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Chart Roundup – Week of May 25th, 2013

Not a lot has changed at the top since last week, as Florida Georgia Line seem to have a pretty stable monopoly at #1 across Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay and Country Digital Songs, with their hit singles ‘Cruise’ (plus the remix featuring Nelly) and ‘Get Your Shine On’. They’re also occupying #5 on Hot Country Songs, #7 on Country Digital Songs and #6 on Top Country Albums, making them virtually impossible to avoid in country music these days. Also remaining static on the charts is Darius Rucker with ‘Wagon Wheel’, close behind at #2 on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay and #3 on Country Digital Songs. To add to this little rivalry at the top, Blake Shelton (featuring Pistol Annies and friends) is at #3 on Hot Country Songs with ‘Boys Round Here’, and #2 on Country Digital Songs, while he has yet to climb past #7 on Country Airplay. Blake’s 2013 album ‘Based On A True Story…’ drops to #4.

Tim McGraw is also enjoying the rising popularity of his collaboration single with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, ‘Highway Don’t Care’. It’s at #4 on Hot Country Songs, #5 on Country Airplay, and #4 on Country Digital Songs. As you can probably tell, each chart reflects a fairly similar story this week. Good news for Lady Antebellum fans, as their fourth album ‘Golden’ has debuted in at #1 this week, with their lead single ‘Downtown’ still performing well across the charts, #8 on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay and #10 on Country Digital Songs. Kenny Chesney is also enjoying success with ‘Pirate Flag’, reaching #3 on Country Airplay, #11 on Country Digital Songs and #7 on Hot Country Songs. His brand new album, ‘Life On A Rock’, drops to #3 this week.

In addition, Miranda Lambert is retaining her presence with ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’, at #4 on Country Airplay and #6 on Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs, although there are signs things are starting to drop off. This is not the case for Luke Bryan, whose lead single from his upcoming fourth record ‘Crash My Party’ is gaining momentum, reaching #5 on Country Digital Songs, #9 on Hot Country Songs and #14 on Country Airplay.

As for new releases, well there are plenty. The Pistol Annies’ ‘Annie Up’ came in at #2 on Top Country Albums, and its release date partner ABC’s ‘Nashville Soundtrack Volume 2’ came in at #5. This aided the gaining of 5 places for Volume 1. Another compilation makes it at #10, ‘Now That’s What I Call A Country Party’, and Craig Campbell’s ‘Never Forget’ debuted at #27, while Lenny Cooper is at #34 with ‘Mud Dynasty’. Dailey & Vincent just make the chart with ‘Brothers of The Highway’ at #40. But it’s not just about albums. Other new releases include Danielle Bradbery’s ‘Maybe It Was Memphis’ (#9 on Country Digital Songs and #25 on Hot Country Songs) and Lauren Alaina’s ‘Barefoot And Buckwild’ (#25 on Country Digital Songs).

Honorable mentions this week go to George Strait, Eric Church, Brad Paisley, Hunter Hayes, The Band Perry, Jason Aldean and Jake Owen.

Check back next Thursday for another chart roundup!

Help prank Brad Paisley

Brad Paisley has pulled some pretty good pranks over the years.  He's also been pranked a few times.

My favorite had to be when Eric Church counterfeited 200 Brad Paisley meet & greet passes and randomly passed them out to concert goers.

Have you ever thought to yourself, "Man, if I was one of Brad's openers, I'd get him back soooo good!"

Well, here's your chance.  Lee Brice has asked my radio show for some help coming up with ideas.  Got a prank idea?  Email me, broadway@country925.com

Chart Roundup – Week of May 18th, 2013

Hey guys, my chart roundup is back after a month out! I hope you missed me.

Hot Country Songs remains oddly static at the top, with Florida Georgia Line continuing their successful run at #1 with ‘Cruise’, which also holds onto #1 on Country Digital Songs. What’s more, their most recent single ‘Get Your Shine On’, has the top spot on Country Airplay, #7 on Country Digital Songs and #5 on Hot Country Songs. Is there any chart this duo can’t dominate? Turns out that chart is Top Country Albums, as Kenny Chesney’s ‘Life On A Rock’ debuts at #1, while ‘Here’s To The Good Times’ trails at #5. The lead single from Kenny’s new record, ‘Pirate Flag’, is at #8 on Hot Country Songs and #4 on Country Airplay, nearing the top ten with #12 on Country Digital Songs.

Darius Rucker is also doing well, his hit ‘Wagon Wheel’ remaining at #2 on Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs, and #3 on Country Airplay. The same goes for Blake Shelton, hot on his heels with ‘Boys Round Here’ (featuring Pistol Annies and friends) at #3 on both Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs. He moves up to #9 on Country Airplay at a steady rise, while his album ‘Based On A True Story…’ drops to #2 this week. His wife, Miranda Lambert, sees ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ retain its position at #4 on Hot Country Songs, #5 on Country Digital Songs, and move up to the anticipation-filled #2 spot on Country Airplay. Will she top the chart next week?

Tim McGraw is also a key player on the charts, as his collaboration with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, ‘Highway Don’t Care’, holds onto #6 on Hot Country Songs, while it sits at #4 on Country Digital Songs and #6 on Country Airplay. ‘Two Lanes of Freedom’, Tim’s latest album, is at #14. Luke Bryan is also rising up the charts with ‘Crash My Party’, at #6 on Country Digital Songs, moving up to #9 on Hot Country Songs, and #17 on Country Airplay. In addition, Hunter Hayes’ ‘I Want Crazy’ is right behind him, reaching #10 on Hot Country Songs, #8 on Country Digital Songs and #21 on Country Airplay. Also of note, Lady Antebellum’s ‘Downtown’ is hanging on in there in the top ten, at #7 on Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs, and dropping down to #10 on Country Digital Songs. Their fourth album, ‘Golden’, has just been released this week and will impact the chart from next week. Also to impact next week include the Pistol Annies with ‘Annie Up’, and ABC’s ‘Nashville’ soundtrack, volume 2.

New releases include ‘Hey Girl’ from Billy Currington, at #9 on Country Digital Songs, as well as ‘Trouble’ the new album from Randy Rogers Band at #3, and ‘Rose Queen’ by William Clark Green, #34 on Top Country Albums. After George Jones’ passing, his album ‘The Great LOST Hits’ jumps 16 places to #35. There is a re-entry from Carrie Underwood’s new single ‘See You Again’, which being so new is struggling to match the chart power of her previous singles.

Honorable mentions go to Thompson Square, George Strait, Brad Paisley, The Band Perry, Eric Church, Jason Aldean and Taylor Swift.

Come by next Thursday for another instalment of my Billboard chart roundup.

Posted by Vickye (Guest Writer).
If you want to check out my own blog it's For The Country Record, and you can follow me on twitter @planmymistake. You can email me at vickye.countrymusic@gmail.com.

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood being sued over their #1 hit "Remind Me"

Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley are the latest victims of a bogus songwriting suit.

This time around, Dallas-based Amy Bowen is claiming Carrie and Brad's 2011 No. 1 hit "Remind Me" is actually hers.The singer-songwriter, who once lived in Nashville and performed under the name Lizza Connor, says she wrote the song in 2007, according to The Nashville City Paper.

Brad and Carrie's version was penned by Brad, Kelley Lovelace and Chris Dubois.

Brad Paisley's Wheelhouse Debuts at #1 on Billboard Top Country Albums Chart (from the mailbag)

Brad Paisley's eighth studio album and first self-produced project, Wheelhouse, debuts at #1 this week on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart with more than 100,000 albums sold according to Nielsen SoundScan. The release marks Paisley's seventh consecutive studio album to debut as the nation's country best-seller, while the album also arrives at #2 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.

Paisley is currently Top 15 and climbing the country airplay charts with "Beat This Summer," the second single from Wheelhouse and the follow-up to the album's chart-topping debut smash, "Southern Comfort Zone."

Brad Paisley invites 6-year-old drummer to play with him in New York

Photo of Brad and Avery courtesy  Brad's Twitter

So did you happen to catch Brad Paisley on "Good Morning America" Friday morning? 

If you did then you may have noticed that Brad had a new band member who just happened to be really, really small. 

Little Avery Molek is a 6-year-old drumming prodigy who is getting lots of notice after hitting it big on YouTube. While Brad Paisley was on "Good Morning America" early last week, the morning show did a story about Avery. Despite the little boy usually drumming the hell out of rock songs rather than country, Paisley was impressed enough by the tiny dynamo that he invited him to perform with him on Friday when he returned to New York for a second appearance on "Good Morning America."

"My sister-in-law calls me and starts yelling, 'Go put on Good Morning America,'" Avery's father, Ed Molek, told WTAE.

After the invitation, Avery told the local news channel, "I was really happy. I almost felt like falling face first."

The good news didn't end there, however. Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan were next to invite Avery to their show, asking the young guy to appear on "Live! With Kelly and Michael."

Avery was a guest on both shows Friday morning, playing Van Halen's Hot For Teacher alongside Paisley on "GMA" first, then he headed over to the "Live!" studios to get ready for Kelly and Michael's show at 9 a.m.

Unfortunately, it sounds like Brad and Avery's performance of Hot For Teacher on GMA was cut off by a commercial break, but this sounds like one little kid you may want to be keeping an eye out for in the near future. 

Brad Paisley and LL Cool J defend "Accidental Racist" on Saturday Night Live

Always with their fingers on the pulse of current events, "Saturday Night Live" brought in fake Brad Paisley and fake LL Cool J this weekend to defend their song Accidental Racist. 

Both LL Cool J and Brad Paisley have new albums to promote so I bet if SNL had asked the pair would have showed up on the show to play themselves and had a little fun with it. 

 

Brad Paisley's "Wheelhouse" expected to debut in top 10 on Billboard 200 chart

Well it looks like controversy really does pay. 

Brad Paisley has had seven top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart and six #1 albums on the country albums chart, and it looks like he might just have another top 10 on his hands. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Paisley's newly released "Wheelhouse" (iTunes/Amazon ) is expected to hit the charts at either number 2 or 3 with industry sources expecting the album to sell around 95,000 units.

Rock band Paramore is expected to take the #1 slot, but are only expected to sell 100,000-110,000 so technically Brad could possibly sneak up and take the top spot, although that's not expected. 

Also expected to crack the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart is Eric Church with his new live album, "Caught in the Act: Live." It's expected to sell around 60,000 copies. 

After a tough week of having to explain his reasoning behind the controversial tune, Accidental Racist, this has to be welcome news to Brad.

The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on the morning of Wednesday, April 17.

Check out Brad Paisley's new video for "Beat This Summer"

 

The video for Brad Paisley's current single Beat This Summer wasn't supposed to debut until tonight on "Entertainment Tonight," but I noticed it was uploaded to Brad's YouTube account earlier this afternoon so yay for us. 

Enjoy. 

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LL Cool J releases a less controversial song that he recorded with Brad Paisley

photo courtesy of 429 Records and LL Cool J, Inc.

Just two days after the whole civilized world lost its shit over his and Brad Paisley's collaboration, Accidental Racist, LL Cool J released a song from his upcoming album "Authentic" (out April 30) called Live For You.

It's a love song so it should hopefully have a better reception than Accidental Racist ... unless of course you hate love. 

Take a listen to Live For You below. You can purchase the single here or preorder "Live For You" on iTunes and Amazon .