NashvilleGab - Country music news and Nashville celebrity gossip

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!

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.

Chart Roundup – Week of April 20th, 2013 (ACMs Special)

Post-ACMs a number of artists have had a bit of a sales boost this week. Florida Georgia Line are back at #1 with ‘Cruise’ long after its peak as a single on Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs, after they performed it in Vegas last Sunday. Their latest single ‘Get Your Shine On’ drops down to #6 on Hot Country Songs, climbs to #8 on Country Airplay, but drops to #9 on Country Digital Songs, and their album ‘Here’s To The Good Times’ leaps three places to #3. Also enjoying some success after their appearance on the ACMs are Tim McGraw’s, Taylor Swift’s and Keith Urban’s track ‘Highway Don’t Care’, which goes up four places on Hot Country Songs to #7, as well as #4 on Country Digital Songs and #14 on Country Airplay. The song is taken from Tim’s album ‘Two Lanes of Freedom’, which unfortunately drops five places to #17 this week.

Chart Roundup – Week of April 13th, 2013

It’s been a great week for Darius Rucker, who has topped both the Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs charts with his hit ‘Wagon Wheel’. The recent release of an accompanying music video may well have aided this rise. Blake Shelton is also riding high, his new album ‘Based On A True Story’ coming in at #1. The lead single, ‘Sure Be Cool If You Did’ is at #2 on both Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs, but falls to #4 this week on Country Airplay. Lady Antebellum’s ‘Downtown’ remains near the top too, at #5 on Country Digital Songs, #3 on Country Airplay, and #3 on Hot Country Songs.

Then there’s Miranda Lambert’s ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’, which holds onto #4 on Hot Country Songs and #3 on Country Digital Songs, but rises to #7 on Country Airplay. Her album ‘Four The Record’ drops to #16. Hunter Hayes is still going fairly strong, hitting #1 on Country Airplay with ‘Somebody’s Heartbreak’, but falling to #10 on Hot Country Songs, a resurgence seeing it climb two places to #19 on Country Digital Songs. His smash hit of 2012, ‘Wanted’, enjoys a place at #13 on this chart, while his self-titled debut album stays at #9. Florida Georgia Line and Lee Brice remain comfortably inside the top 10 across the charts (#5, #9 and #4 for ‘Get Your Shine On’, #8 for ‘Cruise’, and #6, #2, and #12 for ‘I Drive Your Truck’).

There are plenty of new releases on the chart this week. Alan Jackson’s ‘Precious Memories: Volume II’ comes in at #2 on Top Country Albums, while ‘Just Feels Good’ by Thompson Square is just below it at #4. The ‘ACMs Official 2013 Zinepak’ debuts at #11 in light of the upcoming awards show, while Blake Shelton’s new single ‘Boys Round Here’ (featuring Pistol Annies and friends) enters at #7 on Country Digital Songs and #19 on Country Airplay. It also leaps from #44 to #15 on Hot Country Songs. Maggie Rose’s debut, ‘Cut To Impress’ is at #36 on Top Country Albums in its first week.

Another track making waves is Thompson Square’s ‘If I Didn’t Have You’. It’s taken many weeks, but the husband-and-wife duo are finally seeing their song hit #5 on Country Airplay, #7 on Hot Country Songs, and #10 on Country Digital Songs. Kenny Chesney finds himself around this area on the charts with ‘Pirate Flag’, at #9 on Country Digital Songs, #8 on Country Airplay, and #9 on Hot Country Songs.

Honorable mentions go to Chris Young, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves, Eric Church and The Band Perry.

Check out my chart roundup next week to see where The Band Perry’s sophomore album ‘Pioneer’ debuts and how this will affect their singles ‘Better Dig Two’ and ‘DONE.’.

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.

ACM Awards: All The Pre-Show Gossip!

Thanks to Keepin’ It Country and the ACMs on Twitter for much of the information here!

40,000 tickets have already been sold this year for the country music extravaganza that is the ACM Awards, and it’s proved so successful that they are considering making it a week-long festival like CMA Fest after 2016. The show will be opened by Blake Shelton and the Pistol Annies performing Blake’s new single (which features the rowdy trio) ‘Boys Round Here’, along with Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley and Sheryl Crow. Tim McGraw will perform with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban on his new single, with appearances from both the superstars ‘Highway Don’t Care’, and Hunter Hayes will debut his brand new single ‘I Want Crazy’ with an exclusive duet with Stevie Wonder, working in his songs!

Then Reba McEntire will introduce a tribute to Dick Clark from Garth Brooks and George Strait, and Kelly Clarkson is to perform ‘Don’t Rush’ with a surprise guest (not yet officially Vince Gill). In addition, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley will all perform within the first hour of this star-studded event. Plus Jewel will be performing ‘Hands’ and Tori Kelly’s ‘Fill A Heart’, a song she wrote for Child Hunger Ends, in order to raise awareness for the ACMs Lifting Lives Moment. Also on the bill are Little Big Town, Eric Church, Kenny Chesney, George Strait (solo), Florida Georgia Line, Brantley Gilbert, The Band Perry, Jana Kramer, Lady Antebellum and Jason Aldean. Luke Bryan will perform his brand new single, 'Crash My Party' during the telecast.

There is much anticipation for Blake and Luke’s hosting partnership (nicknamed ‘Bluke’), and apparently there will be an 8 second delay in order to cope with any mishaps that may occur between the two of them! Don’t forget too that this is the first time a husband and wife are both nominated for Entertainer of the Year (Blake and Miranda Lambert, in case you hadn’t noticed), so look out for the hosts to mention that during the broadcast!

UPDATE!: As it turns out, Brad will be performing a song from his new album called 'Outstanding In Our Field', which features a sample of the late Country Music Hall of Fame member Roger Miller's 1964 hit 'Dang Me'. Vocals on the track are provided by Dierks Bentley and some guitar work by Hunter Hayes, both of whomwill be joining Brad on stage for the telecast. Announced presenters include '2 Broke Girls' star Beth Behrs (and star of Lady Antebellum's lastest video), Michael Chiklis of 'Vegas', 'Duck Dynasty' stars Willie and Korie Robertson and 'The Big Bang Theory''s Kaley Cuoco with Sheryl Crow, John Fogerty, Miranda Lambert, Scotty McCreery, Kacey Musgraves, Jake Owen, Keith Urban.

That’s it for now, although I’ll come back and edit if any more gossip gets released! So watch this space. See you on April 7^th, on CBS at 8pm EST/PST.

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.

Chart Roundup – Week of April 6th, 2013

Blake Shelton continues his successful run at the top of the charts this week with ‘Sure Be Cool If You Did’, remaining at #1 on both Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay. He has been knocked down to #2 on Country Digital Songs by Darius Rucker’s ‘Wagon Wheel’ however, which no doubt was helped by the release of the music video this past week. It is also sitting at #2 on Hot Country Songs, just behind Mr Shelton, but trails behind at #13 on Country Airplay, although this is the song’s radio peak thus far and it’s still climbing. Also near the top this week is Lady Antebellum and ‘Downtown’, at #4 on Country Airplay, #3 on Hot Country Songs and #4 on Country Digital Songs, as well as Hunter Hayes with ‘Somebody’s Heartbreak’, at #2 on Country Airplay, #7 on Hot Country Songs, but down to #21 on Country Digital Songs.

Miranda Lambert is around this spot too with ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’, #4 on Hot Country Songs, #3 on Country Digital Songs, and #8 on Country Airplay. Her album, ‘Four The Record’ is at #13. Lee Brice’s ‘I Drive Your Truck’ remains around the top 10 across the charts, with #3 on Country Airplay, #6 on Hot Country Songs and #11 on Country Digital Songs, with the album ‘Hard 2 Love’ at #14. It’s been a good week for George Strait, as ‘Give It All We Got Tonight’ is now at #14 on Hot Country Songs, #11 on Country Airplay and #9 on Country Digital Songs, and Florida Georgia Line own the Country Digital Songs chart, with ‘Cruise’ at #7 and their latest single ‘Get Your Shine On’ at #5. The latter also jumps up to #5 on Hot Country Songs and #10 on Country Airplay. ‘Here’s To The Good Times’ is at #3 on Top Country Albums.

Good news for all those Kacey Musgraves fans out there, as her critically lauded new album ‘Same Trailer Different Park’ debuts at #1 on the chart, while the lead single ‘Merry Go Round’ enjoys an 8-place leap to #10 on Country Digital Songs. She knocks Luke Bryan’s ‘Spring Break… Here To Party’ off the top spot, while the promo single from it, ‘Buzzkill’ drops 9 places to #25 on Country Digital Songs. Another new release this week, Justin Moore’s ‘Point At You’ comes in at #18 on Country Digital Songs.

Others in respectable positions on the charts this week include Carrie Underwood, Chris Young, Thompson Square, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Little Big Town, Jason Aldean, Eric Church and The Band Perry.

Check out my chart roundup next week to see where Blake Shelton’s ‘Based On A True Story’ charts, and whether it can knock golden girl Kacey Musgraves off the top spot.

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.

Chart Roundup – Week of March 16th, 2013

This week Hot Country Songs has remained pretty static at the top, with Blake Shelton’s ‘Sure Be Cool If You Did’ holding onto the top spot, both there and on Country Digital Songs. It rises two places to #5 on Country Airplay. The same is true for Hunter Hayes with ‘Wanted’, which stays at #2 on Hot Country Songs for its 54^th week on the chart. However, it is down to #5 on Country Digital Songs, with Hunter’s latest single ‘Somebody’s Heartbreak’ sticking to #19 on the same chart. This song is at #6 on Country Airplay however, and #12 on Hot Country Songs, the self-titled album dropping to #7.

The Band Perry are also continuing to do well, with ‘Better Dig Two’ still at #3 on Hot Country Songs, #4 on Country Airplay and #6 on Country Digital Songs. ‘Done’, their new single, has not yet entered the chart. Tim McGraw is also riding high, #4 on Hot Country Songs with ‘One Of Those Nights’, #1 again on Country Airplay but down to #10 on Country Digital Songs. ‘Two Lanes Of Freedom’, the accompanying album, is at #3. Miranda Lambert is finally leaping up the charts after the release of the music video for ‘Mama’s Broken Heart. The single has climbed up to #7 on Hot Country Songs and #2 on Country Digital Songs, while still trailing at #14 on Country Airplay. The album, ‘Four The Record’ drops to #14 for its 70^th week on the chart.

It’s a mixed bag for Carrie Underwood, whose ‘Two Black Cadillacs’ remains at #5 on Hot Country Songs, falling to #8 on Country Digital Songs yet leaping three places to find #3 on Country Airplay. ‘Blown Away’, her previous single, is still proving moderately popular despite being out for months, at #22 on Hot Country Songs and #21 on Country Digital Songs, although it takes a massive fall from last week where it was #12. The album of the same name is at #10 on Top Country Albums. Another act climbing up are Lady Antebellum. ‘Downtown’ is now at #6 on Hot Country Songs, #4 on Country Digital Songs, and #9 on Country Airplay.

There are several new entries on the chart this week, including albums from Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell (‘Old Yellow Moon’ - #4) and The Mavericks (‘In Time’ - #8). As for singles, Connie Britton (playing Rayna James in ABC’s ‘Nashville’) just enters Country Digital Songs at #25 with ‘Stronger Than Me’. In addition, Blake Shelton’s ‘Ten Times Crazier’ comes in on the same chart at #20.

Other big charters include Little Big Town with ‘Tornado’ (#2 on Country Airplay), Florida Georgia Line with ‘Get Your Shine On’ (a recent music video has seen it shoot up to #3 on Country Digital Songs), Lee Brice with ‘I Drive Your Truck’ (#7 on Country Airplay) and Taylor Swift, more specifically with the album ‘Red’ (#1 on Top Country Albums). Honorable mentions go to Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Kacey Musgraves, Jason Aldean, Gary Allan, Kenny Chesney, Thompson Sqaure and George Strait. Eric Church’s huge stayer ‘Chief’ falls slightly to #12 for its 84^th week, while his current single ‘Like Jesus Does’ remains at #24 on Country Digital Songs and #26 on Hot Country Songs, hopping five places to #17 on Country Airplay.

Tune in next week for another edition 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.

Chart Roundup – Week of March 9th, 2013

Blake Shelton’s ‘Sure Be Cool If You Did’, has become his 8^th consecutive #1 song as of this week on Hot Country Songs, and his 13^th overall, also hitting #1 on Country Digital Songs. On Country Airplay it trails at #7, but is up 3 places from last week, with only 4 weeks until his upcoming album ‘Based On A True Story’ will enter the chart. Hunter Hayes is down from Blake’s surge, to #2 on both Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs, with ‘Somebody’s Heartbreak’, his current single, slowing making its way up Country Airplay to #8 this week and #10 on Hot Country Songs. Overall his self-titled album drops to #4.

The Band Perry are still riding high, with ‘Better Dig Two’ remaining at #3 on Hot Country Songs, rising to #3 on Country Digital Songs, but being knocked off the top spot on Country Airplay by Tim McGraw’s ‘One Of Those Nights’ being spurned on by the success of his new album, ‘Two Lanes Of Freedom’. The Band Perry’s new single ‘Done’ was only released to radio last week, and thus has yet to impact the charts, but the impending release of their sophomore album ‘Pioneer’ on April 2 will certainly produce momentum for the group. When it comes to Tim McGraw, who topped TBP at radio, for a seasoned artist in his mid-40s he’s certainly not letting it stand in his way. As well as his 33^rd Country Airplay #1, He’s back up to #4 on Hot Country Songs, at #6 on Country Digital Songs, and holding on to the #2 spot on Top Country Albums.

Lady Antebellum’s ‘Downtown’ is creeping up the radar during their 3^rd week on the chart with a #4 spot on Country Digital Songs, up to #9 on Hot Country Songs, and #12 on Country Airplay. Their new album ‘Golden’ will be released May 7, so still time for ‘Downtown’ to dominate the charts before the new record drops. Carrie Underwood hasn’t been so lucky, as the rise on the charts she experienced last week possibly due to the new inclusion of YouTube streams has tailed off a little, meaning ‘Two Black Cadillacs’ is down to #5 on Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs, although it’s up two places to #6 on Country Airplay. The album, ‘Blown Away’ is down to #7, the title track dropping 11 places on Hot Country Songs to #21, and 7 places to #12 on Country Digital Songs.

It’s been a mixed bag for Taylor Swift too. With ‘Begin Again’ up at #3 on Country Airplay this week after accusations flying of the label using payola to push a single many argue is past its peak, it falls to #16 on Hot Country Songs and leaves the Country Digital Songs chart altogether. Meanwhile the previous single ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ is persevering at #11 on Country Digital Songs and #12 on Hot Country Songs. Other tracks holding mid-top 10 places across the charts are Little Big Town’s ‘Tornado’ (#6 on Hot Country Songs), Florida Georgia Line’s ‘Cruise’ (#7 on Hot Country Songs) and Gary Allan’s ‘Every Storm’ (#8 on Hot Country Songs). Florida Georgia Line’s new single ‘Get Your Shine On’ is also doing well after a video was released (#9 on Country Digital Songs), with their album at #3, while Miranda Lambert’s ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ and Lee Brice’s ‘I Drive Your Truck’ appear to be on the cusp of hitting it big.

Honorable mentions go to Kenny Chesney, Kacey Musgraves, Dierks Bentley and Jason Aldean, and Eric Church is back in the top 10 again with his long-staying award-winning album ‘Chief’, in its 83^rd week. The just-released 5^th single from the album ‘Like Jesus Does’ leapfrogs 9 places to #24 on Country Digital Songs this week.

Tune in next week for a new 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.

Chart Roundup – Week of March 2nd, 2013

Hunter Hayes continues (and extends) his renewed strength on the charts this week with hit song ‘Wanted’, potentially due to Billboard’s recent announcement of inclusion of YouTube views (using official audio) in compiling the charts. He remains at #1 on Hot Country Songs, and jumps up to #1 from #5 on Country Digital Songs. In addition, his latest single ‘Somebody’s Heartbreak’ climbs up one place to #9 on Country Airplay, with his self-titled album finding itself two spots higher at #3 this week. Blake Shelton also seems to be affected by the methodology change as well as general popularity, his January release ‘Sure Be Cool If You Did’ now up to #2 on Hot Country Songs, #10 on Country Airplay, and #2 on Digital Country Songs. His new album ‘Based On A True Story’ (due March 26) no doubt will also do well.

However, The Band Perry aren’t letting go of their chart domination just yet. They remain at #1 on Country Airplay with ‘Better Dig Two’ this week, #3 on Hot Country Songs and actually move up the chart to #4 on Country Digital Songs. Their new album, ‘Pioneer’, is due April 2 and no doubt will also shake up the sometimes slow-moving album chart. YouTube plays also seem to have aided Carrie Underwood, the climber of the week, as the plodding climb of ‘Two Black Cadillacs’ for several months has finally sped up to allow the song to find #4 on Hot Country Songs, leap seven places up to #3 on Country Digital Songs, and has also moved up to #8 on Country Airplay. Her album, ‘Blown Away’ is back at #6 on Top Country Albums for its 42^nd week on the chart, with the single of the same name having a new lease of life, jumping back into the top 10 of Hot Country Songs, from last week’s place of #19. It also is now at #5 on Country Digital Songs, seven places higher than it was last week.

Chart Roundup – Week of February 23rd, 2013

After the chaos of Grammy weekend, it appears my predicted shake-up of the country charts has occurred. Following a successful mini-performance on the Grammys and 3 nominations, Hunter Hayes’ super-hit of last year, ‘Wanted’ has hit #1 again on Hot Country Songs in its 51^st week, his self-titled album leaping up to #5 on Top Country Albums. His latest single, ‘Somebody’s Heartbreak’ meanwhile, is trailing back at #11 on Hot Country Songs and #16 on Country Digital Songs, but at least is up to #10 on Country Airplay.

Last week’s #1, The Band Perry’s ‘Better Dig Two’ drops to #2 for their 15^th successive week on Hot Country Songs, whilst it tops Country Airplay but is down to #6 on Country Digital Songs. But Hunter Hayes isn’t the only one to have two tracks on the charts this week. Tim McGraw’s ‘One Of Those Nights’ leaps to #3 on Hot Country Songs, #3 on Country Airplay and #3 on Country Digital Songs. In addition to that an album track of his, ‘Highway Don’t Care’ (featuring Taylor Swift and Keith Urban), that has been a huge hit with fans, debuts at #1 on Country Digital Songs. It also made #13 on Hot Country Songs because of its digital popularity, despite the impressive fact that it’s not even been released as a single (although I think it probably will after this). Tim’s accompanying album ‘Two Lanes of Freedom’ goes straight in at #1 on Top Country Albums, making for a pretty awesome comeback from the 45-year-old superstar.