/
Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite
Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Harmony, ASCAP/Texa Rae
Music, ASCAP ( R.Copperman, A.Gorley, J.Johnston) 2 7
B BEAUTIFUL DRUG D ay For The Dead Publishing,
SESAC/Southern Ground, SESAC/Reach Music Tunes,
SESAC (Z.Brown, N.Moon) 6
C CAME HERE TO FORGET R ound Hill Songs
BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud Proud Songs, ASCAP/Red Toe
Rocker, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Doc And Maggie
Music, SOCAN/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP ( C.Wiseman,
D.Ruttan) 1 6
CONFESSION B ig Red Toe, BMI/Farm Town Songs,
BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room,
BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy My
Publishing, ASCAP/External Combustion Music, ASCAP
(R.Clawson, R.Copperman, M.Jenkins) 4
D DADDY’S MONEY W
arner-Tamerlane Publishing
Corp., BMI/Muddy Magnolia Music, BMI/Mama’s Exit
Publishing, BMI/Music Of Parallel, BMI/Downtown DMP
Songs, BMI ( K.North, J.Wilson, T.McHugh) 5 4
DANCE WITH YA W
arner-Tamerlane Publishing
Corp., BMI/THiS Music, BMI/Goes Something Like This
Music, BMI/Songs of Sunset Beach, BMI/SONGS MP
Publishing, BMI ( D.Baldridge, C.Yarber, J.Mitchell) 5 3
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE Sony/ATV Countryside,
BMI/Paris Not France Music, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music
Inc., BMI/Ross Copperman Songs, BMI (B.Eldredge,
R.Copperman) 2
F FISHIN’ WITH MY DAD S ongs Of Black River,
ASCAP/Mater Pie Music, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/
Mood Merchant Music, BMI/4 Cow Ranch Songs, BMI/
Banz Music, BMI (Bobby Bones, W.Varble, D.Lee) 6 0
FIX R ound Hill Works, BMI/Big Loud Proud Crowd, BMI/
Bux Tone Music, BMI/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/Telemitry
Productions, BMI/Year Of The Dog Music, ASCAP (S.
Buxton, J.Frasure, A.Stoklasa) 2 2
FROM THE GROUND UP W
B Music Corp.,
ASCAP/Beats And Banjos, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane
Publishing Corp., BMI/Shay Mooney Music, ASCAP/EMI
April Music, Inc., ASCAP/CDS Words And Music, ASACP ( D.
Smyers, S.Mooney, C. DeStefano) 2 9
G GIRL NEXT DOOR H ighway 508 Songs, ASCAP/
House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Nettwerk One B
Music, BMI/Revelry Music, BMI/Jay Gatsby Music, BMI/
Nettwerk One Music Limited Canada, SOCAN/Universal
Music Corporation, ASCAP/Smack Ink, ASCAP ( B.Clark,
J.J.Dillon, S.McAnally) 4 2
H HEAD OVER BOOTS G olden Vault Music, BMI/
The Song Factory, LLC, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/
Creative Nation Music, BMI ( J.Pardi, L.Laird) 1 9
HEARTBEAT C arrie-Okie Music, BMI/External
Combustion Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside
Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Who Wants
To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/
Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite
Songs, ASCAP ( C.Underwood, Z.Crowell, A.Gorley) 9
HIGH CLASS W
B Music Corp., ASCAP/Five Foot
Sixteen Publishing, ASCAP/Songs From The Rose Hotel,
ASCAP/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/Telemitry Productions,
BMI (E.Paslay, C.Crowder, J.Frasure) 3 4
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 17 OF 19
Country Airplay Index
HOLE IN A BOTTLE B MG Gold Songs, ASCAP/
MIND READER E MI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/
HUMBLE AND KIND S ongs Of Universal, Inc.,
MY CHURCH International Dog Music, BMI/BMG
Skinny Fat Nashville Music, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs,
BMI/Music Of Big Deal, BMI/Stalefish Music, BMI/Songs
From The Couch, BMI ( C.Smith, B.Beavers, D.Couch) 2 8
BMI/Hoodie Songs, BMI (L.McKenna) 1 4
HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY
S ony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Peanut Mill Songs, BMI/
Rhettro Music, BMI/Brooks County Boy Music, BMI/WB
Music Corp., ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP (R.
Akins, B.Hayslip) 1 1
Platinum Songs, BMI/Hello I Love You Music, BMI ( busbee,
M.Morris) 1 3
N EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Two Chord Georgia Music,
BMI/Brooks County Boy Music, BMI/WB Music Corp.,
NEXT BOYFRIEND W
arner-Tamerlane Publishing
ASCAP/Tar-Cam-Knox Music, ASCAP/Thankful For This
Corp., BMI/Lylas Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/
Music, ASCAP ( L.Bryan, D.Davidson, R.Akins, B.Hayslip) 1 8
Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/A Frank Entertainment,
ASCAP/Song House Publishing, ASCAP/Kobalt Music
I Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP ( L.Alaina, E.Weisband,
M.McVaney) 4 3
IF THE BOOT FITS Tree Vibez Music, LLC, ASCAP/
Major Bob Music, Inc., ASCAP/We-volve Music, ASCAP/
NIGHT’S ON FIRE S uper Big Music, ASCAP/Jett
Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Doc And Maggie
(J.M.Schmidt, A.Albert, M.Tenpenny) 5 0
Music, SOCAN/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP (J.Singleton,
D.Ruttan) 2 5
I KNOW SOMEBODY E MI Blackwood Music
Inc., BMI/Brooks County Boy Music, BMI/Songs By Red
NOBODY TO BLAME W
B Music Corp., ASCAP/
Room, BMI/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/ole Songs Of
House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Quackhead Music,
Countrywood, ASCAP ( R.Akins, R.Copperman, J.S.Stover) 4 6
BMI/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI ( C.Stapleton, B.Bales,
R.Bowman) 1 2
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT Y ear Of
The Dog Music, ASCAP/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/
NOISE S ony/ATV Acuff Rose Music, BMI/Basuare Music,
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Shay Mooney
BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room,
Music, ASCAP/MTrain Music, ASCAP ( M.Trainor, J.Frasure,
BMI/Smack Hits, GMR/Kobalt Music Group Ltd., GMR/EMI
S.Mooney) 3
April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Jon Mark Nite Music, ASCAP ( K.
Chesney, R.Copperman, S.McAnally, J.M.Nite) 2 1
I MET A GIRL R eHits Music, Inc., ASCAP/Smacktown
Music, ASCAP/Universal Music Corporation, ASCAP/Three
P Mules Music, ASCAP/Smack Ink, ASCAP (T. Rosen, S.Hunt,
S.McAnally) 3 1
PETER PAN S ongs Of Black River, ASCAP/KNB Music,
ASCAP/ole Purple Cape Music, BMI/Honey Lee Music, BMI
IT ALL STARTED WITH A BEER S ony/ATV
(K.Ballerini, F.G.Whitehead, J.Lee) 5 1
Harmony, ASCAP/Texa Rae Music, ASCAP/Nettwerk One
B Music, BMI/Revelry Music, BMI/Nevada House Music,
POWER OF POSITIVE DRINKIN’ R ed Vinyl
BMI/Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Real Big Red Tunes,
Music, Inc., BMI/Buckkilla Music, BMI/House Of Sea Gayle
ASCAP (J.Johnston, N.Mason, J.S.Stover) 2 4
Music, ASCAP/Green Vinyl Music, ASCAP (C.Janson, Mark
Irwin, C.DuBois) 3 5
IT DON’T HURT LIKE IT USED TO C oconut
Hut Publishing, ASCAP/Castle Bound Music, Inc., SESAC/
R We Be Pawtying, SESAC/BMG Rights Management (UK)
Ltd., PRS/You Want How Much Of What Publishing, BMI/ RAISED ON IT U niversal Music Corporation,
Worldwide EMG Music B, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI
ASCAP/Three Mules Music, ASCAP/External Combustion
(B.Currington, C.R.Barlowe, S.Carter) 4 4
Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside Independent Music
Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/
J JFLO Music, BMI/Who Wants To Buy My Publishing,
ASCAP (S.Hunt, Z.Crowell, J.Flowers) 4 1
JESUS AND JONES o le Purple Cape Music, BMI/
ole, BMI/Rack City Publishing, BMI/BMG Blue, BMI/Songs RECKLESS R ound Hill Works, BMI/Big Loud Proud
Of Jim McCormick, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/Sony/
Crowd, BMI/Bux Tone Music, BMI/Highly Combustible
ATV Acuff Rose Music, BMI/Six Ring Circus Songs, BMI (T.
Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside Independent
Farr, J.McCormick, C.Beathard) 4 7
Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy My
Publishing, ASCAP/I Love Pizza Music, ASCAP/Atlas
L Music Publishing, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing,
BMI/Heather Feather Songs, BMI ( S.Buxton, Z.Crowell,
LITTLE BIT OF YOU O rbison Music, LLC, BMI/
H.Morgan) 4 8
BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Funky
Friar Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/
RECORD YEAR S ony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/
Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP ( C.Bryant, D.George,
Longer And Louder Music, BMI/Little Louder Songs, BMi/
A.Gorley) 5
Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music, BMI (E.Church, J.Hyde) 2 3
LIVIN’ THE DREAM S ony/ATV Tree Publishing,
BMI/Tomdouglasmusic, BMI/Sony/ATV Harmony, ASCAP/
Texa Rae Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/
Creative Nation Music, BMI ( T.Douglas, J.Johnston, L.Laird)
36
LOVIN’ LATELY B ig Love Music, BMI/Songs Of
Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/J Money
Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc.,
ASCAP/StyleSonic Music, LLC, BMI ( W.K.Alphin, J.D.Rich,
T.McGraw) 3 3
M MAKE YOU MINE C entricity Music Publishing,
ASCAP/Bluenort Records, SOCAN/CentricSongs, SESAC/2
Hour Songs, SESAC/Pickin Publishing, BMI/Songs Of
Kickingbird, BMI ( B.Rempel, S.Mosley, B.Stennis) 4 9
MAKE YOU MISS ME U niversal Music
Corporation, ASCAP/Three Mules Music, ASCAP/Songs
Of Black River, ASCAP/Sonic Geo Music, ASCAP/Calhoun
Enterprises, ASCAP/RPM Global Publishing, BMI/
Hori Productions America, ASCAP ( S.Hunt, J.Osborne,
M.Ramsey) 3 2
MAYDAY M
arvelous Oaks Records, ASCAP/One Year
YesterdayPublishing, BMI/Creative Pulse Music, BMI/
These Are Pulse Songs, BMI (C.Ochs, T.Johnson) 3 9
ROCK ON B ig Music Machine, BMI/Fayde 49 Music,
BMI/Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music, BMI/Six Ring Circus
Songs, BMI/Scrambler Music, ASCAP/My My My Music,
ASCAP (T.Beathard, C.Beathard, M.Cannon-Goodman) 5 2
RUNNING FOR YOU M
usic Of Stage Three,
BMI/Songs Of Cornman, BMI/Roll Through Music, BMI/
BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc.,
BMI/Songs From The Engine Room, BMI/Southside
Independent Music Publishing, LLC, BMI/Internal
Combustion Music, BMI/Kickin’ Grids Music, BMI ( K.Moore,
T.Verges, B.Daly) 3 0
S SLEEP WITHOUT YOU S uper Big Music,
ASCAP/Caliville Publishing, ASCAP/Downtown DMP
Songs, BMI/Stars And Stripes And Maple Leaf Music,
BMI/Wordspring Music, LLC, SESAC ( B.Young, K.Archer,
J.Ebach) 5 5
SNAPBACK C arrot Seed Songs, ASCAP/Smackville
Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc.,
ASCAP/ReHits Music, Inc., ASCAP/Smacktown Music,
ASCAP/Unfair Entertainment, ASCAP/Songs Of Big Deal,
ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Wooden Ships, ASCAP
(M.Ramsey, T. Rosen, B.Tursi) 7
SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH P eermusic
III, Ltd., BMI/Peertunes, Ltd., SESAC/Jaron Boyer
Music, SESAC/BMG Silver Songs, SESAC/Fuego Songs
Publishing, SESAC/David Ryan Music, ASCAP/The Real
Brain Publishing, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Music
Of The Corn, ASCAP ( M.Tyler, J.Boyer, A.Palmer, D.Kuncio,
J.Mirenda) 1 0
SONG NUMBER 7 Legends Of Magic Mustang
Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/WB Music Corp.,
ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/Red Vinyl Music,
Inc., BMI ( J.Wilson, B.Hayslip, C.Janson) 5 6
SOUTHERNALITY W
arner-Tamerlane Publishing
Corp., BMI/Carolina June Publishing, BMI/Greatshakin
Music, BMI/Universal Music Corporation, ASCAP/Crowder
Taylor Publishing, ASCAP/Nettwerk One B Music, BMI/
Revelry Music, BMI/Nevada House Music, BMI ( M.Hobby,
C.Crowder, N.Mason) 5 7
SOUTHERN BOY S ongs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/
Creative Nation Music, BMI/These Are Pulse Songs, BMI/
Creative Pulse Music, BMI/Pulse Nation, BMI/ole Songs
Of Countrywood, ASCAP/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP ( L.
Laird, B.Dean, J.S.Stover) 3 8
STONE COLD SOBER W
arner-Tamerlane
Publishing Corp., BMI/Indiana Angel Music, BMI/External
Combustion Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Brett, ASCAP/Atlas
Music Publishing, ASCAP/Yawyer Three Music, ASCAP ( B.
Gilbert, Brett James, D.Layus) 2 0
T THAT DON’T SOUND LIKE YOU M
ike Curb
Music, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Brooks County
Boy Music, BMI/External Combustion Music, ASCAP/
Out Of The Taperoom Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside
Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/WB Music
Corp., ASCAP ( L.Brice, R.Akins, A.Gorley) 1 5
THINK OF YOU E MI Blackwood Music Inc.,
BMI/Goodbye Pants Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane
Publishing Corp., BMI/Songs From The Rose Hotel,
ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/EMI Foray Music, SESAC/
Write 2 Be Free Music, SESAC ( C.Young, C.Crowder, J.Hoge) 8
T-SHIRT E xternal Combustion Music, ASCAP/Songs Of
Southside Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/
WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/
Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Creative Nation Music, BMI/
Universal Music Corporation, ASCAP/Smack Ink, ASCAP
(A.Gorley, L.Laird, S.McAnally) 1 7
TUXEDO B MG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Leer Jet 87
Publishing, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Songs Of
Brett, ASCAP/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/For The Kids
Platinum, BMI/Legitimate Efforts Music, BMI (C.Dunn,
Brett James, B.West) 5 9
U UNLOVE YOU Jennifer Nettles Publishing, ASCAP/
House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Highway 508 Songs,
ASCAP (J. Nettles, B.Clark) 3 7
USED TO LOVE YOU SOBER S ongs Of
Universal, Inc., BMI/Kane Brown Music, BMI/EMI Foray
Music, SESAC/Write 2 Be Free Music, SESAC/B Frank
Entertainment, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing
America, Inc., BMI/Song House Publishing, ASCAP ( K.
Brown, M.McVaney, J.Hoge) 4 0
W WHISPER E MI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Jon Mark Nite
Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Dack Janiel’s
Publishing, BMI ( C. DeStefano, J.M.Nite, C.Rice) 5 8
Y YOU LOOK LIKE I NEED A DRINK R ound
Hill Works, BMI/Farm Town Songs, BMI/Big Loud Proud
Crowd, BMI/Round Hill Songs BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud
Proud Songs, ASCAP/HappyGoWrucke, BMI/Creative
Pulse Music, BMI/These Are Pulse Songs, BMI (R.Clawson,
M.Dragstrem, N.Hemby) 2 6
YOU SHOULD BE HERE S ony/ATV Tree
Publishing, BMI/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/
Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP
(C.Swindell, A.Gorley) 1
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 18 OF 19
Hot Country Songs Index
TITLE P ublishing-Licensing Org.
(Songwriter) C hart Position
A AMERICAN COUNTRY LOVE SONG E MI
Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room, BMI/
Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/
Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite
Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Harmony, ASCAP/Texa Rae
Music, ASCAP ( R.Copperman, A.Gorley, J.Johnston) 2 5
B BETTER IN BOOTS Legends Of Magic Mustang
Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/This Is Magic
Mustang Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Music
Of Platinum Pen, SESAC/Hatchoo Music, SESAC/Thunder
Cookie, SESAC ( J.Wilson, D.Pittenger, N.Cooke) 3 1
C CAME HERE TO FORGET R ound Hill Songs
BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud Proud Songs, ASCAP/Red Toe
Rocker, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Doc And Maggie
Music, SOCAN/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP ( C.Wiseman,
D.Ruttan) 1 1
CONFESSION B ig Red Toe, BMI/Farm Town Songs,
BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room,
BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy My
Publishing, ASCAP/External Combustion Music, ASCAP
(R.Clawson, R.Copperman, M.Jenkins) 7
D DIE A HAPPY MAN E MI Blackwood Music Inc.,
BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane
Publishing Corp., BMI/Eastman Pond Publishing, BMI/
Music Of Big Deal, BMI/Nice Life, BMI/Frederic And Reid
Music, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI (Thomas Rhett,
S.M.Douglas, Joe London) 3
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE Sony/ATV Countryside,
BMI/Paris Not France Music, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music
Inc., BMI/Ross Copperman Songs, BMI (B.Eldredge,
R.Copperman) 2
E EXCUSES S ongs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Kane Brown
Music, BMI/EMI Foray Music, SESAC/Write 2 Be Free
Music, SESAC/B Frank Entertainment, BMI/Songs Of
Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Song House
Publishing, ASCAP/Kobalt Music Publishing America,
Inc., ASCAP ( K.Brown, J.Hoge, M.McVaney) 3 6
F FIRE AWAY W
B Music Corp., ASCAP/New Sea Gayle
Music, ASCAP/Ole Ole, ASCAP/Black In The Saddle Songs,
ASCAP (C.Stapleton, D.Green) 3 8
FIX R ound Hill Works, BMI/Big Loud Proud Crowd, BMI/
Bux Tone Music, BMI/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/Telemitry
Productions, BMI/Year Of The Dog Music, ASCAP (S.
Buxton, J.Frasure, A.Stoklasa) 2 1
FROM THE GROUND UP W
B Music Corp.,
ASCAP/Beats And Banjos, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane
Publishing Corp., BMI/Shay Mooney Music, ASCAP/EMI
April Music, Inc., ASCAP/CDS Words And Music, ASACP ( D.
Smyers, S.Mooney, C. DeStefano) 2 2
H HEAD OVER BOOTS G olden Vault Music, BMI/
The Song Factory, LLC, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/
Creative Nation Music, BMI ( J.Pardi, L.Laird) 1 9
HEARTBEAT C arrie-Okie Music, BMI/External
Combustion Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside
Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Who Wants
To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/
Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite
Songs, ASCAP ( C.Underwood, Z.Crowell, A.Gorley) 1 3
HIGH CLASS W
B Music Corp., ASCAP/Five Foot
Sixteen Publishing, ASCAP/Songs From The Rose Hotel,
ASCAP/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/Telemitry Productions,
BMI (E.Paslay, C.Crowder, J.Frasure) 4 0
HOLE IN A BOTTLE B MG Gold Songs, ASCAP/
Skinny Fat Nashville Music, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs,
BMI/Music Of Big Deal, BMI/Stalefish Music, BMI/Songs
From The Couch, BMI ( C.Smith, B.Beavers, D.Couch) 3 5
HOME ALONE TONIGHT S ony/ATV Tree
Publishing, BMI/Universal Music Corporation, ASCAP/
Red Vinyl Music, Inc., BMI/Sixteen Stars Music, BMI/
HoriPro Entertainment Group, Inc., BMI (J.Stevens, C.Taylor,
J.Dreyer, T.Cecil) 1 8
HUMBLE AND KIND S ongs Of Universal, Inc.,
BMI/Hoodie Songs, BMI (L.McKenna) 4
HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY
S ony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Peanut Mill Songs, BMI/
NOBODY TO BLAME W
B Music Corp., ASCAP/
House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Quackhead Music,
BMI/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI ( C.Stapleton, B.Bales,
R.Bowman) 1 4
NOISE S ony/ATV Acuff Rose Music, BMI/Basuare Music,
BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room,
BMI/Smack Hits, GMR/Kobalt Music Group Ltd., GMR/EMI
April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Jon Mark Nite Music, ASCAP ( K.
Chesney, R.Copperman, S.McAnally, J.M.Nite) 3 3
P PETER PAN S ongs Of Black River, ASCAP/KNB Music,
ASCAP/ole Purple Cape Music, BMI/Honey Lee Music, BMI
(K.Ballerini, F.G.Whitehead, J.Lee) 4 7
POWER OF POSITIVE DRINKIN’ R ed Vinyl
Music, Inc., BMI/Buckkilla Music, BMI/House Of Sea Gayle
Music, ASCAP/Green Vinyl Music, ASCAP (C.Janson, Mark
Irwin, C.DuBois) 4 6
EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Two Chord Georgia Music,
R BMI/Brooks County Boy Music, BMI/WB Music Corp.,
ASCAP/Tar-Cam-Knox Music, ASCAP/Thankful For This
RAISED ON IT U niversal Music Corporation,
Music, ASCAP ( L.Bryan, D.Davidson, R.Akins, B.Hayslip) 2 0
ASCAP/Three Mules Music, ASCAP/External Combustion
Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside Independent Music
I Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/
JFLO Music, BMI/Who Wants To Buy My Publishing,
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT Y ear Of
ASCAP (S.Hunt, Z.Crowell, J.Flowers) 5 0
The Dog Music, ASCAP/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Shay Mooney
RECORD YEAR S ony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/
Music, ASCAP/MTrain Music, ASCAP ( M.Trainor, J.Frasure,
Longer And Louder Music, BMI/Little Louder Songs, BMi/
S.Mooney) 8
Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music, BMI (E.Church, J.Hyde) 2 4
I MET A GIRL R eHits Music, Inc., ASCAP/Smacktown
RUNNING
FOR YOU M
usic Of Stage Three,
Music, ASCAP/Universal Music Corporation, ASCAP/Three
BMI/Songs Of Cornman, BMI/Roll Through Music, BMI/
Mules Music, ASCAP/Smack Ink, ASCAP (T. Rosen, S.Hunt,
BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc.,
S.McAnally) 4 1
BMI/Songs From The Engine Room, BMI/Southside
IT ALL STARTED WITH A BEER S ony/ATV
Independent Music Publishing, LLC, BMI/Internal
Harmony, ASCAP/Texa Rae Music, ASCAP/Nettwerk One
Combustion Music, BMI/Kickin’ Grids Music, BMI ( K.Moore,
T.Verges, B.Daly) 3 9
B Music, BMI/Revelry Music, BMI/Nevada House Music,
BMI/Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Real Big Red Tunes,
S ASCAP (J.Johnston, N.Mason, J.S.Stover) 2 8
SHUT
UP
AND
FISH
S uper Big Music, ASCAP/
L Big Machine Music, BMI/Song Alert Publishing, SESAC/
Tunes of R And T Direct, SESAC (M.Marlow, T.Dye, P.Sallis,
LITTLE BIT OF YOU O rbison Music, LLC, BMI/
A.Scherz) 3 0
BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Funky
Friar Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/
SNAPBACK C arrot Seed Songs, ASCAP/Smackville
Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP ( C.Bryant, D.George,
Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc.,
A.Gorley) 1 6
ASCAP/ReHits Music, Inc., ASCAP/Smacktown Music,
ASCAP/Unfair Entertainment, ASCAP/Songs Of Big Deal,
LOVIN’ LATELY B ig Love Music, BMI/Songs Of
ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Wooden Ships, ASCAP
Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/J Money
(M.Ramsey, T. Rosen, B.Tursi) 1 0
Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc.,
ASCAP/StyleSonic Music, LLC, BMI ( W.K.Alphin, J.D.Rich,
SOMEWHERE
ON A BEACH P eermusic
T.McGraw) 4 5
III, Ltd., BMI/Peertunes, Ltd., SESAC/Jaron Boyer
M Music, SESAC/BMG Silver Songs, SESAC/Fuego Songs
Publishing, SESAC/David Ryan Music, ASCAP/The Real
MAYDAY M
arvelous Oaks Records, ASCAP/One Year
Brain Publishing, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Music
YesterdayPublishing, BMI/Creative Pulse Music, BMI/
Of The Corn, ASCAP ( M.Tyler, J.Boyer, A.Palmer, D.Kuncio,
These Are Pulse Songs, BMI (C.Ochs, T.Johnson) 4 2
J.Mirenda) 6
MIND READER E MI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/
SONG NUMBER 7 Legends Of Magic Mustang
Rhettro Music, BMI/Brooks County Boy Music, BMI/WB
Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/WB Music Corp.,
Music Corp., ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP (R.
ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/Red Vinyl Music,
Akins, B.Hayslip) 1 5
Inc., BMI ( J.Wilson, B.Hayslip, C.Janson) 4 8
MY CHURCH International Dog Music, BMI/BMG
STONE COLD SOBER W
arner-Tamerlane
Platinum Songs, BMI/Hello I Love You Music, BMI ( busbee,
Publishing Corp., BMI/Indiana Angel Music, BMI/External
M.Morris) 5
Combustion Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Brett, ASCAP/Atlas
Music Publishing, ASCAP/Yawyer Three Music, ASCAP ( B.
N Gilbert, Brett James, D.Layus) 2 3
NEXT BOYFRIEND W
arner-Tamerlane Publishing
T Corp., BMI/Lylas Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/
Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/A Frank Entertainment,
THAT DON’T SOUND LIKE YOU M
ike Curb
ASCAP/Song House Publishing, ASCAP/Kobalt Music
Music, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Brooks County
Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP ( L.Alaina, E.Weisband,
Boy Music, BMI/External Combustion Music, ASCAP/
M.McVaney) 4 4
Out Of The Taperoom Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside
Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/WB Music
NIGHT’S ON FIRE S uper Big Music, ASCAP/Jett
Corp., ASCAP ( L.Brice, R.Akins, A.Gorley) 1 7
Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Doc And Maggie
Music, SOCAN/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP (J.Singleton,
D.Ruttan) 2 6
THERE GOES MY EVERYTHING S ongs Of
Universal, Inc., BMI/Kane Brown Music, BMI/EMI Foray
Music, SESAC/Write 2 Be Free Music, SESAC/B Frank
Entertainment, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing
America, Inc., BMI/Song House Publishing, ASCAP/EMI
Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing,
BMI/Goodbye Pants Music, BMI ( K.Brown, J.Hoge,
M.McVaney, C.Young) 2 7
THINK OF YOU E MI Blackwood Music Inc.,
BMI/Goodbye Pants Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane
Publishing Corp., BMI/Songs From The Rose Hotel,
ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/EMI Foray Music, SESAC/
Write 2 Be Free Music, SESAC ( C.Young, C.Crowder, J.Hoge) 9
T-SHIRT E xternal Combustion Music, ASCAP/Songs Of
Southside Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/
WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/
Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Creative Nation Music, BMI/
Universal Music Corporation, ASCAP/Smack Ink, ASCAP
(A.Gorley, L.Laird, S.McAnally) 1 2
TUXEDO B MG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Leer Jet 87
Publishing, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Songs Of
Brett, ASCAP/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/For The Kids
Platinum, BMI/Legitimate Efforts Music, BMI (C.Dunn,
Brett James, B.West) 4 9
U UNLOVE YOU Jennifer Nettles Publishing, ASCAP/
House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Highway 508 Songs,
ASCAP (J. Nettles, B.Clark) 3 7
USED TO LOVE YOU SOBER S ongs Of
Universal, Inc., BMI/Kane Brown Music, BMI/EMI Foray
Music, SESAC/Write 2 Be Free Music, SESAC/B Frank
Entertainment, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing
America, Inc., BMI/Song House Publishing, ASCAP ( K.
Brown, M.McVaney, J.Hoge) 2 9
W WHISPER E MI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Jon Mark Nite
Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Dack Janiel’s
Publishing, BMI ( C. DeStefano, J.M.Nite, C.Rice) 4 3
WIDE OPEN S ongs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Kane
Brown Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Songs From
The Rose Hotel, ASCAP/This Is Magic Mustang Music,
ASCAP (K.Brown, C.Crowder, J.Lantz) 3 4
Y YOU LOOK LIKE I NEED A DRINK R ound
Hill Works, BMI/Farm Town Songs, BMI/Big Loud Proud
Crowd, BMI/Round Hill Songs BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud
Proud Songs, ASCAP/HappyGoWrucke, BMI/Creative
Pulse Music, BMI/These Are Pulse Songs, BMI (R.Clawson,
M.Dragstrem, N.Hemby) 3 2
YOU SHOULD BE HERE S ony/ATV Tree
Publishing, BMI/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/
Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP
(C.Swindell, A.Gorley) 1
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE
CODA
22 Years Ago
Little Texas
Felt The
‘Love’ At No. 1
The band’s lone leader
on Hot Country Songs
was as big as Texas
MARCH 28, 2016 | PAGE 19 OF 19
On April 2, 1994, Little Texas
was ­originally a six-man unit that
jumped 4-1 on Hot Country Songs
also included Duane Propes, Tim
with “My Love,” the band’s only
Rushlow, Dwayne O’Brien and Del
No. 1 among eight career top 10s.
Gray.) Big Time reached No. 6 on
The third single from the group’s
Top Country Albums, the band’s
second album, Big Time, followed
best peak, and has sold 1.2 million
“What Might Have Been” and “God
copies, a
­ ccording to Nielsen Music.
Blessed Texas,” which rose to Nos. 2
Inspired by the Eagles, Little
and 4 on Hot Country Songs, re- Texas additionally showed of f
spectively. (The former also crossed
its harmonies with its cover of
to a No. 16 peak on Adult Con- “
­ Peaceful Easy Feeling” on 1993’s
temporary.) Power ballad “Love” Common Thread: The Songs of the
was penned by the band’s Brady
Eagles. Following a 1997 hiatus, the
Seals (the track’s lead vocalist)
band returned in 2004. It still tours
and guitarist Porter Howell, as
and released the album Young for a
well as Tommy Barnes. (The act
Long Time in 2015.
—JIM ASKER
R EW I N D I N G
THE
C O U N T RY
C H A RT S
RON GALELLA, LTD./WIREIMAGE
Little Texas attended
the 29th annual Academy
of Country Music Awards
on May 3, 1994, at
Universal Amphitheatre
in Universal City, Calif.