Friday 28 February 2014

Country Billboard Chart News February 27, 2014

Country Billboard Chart News February 27, 2014

In Brief:  Billboard Country Charts

Country Album Chart ** No. 1 (2 weeks) "The Outsiders" Eric Church (73,798 sales; After 2 weeks – 361,769)
Hot Country Songs ** No.1 (2 weeks) ** “Chillin' It” Cole Swindell
Country Airplay ** No. 1 (2 weeks) *** "When She Says Baby” Jason Aldean
Country Digital Songs ** No.1 (4 non-consecutive weeks) ** “Bottoms Up” Brantley Gilbert (64,000 sales)

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Chart News

Disney's soundtrack to "Frozen" returned to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart (BB200), collecting its fifth non-consecutive week atop the list selling another 89,216 copies (13 week Total of 1,140,910) for the tracking week ending Feb 23rd 2014.
"Frozen" has now earned the most weeks at No. 1 for a soundtrack since "Titanic" racked up 16 straight weeks at No. 1 in 1998. It ruled the list on the charts dated Jan. 24 through May 9 that year. Since the Billboard 200 began using SoundScan sales data on May 25, 1991, only five soundtracks have spent at least five weeks at No.1: "Frozen," "Titanic," "Waiting to Exhale" (five weeks in 1996), "The Lion King" (10 weeks in 1994 and 1995) and "The Bodyguard" (20 weeks in 1992 and 1993).

Last week's BB200 No.1 album, Eric Church's THE OUTSIDERS, falls to No.2 on the BB200 in its second week with sales of 73,798 (down 74%) and holds the No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for a second week.

Candice Glover’s "Music Speaks" sold just 18,636 copies in its first week. That's the lowest first-week sales tally for the debut album by an American Idol Winner in the show's 12-year history. The old record was set in 2010 when Lee DeWyze's "Live It Up" sold 39K copies in its first week. "Music Speaks" entered The Billboard 200 at No.14. That's a bit higher than "Live It Up," which debuted and peaked at #19.
"Idol's" post-DeWyze revival with Scotty McCreery and Phillip Phillips (169K), both of whose debut albums started strongly and sold well over time, appears to have stalled.
It also didn't help that the Idol bosses waited so long to release Glover's album. Glover was named the Season 12 winner on May 16, 2013. This nine-month wait between Glover's coronation and the release of her debut album is the longest in "Idol" history. It tops the eight-month lag between Kelly Clarkson's coronation as the first Idol and the release of her first album, "Thankful." Since then, the lag has more typically been in the six month range.
"Idol's" TV ratings have been trending down for several years. "The Voice" has eclipsed "Idol" in buzz. The NBC show won an Emmy last year for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program—an award that "Idol" never won in its heyday (and now probably never will).
Here are the first-week sales tallies of the first post-coronation albums by "Idol" winners of country music interest:
Carrie Underwood's "Some Hearts" (315K), Kelly Clarkson's "Thankful" (297K), 
Scotty McCreery's "Clear As Day" (197K). 
Runners up: Lauren Alaina who was the Season 10 runner up to Scotty McCreery sold 69,013 copies of new country debut album Wildflower (19/Interscope/Mercury Nashville) which opened, on the chart Oct 28, 2011 at #5 on Billboard 200 (#2 Country) and it sold 94,625 copies in two weeks.
Country singer Kree Harrison (a pal of Kacey Musgraves) who finished runner up to Candice Glover did take part in the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2013. However it appears that UMG Nashville has passed on its option to sign up Kree. This would be the first Idol runner-up not to release an album with Idol’s affiliated major label. With the ongoing uphill battle for women at country radio, a crowded UMG Nashville roster and a debut single which charted poorly at #34 on Hot Country Songs this probably explains the lack of news updates and an album from her.

Cole Swindell owned the week's highest new entry on the Billboard 200. His self-titled debut album made a bow at No.3 (#2 Country) with sales of 63,247. Swindell's current single, "Chillin' It," hit No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart a week ago and on the Country Airplay chart, it rose 3-2 this week.
Cole Swindell joins a throng of rookie male artists who have invaded Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart during the past year.
Continuing the well-documented surge of male artists at the format, Swindell is the eighth solo male to debut inside the top five with a first full-length studio album during the past 12 months, compared with three such albums during the same period a year earlier and just one such album for the same time frame three years ago.
Of the eight men debuting during the past year—Tate Stevens (16,830 copies; #4 Country), Brett Eldredge (21,119 copies; #2 Country), Tyler Farr (28,857 copies; #2 Country), Thomas Rhett (36,253 copies; #2 Country), Jon Pardi (17,050 copies; #3 Country), Eric Paslay (10,655 copies; #4 Country) and Frankie Ballard (11,000 copies / #5 Country)—Swindell’s opening sales sum (63,247) is the largest, outpacing Rhett’s IT GOES LIKE THIS, which made a debut entry on Nov 2, 2013. While none of the albums from the aforementioned newcomers have crowned Top Country Albums, Swindell’s set is the fourth to hit No. 2, following Eldredge, Farr and Rhett.

Critical Reception for “Cole Swindell” :
BUY: 12 Tracks/ Time 40:37  CD - MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
>> Watch "Chillin' it"

USA Today (Rating 2.1/2 out of 4) this Georgia native eases into the spotlight with unhurried confidence. His laid-back, alcohol-fueled debut combines a Southern hip-hop fan's singsong drawl with rock-guitar production. — Brian Mansfield

Allmusic (Rating: 3 STARS) ....Cole Swindell's first hit single, "Chillin' It," sounds a bit like Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" as performed by Luke Bryan, and there's a reason for that: prior to taking a stab at a recording career, Swindell was a songwriter, penning songs for Bryan, FGL, and Scotty McCreery. He's a behind-the-scenes bro, responsible for crafting the
sound and feel of contemporary country, and his eponymous 2014 album demonstrates the attributes of his craft..... The one problem with the record is that Swindell sounds like a songwriter, not a singer. He has a guy-next-door voice that's ingratiating but not compelling, never pulling listeners into the song. This is where the sonic similarities to Bryan and FGL become a bit of a detriment; it's possible to hear either sing the songs on Cole Swindell with more personality than the man himself. Nevertheless, the album winds up pleasant enough: it's constructed by pros who know how to get tunes on the radio, so it goes down easy even if it sometimes seems like an overblown demo tape

Roughstock (Rating: 4 STARS) There’s an old saying that artists love to let the music speak and that couldn’t be more true for newcomer Cole Swindell. Over the course of the dozen tracks on Cole Swindell, we hear an artist who showcases who he is through the music. “Chillin’ It” brought Cole to the world’s attention as an artist and it’s easy to see why...... Cole wrote all but one of the tracks on Cole Swindell and the lone outside-sourced song is “Swayin’,” A song written by hit makers Ashley Gorley, Chris DeStefano and Rhett Akins..... By letting the music speak for him we find out that there’s a easy-going charm to the music that Cole Swindell makes and the man himself. It's an album that's easily likeable and one that should provide fans and radio many hits in the year or two to come.

Billboard Top Country Albums also sports a No. 9 re-entry for a cappella group Home Free—the fourth-season winner of NBC’s Sing-Off competition—whose album CRAZY LIFE (Columbia) sold 5,000 in its first full week of availability in physical form. Of that sum, 64% are Internet sales of CDs mailed to consumers. The album debuted at No.8 on the Feb. 1 chart with 6,000 solely from digital downloads. The group is on the road with the Sing-Off Live Tour, which started a string of 32 dates on Feb. 19 in Verona, N.Y.

Outside the Top 25 Billboard Country albums saw unsigned Bedford, southern Indiana and Nashville based artist Clayton Anderson land at No.50 with RIGHT WHERE I BELONG (No Hassle Love Castle Records), the follow up to Anderson’s 2009 debut Torn Jeans & Tailgates (#12 peak on the iTunes Country Chart). The album also appears on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart at No.20.
This 2014 release which initially debuted on the US iTunes Country Chart (Feb 18) at No.12 sees Anderson as sole writer or co-writer on almost all of the seven tracks. He has opened for some of country music’s biggest names in the past (including Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker and Eric Church) as well as winning Kenny Chesney’s Next Big Star competition. 
Anderson manages to transition his appeal to contemporary country fans with an array of more Country Pop and Country Rock leaning tracks such as the opener Country High and Right Where I Belong. Late 2013, Anderson asked his fans to choose his new single, and >> “Your Love Is Like Country Music” came out on top.
(18 Feb 2014) Clayton Anderson - Right Where I Belong
BUY: Right Where I Belong” 7 Tracks/ Time: 24:08 MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com  CONNECT with Clayton on FACEBOOK

Also of note on the Billboard Heatseekers chart saw the début at #7 from Americana/ Rock & Roll / Pop-Rock artiste Lydia Loveless with SOMEWHERE ELSE.
If you believe in rock ‘n’ roll, you pray for people like Lydia Loveless.”  - PopMatters.com
"Brimming with brashness and vulnerability, confidence and insecurity, and can leave you not knowing quite what to think." - writes The Boston Globe.
She's just passionate, but keep in mind that she's also nobody's alt-country princess - Spin.com Interview
(Rating: 8.5/10) The different shades of longing and desire that are woven through the songs on Lydia Loveless’ Somewhere Else constitute a whole world of broken dreams - Paste Magazine
BUY: 10 Tracks/ Time: 42:17 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

On February 11, Americana/ AAA / Acoustic Rock outfit Hurray for the Riff Raff released SMALL TOWN HEROES, its debut for ATO Records. The album with its great cover art landed at No.3 on the Heatseekers standings. 
The album finds frontwoman Alynda Lee Segarra – who settled in New Orleans after leaving her native Bronx at age 17 – contemporizing the rich musical forms of the American South in the age of Trayvon Martin and Wendy Davis.

Produced by Segarra and engineered by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes), ‘Small Town Heroes’ features twelve new, original songs all written or co-written by Segarra, with support from a vivid cast of Crescent City musicians including her longtime right-hand-man on fiddle, Yosi Perlstein, keyboard player Casey McAllister, and two members of the Deslondes: Sam Doores on guitar and Dan Cutler on bass. NPR has said that Hurray for the Riff Raff “sweeps across eras and genres with grace and grit,” never more so than on ‘Small Town Heroes.’ ‘Small Town Heroes’ follows Hurray for the Riff Raff’s self-released 2012 album ‘Look Out Mama,’ which led to a performance at the Newport Folk Festival, and praise from Mojo, which compared Segarra to “a soulful, young Loretta Lynn. Read more at ATO Records . >> Watch  “End of the Line” Read the reviews (Rating: 8/10) at Paste Magazine and Billboard.com
BUY: 12 Tracks/ Time: 44:03 available now at  Amazon.com and will be relesed in the UK March 3st

Johnny Cash’s Legend of Johnny Cash, a long-time top-seller which is #75 on the BB200 and #7 on the Billboard Catalog Chart has now moved 3.116 million copies and features tracks from his time with American Recordings (I.E. his late-career and last )
It first charted on the BB200 in 2005 and has enjoyed 78 weeks on the chart with a peak of #5

2014 Country Album sales Year-To Date:
4,499,000 (Physical sales 2,918,000 (down 9%) + Digital sales 1,581,000 (down 10.1%)) which is 16.6% down at the same point in 2013 (5,395,000 sales)

Billboard Top 200 / Country Album Placings

(Issue dated Chart week of March 8, 2014)
(Country Album positions #1 - #25)

(TW) This Week, (LW) Last Week, Co (Country Album Chart placing / Movement)































Top 25 Hot Country Songs (week of March 8, 2014)



On Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart - which blends:
a) All-format airplay, as monitored by BDS 
b) Sales, as tracked by Nielsen SoundScan and
c) Streaming, (tracked by Nielsen BDS from such services as Spotify, Muve, Slacker, Rhapsody, Rdio and Xbox Music, among others) according to BDS it results in:

  • Cole Swindell with “Chillin’ It” logged a second week atop Hot Country Songs, adding Streaming Gainer honors (801,000 U.S. streams, up 16%, according to Nielsen BDS). On Country Streaming Songs, the title jumps 9-4.
  • Brantley Gilbert’sBottoms Up” (Valory) has reached a new Hot Country Songs peak with a 4-2 hop
  • Keith Urban claimed his 30th top 10 with “Cop Car” (Capitol Nashville), which rose 12-10
  • Craig Campbell posted a career-high start at No.40 with “Keep Them Kisses Comin’ ” (Bigger Picture). Campbell’s previous best was a No.49 debut with “Outta My Head” two years ago.
Top 25 Hot Country Songs:

Cole Swindell with “Chillin’ It” stays at the TOP the Chart! #1
Brantley Gilbert with “Bottoms Up” is up two, #4 - #2 p
Luke Bryan with former No.1 “Drink A Beer” drops one slot, #2 - #3 q
Jason Aldean with “When She Says Baby” is down one, #3 - #4 p
Blake Shelton with “Doin’ What She Likes” is up two, #7 - #5 p
Lady Antebellum with “Compass” points a two place climbs, #8 - #6 p
Eric Church with “Give Me Back My Hometown” is down two, #5 - #7 q
David Nail with “Whatever She’s Got” falls two, #6 - #8 q
Frankie Ballard with “Helluva Life” holds at #9
Keith Urban with “Cop Car” climbs two, #12 - #10 p
Dierks Bentley with “Hold On” stays at #11
Scotty McCreery with “See You Tonight” slips back two, #10 - #12 q
Jerrod Niemann with “Drink To That All Night” stays at #13
Rascal Flatts with “Rewind” is up one, #15 - #14 p
Dan + Shay with “19 You + Me” is up one, #16 - #15 p
Thomas Rhett with “Get Me Some Of That” is up one slot, #17 - #16 p
Florida Georgia Line with “This Is How Me Roll” jumps up four, #21 - #17 p
Randy Houser with “Goodnight Kiss” is up one, #19 - #18 p
Thompson Square with “Everything I Shouldn’t Be Thinking About” is up, #20 - #19 p
Florida Georgia Line with former No.1 “Stay” falls two, #18 - #20 q
Danielle Bradbery with “The Heart Of Dixie” is up one, #22 - #21 p
Brett Eldredge with “Beat Of The Music” is up one, #23 - #22 p
Justin Moore with “Lettin’ The Night Roll” moves up two slots, #25 - #23 p
Miranda Lambert with “Automatic” falls ten places, #14 - #24 q
Hunter Hayes with “Invisible” falls 1 place, #24 - #25 q

Hot County Songs
** No.1 (2 weeks)/ Streaming Gainer ** “Chillin’ It“ Cole Swindell
** Digital Gainer ** No.7  ”Give Me Back My Hometown”  Eric Church
** Airplay Gainer ** No.17 Florida Georgia Line feat Luke Bryan
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.40 “Keep Them Kisses Comin’” Craig Campbell
Debut No.44 “Let Me See Ya Girl”  Cole Swindell
Debut No.47 “Just Add Moonlight” Eli Young Band


Billboard Country Airplay Chart Week of March 8, 2014

Jason Aldean’s 11th No.1 count on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with for “When She Says Baby” (Broken Bow) enjoyed a second week atop the chart.
“When She Says Baby” logged 45.661 million audience impressions (+1.489 million gain) receiving 7,238 radio plays (+223).
Six of Aldean’s No1s have spent multiple weeks at the summit. His first such song (and longest No.1 run to date) was “Big Green Tractor,” which logged the first of four straight weeks at No.1 on the Sept. 5, 2009, chart. He spent three weeks at No.1 with “Don’t You Wanna Stay” (a duet with Kelly Clarkson) three years ago and held for another three weeks with “Take a Little Ride” in 2012. His previous two-week No.1s are “The Truth” (2010) and “Night Train” (2013).

Randy Houser, claimed his fourth top 10 on Country Airplay with “Goodnight Kiss” (Stoney Creek), which gained 1.3 million audience impressions and stepped 11-10 in its 24th chart week. He has reached the upper region more quickly on two occasions—his fastest top 10 ascent was 20 weeks with “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight,” which eventually spent two weeks at No.1 last summer. “Boots On” needed 21 weeks to crack the top 10 on its way to a No.2 peak five years ago. Houser’s longest top 10 climb was 32 weeks with “How Country Feels,” which became his first No.1 a year ago.

The week’s “Most Added” honours at No.23 with "This Is Now We Roll" (Republic Nashville) goes to Florida Georgia Line feat. Luke Bryan which snagged 34 fresh radio commitments (ADDS).
Craig Campbell bagged the “Most Increased Audience” trophy as “Keep Them Kisses Comin’ (Bigger Picture) at No.30 logged 7.262 million audience impressions, a 5.010 million audience net gain, receiving 1,384 radio plays (+783)
The Band Perry took home the “Hot Shot Debut” cup as their new single “Chainsaw” (Republic Nashville) landed at No.50. The song, written by Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Matt Ramsey, becomes their fourth single from their second studio album PIONEER.

Fourth-season “The Voice” (NBC) finalists The Swon Brothers appear for the first time with “Later On” (Arista Nashville), which made a bow at No.60. Although the duo makes its maiden voyage on the radio chart with its first official single, brothers Zach Swon and Colton Swon became regulars last year on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs survey, placing 10 competition tracks on the sales/airplay/streaming hybrid chart between May and July. The highest rank among those songs was the duo’s cover of Kenny Loggins’ “Danny’s Song,” which debuted and peaked at No.16 last June. The song was a top 10 hit for Anne Murray some 40 years before the sibling duo’s cover—her version peaked at No.10 on the Hot Country Songs chart dated March 24, 1973.

Women of Country 2014 Watch:
Danielle Bradbery at No.13 (“The Heart Of Dixie”), Miranda Lambert at No.25 ("Automatic") and Sara Evans at No.28 (“Slow Me Down”) were the only 3 solo female artists in the Top 30 Country Airplay songs. Sheryl Crow #35, Leah Turner #40, Lindsay Ell #46, Lucy Hale #51, Maggie Rose #57 and Jennifer Nettles #58 were an additional six females in the remaining 31-60 slots to make it 15.0%.

Country Airplay
*** No. 1 (2 weeks) *** "When She Says Baby” Jason Aldean  
** Most Added **  No.23 "This Is Now We Roll" Florida Georgia Line feat. Luke Bryan  
** Most Increased Audience ** No.30  “Keep Them Kisses Comin’ Craig Campbell   
** Hot Shot Debut ** No.50 “Chainsaw” The Band Perry
Debut No.55 “Best Night Ever” Gloriana
Debut No.57 “Looking Back Now” Maggie Rose
Debut No.60 "Later On” The Swon Brothers


Billboard Country Digital Singles Chart Week of March 8, 2014

Brantley Gilbert’sBottoms Up” (Valory) held at No.1 for a fourth non-consecutive week. It adds 64,000 downloads (up some 5%) to head the Billboard Country Digital Chart in its 10th chart week. It made a No.1 debut on Jan. 4th. It also reached a new Hot Country Songs peak with a 4-2 hop.

Women Of Country Watch
Only 2 solo female artists are on the Top 30 placings
Miranda Lambert with her new single "Automatic" in its second week at retail sold 18K (down 65%) and fell 3-20.
Cassadee Pope’sWasting All These Tears,” at No.27 looks to be 2 weeks away of going Platinum (1-million sales)
Jamie Lynn Spears with her fabulous single “How Could I Want More” is down at #76 with 69,000 copies sold to date.

Dropping off the Top 30:
22 - Off the Top 50, Carrie Underwood “Look At Me”  
24 - Off the Top 50, Cole Swindell “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey”  
26 - Off the Top 50, Cole Swindell Hope You Get Lonely Tonight  
27- 31 Kacey Musgraves “Follow Your Arrow “
29 - Off the Top 50, Eric Chuch “Tallladega “

Top 30 Digital Singles in Country Music (published February 27, 2014)
 (LW) Last Week  (TW) This Week
*Numbers are rounded to nearest 1000th































Country Aircheck/ Mediabase chart

Cole Swindell with “Chillin’ It” (WMN) moved 3-1 to top the Country Aircheck/ Mediabase chart for the tracking week Feb 16 - Feb 22, 2014. The song logged 7,526 radio spins (+417) and 60.209 million audience impressions (+2.636 million) reported by 148 stations.














So its congratulations to WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE SVP/Promotion Kevin Herring, VP/Promotion Kristen Williams and the entire WMN promo staff for scoring the week's #1. It was his first-ever chart-topper which has also now topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs. "Chillin'It" has already been certified Gold by the RIAA.

ASCAP, BMI and the CMA hosted a #1 party on Mon., February 24th to celebrate “Friday Night,” Eric Paslay‘s first #1 song as both the songwriter and the artist. It landed the No.1 for the tracking week Jan 26 – Feb 1, 2014.
Music Row’s industry and media packed the room to honor Paslay along with co-writers Rob Crosby and Rose Falcon, who celebrated their third and first #1 songs, respectively (see photo). “Friday Night,” the debut single from Paslay’s EMI Records Nashville self-titled album released on February 4th, marked his fourth trip to the top of the charts as a songwriter.

For a detailed report check out Country Aircheck Weekly Issue 385 - February 24, 2014 [PDF File]
For the very latest up to the minute Mediabase Chart (Past 7 Days) go here - www.mediabase.com


Tuesday 25 February 2014

Country Bites News snippets February 17 – February 23, 2014

Country Bites News snippets February 17 – February 23, 2014

SOURCES / LINKS shown in RED

UK & IRISH News

For the week commencing 22 February 2014 on the BBC Radio 2 Playlist saw C2C Country to Country 2014 Festival (sponsored by Radio 2) headliner Brad Paisley remain on the “A” playlist for a second week with “The Mona Lisa”.  C2C 2014 performers Rascal Flatts have been added to the “C” playlist with their latest single “Rewind”. Another cheque in the post to Bob Harris (OBE) and his Radio 2 production team courtesy of Big Machine Records! “Rewind” is to feature on an exclusive Walmart 4 Track EP to release 3rd April 2014 with a full new album due to drop on May 13th.

UK Gig and Tour dates added for: Anais Mitchell, Alan West, The Webb Sisters, Iain Matthews, Jessica Campbell, Sandi Thom, Sam Baker, Dougie Maclean and Eve Selis.

3 more acts have been added to the C2C Country Festival Pop-Up acts line up:
Frankie Davies an Isle of Jersey singer-songwriter, West Country singer-songwriter Alan West and Carolynne Poole of Fame Academy and X Factor fame. See updated Blog post for profiles.

The winners of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2014 were announced in a ceremony held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Feb 19, 2014. Celebrating their 15th anniversary, the Radio 2 Folk Awards 2014 were presented by Radio 2 Folk Show host, Mark Radcliffe, and folk singer Julie Fowlis live from London in front of an audience of over 4,500 people.
The night saw a host of folk luminaries gather under one roof, and included performances by Bellowhead, Suzanne Vega, Clannad, Martin Simpson, Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer, The Full English and shanty singers from Port Isaac, Cornwall, The Fisherman’s Friends who performed for the first time since the tragic deaths of their band member Trevor Grills and tour manager, Paul McMullen, in 2013. The event culminated in a performance by American folk singer Peggy Seeger - who led a tribute to her late half-brother Pete Seeger, who died last month. Joined on stage by a number of performers, Peggy sang one of his most well-known songs, Quite Early Morning.
The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards are an annual celebration, bringing together some of the biggest names in folk music to recognise achievements over the past 12 months in the UK’s thriving folk scene, as well as giving awards to honour outstanding lifetime contributions. Singer/songwriter Bella Hardy scooped the accolade for Folk Singer of the Year.
Folk super group The Full English (Seth Lakeman, Martin Simpson and Fay Hield ) received two awards, recognized for Best Group and Best Album.
Lifetime Achievement Award Winners were Clannad & Martin Carthy. Read on for details of the all the nominees and winners of the 2014 Folk Awards and video clips here

UK CHART NEWS

Official UK Singles Top 100 (Weeks Ending March 1, 2014)
Avicii‘sHey Brother” which features uncredited vocals from Dan Tyminski fell one slot 13-14

Official UK Albums Top 100 (Weeks Ending March 1, 2014)
US country rock band Blackberry Smoke with the Deluxe album THE WHIPPOORWILL (Earache) make a debut at No.30 with sales of 2,973 copies.
Rosanne Cash’s THE RIVER & THE THREAD (Decca) slipped back 25-47 in her second week with her first career album to appear on the UK Album chart.
Sheryl Crowe’s FEELS LIKE HOME (First released Sept 10th by Warner Brothers) slipped back 28 places 51-79 in her fourth week on the chart. 
Taylor Swift’s RED fell back 34 slots, 60-94, in her 70th chart week.  

Official UK Country Album Chart  (Week Ending March 1, 2014)
Blackberry Smoke with the Deluxe album THE WHIPPOORWILL debut at No.1
Rosanne Cash new album THE RIVER & THE THREAD moved 1-2 in her second week.
Sheryl Crowe with FEELS LIKE HOME (Warner Brothers) moved 2-3 on her 9th chart week.
Kacey Musgraves’ SAME TRAILER DIFFERENT PARK (Decca) slipped by one place 3-4 in her 45th week.
Other debuts on the chart were Suzy Bogguss with her $75,000 Kickstarter fan funded album of Merle Haggard songs LUCKY (Proper) at No.6 and Sturgill Simpson’s HIGH TOP MOUNTAIN landing at No.19

On the Hotdisc Chart (February 23, 2014 Chart) - 
Billy Yates retained the No.1 spot on the Hotdisc Top 40 for a third week with his self penned “The Man I Used To Be"
Branch & Dean held at No.2 with "Glad She's Not An Angel “. Andy Griggs cover of the Hank Williams song “Ramblin’ Man” was another non-mover at #3.
Fergal Flaherty made a five place hop (9-4) with "Hey Son" (writer Brenda Lee Heathcote) which secured the British & Irish Chart No.1 for a third week by a country mile with his nearest challenger, former No1 Sam Hollyman’s 3-week No.1 “Where I Wanna Be”, now some 14 places further down the top 40.

David Wood with his cover of an old Dean Martin song, "Memories Are Made Of This" is finding favour with Hotdisc radio DJ’s and industry folks rating it positively as he leapt (8-5)
David Starr moved up one notch (7-6) with "Way Past Ready" in his third week.
Levi Riggs with his title cut “I’m Good” made another advance in the upper tier with a 10-8 stride.
Female duo Moore & Moore with “Mississippi Missing You” are now just outside the Top 10 with a 14-11 move.
Lisa Lambert’s title cut “Come On Home”, co-written with Scott Nunley improved further with a 2 slot jump (16-14)

UK COUNTRY ALBUM RELEASES

(11 Feb 2014) Frankie Ballard - Sunshine & Whiskey (Warner Bros.)
11 Tracks/ Time: 37:43  MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(11 Feb 2014) Dylan Scott - Dylan Scott EP (Curb)
5 tracks / Time: 15:55 MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

(17 Feb 2014) Sturgill Simpson - High Top Mountain (Loose Music)
12 Tracks/ Time: 37:35 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes
(18 Feb 2014) Ralph Stanley & Ralph Stanley II - Side by Side (Rebel Records)
14 Tracks/ Time: 39:07 CD - MP3 - US iTunes - Amazon.com

(24 Feb 2014) Eric Church - The Outsiders (Decca (UMO)
12 Tracks/ Time: 50:39 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

(24 Feb 2014) Garth Brooks - Ultimate Hits(Region 1) 2007 three disc set (two CDs + DVD).

(24 Feb 2014) Ags Connolly - How About Now (Wrasse Records)
11 Tracks/ Time: 35:20   CD - MP3 - UK iTunes
Ags Connolly is a singer-songwriter from Oxfordshire, and he describes his style not as country or Americana but as Ameripolitan (proud supporter of Dale Watson). Ags says, "My songs are mainly in the style of traditional country rather than the mostly unrelated pop version of the genre that exists today.  "A masterpiece of British country" - Maverick

(24 Feb 2014) Chris Janson - Take It to the Bank (EP)
5 Tracks / Time: 17:57 MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

(10 March 2014) Brad Paisley - Wheelhouse UK Tour Edition (Sony Music CMG)
This special UK Tour Edition bundles Wheelhouse into a 2CD set, which comes complete with a bonus disc of 14 of his best-loved Studio Hits CD

CANADIAN NEWS
RGK Entertainment Group and CCMA Record Company of the Year, Open Road Recordings, are pleased to announce the signing of B.C. based artist Madeline Merlo.
Merlo’s first single “Sinking Like A Stone” hit iTunes worldwide this week and will be released to country radio next Tuesday, February 25th. Merlo heads to Nashville to perform at CRS (Country Radio Seminar), before traveling back home to prepare for her biggest gig to date: Opening for Dean Brody on his Crop Circles & Tractor Beams Tour, on February 22nd in Abbotsford, BC. “To think that I have a single on iTunes this week and will be opening for Dean Brody on Saturday is beyond comprehension,” says Merlo, who was playing coffee houses in 2012.  (Via Press Release) Listen to “Sinking Like A Stone” - Purchase iTUNES UK

NEWS

  • Snapshot Country Aircheck's Insider News: February 18, 2014 - February 21, 2014 - February 25, 2014  
  • Elizabeth Cook stars in Swedish comedy series Long Way Home as Molly Rhodes, a country star who quits her career in the middle of her European tour and gets a job at a Swedish grocery store.
  • Blaster Records has signed Montgomery Gentry to their artist roster, with new music to be released later this year.
  • Urban Apple:  Keith Urban will perform at the first Apple iTunes Festival March 11-15 at SXSW in Austin. Urban joins Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Pitbull, ZEDD and more for the event, which will be available free, live and on-demand, via the iTunes store on any iOS device. It's also viewable through the iTunes Festival app and with Apple TV. More here
  • Singer/actress Lucy Hale after battling flu symptoms all week, has been forced to cancel her debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry set for Feb 21st.
  • American Idol‘s house record label 19 Recordings is suing Sony Music for allegedly cheating its artists — including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken, and plenty of others you barely remember — out of royalties worth millions of dollars. The suit focuses mainly on issues of accounting. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the complaint accuses Sony of treating master recordings streamed on services such as Spotify as “sales” or “distributions” rather than “broadcasts” or “transmissions,” allowing the company to pay significantly less than it should under the terms of its recording agreements.
MUSIC NEWS
Last week, Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" music video was teased as a deliciously campy send-up of the Egyptian ruler Cleopatra. That's exactly what the pop superstar bestowed her fans on Thursday (Feb. 20), as the No. 1 single, featuring Juicy J, has been given a quirky, neon-colored >> video that portrays Perry as a mystic queen no mere mortal can win over. The day before the "Dark Horse" video, Perry previewed the clip's Egyptian vibe during a >> performance at the BRIT Awards in London.

SINGLE / ALBUM NEWS

  • Lucy Hale, the Memphis born-and-raised 24-year old singer and “Pretty Little Liars" actress named one of 2014’s Ones To Watch by the likes of Billboard, Country Weekly and Rolling Stone has revealed plans to release her highly anticipated country debut album in late spring. Her debut record, ROAD BETWEEN, will release June 3rd on DMG Nashville/Bigger Picture Group.  (Via Press Release)
  • Luke Bryan (still reliving his youth) will release his new, digital spring break EP, Spring Break 6Like We Ain't Ever, on March 11. The project comes out the same day as Luke kicks off his annual two-day run of free concerts at Spinnakers in Panama City Beach, FL. Luke says, "These special EP’s all began as a way to get new music out to the fans between studio projects.  I feel like year after year we get a little bit better at writing for this.  I think with these new songs I would be proud to put them on any album we release.
  • Sturgill Simpson has announced the release of his sophomore record, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music (10 tracks) which is set for release May 13 via High Top Mountain Records. Simpson’s longtime friend Jason Seiler, known for his illustration of Pope Francis XV1 for Time Magazine, was recruited for the album’s cover art. Check out his single “Living The Dream” 
  • Out April 8: Linda Ronstadt’s THE DUETS, a compilation that includes collaborations with Dolly Parton (“I Will Never Marry”) and Emmylou Harris (“I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You)”
  • Sara Evans will throw an exclusive SLOW ME DOWN album release concert and party in her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama on March 6th at Iron City. The event, will be hosted by Sirius XM for a concert special to air the following week. Read a review of the album by Billboard's Chuck Dauphin.
  • Nickel Creek’s first new album in nearly a decade, A DOTTED LINE, will be released on Nonesuch Records April 1. Stream “Love of Mine,” from it here.
  • Bigger Picture Group recently signed one of Country music’s foremost female rockers, Chelsea Bain, and has shipped her new single “Cowboy In A Cadillac.” The label will be going for airplay at Music Row stations on February 27, 2014.“I’m all about having fun songs that make people feel good or feel something powerful,” said Chelsea. “I wrote ‘Cowboy in a Cadillac’ with all my fellow women in mind. We girls love bein’ in charge, and I feel ‘Cowboy in a Cadillac’ is definitely about a woman in charge and knowing what she wants.”
PRESS RELEASES
  • Chuck Mead has announced U.S. tour dates in support of his debut album for Nashville’s Plowboy Records, Free State Serenade, a wild ride of hillbilly blues and honky-tonk.
  • On Record Store Day (April 19, 2014), Omnivore Recordings will release Hank Williams’ The Garden Spot Programs — 1950 as a 10” brown vinyl EP.
  • Danielle Peck will appear and perform on ABC's hit business reality TV show Shark Tank (Feb 28) in support of her partnership with Kisstixx® Lip Balm and new single, "Kiss Me Like You Miss Me"  available on US iTunes.
  • Nickel Creek: Chris Thile (mandolin/vocals), Sara Watkins (fiddle/vocals), and Sean Watkins (guitar/vocals) are reuniting with new US Tour dates
  • The Mavericks will embark on the Twenty-five Live Tour in America starting February 27
  • Reba McEntire, Bobby Bare and Loretta Lynn will perform at this year’s Johnny Cash Music Festival on August 15th at Arkansas State University’s Convocation Center in Jonesboro, AR.
ARTICLES
CMA Close Up by Bob Doerschuk: New Artist Spotlight: Parmalee

REVIEWS
The Hayley Oliver Band ABINGER GROVE CD Review Maverick Magazine p100 (5 STARS)

INTERVIEWS

Radio.com Interview: Eric Church on ‘The Outsiders’ & the Album-Making Process: ‘It’s Brutal’...."This album from a creative standpoint is pretty far out there. It was made that way, it was a conscious thing."

Leigh Loyd a 22-year old Paducah, KY born (8 August 1991) and Nashville based Christian Country singer is supporting the international release of “Love, Love, Love” with her first music video.
Leigh explains, “Ironically, the video shoot was delayed because of the bitter winter weather, and now it’s done just in time for Valentine’s Day! Though we hadn’t planned it that way…the act of love is something we all need 365 days a year. I hope that this video is shared as a kind of greeting card for this special time.
Leigh is a 2013 graduate of Belmont University, majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Music Business. Her 11 track album POSITIVELY LEIGH self released on Jan 14, 2014 which features a collection of songs that best suit Leigh’s vocals, personality and principles. On the compilation you will identify her musical influences: The Band Perry, Eden’s Edge and Taylor Swift.
>> Listen to her Nashville interview with Lee Williams first broadcast on CMR Nashville on Feb 21, 2014


CONNECT with Leigh: WEBSITE  FACEBOOK TWITTER

MAGAZINES


























Julianne Hough, the “Footloose” and “Dancing With The Stars” Country/ Pop star shows off her fabulous figure on the cover of Self magazine's March 2014 issue www.self.com. Steal Julianne's Fitness and Beauty Secrets on P96 - 99.

  • Cover - Dress, Lacoste (Lacoste.com.) Earrings, $2,995; EffyJewelry.com. Cuff, Jennifer Zeuner Jewelry, $308; Ring, $230; LivHaley.com
  • Fitness Top, DKNY,. Pants, DKNY, $335  (Net-A-Porter.com)
  • Tangerine coloured Dress:  Victoria Beckham, $2,695; Bergdorf Goodman. Cuff, Fallon, $275;
  • Sweater, DKNY, $195;
  • Striped Black & White Dress, T by Alexander Wang, $210  (AlexanderWang.com) Earrings, $2,995; EffyJewelry.com. Cuff, Elizabeth and James, $550 (NeimanMarcus.com). Shoes, 10 Crosby Derek Lam, $395;
Julianne Hough shows off taut tummy in Self magazine... as boyfriend Brooks Laich gushes about their new relationship. Pictures and story at www.dailymail.co.uk

LISTEN
  • Hear Dierks Bentley's 'Most Personal' Album Yet: Stream 'Riser' …"I've been very conscious about making the most honest records I can," country star tells Rolling Stone
  • BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour: Rosanne Cash talks about her musical and personal journeys across the deep South to make her new album, The River & The Thread, dealing with her father’s legacy, and writing again after surviving brain surgery.
  • Ronnie Dunn’s new ballad "Romeo and Juliet"
FREE DOWNLOADS
Early Winters the Alternative/ Americana rising band from acclaimed UK singer Carina Round (Puscifer/Tears for Fears), two time Juno nominated Justin Rutledge, Grammy Nominated L.A. producer/musician Dan Burns and highly acclaimed musician Zac Rae (Lana Del Ray, Gotye) are offering an exclusive EP (4 MP3’s 192kbps) to NoiseTrade readers for an email share.



WATCH
  • Joel Crouse Lyric Video for "Why God Made Love Songs"
  • Deana Carter has a new single and video out , "Do Or Die" from her December release CD "Southern Way Of Life"
  • Aleyce Simmonds' brand new radio single "Stronger", lifted from her Aussie Golden Guitar nominated album, Believe.
  • Irene Kelley Lyric video by: Ivan Raveane "You Don't Run Across My Mind" (written by Irene Kelley/Peter Cooper). Bluegrass banjo pickin' heart is animated to the beat & lyric of this 'love-lost-but-never-forgotten-or-regret­ted' song from her album, "Pennsylvania Coal".
  • Cassadee Pope "I Wish I Could Break Your Heart” Official Music Video.
  • Blake Shelton "Doin' What She Likes" [Official Video]
  • Ashton Lane Kitchen Sessions song request "Clarity zedd ft foxes" cover.
  •  Move over, Miley. There's a new Cyrus making waves on social media … or rather, an older one: her father, Billy Ray Cyrus.......
On Feb. 11, rapper Buck 22 released "Achy Breaky 2," a modernized dubstep-infused reworking of Cyrus' 1992 breakthrough smash "Achy Breaky Heart." The new version bows at No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and No. 11 on Hot Rap Songs), with nearly all its chart points owed to streaming. A total of 2.9 million U.S. YouTube streams of the song in the week ending Feb. 16, according to Nielsen BDS, spur its debut at No.16 on the Streaming Songs chart.
The "Achy Breaky 2" vid opens with a staged "breaking news" broadcast hosted by Larry King, who reports that an unidentified flying object is hovering over Daniel Boone National Forest over eastern Kentucky (which lies in between Nashville, Tenn., and Flatwoods, Ky., where Cyrus was born). Viewers are then transported to a spacecraft filled with (in true modern Cyrus form) scantily-clad twerking alien women. Cyrus asserts himself as the patriarch of Miley's  twerking empire, exclaiming "wrecking ball!" after Buck 22 raps, "Miley's still twerkin', daddy's song is workin' … now Billy sing that crazy hook again!"
Meanwhile Miley Cyrus' Bangerz has gone Platinum (1,000,000 sales) eligible for RIAA US certification and just being Miley, y’all! Cyrus is going wigged and topless on the new cover art for her single Adore You.

COUNTRY FASHION

Taylor Swift: Arrived at a dance studio on Feb 17th in Los Angeles wearing a Stone Dancewear Chic V-Neck Translucent Sleeve Leotard (€34.96) - Fashion Image

Taylor Swift: When / Where: Arriving at dance class in Los Angeles, CA on February 21, 2014
Wearing: Wildfox Couture ‘Seeing Stars Lennon Sweater’ ($229.00) Worn with Keds Champion Tie sneakers ($29.95) - Fashion Image

Sheryl Crow graces the cover of the March 2014 copy of Country Music People magazine.
Click to Enlarge
Country Music People Cover Image
Nine time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow is so much more to us than a music icon. The signature Sheryl “Easy” elegance speaks volumes, making her a classy style icon. In the cover art for her new album Feels Like Home she displays a modestly sexy style donning a cream lace confection: a maxi dress with gorgeous flutter sleeves and overall full-coverage that tastefully hugs the curves. She sets it off with a large striking gold bangle. See Sheryl Crow’s favorite Country Outfitter boots here.

The 51-year-old singer-songwriter who underwent a country conversion visited the UK in late January to promote Feels Like Home, with appearances scheduled on The Graham Norton Show (January 31), Sunday Brunch (February 2) and BBC Breakfast (February 3). The singer officially released the album in the UK on January 27, following its release in the US last September 10th.

COUNTRY GOSSIP
Taylor Swift sent an Olympian a personal good luck message. The '22' hitmaker reached out to American freestyle skier Torin Yater-Wallace to wish him well at the Winter games in Sochi, Russia, after he named her as his celebrity crush and revealed he listens to her music during his training sessions.

BIRTHDAYS
February 24: Sammy Kershaw (1958)
February 25: Ralph Stanley (1927), The late Faron Young (1932; died Dec 10, 1996 (aged 64)), Shawna Thompson (Thompson Square) (1978) 
February 26: The late Johnny Cash  (1932; died Sept 12, 2003 (aged 71))
February 28: Jason Aldean (1977)
March 1: Kristine Arnold (Sweethearts Of The Rodeo)