Country Update

BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 1 OF 20

INSIDE BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE [email protected]

Taylor Swift’s Country Radio Seminar Addresses ‘Love Story’ Epilogue Page 4 A Virtual Pack Of Problems

Country Radio Seminar may have been experienced by radio broadcasts, a larger number than any other single source, CRS Has Tigers attendees in the isolation of their own homes or offices — though when the individual digital platforms — Music, By The Tail thanks, COVID-19 — but there were plenty of elephants YouTube, , and Pandora — are combined, Page 10 crowding the room. they account for 60% of first-time exposure, more than double The pandemic, for one, reared its head in just about every terrestrial’s turf. The difference is even more pronounced among panel discussion or showcase conversation during the conven- adults aged 18-24, who will be among country’s core listeners tion, held Feb. 16-19. The issue of country’s racial disparities — in the next decade. On keyed by a series of national incidents since May and accelerated “That hurt our heart a little bit,” said KNCI Sacramento, Jeannie Seely’s Moxie by ’s use of a racial slur in February — spurred Calif., PD Joey Tack, “but if we don’t hear that, how are we Page 11 one of the most dis- going to adapt?” cussed panels in the Strategies are conference’s history certainly available. as They include better FGL, Johnny Cash and educating listeners Take TPAC Country challenged country about how to find Page 11 to improve its per- their station on digi- formance. And the tal platforms and increasing growth increasing the au- Makin’ Tracks: of digital tools and dience’s use of the competitors argu- station with smart ’s RHETT BERGEN MORRIS ‘Tequila’ Twist ably earned more at- speakers, which are Page 17 tention from broad- now employed daily casters than the actual sound transmitted across their AM and in 39% of homes and accessed at least weekly in 73% of homes, FM signals. many of which no longer own a traditional AM/FM radio. Looming particularly large was a comprehensive research Stations were also encouraged to harness the power of digital Country Coda: study, presented by NuVoodoo, that showed country’s most tools, particularly social media, in building brands and aware- ‘Calling’ dedicated listeners who consume music do so more frequently ness in consumers’ minds. The array of platforms has become Page 20 online than on traditional radios. daunting — Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. — and Also troubling for the medium is the way fans are exposed to integrating them all with bare-bone staffs is one of the larg-

new music: 1 out of 4 listeners hears songs for the first time via est challenges of the 21st century. An out-of-format guest — COURTESYCRS BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 2 OF 20

Tino Cochino, the host of Yea Networks’ syndicated top 40 show Tino Cochino Radio — noted that his team has developed a sort of conveyor-belt approach. The crew tapes a weekly podcast of freestyle conversation. The best of that material gets developed into on-air bits, which are then teased and disseminated across socials, often influencing the next freestyle podcast. “It’s a rotating door of content through every platform that we have,” said Cochino. That human-generated content is perhaps radio’s best competitive advan- tage, several panelists noted. Consumers can find new music that has been tailored to their tastes on numerous platforms, but few digital outlets offer the relatability that a well-prepared personality presents. And, as the pandemic has proven, fans aren’t particularly bothered by inter- ruptions from the hosts’ kids or less-than-perfect audio quality. It’s the connec- tion that matters most. “Authenticity of the content is key,” said Elevate Marketing founder/chief Russell Dickerson and contemporary Christian artist Chris Tomlin researcher Nicole Bergen, who used a puzzle to symbolize the jumbled future hosted a virtual believers breakfast on Feb. 18 during Country Radio that radio is facing. Seminar. From left: iHeartMedia/aNashville senior vp programming Radio also would do well to examine the balance of its content. Country Gator Harrison, Tomlin, Dickerson and iHeartCountry digital content fans are pleased overall with the quality of modern country, according to the director Zack Massey. NuVoodoo study, though they would prefer some tweaks. The data suggested fans were more open to hearing new music than expected, and KUZZ Bakers- field, Calif., PD Brent Michaels noted that apps make it easy for the listener to gain knowledge about a song, turning unfamiliar material into a familiar title with just a few clicks. Women and older listeners would prefer less repetition of current hits and more gold titles, though Big Machine GM Clay Hunnicutt, a former programmer, insinuated that a wide mix of eras and classic titles would perform better than a narrow selection. “You don’t want the ‘oh wows’ to turn into ‘oh nos,’ ” he said. Women were also cognizant of the gender imbalance in the music, desiring to hear a more even mix of male and female voices, NuVoodoo Media president Carolyn Gilbert indicated. That male/female split drew less attention this year than Black/white con- troversies. Combs, who was recently disparaged online for photos that featured him with Confederate flag imagery, said during a conversation with NPR con-

tributor Ann Powers about race in that there “is no excuse” for CRS COURTESY those pictures. He indicated the photos were taken at a time when he saw the SiriusXM host Charlie Monk (center) was surprised with the Country flag as a symbol of Southern pride and not a relic of slavery. He apologized and Music Association’s Joe Talbot Award on Feb. 18 during Country indicated he has “grown a lot as a man.” Radio Seminar as a champion of the genre. He is flanked by CMA “No matter what I thought it meant at the time … I would never want to be CEO Sarah Trahern and Townsquare Media senior vp programming associated with something that brings so much hurt to someone else,” he said. Kurt Johnson. “I want people to be happy, I want people to feel accepted, I want people to feel welcomed by country music and our community.” Morris went even further, maintaining that in failing to promote African American talent, the country industry and its broadcast partners have placed chains on the format’s potential. “By shutting out Black writers and Black artists, you have no idea if you’re shutting out the next hit song,” she said. “Imagine over the last 50 years the songs that we haven’t gotten to hear because we shut the doors in a Black person’s face. We’ve got to change that moving forward.” The virtual nature of this year’s CRS was a significant change, though orga- nizers are optimistic it will be different by 2022, when the convention is slated for Feb. 23-25 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Many of CRS’ historic features were present, but with minor alterations. led “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley,” a showcase that used a rural backdrop that Rhett had photographed. , Parker McCollum and were among the acts on Universal Music Group Nashville’s annual show at the Ryman Auditorium, performing with their backs to the empty seats, allowing the venue’s stained-glass windows to provide the background. The New Faces Show was (right) chatted with Cumulus host Elaina Smith when she carefully orchestrated to keep the artists and Cumulus personality Elaina Smith performed Feb. 19 at Country Radio Seminar’s New Faces Show. safely distanced. Luke Bryan was surprised with the annual artist humani- tarian award, typically revealed in advance, during the final panel on Feb. 19. Along the way, CRS producers and attendees picked up some new skills and perspectives on their product by holding a virtual edition. That mirrors the music and radio businesses, which are moving with a mix of hope and uncer- tainty into the future. Perhaps that’s a future in which today’s elephants in the room become extinct or are reduced to the size of a mouse. “We need to throw out our 1980s radio playbook about what to do when numbers go up or what to do when numbers go down,” said Cox Media Group Futuri Media partner success consultant Scott Lindy (left) chatted with country format leader Johnny Chiang. “We need to just keep an open mind Instagram head of music partnerships Perry Bashkoff to close a Feb. 18 and be ready to reinvent. Quickly.” Country Radio Seminar panel on 24/7 branding.

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE APRIL 13, 2020 | PAGE 4 OF 19

ON THE CHARTS JIM ASKER [email protected] BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 4 OF 20 ON STHEa CHARTSmH JIMunt ASKER’ [email protected] Southside Rules Top Country ; BrettSwift’s Young ‘Love ‘Catc Story’h’-es Leads Fifth Airplay LeaHotder; Country Songs Travis Denning For Makes Second History Time; Rucker Hoists Ninth No. 1 ’s second studio full-length, and first in over five years, Southside sales (up 21%) in the tracking week. On Country Airplay, it hops 18-15 (11.9 mil- (MCA Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville), debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s lion audience impressions, up 16%). chart dated April 18. In its first week (ending April 9), it ’s rerecording of “Love Story,” dubbed “Love Story (Taylor’s Ver- in October 1958. It’s the first by a solo woman and just the second by a woman earned 46,000 equivalent units, including 16,000 in album sales, ac- TRY TO ‘CATCH’ UP WITH YOUNG Brett Youngachieves his fifth consecutive sion)” (Republic/MCA Nashville), blasts in atop Billboard’s airplay-, sales- and overall, after and ’s “Meant To Be” began cording to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. and total Country Airplay No. 1 as “Catch” (Big Machine Label Group) ascends streaming-based chart dated Feb. 27. its record 50-week reign in December 2017. SouthsideThe song marks — Swift’s Hunt’s eighth second such No. No. 1 1on and the first to launch at the summit — Swift tops the chart for the2-1, first increasing time since 13% “We to 36.6Are Nevermillion Ever impressions. Getting chartleads and the fourth list for top a 10. second It follows time, freshman after her originalLP topped the charts dated Back Together” dominated for Young’s10 weeks first in 2012-13 of six chart (after entries, which “Sleep she fully With - MontevalloNov. 22 and, which 29, 2008 arrived (when at the the summit ranking inreflected No - solely country radio airplay). segued to pop with her 2014out LP 1989You,”). reached She adds No. her 2 24th in December top 10 and 2016. third He vemberOnly 2014 one and other reigned composition for nine weeks. has ruled To date, Hot Country Songs in separate it- since last August, when “Betty”followed arrived with at its the No. multiweek 6 peak. Current No. 1s “In promoted Case You Montevalloerations hasby the earned same 3.9 artist: million Dolly units, Parton with’s “I1.4 Will Always Love radio single “NoDidn’t Body, Know” No Crime,” (two weeks, featuring June HAIM2017), ,“Like flew inI Loved at millionYou” in first album led insales. June 1974, followed by her updated recording No. 2 in December.You” The(three, songs January are from 2018), her “Mercy” 2020 albums (two, Folk August- Montevalloin October has 1982. spent 267 weeks on the list, tying lore and Evermore2018), respectively. and “Here Tonight” (two, April 2019). Luke BryanSwift released’s Crash My the Party original as the “Love sixth-longest- Story” from her second LP, “Catch” completes his longest journey to No. 1, running2008’s titles Fearless in the. The chart’s new 56-yeartake is from history. her forthcoming rerecord- RUCKER, YOUNGhaving UP taken AIRPLAY 46 weeks COUNTS to reach Darius the apex. Rucker It out’s - Oning the of the all-genre album, FearlessBillboard (Taylor’s 200, Southside Version). Rerecordings ar- of older “Beers and Sunshine”paces the (Capitol 30-week Nashville) climb ofascends “Here 3-1 Tonight.” on Coun- rivessongs at No. or albums 5, awarding are treated Hunt separatelyhis second from top their10 originals, with try Airplay, up 5%On to Hot 28.3 Country million Songs, impressions, “Catch” marking pushes 7-5 his for HUNT YOUNG afterindependent the No. 3-peaking chart histories Montevallo for each. version. ninth leader. Hea newwrote high. it with , J.T. Harding Hunt“This first is releasedmy first time the havingEPX2C ,a which No. 1 debut debuted on the Billboard Hot and . Rucker last ruled with “For the First Time” andCountry peaked Songs at No. chart, 5 on andTop I’m Country so grateful Albums to the in fans August for making 2014. Following COMBS ‘DOES’in IT June AGAIN 2018. Luke He arrivedCombs at’ “Does the format to Me” with (River the two-week House/Columbia No. 1 Montevallothis a possibility,”, Between Swiftthe Pines: tells BillboardAcoustic .Mixtape “They’re started the ones at who its No. 7 high in Nashville), featuring“Don’t Eric Think Church I Don’t, ascends Think About 11-8 on It” Country in 2008. Airplay, up 10% to Novemberemboldened 2015. me to reclaim my music, and they really showed up 24.7 million in audience.“When I Thecame song to Nashville is Combs’ 13 eighthyears ago, straight I just wantedcareer-opening to play Montevallothis week to produced see it through. five singles, It blows four me awayof which that they’vehit the pinnacle sent a of Country top 10, followingcountry a record music,” run of the seven longtime consecutive Hootie & out-of-the-gate, The Blowfish frontman properly Airplay:song “Leaveto No. 1 the that Night had its On,” first “Take life over Your a decadeTime,” ago.“House I couldn’t Party” and “Make promoted No. 1tells singles. Billboard. “To have nine No. 1 songs is more than a dream SWIFT Yoube Miss happier Me.” that “Break it happened Up in a Small now and Town” in this peaked way.” at No. 2. Church addscome his 15th true. Country It’s unbelievable.” Airplay top 10. HuntReleased co-penned Feb. 12, all the12 songs new version on Southside attracted, including 13.7 million “Body U.S. Like a Back Meanwhile, also on Country Airplay, Brett Young banks Road,”streams which in thewas week released ending in 2017.Feb. 18, The according smash hit to ruled MRC CountryData, and Airplay opens atop for THAThis seventh TOOK straight QUITE career-opening‘A FEW’ MONTHS top Travis 10 as Denning“Lady” (Big shatters Machine the for Country Streaming Songs, awarding Swift her third leader. Group) rises 11-9 (17.9 million, up 12%). It follows “Catch,” which became three weeks and the airplay-, streaming- and sales-based Hot Country Songs the most weeks it has taken to penetrate the Country Airplay top 10 as “After The new track sold 25,000 downloads in its first frame and drives in atop his fifth leader last April. chart for a then-record 34 frames. It now ranks second only to Bebe Rexha and a Few” (Mercury Nashville) climbs 12-10 in its 57th week, up 4% to 21.4 mil - Country Digital Song Sales, marking her record-extending 15th No. 1, all of Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant to Be” (50 weeks atop the latter list in 2017-18). lion in radio reach. which have debuted at the pinnacle. NEW ‘LIFE’ Florida Georgia Line’s (Big Machine Label Group) “Downtown’s Dead,” which is also on the new set, reached Nos. 14 and 15 The song surpasses two tracks that took 50 weeks each to enter the top 10: The updated recording, which is not being actively promoted to radio, also debuts at No. 3 on Top Country Albums with 20,000 equivalent album units, on Hotdrew Country 1.1 million Songs all-format and Country airplay Airplay, audience respectively, impressions in in June the week2018. ending “Kin- Eastonmarking Corbin the seventh’s “A Girl top 10Like for You,” the duo which of Tyler reached Hubbard No. 10 and in JBriananuary Kelley 2018. be- folks”Feb. led 21. Country Nine percent Airplay was on fromFeb. 29,Country becoming Airplay Hunt’s chart seventh reporters; No. the 1. It bulk hit foreMeanwhile, peaking at “Long No. 6 thatLive,” February, the LP’s second and Aaron single, Watson becomes’s “Outtathe pair’s Style,” 18th Hotwhich No.was 3 on from Hot CountryAdult Pop Songs. Airplay, Adult Contemporary and Pop Airplay panelists. achievedCountry Songsits No. top 10 high10 as in it December jumps 15-10. 2017. It climbs 8-7 on Country Airplay LatestMeanwhile, single “Hard the redux to Forget” is just jumps the eighth 17-9 singleon Hot to Country launch atSongs. No. 1 It’s on hisHot (18.9“After” million, is Denning’s up 3%), and second drew Country 5.5 million Airplay streams entry. and “David sold 2,000 Ashley down Parker- eighth top 10, having corralled 8.2 million U.S. streams (up 96%) and 5,000 in From Powder Springs” traveled to No. 32 in September 2018. ETHAN MICHAEL YOUNG: VIA MARTIN/NHLI GETTY HUNT: IMAGES. IMAGES MILLER/GETTY Country Songs since the survey began as an all-encompassing genre ranking loads in the tracking week. MTV FOR IMAGES MCCARTHY/GETTY JAMIE

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 6 OF 20

AIRPLAY Country Airplay MONITORED BY

WKS AUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS) PLAYS THIS LAST ON WEEK WEEK CHART TITLE Imprint/Label Artist THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK +/– RANK l1 3 29 BEERS AND SUNSHINE Capitol Nashville HH No. 1 (1 week) HH 28.294 +1.447 7228 346 1 2 1 21 BETTER TOGETHER River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 26.500 -1.389 6804 -184 3 l3 4 40 JUST THE WAY Stoney Creek Parmalee x Blanco Brown 25.364 +0.454 6816 280 2 l4 5 19 Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan 25.053 +1.032 6465 370 5 l5 7 15 WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG Valory  Thomas Rhett 22.909 +1.262 5960 430 6 l6 6 45 GOOD TIME RCA Nashville 22.868 -0.025 6575 224 4 l7 8 24 LONG LIVE BMLG  Florida Georgia Line 18.867 +0.531 4819 272 8 l8 10 26 STARTING OVER Mercury Nashville 18.247 +0.894 5252 291 7 l9 11 43 LADY BMLG  HH Most Increased Audience HH Brett Young 17.932 +1.910 4761 475 9 10 2 38 HOLE IN THE BOTTLE Black River Kelsea Ballerini 16.519 -10.666 4391 -2975 12 l11 12 53 MOMMA’S HOUSE Broken Bow Dustin Lynch 16.207 +0.908 4534 255 10 l12 13 37 THE GOOD ONES Warner Music Nashville/WAR Gabby Barrett 14.799 +0.844 4443 257 11 l13 16 54 19th & Grand Tenille Arts 13.610 +1.210 3975 298 14 l14 14 36 HOW THEY REMEMBER YOU Big Machine Flatts 13.351 -0.192 4017 31 13 l15 17 44 NOBODY Curb  Dylan Scott 12.024 +0.366 3687 138 15 l16 18 40 MADE FOR YOU Big Loud 11.014 +0.745 3424 241 16 l17 19 16 HELL OF A VIEW EMI Nashville Eric Church 10.622 +0.194 3267 73 18 l18 20 38 ALMOST MAYBES MCA Nashville Jordan Davis 10.114 +0.315 3306 12 17 l19 21 6 UNDIVIDED McGraw/BMLG/Big Machine HH Airpower HH Tim McGraw & 9.143 +0.690 2597 137 20 l20 22 22 ONE TOO MANY Hit Red/Capitol Nashville HH Airpower HH Duet With P!nk 8.094 +0.070 2700 117 19 l21 23 20 BREAKING UP WAS EASY IN THE 90’S MCA Nashville Sam Hunt 7.587 +0.212 2577 132 21 l22 24 6 MINIMUM WAGE Warner Music Nashville/WMN 7.209 +0.626 2285 341 24 l23 26 22 SETTLING DOWN Vanner/RCA Nashville 6.746 +0.401 2283 148 25 l24 25 18 GONE Capitol Nashville 6.556 +0.199 2311 78 23 l25 27 15 BLAME IT ON YOU Macon/Broken Bow 6.016 +0.294 1901 84 26 l26 28 40 ALL NIGHT EMI Nashville Brothers Osborne 5.439 +0.087 2402 75 22 l27 29 12 FAMOUS FRIENDS RCA Nashville HH Most Added HH Chris Young + Kane Brown 4.752 +0.028 1649 112 29 l28 34 3 GLAD YOU EXIST Warner Music Nashville/WAR Dan + Shay 4.405 +1.335 1457 436 32 29 30 36 HARD DAYS Valory  Brantley Gilbert 4.156 -0.318 1833 0 28 l30 31 18 WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH Valory  Justin Moore 4.134 -0.060 1469 6 31

COUNTRY AIRPLAY CHART LEGEND

RANKINGS audience does not exceed are not still gaining enough MOST INCREASED AUDIENCE Country Airplay is ranked by the percentage of monitored audience points to bullet or if Most Increased Audience on total audience impressions station downtime for the they rank below No. 10 and Country Airplay lists the songs for the week ending Sunday format. Titles that decline post a third consecutive week with the greatest week-to-week based on monitored airplay in audience but increase in of (non-bulleted) audience increases in total audience. of 148 stations by MRC detections will also receive decline, regardless of total Data. Audience totals on the a bullet if the total audience chart weeks. AIRPOWER chart are derived, in part, erosion for the week does not Awarded on Country Airplay to using certain Nielsen Audio- exceed 3%. HOT SHOT DEBUT titles ranking inside top 20 in copyrighted Persons 12+ Awarded to the highest-ranking plays and audience rankings for audience estimates (under TIES new entry on Country Airplay. the first time, with increases in license © 2021, Nielsen Audio). On Country Airplay, if two both plays and audience. The list of all Country Airplay songs are tied in total MOST ADDED chart reporters can be viewed audience, the song with the The total number of new adds BREAKER on MRC Data’s platforms. larger increase in audience is officially reported to Billboard Awarded on Country Airplay placed first. by each reporting station, or to titles achieving airplay (at BULLETS by an automatic-add threshold least one detection) at 60% of l Awarded on Country Airplay RECURRENTS (seven plays for the first time reporting stations for the first to titles gaining audience On Country Airplay, descending in a chart tracking week, time. or remaining flat from the titles below No. 10 in either according to MRC Data) for previous week. A song audience or detections are stations that do not report © 2021 Billboard Media, LLC will also receive a bullet moved to recurrent after 20 adds. if its percentage loss in weeks, provided that they BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 7 OF 20

AIRPLAY Country Airplay MONITORED BY

WKS AUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS) PLAYS THIS LAST ON WEEK WEEK CHART TITLE Imprint/Label Artist THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK +/– RANK l31 33 34 SINGLE SATURDAY NIGHT Warner Music Nashville/WMN Cole Swindell 4.130 +0.682 1549 168 30 l32 32 22 NEXT GIRL Big Machine Carly Pearce 3.717 +0.138 1838 51 27 l33 35 20 MY BOY Wheelhouse  Elvie Shane 2.681 +0.202 114 0 82 35 l34 36 31 WINE, BEER, WHISKEY Capitol Nashville 2.425 +0.364 1204 44 34 l35 40 22 JUST ABOUT OVER YOU inDent/Mercury Nashville Priscilla Block 2.030 +0.063 831 73 40 l36 44 5 Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi 1.994 +0.213 546 26 51 37 39 12 DRINKIN’ BEER. TALKIN’ GOD. AMEN. Dack Janiels/BMLG/Broken Bow Featuring Florida Georgia Line 1.957 -0.097 1046 91 37 l38 43 17 WORSHIP YOU RCA Nashville Kane Brown 1.941 +0.106 1051 53 36 l39 38 34 WE WERE RICH Wheelhouse  Runaway June 1.914 -0.056 1217 33 33 40 42 16 YOU TIME Triple Tigers Scotty McCreery 1.768 -0.072 1016 -31 38 41 37 24 DEAR RODEO CoJo/Warner Music Nashville/WMN Cody Johnson & Reba McEntire 1.760 -0.145 456 39 54 l42 45 11 SHALLOW Pearl  & Trisha Yearwood 1.674 +0.151 828 52 41 l43 46 16 MEMORY I DON’T MESS WITH Curb  Lee Brice 1.639 +0.179 870 45 39 44 41 6 FOREVER AFTER ALL River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 1.520 -0.369 397 -59 57 l45 49 23 WAITIN’ ON 5 Warner Music Nashville/WAR HH Breaker HH  Chris Janson 1.470 +0.283 723 64 43 l46 48 13 LADY LIKE Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville/WEA Ingrid Andress 1.459 +0.187 605 37 47 l47 50 11 COLD BEER CALLING MY NAME Combustion/River House/Columbia Nashville Jameson Rodgers Featuring Luke Combs 1.387 +0.282 546 80 50 48 47 27 WHAT KNOW Arista Nashville Robert Counts 1.340 -0.132 766 -26 42 l49 57 12 WHERE I FIND GOD Big Loud Larry Fleet 1.133 +0.399 477 107 53 l50 54 5 HOME SWEET Triple Tigers Russell Dickerson 1.113 +0.172 562 41 49 l51 52 18 WHISKEY AND RAIN Warner Music Nashville/WEA Michael Ray 1.054 +0.014 597 -6 48 52 51 23 BEERS TO CATCH UP ON Wheelhouse  LOCASH 0.988 -0.090 675 21 44 53 53 4 FREEDOM WAS A HIGHWAY Stoney Creek Jimmie Allen & Brad Paisley 0.931 -0.044 610 93 46 l54 55 12 HEAVEN ON DIRT Monument  Teddy Robb 0.890 +0.039 630 2 45 l55 NEW I CAN’T Monument  HH Hot Shot Debut HH Caitlyn Smith Featuring Old Dominion 0.884 +0.663 140 98 - l56 NEW TO BE LOVED BY YOU MCA Nashville Parker McCollum 0.808 +0.174 274 4 60 57 56 9 THINGS A MAN OUGHTA KNOW Broken Bow 0.786 -0.065 501 -3 52 l58 RE-ENTRY NO BODY, NO CRIME Republic/MCA Nashville Taylor Swift Featuring HAIM 0.784 +0.163 252 37 - l59 60 15 IF IT WASN’T FOR TRUCKS BMLG  Riley Green 0.650 -0.006 454 4 55 l60 58 4 NEED A BAR SOMETIMES Show Dog Nashville Clay Walker 0.629 +0.041 384 20 58

GOING FOR ADDS

3/1 Good Day (2021) Warner Music Nashville/WMN TRACK45 Met Me Now Stoney Creek

3/8 HEATH SANDERS Old School’s In 55 Valory LILY ROSE Villain The collaboration is the first Country Airplay Back Block/Republic/ CAITLYN SMITH entry for Minneapolis native Smith, who first FEATURING appeared on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums OLD DOMINION chart in 2016. “I Can’t” arrives at No. 55 with I Can’t 884,000 audience impressions. ELDREDGE GREGNOIRE BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 8 OF 20

AIRPLAY Country Airplay MONITORED BY

MOST ADDED® NEW AND ACTIVE TITLE Imprint/Label Artist ADDS TOTAL TOTAL FAMOUS FRIENDS RCA Nashville Chris Young & Kane Brown 21 TITLE Imprint/Label Artist AUDIENCE STATIONS ADDS GLAD YOU EXIST Warner Music Nashville/WAR Dan + Shay 21 MARTHA DIVINE Warner Music Nashville/WMN Ashley McBryde 0.425 25 1 FREEDOM WAS A HIGHWAY Stoney Creek Jimmie Allen & Brad Paisley 16 WHISKEY’S FINE Arista Nashville Adam Doleac 0.425 25 1 WHERE I FIND GOD Big Loud Larry Fleet 16 THAT AIN’T ME NO MORE Arista Nashville/RECORDS Matt Stell 0.354 2 2 MINIMUM WAGE Warner Music Nashville/WMN Blake Shelton 11 YOU AIN’T PRETTY Quartz Hill Nate Barnes 9 VILLAIN Back Block/Republic/Big Loud Lily Rose 0.281 2 1 COLD BEER CALLING MY NAME River House/Columbia Nashville Jameson Rodgers Feat. Luke Combs 8 YOU AIN’T PRETTY Quartz Hill Nate Barnes 0.254 11 9 HATE YOU LIKE I LOVE YOU Wheelhouse Granger Smith 8 YOU’RE GONNA LOVE ME MCC/Curb Tim Dugger 0.220 3 0 BLAME IT ON YOU Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean 6 WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH Valory Justin Moore 6 RECURRENTS MOST INCREASED AUDIENCE THIS TOTAL AUD. WEEK TITLE Imprint/Label Artist (IN MILLIONS) GAIN 1 ONE OF THEM GIRLS Curb Lee Brice 18.582 TITLE Imprint/Label Artist (IN MIILIONS) 2 LOVE YOU LIKE I USED TO Triple Tigers Russell Dickerson 18.099 LADY BMLG Brett Young +1.910 BEERS AND SUNSHINE Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker +1.447 3 BIG, BIG PLANS Big Loud  13.518 GLAD YOU EXIST Warner Music Nashville/WAR Dan + Shay +1.335 4 HAPPY ANYWHERE Warner Music Nashville/WMN Blake Shelton Featuring 12.920 WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG Valory Thomas Rhett +1.262 5 I HOPE Warner Music Nashville/WAR Gabby Barrett 11.198 SOMEBODY LIKE THAT 19th & Grand Tenille Arts +1.210 6 LOVIN’ ON YOU River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 9.650 DOWN TO ONE Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan +1.032 7 THE BONES Columbia Nashville Maren Morris 9.101 MOMMA’S HOUSE Broken Bow Dustin Lynch +0.908 8 HAPPY DOES Blue Chair/Warner Music Nashville/WEA 8.339 STARTING OVER Mercury Nashville Chris Stapleton +0.894 9 NOBODY BUT YOU Warner Music Nashville/WMN Blake Shelton Duet With Gwen Stefani 7.964 THE GOOD ONES Warner Music Nashville/WAR Gabby Barrett +0.844 MADE FOR YOU Big Loud Jake Owen +0.745 10 HARD TO FORGET MCA Nashville Sam Hunt 7.922 MOST INCREASED PLAYS TITLE Imprint/Label Artist GAIN LADY BMLG Brett Young +475 GLAD YOU EXIST Warner Music Nashville/WAR Dan + Shay +436 WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG Valory Thomas Rhett +430 DOWN TO ONE Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan +370 BEERS AND SUNSHINE Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker +346 MINIMUM WAGE Warner Music Nashville/WMN Blake Shelton +341 SOMEBODY LIKE THAT 19th & Grand Tenille Arts +298 STARTING OVER Mercury Nashville Chris Stapleton +291 JUST THE WAY Stoney Creek Parmalee x Blanco Brown +280 LONG LIVE BMLG Florida Georgia Line +272 YOUNG BRICE RIKERBROTHERS SPIDEYSMITH TEXAS REGIONAL RADIO REPORT WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 14, 2021

THIS LAST WKS ON TW SPINS THIS LAST WKS ON TW SPINS WEEK WEEK CHART TITLE (Label) ARTIST SPINS +/– WEEK WEEK CHART TITLE (Label) ARTIST SPINS +/– l1 2 14 SILVERADO SATURDAY NIGHT (BIG Label)  HH 1 Week at 1 HH Aaron Watson 2049 103 l11 12 12 BRINGING COUNTRY BACK (King Hall Music)  Chad Cooke Band 1276 183 l2 3 16 DEVIL’S RED HOT SAUCE (Independent)  James Lann 1999 84 12 1 24 ANOTHER TOWN (Independent)  Jon Stork 1252 -782 l3 5 18 OLD SCHOOL (Independent)  David Adam Byrnes 1752 90 l13 15 17 COWBOY’S DAUGHTER (Independent)  Scotty Alexander 1056 82 l4 6 25 MISSIN’ YOU, MISSISSIPPI (Independent)  Dustin Sonnier 1688 70 l14 16 9 LOST IN A KISS (Independent)  George Navarro 1051 84 l5 7 12 CALLIN’ ALL HEARTS (Independent)  Terry McBride 1682 77 l15 18 13 FULL-TIME FOOL (Independent)  The Stateline Band 1029 87 l6 9 14 OUTSIDE LOOKIN IN (Little Red Truck)  Deryl Dodd 1521 89 l16 20 5 SETTLE ME DOWN (Independent)  999 101 7 4 17 DRINKING MONEY (Tommy Jackson/Thirty Tigers)  1478 -333 l17 22 16 THE TRUTH (Independent)  Cody Hibbard 900 43 l8 10 17 HONKY TONK IN HEAVEN (Independent)  Kin Faux 1401 110 18 13 26 ONE DAY (Independent)  Triston Marez 863 -187 9 8 25 RHYTHM OF YOU (Independent)  1374 -78 l19 23 16 FINGERS AND THUMBS (Independent)  Teague Brothers Band 852 28 l10 11 14 I WILL (Independent)  Darrin Morris Band 1277 140 l20 26 16 RECKLESS (Independent)  Cross Rags and Young 832 52

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 972-252-8777. Copyright 2021, Texas Regional Radio Report

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 10 OF 20

NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND

Media and Firefly Media will launch a syndicated three- hour radio show, Y’all Access With Kelly Sutton, on April 8. Silverfish president Patrick Thomas will program the offering, with Albright & O’Malley & Brenner partner Becky Brenner consulting and radio veteran Joyce Rizer handling artist booking and production … TuneIn installed four new executives within its upper-management team. New Travis Denning prepped early for the chief technology officer Paul summer in a Feb. 15 tweet from snowy Brody previously held a similar Nashville. His mother appended it Empire recording artist Willie Jones signed a publishing deal with title at Rakuten Advertising. with the Bernie Sanders meme. Warner Chappell Nashville. From left are Warner Chappell director Chief revenue officer Rob A&R Will Overton, The Penthouse founder Jonnie Forster, Warner Deichert arrives from Eyeview, where he was CEO. Chief product officer Chappell director A&R Spencer Nohe, Jones and Warner Chappell Joe King was formerly Amazon.com principal product manager, Kindle Nashville president/CEO Ben Vaughn. content. Additionally, TuneIn promoted Yasmin Coffey to chief legal officer from head of legal … iHeartMedia announced its intent to purchase Triton CRS WRESTLES TIGERS Digital from E.W. Scripps for $230 million … Six SummitMedia stations added Tigers clawed their way into the conversation at multiple panels during the Skyview’s B-Dub Radio, installing Bryan “B-Dub” Washington as a host. Country Radio Seminar, held Feb. 16-19, and their presence was likely ben- New affiliates include WZZK Birmingham, Ala.; WCYQ Knoxville, Tenn.; eficial to attendees of every stripe. WKHK Richmond, Va.; WQNU Louisville; KTTS Springfield, Mo.; and KFDI The bengals were figurative, of course — no programmers were harmed Wichita, Kan. … Entercom presents the 12th annual Island Time Music Fest: in the process — but each tiger reference represented something different as A Charity Concert for Special Needs Children, beginning Feb. 24. Kellie country broadcasters and music executives grappled with a changing business. Pickler will host, with Lee Brice, Vince Gill and Runaway June among the They addressed fear, speed and — in one amusing instance — conquering performers … Jasmine Johnson joined iHeartMedia/Milwaukee as vp sales, boredom. As for the lessons behind them, Tony the Tiger would likely say, RadioInk.com reported. Formerly the ManpowerGroup diversity programs “They’re grrrrrrreat!”: director, she will represent six signals, including country WMIL. • Fear is often an emotional distortion. During a Feb. 19 presentation on anxiety in the music business, Entertainment Health Services founder/ ’ROUND THE ROW president Elizabeth Porter described panic as a fight-or-flight response that Manager Blythe Scokin (Ingrid Andress) and pop manager John Geraghty executives might have if there were an actual tiger in the room. “I could try (Fletcher) established a new management firm, rogue., operating from to fight the tiger — probably wouldn’t work out very well for me,” she said, Nashville and . The first joint client is New Zealand pop vocal- explaining the options. “Or I could run.” Her solution for overdramatizing ist Thomston … The Erv Woolsey Company promoted Allen Mitchell to vp work-related issues is to consider whether they are emergent or urgent, and new artist management and operations from artist manager … The Country react accordingly. Music Hall of Fame and Museum elevated Mark DeLelys to vp revenue from • Turn up the speed when appropriate. Brad Paisley recounted during senior director of museum sales and revenue … The Recording Academy hired a Feb. 18 “So Much Cooler Online” panel how COVID-19 forced a quick Ray Starck as vp digital strategy. The Los Angeles-based Starck was most pivot for his 2020 startup charity The Store. The charity was supposed recently Fiore Management head of ecommerce, digital technology and digi- to benefit low-income Nashvillians, but the pandemic’s arrival — just as tal operations … Sheltered Music added singer-songwriter Sara Haze to its The Store launched — forced vulnerable seniors to avoid public places. publishing roster … The Country Music Association has partnered with the Paisley’s team revised its game plan to assist the community, providing a Touring Professionals Alliance to provide a free weekly meal in Nashville to food delivery service to reduce those elderly residents’ potential exposure concert professionals adversely affected by COVID-19 from Feb. 24 through to the coronavirus. “You don’t know how fast you can run,” quipped Paisley, March 24. Go here to sign up in advance. “until you’ve been chased by a tiger.” • At-home multitasking has increased the demand for content. Once white- collar staff began to operate from home, workers had increased access to more devices, noted Elevate Marketing founder/chief researcher Nicole Bergen during a Feb. 17 “Post Pandemic Playbook” panel. Meeting that need can definitely pay off. “Would anybody seriously have watched Tiger King if we weren’t stuck in our homes?” she asked. “Come on.” The takeaway: Provide mass amounts of content on as many platforms as possible. RADIO & RECORDS Black River signed singer-songwriter Ray Fulcher (“Lovin’ on You,” “Even Though I’m Leaving”) to a recording contract … Florida Georgia Line’s Round Here label partnered with Warner Music Nashville on a recording and distribution deal for Redferrin, who has been signed to FGL’s Tree Vibez publishing house since 2019 … Sammy Sadler joined the artist roster at BFD/Audium Nashville, with a new album expected May 7 … Oh Boy Craig Campbell held a Zoom visit with the WSM-AM Nashville morning turns 40 this year. The label, founded by the late John Prine and manager team on Feb. 18 to support his new single, “What a Girl Will Make Al Bunetta, will mark the anniversary with a docuseries here, launching You Do.” Clockwise from top left: co-hosts Charlie Mattos and Eric with Prine’s explanation for the company name … Compass Media, Silverfish Marcum, Campbell and co-host Megan Alexander. BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 11 OF 20

NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND

MUSIC NOTES ON THIS DATE IN COUNTRY MUSIC

How important is it that people address racial and gender imbalances in coun- Feb. 23 try music? A Jeannie Seely story from Country Radio Seminar might provide • 2018 — Warner Bros. releases Cole some insight. Brad Paisley, during a Feb. 18 panel, offered his appreciation for Swindell’s “Break Up in the End” to radio. Seely, who took a bold step in the 1960s when she was still new at the Grand • 1971 — Three Charley Pride albums earn Ole Opry. She told Bill Anderson that when he had introduced her as “a pretty gold awards from the RIAA: Charley Pride little thing in a mini-skirt,” it felt “degrading.” in Person, Just Plain Charley and the cleverly Anderson was sympathetic and never did it titled Charley Pride’s 10th Album. again. TV writer Phil Rosenthal (Everybody PRIDE COURTESY CRS COURTESY Loves Raymond, Somebody Feed Phil) was im- Feb. 24 pressed with Paisley’s story, saying, “That’s • 2001 — Brooks & Dunn appear in the of Endymion Mardi Gras how change happens.” parade, along with Saints coach Jim Haslett, KC & The Sunshine Band and grand marshal Frankie Muniz of TV’s Malcolm Two productions that mix country with other in the Middle. entertainment genres will get a workout at Nashville’s Performing Arts Cen- Feb. 25 ter over the next 18 months. A Nashville Ballet • 2016 — Luke Combs writes “Even Though I’m Leaving” with Ray production of Under the Lights, built around Fulcher and Wyatt Durrette at the Southern Ground Studios the music of Johnny Cash, runs March 5-7. in Nashville. Virtual tickets are available here. Additionally, SEELY • 2015 — Keith Urban performs “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” the world premiere of , a theatrical for the first time publicly at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville during piece being executive-produced in part by Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kel- a Universal Music Group showcase on the opening day of the Country ley, is planned for June 2022. It will include songs associated with FGL, Kenny Radio Seminar. Chesney, Sara Evans and Little Big Town. Feb. 26 Ray Stevens will launch a four-album series on Feb. 26, featuring new versions • 1991 — Joe Diffie records “Ships That Don’t Come In” at the Ben- of music associated with the last century. Great Country Ballads is the first re- nett House in Nashville. lease, followed by Melancholy Fescue (High Class Bluegrass), due March 26; Slow Dance, April 23; and Nouveau Retro (What’s Old Is New Again), May 21. A box Feb. 27 set featuring all four titles will be available June 18. Other recent/newly slated • 1981 — RCA releases the Alabama album Feels So Right. releases include Adam Hambrick’s The Flipsides EP, Feb. 19; Pump House • 1961 — Marty Robbins’ “Don’t Worry,” featuring a signature fuzz artist Nick Norman’s self-titled debut, March 5; Americana artist Stephen guitar solo, hits No. 1 on the Billboard country singles chart. Flatt’s Cumberland Bones, April 16; and Tony Joe White’s posthumous Smoke From the Chimney, May 7. Feb. 28 • 2019 — welcomes surprise guest Cee Lo Green Delivering some high-profile versions of the national anthem has taught Luke during her headlining show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. They Bryan a big lesson. When he sang it at the 2012 Major League Baseball All- duet on his pop hit “Crazy.” Star Game, he recalled during a Feb. 19 Country Radio Seminar Q&A, he put • 1996 — Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain” wins two crib notes on his hand, and the negative fan feedback was huge. Bryan got an trophies — best country song and best male country vocal perfor- opportunity for vindication when he sang it a cappella at the 2017 Super Bowl mance — during the 38th annual Grammy Awards at Los Angeles’ without a cheat sheet. “If you make a mistake, it’s not the silver bullet,” he Shrine Auditorium. surmised. “Fans will let you make some mistakes.” March 1 • 2011 — Reba McEntire, Jean Shepard and songwriter Bobby Brad- Top Headlines from .com dock are announced as the 2011 inductees in the Country Music Click on headlines below for more details Hall of Fame.

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Dolly Parton Urges Lawmakers Not To Erect Statue Of Her: ‘I Don’t Think Putting Me On A Pedestal Is Appropriate At This Time’

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Jakob Dylan On 25 Years Of ‘One Headlight’: COURTESY CRS COURTESY ‘I Can Still Listen To It & Say “Damn, That Was Dan + Shay members Dan Smyers (left) and Shay Mooney performed Pretty F--king Good” ’ two songs virtually during the Warner Music Nashville lunch showcase Feb. 18 at Country Radio Seminar.

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 13 OF 20

SALES, AIRPLAY & STREAMING DATA Hot Country Songs COMPILED BY

TWO COUNTRY THIS LAST WEEKS WKS ON TITLE Artist AIRPLAY PEAK WEEK WEEK AGO CHART PRODUCER (SONGWRITER) IMPRINT / PROMOTION LABEL RANK POSITION HH HH 1 NEW 1 LOVE STORY (TAYLOR’S VERSION) No. 1 (1 week/Hot Shot Debut) Taylor Swift - 1 l C.ROWE,T.SWIFT (T.SWIFT) REPUBLIC/MCA NASHVILLE 2 2 2 95 I HOPE Gabby Barrett RC 1 R.COPPERMAN,Z.KALE (Z.KALE,J.M.NITE,G.BARRETT) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR 3 1 1 37 BETTER TOGETHER Luke Combs 2 1 S.MOFFATT (L.COMBS,D.ISBELL,R.MONTANA) RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 4 3 4 38 GOOD TIME Niko Moon 6 3 N.MOON,J.MURTY (N.MOON,J.MINTON,A.MOON,J.MURTY,M.TRUSSELL) RCA NASHVILLE STARTING OVER 5 7 7 26 Chris Stapleton 8 4 l D.COBB,C.STAPLETON (C.STAPLETON,M.HENDERSON) MERCURY NASHVILLE JUST THE WAY 6 8 12 53 Parmalee x Blanco Brown 3 6 l D.FANNING (M.THOMAS,K.BARD,N.W.SIPE) STONEY CREEK BEERS AND SUNSHINE 7 9 13 28 Darius Rucker 1 7 l R.COPPERMAN (D.RUCKER,R.COPPERMAN,J.T.HARDING,J.OSBORNE) CAPITOL NASHVILLE DOWN TO ONE 8 10 14 18 Luke Bryan 4 8 l J.STEVENS,J.STEVENS (K.FISHMAN,D.DAVIDSON,J.EBACH) CAPITOL NASHVILLE HH HH 9 15 17 24 LONG LIVE Digital & Streaming Gainer Florida Georgia Line 7 9 l C.CROWDER,T.HUBBARD,B.KELLEY (T.HUBBARD,B.KELLEY,C.CROWDER,D.A.GARCIA,J.MILLER) BMLG 10 6 9 36 HOLE IN THE BOTTLE Kelsea Ballerini 10 6 J.FRASURE,K.BALLERINI (K.BALLERINI,S.JONES,H.LINDSEY,J.FRASURE,A.GORLEY) BL ACK RIVER 11 4 3 6 WASTED ON YOU Morgan Wallen - 1 J.MOI,J.DURRETT (M.WALLEN,E.K.SMITH,J.THOMPSON,CHARLIE HANDSOME) REP UBLIC/BIG LOUD THE GOOD ONES 12 13 16 35 Gabby Barrett 12 12 l R.COPPERMAN,Z.KALE (G.BARRETT,E.LANDIS,J.MCCORMICK,Z.KALE) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG 13 12 15 15 Thomas Rhett 5 12 l D.HUFF,J.FRASURE (THOMAS RHETT,R.AKINS,J.FRASURE,A.GORLEY,P.WELLING) VALORY 14 5 5 6 SAND IN MY BOOTS Morgan Wallen - 5 J.MOI (A.GORLEY,M.W.HARDY,J.OSBORNE) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD HH HH 15 18 20 42 LADY Airplay Gainer Brett Young 9 15 l D.HUFF (B.YOUNG,R.COPPERMAN,J.M.NITE) BMLG 16 17 19 17 FOREVER AFTER ALL Luke Combs 44 1 CHIP MATTHEWS,J.D.SINGLETON,L.COMBS (L.COMBS,D.PARKER,R.WILLIFORD) RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 17 11 11 13 SOMEBODY’S PROBLEM Morgan Wallen - 3 J.MOI (M.WALLEN,R.CLAWSON,J.DURRETT,E.K.SMITH) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD MOMMA’S HOUSE 18 20 25 39 Dustin Lynch 11 18 l Z.CROWELL (D.SCHNEIDER,M.LOTTEN,R.CLAWSON,J.T.WILSON) BROKEN BOW HELL OF A VIEW 19 21 24 17 Eric Church 17 19 l J.JOYCE (E.CHURCH,C.BEATHARD,M.CRISWELL) EMI NASHVILLE SOMEBODY LIKE THAT 20 23 26 21 Tenille Arts 13 20 l A.KLINE (T.ARTS,A.KLINE,A.M.CRUZ) 19TH & GRAND ONE TOO MANY 21 25 27 23 Keith Urban Duet With P!nk 20 13 l K.URBAN,PHD,CUTFATHER (D.H.DAVIDSEN,P.WALLEVIK,M.H.HANSEN,J.NORTON,C.TIGHE) HIT RED/CAPITOL NASHVILLE 22 16 — 2 GLAD YOU EXIST Dan + Shay 28 16 D.SMYERS (D.SMYERS,J.REYNOLDS,T.M.PARKS,S.MOONEY,R.L.TAYLOR) W ARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR 23 28 29 40 ALMOST MAYBES Jordan Davis 18 23 P.DIGIOVANNI (J.DAVIS,J.FRASURE,H.LINDSEY) MCA NASHVILLE HOW THEY REMEMBER YOU 24 29 31 23 14 24 l D.HUFF (M.BEESON,J.OSBORNE,A.SHAMBLIN) BIG MACHINE NOBODY 25 31 33 13 Dylan Scott 15 25 l M.ALDERMAN,C.GIBBS,J.E.NORMAN (D.SCOTT,M.ALDERMAN,D.WILSON) CURB

COUNTRY SONGWRITERSTM COUNTRY PRODUCERSTM

#1 #1 1 2 WKS TAYLOR SWIFT  1 42 WKS  2 JOSH OSBORNE  2 ROSS COPPERMAN  3 MORGAN WALLEN  3  4  4 SCOTT MOFFATT  5 ERNEST KEITH SMITH  5 JAY JOYCE  6 JON NITE  6 ZACH KALE  7 LUKE COMBS  7 DAVID FANNING  TIE 8 GABBY BARRETT  8 ZACH CROWELL  TIE 8 ZACH KALE  TIE 9 CHRISTOPHER ROWE  10  JOYCENAME NAMEHERE TIE 9 TAYLOR SWIFT  MARK LEVINE MARK

The weekly Country and Country Producers charts are based on total points accrued by a songwriter and producer, respectively, for each attributed song that appears on the Hot Country Songs chart. As with Billboard’s yearly recaps, multiple writers or producers split points for each song equally (and the dividing of points will lead to occasional ties on rankings). BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 14 OF 20

SALES, AIRPLAY & STREAMING DATA Hot Country Songs COMPILED BY

TWO COUNTRY THIS LAST WEEKS WKS ON TITLE Artist AIRPLAY PEAK WEEK WEEK AGO CHART PRODUCER (SONGWRITER) IMPRINT / PROMOTION LABEL RANK POSITION 26 22 22 6 865 Morgan Wallen - 13 J.MOI (J.BYRON,B.PENDERGRASS) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD BREAKING UP WAS EASY IN THE 90’S 27 32 35 18 Sam Hunt 21 27 l Z.CROWELL (S.L.HUNT,C.LA CORTE,Z.CROWELL,E.K.SMITH,J.OSBORNE) MCA NASHVILLE MADE FOR YOU 28 35 40 7 Jake Owen 16 28 l J.MOI (B.DAVIS,J.HYDE,N.A.MEDLEY) BIG LOUD 29 26 23 6 WARNING Morgan Wallen - 10 J.MOI,CHARLIE HANDSOME (E.K.SMITH,A.GORLEY,CHARLIE HANDSOME) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD 30 27 21 13 STILL GOIN DOWN Morgan Wallen - 8 J.MOI (M.WALLEN,M.W.HARDY,CHARLIE HANDSOME) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD SETTLING DOWN 31 33 36 19 Miranda Lambert 23 31 l J.JOYCE (M.LAMBERT,L.DICK,N. HEMBY) VANNER/RCA NASHVILLE 32 24 28 6 DANGEROUS Morgan Wallen - 17 J.MOI (M.WALLEN,E.K.SMITH) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD MINIMUM WAGE 33 42 — 3 Blake Shelton 22 33 l S.HENDRICKS (C.CROWDER,N.GALYON,J.FRASURE) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WMN GONE 34 37 34 18 Dierks Bentley 24 30 l D.GARCIA (N.GALYON,B.JOHNSON,N.MOON) CAPITOL NASHVILLE UNDIVIDED 35 38 38 5 Tim McGraw & Tyler Hubbard 19 23 l C.CROWDER,T.HUBBARD,T.MCGRAW,B.GALLIMORE (T.HUBBARD,C.LOOCKE) MCGRAW/BMLG/B IG MACHINE 36 30 48 16 SHALLOW Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood 42 30 G.BROOKS (S.G.GERMANOTTA,M.D.RONSON,A.ROSSOMANDO,ANDREW WYATT) PEARL CHASING AFTER YOU 37 NEW 1 Ryan Hurd With Maren Morris - 37 l T.REIMER,A.ESHUIS (B.ADDINGTON,J.FLOWERS) ARISTA NASHVILLE WINE, BEER, WHISKEY 38 45 46 28 Little Big Town 34 23 l LITTLE BIG TOWN (T.BROWN,K.FAIRCHILD,S.MCCONNELL,K.SCHLAPMAN,P.SWEET,J.WESTBROOK) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 39 41 45 13 & Florida Georgia Line - 28 J.M.SCHMIDT (T.HUBBARD,J.M.SCHMIDT,B.REDFERRIN,C.HAYNES, JR.) RECORDS/COLUMBIA 40 43 — 2 FAMOUS FRIENDS Chris Young + Kane Brown 27 40 C.YOUNG,C.CROWDER (C.YOUNG,C.R.BARLOWE,C.CROWDER) RCA NASHVILLE 41 39 42 12 WORSHIP YOU Kane Brown 38 24 D.HUFF (K.BROWN,A.IZQUIERDO,M.J.MCGINN,CHARLIE HANDSOME) RCA NASHVILLE BLAME IT ON YOU 42 50 — 3 Jason Aldean 25 42 l M.KNOX (K.M.ALLISON,J.EDWARDS,T.KENNEDY,M.TYLER,B.WHITE) MACON/BROKEN BOW 43 36 32 6 NEON EYES Morgan Wallen - 18 J.MOI (M.WALLEN,M.L.HOLMAN,B.BURGESS) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD 44 48 — 24 ALL NIGHT Brothers Osborne 26 25 J.JOYCE (J. OSBORNE,T.J. OSBORNE,A.DEROBERTS) EMI NASHVILLE 45 34 39 13 LIVIN’ THE DREAM Morgan Wallen - 19 J.MOI (M.WALLEN,B.BURGESS,J.DURRETT,M.W.HARDY) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD NEXT GIRL Carly Pearce 46 RE-ENTRY 9 32 39 l S.MCANALLY,J.OSBORNE (C.PEARCE,S.MCANALLY,J.OSBORNE) BI G MACHINE 47 40 37 6 MORE SURPRISED THAN ME Morgan Wallen - 19 J.MOI (N.MOON,B.BURGESS,L.T.MILLER) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD SINGLE SATURDAY NIGHT Cole Swindell 48 RE-ENTRY 16 31 42 l M.R.CARTER (A.GORLEY,M.W.HARDY,M.L.HOLMAN) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WMN 49 44 41 6 SILVERADO FOR SALE Morgan Wallen - 34 J.MOI (D.DAVIDSON,M.GREEN,B.HAYSLIP) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD 50 46 43 6 YOUR BARTENDER Morgan Wallen - 28 J.MOI,M.DRAGSTREM (M.DRAGSTREM,R.AKINS,THOMAS RHETT,J.THOMPSON) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD

The week’s most popular country songs, ranked by radio airplay audience impressions as measured by MRC Data, sales data as compiled by MRC Data and streaming activity data from online music sources tracked by MRC Data. Descending titles below No. 25 are moved to recurrent after 20 weeks.

COUNTRY MARKET WATCH A Weekly National Music Sales Report

WEEKLY UNIT COUNT YEAR-TO-DATE YEAR-OVER-YEAR

ALBUM AUDIO VIDEO CONSUMPTION ON-DEMAND ON-DEMAND 2020 2021 CHANGE ALBUM CONSUMPTION This Week 1,161,000 1,299,536,000 129,240,000 Album ’20 7.36 million Consumption 7,355,000 8,628,000 17.3% ’21 8.63 million Last Week 1,268,000 1,390,807,000 135,768,000 Album Sales 1,159,000 1,159,000 0.0% Change -8.4% -6.6% -4.8% TOTAL ON-DEMAND STREAMS Audio On-Demand 7,771,757,000 9,495,919,000 22.2% ’20 8.82 billion This Week Last Year 1,084,000 1,285,279,000 143,660,000 ’21 10.41 billion Change 7.1% 1.1% -10.0% Video On-Demand 909,904,000 1,051,243,000 15.5%

All data measures U.S. activity as of the week ending February 18, 2021. All units counts are rounded to the nearest thousand. Album consumption units — also known as albums plus TEA plus SEA — consists of album sales; track-equivalent album (TEA) sales whereby 10 tracks equal one consumption unit; and stream equivalent albums (SEA) whereby 1,250 paid and/or 3,750 ad-supported audio on-demand streams (OAD) equal one consumption unit.

For inquiries about any MRC Data, please contact Josh Bennett at 615-807-1338 or [email protected]

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 16 OF 20

SALES, DATA STREAMING & SALES COMPILED BY DATA COMPILED BY

COUNTRY COUNTRY TOP COUNTRY ALBUMS STREAMING SONGS DIGITAL SONG SALES

TITLE TITLE AGO POS. THIS THIS LAST LAST PEAK CERT. WEEK WEEK ARTIST TITLE THIS WEEK LAST WEEK WKS ON CHART THIS WEEK LAST WEEK WKS ON CHART WEEKS WEEKS

ON CHT ARTIST ARTIST 2 WEEKS 2 WEEKS IMPRINT & NUMBER / DISTRIBUTING LABEL LOVE STORY (TAYLOR’S VERSION) LOVE STORY (TAYLOR’S VERSION) MORGAN WALLEN DANGEROUS: THE DOUBLE ALBUM 1 NEW 1 NEW l TAYLOR SWIFT  l TAYLOR SWIFT  1 1 1 6 BIG LOUD 033180*/REPUBLIC 1   WASTED ON YOU CHASING AFTER YOU LUKE COMBS WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET 2 2 6 l2 NEW 2 2 2 67 RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 595687*/SMN 1 1 MORGAN WALLEN  RYAN HURD WITH MAREN MORRIS  SAND IN MY BOOTS THE GOOD ONES FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE LIFE ROLLS ON 3 1 6 3 9 17 NEW 1 3 MORGAN WALLEN  l GABBY BARRETT  l3 BMLG FG0500A*   MORGAN WALLEN IF I KNOW ME 4 3 21 BETTER TOGETHER 4 6 2 TOUGH ONES 4 3 3 142 BIG LOUD 783* 1 1 LUKE COMBS  COOPER ALAN  STARTING OVER BETTER TOGETHER LUKE COMBS THIS ONE’S FOR YOU 5 5 25 5 10 34 5 4 4 194 RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 538883*/SMN 3 1 l CHRIS STAPLETON  LUKE COMBS  GOOD TIME STARTING OVER CHRIS STAPLETON STARTING OVER 6 8 6 6 11 25 6 5 5 14 MERCURY NASHVILLE 032689*/UMGN 1 l NIKO MOON  CHRIS STAPLETON  TENNESSEE WHISKEY WINE, BEER, WHISKEY 14 34 259 TAYLOR SWIFT FEARLESS 1 l7 9 202 l7 RE-ENTRY l7 BIG MACHINE 0200*/BMLG (18.98) CHRIS STAPLETON  LITTLE BIG TOWN  FOREVER AFTER ALL GOOD TIME CHRIS STAPLETON TRAVELLER 8 12 17 8 12 21 8 6 6 303 MERCURY NASHVILLE 019405*/UMGN 4 1 l LUKE COMBS  NIKO MOON  SOMEBODY’S PROBLEM WASTED ON YOU 20 27 272 TAYLOR SWIFT RED 1 9 4 13 9 3 6 l9 BIG MACHINE 310400A*/BMLG (18.98) 7 MORGAN WALLEN  MORGAN WALLEN  LEE BRICE HEY WORLD 10 10 69 I HOPE 10 2 2 GLAD YOU EXIST 10 8 8 13 CURB 79537* 7 GABBY BARRETT  DAN + SHAY  BETTER THAN YOU’RE USED TO GABBY BARRETT GOLDMINE 11 7 41 11 NEW 11 7 7 35 WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE 629930/WMN 4 MORGAN WALLEN  l TYLER RICH  SAND IN MY BOOTS 33 43 133 TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW 1 12 11 11 12 4 6 l12 BIG MACHINE TS0300A/BMLG (18.98) 6 MORGAN WALLEN  MORGAN WALLEN  GEORGE STRAIT 50 NUMBER ONES JUST THE WAY TENNESSEE WHISKEY RE-ENTRY 248 1 13 15 2 13 20 257 l13 MCA NASHVILLE 000459/UMGN (25.98) 7 PARMALEE X BLANCO BROWN  l CHRIS STAPLETON  HEARTLESS FOREVER AFTER ALL 13 12 100 ELVIS PRESLEY THE ESSENTIAL ELVIS PRESLEY 11 14 13 76 14 22 17 l14 RCA/SONY STRATEGIC MARKETING GROUP 89048*/LEGACY (25.98) 1  PRESENTS THOMAS WESLEY FEAT. MORGAN WALLEN  l LUKE COMBS  BEST PARTS OF ME EAGLES HOTEL CALIFORNIA 15 6 27 15 NEW 15 11 13 162 ASYLUM/ELEKTRA 103*/RHINO (18.98) 5 MORGAN WALLEN  l WILL DEMPSEY 

KANE BROWN MIXTAPE, VOL. 1 (EP) 16 18 36 GOT WHAT I GOT 16 1 34 MORE THAN MY HOMETOWN 16 9 10 27 RCA NASHVILLE DIGITAL EX/SMN 2 JASON ALDEAN  MORGAN WALLEN 

SAM HUNT SOUTHSIDE 17 22 33 ONE OF THEM GIRLS 17 17 77 I HOPE 17 10 11 46 MCA NASHVILLE 031776*/UMGN 1 LEE BRICE  GABBY BARRETT  HOLE IN THE BOTTLE WE WOULDN’T BE US GREATEST HITS SO FAR... 18 20 7 18 NEW 18 16 15 289 HOME GROWN 546369*/BMG 3 KELSEA BALLERINI  l ALEXANDRA KAY  LUKE BRYAN BORN HERE LIVE HERE DIE HERE LONG LIVE MINIMUM WAGE 19 NEW 19 RE-ENTRY 19 12 17 28 CAPITOL NASHVILLE 031777/UMGN 1 l FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE  l BLAKE SHELTON 

RASCAL FLATTS TWENTY YEARS OF RASCAL FLATTS: THE GREATEST HITS 20 16 104 20 14 6 DOWN TO ONE 20 18 23 20 LYRIC STREET/BIG MACHINE RF0650A*/BMLG 9 MORGAN WALLEN  LUKE BRYAN  TYLER CHILDERS PURGATORY BEAUTIFUL CRAZY WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG 21 24 140 21 24 14 21 19 18 84 HICKMAN HOLLER 001*/THIRTY TIGERS 0 12 l LUKE COMBS  THOMAS RHETT  KANE BROWN KANE BROWN 865 HOLE IN THE BOTTLE 22 14 6 22 RE-ENTRY 22 24 21 220 ZONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE 530947*/SMN 2 1 MORGAN WALLEN  l KELSEA BALLERINI  JASON ALDEAN 9 BEERS AND SUNSHINE ONE TOO MANY 23 17 14 65 1 23 NEW 23 RE-ENTRY MACON/BROKEN BOW/BMG 32944*/BBMG l DARIUS RUCKER  l KEITH URBAN DUET WITH P!NK  TIM MCGRAW NUMBER ONE HITS THE GOOD ONES LONG LIVE 24 23 19 246 6 24 NEW 24 RE-ENTRY CURB 79205 (13.98) 1 l GABBY BARRETT  l FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE  JOHNNY CASH THE ESSENTIAL JOHNNY CASH 25 27 — 203 16 25 RE-ENTRY THE BONES 25 RE-ENTRY LIL BIT COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 86290*/LEGACY (24.98/17.98) 3 l MAREN MORRIS  NELLY & FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE  Top Country Albums ranks the most popular country albums of the week, as compiled by MRC Data, based The week’s top-streamed and top-selling paid download country songs, respectively, from sales on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming reports collected and provided by MRC Data. Charts update weekly on Tuesdays at www.Billboard.Biz/ equivalent albums). Copyright 2021, Billboard Media, LLC and MRC Data. All rights reserved. charts. Copyright 2021, Billboard Media, LLC and MRC Data. All rights reserved. SALES DATA SALES DATA COMPILED BY COMPILED BY AMERICANA/ FOLK ALBUMS BLUEGRASS ALBUMS

AGO AGO POS. POS. THIS THIS THIS LAST LAST LAST PEAK PEAK CERT. CERT. WEEK WEEK ARTIST TITLE WEEK WEEK ARTIST TITLE WEEKS WEEKS WEEKS ON CHT ON CHT 2 WEEKS 2 WEEKS IMPRINT & NUMBER / DISTRIBUTING LABEL 2 WEEKS IMPRINT & NUMBER / DISTRIBUTING LABEL CHRIS STAPLETON STARTING OVER STURGILL SIMPSON CUTTIN’ GRASS, VOL. 1: THE BUTCHER SHOPPE SESSIONS 1 1 1 14 MERCURY NASHVILLE 032689*/UMGN 1 1 1 1 18 HIGH TOP MOUNTAIN 58784*/THIRTY TIGERS (56285) 1 CHRIS STAPLETON TRAVELLER GARY BREWER & THE KENTUCKY RAMBLERS 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 2 2 2 249 MERCURY NASHVILLE 019405*/UMGN 4 1 2 2 3 33 STRETCH GRASS 4050 1 3 3 295 HOZIER HOZIER 1 3 4 4 73 BILLY STRINGS HOME 1 l3 RUBYWORKS/COLUMBIA 309996*/LEGACY 3 ROUNDER 610063*/CONCORD TYLER CHILDERS PURGATORY THE DEAD SOUTH SERVED LIVE 4 4 4 101 HICKMAN HOLLER 001*/THIRTY TIGERS 0 2 4 6 2 3 SIX SHOOTER 144* 2 SIMON & GARFUNKEL SIMON AND GARFUNKEL’S GREATEST HITS YO-YO MA/STUART DUNCAN/EDGAR MEYER/CHRIS THILE NOT OUR FIRST GOAT RODEO 5 7 7 212 COLUMBIA 31350/LEGACY 3 5 7 6 35 SOUND POSTINGS/SONY CLASSICAL 973855*/SONY MASTERWORKS 1 THE LUMINEERS CLEOPATRA STURGILL SIMPSON CUTTIN’ GRASS, VOL. 2: THE COWBOY ARMS SESSIONS 6 6 6 254 DUALTONE 1738* 1 1 6 5 5 10 HIGH TOP MOUNTAIN DIGITAL EX/THIRTY TIGERS 2

NEW 1 THE BAND STAGE FRIGHT 7 NEW 1 CHRIS PANDOLFI & TRAD PLUS TRANCE BANJO 7 l7 CAPITOL /UME l7 AMERICANA VIBES 012*/REGIME MUSIC GROUP (VINYL) 8 10 151 KACEY MUSGRAVES GOLDEN HOUR 1 9 7 71 THE DEAD SOUTH SUGAR & JOY 1 l8 MCA NASHVILLE 027921*/UMGN 0 l8 SIX SHOOTER 129* 10 11 206 JACK JOHNSON IN BETWEEN DREAMS 5 12 8 70 OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW LIVE AT THE RYMAN 1 l9 JACK JOHNSON/BRUSHFIRE /REPUBLIC 2 l9 COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 98*/OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW BLACK PUMAS BLACK PUMAS THE WHITE BUFFALO ON THE WIDOW’S WALK 10 9 8 6 4 RE-ENTRY 40 1 ATO 0500* l10 SNAKEFARM 862780* Americana/Folk Albums ranks the most popular Americana/folk albums of the week, as compiled by MRC Data, Bluegrass Albums ranks the most popular bluegrass albums of the week, as compiled by MRC Data, based on album based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming sales. Copyright 2021, Billboard Media, LLC and MRC Data. All rights reserved. equivalent albums). Copyright 2021, Billboard Media, LLC and MRC Data. All rights reserved. BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 17 OF 20

MAKIN’ TRACKS TOM ROLAND [email protected]

Jon Pardi’s Collegial Throwback Weekend Cashes In With ‘Tequila Little Time’

When Jon Pardi played Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Oct. 1-2, 2019, his me, but I think you’ve got my chair.” entourage included one sizeable surprise: a mariachi band featuring three “It’s kind of a conversation, too,” allows Akins. “It’s not like some big, big vocal white-suited fiddlers, two guitarists and a pair of Mexicali trumpets. performance. It just sounds like you’re sitting at the bar talking to someone.” It’s an add-on he brought repeatedly to his Tour, en- The woman the singer approaches has been crying — “You’re too pretty not hancing the authenticity of “Tequila Little Time.” Pardi routinely picked up local to smile,” he tells her before the verse is over — and the tequilas get ordered as musicians for the role, since touring costs are prohibitive for seven musicians to their introduction evolves. By verse two, the singer sounds even more chivalrous, play every night on a single song. hinting only that he hopes she might “Those are cash-only guys,” dance with him. And when they hit the PARDI allows Pardi. bridge, it’s clear he has succeeded in They may become a regular necessity making her smile: “It’s good to see you as he heads back out on post-pandemic laughin’/I guess this had to happen.” tours, given that “Tequila Little Time” “I just see it as lighthearted,” says is climbing the Country Airplay chart Laird. “And honestly, those trum- following its Jan. 4 release by Capitol pets, there’s kind of a comical factor Nashville via PlayMPE. It occupies a to them.” unique lane in the current landscape, The actual trumpet riff came to- a sort of George Strait-meets-“Ring gether as they built the demo with hand of Fire” vibe with the horns creating an claps, a faux accordion and a light cha- air of playful ease. cha beat. Pardi excitedly introduced “I just thought it was fun,” says the song to his producers, Bart But- Pardi. “It makes people happy, and ler and Ryan Gore, as they neared the once you hear the chorus, it’s in your end of working on his Heartache Medi- head. It’s definitely rememorable.” cation album. Butler didn’t think much “Tequila Little Time” comes from of “Tequila” and declined to work on a trip to California when Pardi made it, but Gore was enthusiastic. music, and rememories, in a songwrit- “With that opening horn part in the ing retreat with (“Hard To intro, it’s just so carefree,” he says. “It Forget,” “”) and (“What’s Your Country Song,” makes you smile and makes you start grooving to it. It just felt so great.” “”). They had the band speed the tempo just a few clicks when they recorded “Te- “We’d sit in the garage in lawn chairs and drink beer and listen to the radio,” quila” at the Southern Ground Studios, with the musicians creating new human recalls Akins. “It was like we lived in California and we were just teenagers parts around Laird’s original MIDI trumpet riff. starting a band.” “It has a bit of a low-fi quality about it, which holds a lot of magic most of the They spent several days in the studio over one of Pardi’s parents’ garages, a time,” says Gore. “We wanted to just embellish that as much as we can without facility dubbed Shelly’s Deli because the singer’s mom keeps guests supplied getting in the way of what felt so great about it in the beginning.” with sandwiches. They slept on air mattresses, wrote fairly steadily for three Gore and Pardi studied some mariachi performances online and decided it days and took a couple of trips in Pardi’s 1978 Ford Bronco, with the burning would be more authentic to combine trumpet and fiddle. Jenee Fleenor stacked scent of a nearby forest fire coloring their outdoor excursions. triple fiddles over the trumpet signature and added some plucky moments of her “Jon’s mom breeds bulldogs, so in the garage connected to the house, there own in the verses. Guitarist Rob McNelley enhanced the casual quality with a had to be about 15 or 20 bulldogs,” says Laird. “Just the wildest thing. I know short, descending Telecaster interlude that feels much like a Bashful Brother the bulldog Maren Morris has [Pancake], she bought it from her. I think a few Oswald lick from a vintage Roy Acuff record. different country stars have gotten bulldogs from Jon Pardi’s mom.” Ultimately, Butler came back on board for the vocal and trumpet overdubs, On the last afternoon of their retreat, July 23, 2018, the writers hit a post- with Mike Haynes layering three or four takes on top of the MIDI and fiddle lunch lull, considering a nap but still tossing out ideas to see if they could add to create an almost-drunken sound. one last title to the four songs they had already created. As they noodled, the “That’s what music’s supposed to be: not perfect,” maintains Pardi. “It’s sup- word “tequila” popped out of Akins’ mouth while he was sprawled on the couch. posed to be fun.” Laird flashed at first to The Champs’ 1958 Latin-flavored sax workout, And he gave it the ultimate test by trying it out in the Bahamas. “Tequila,” though Akins followed with the first title, “I Want Tequila,” then “My buddy has this badass boat, and I was like, ‘All right, we’re going to do qualified it as a classic-country twist on a phrase: “I want tequila little time the boat test,’ ” says Pardi. “We were blaring ‘Tequila Little Time’ in the docks with you.” and just dancing, having a good time. And all the dock guys were like, ‘What’s Even Akins was surprised by that concept — “It fell out of thin air,” he muses this song?’ So, good boat test.” — but it energized the trio. Pardi strummed a breezy chord progression on gui- Pardi performed “Tequila” at the Ryman once more on Feb. 18 (sans trum- tar, and Laird dialed up a trumpet plug-in on his laptop to enhance the Tejano pets) during the Universal Music Group Nashville showcase at Country Radio feel as they dug in. Seminar. The song is at No. 36 on the Feb. 27 Country Airplay chart. It took little more than an hour to write. They sketched out enough of the When tours open up again, presumably this year, Pardi is likely to start book- chorus that they knew where they were headed, with Pardi directing a lilting, ing more mariachi bands for “Tequila.” He’s convinced he can find a cash-only hooky melody. Then they focused on the story, kicking off with a gentlemanly group whether he’s playing a major music city, such as Nashville or New York, barroom introduction — “Pardon me, I don’t mean to pry” — that doesn’t sound or even a smaller, out-of-the-way market like Fargo, N.D.

all that different from Strait’s honky-tonk opening in “The Chair”: “Well, excuse “I’m telling you,” he says, “they’re out there.” KAUSS KATIE BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 18 OF 20 Country Airplay Index

TITLE Publishing-Licensing Org. G   LADY LIKE Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/What Is An STARTING OVER I Wrote These Songs, ASCAP/WC (Songwriter) Chart Position Ingrid, BMI/Straight From The Art Music, BMI/Songs For Music Corp., ASCAP/Straight Six Music, BMI/Wixen Music GLAD YOU EXIST Monet Music, BMI/Warner- A Stone Heart, BMI/Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Happy Publishing, BMI (C.Stapleton, M.Henderson) 8 Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Spokane Boy Music, Rock Publishing, ASCAP (I.Andress, S.Ellis, D.Southerland) 46 A   BMI/Jreynmusic, ASCAP/Buckeye26, ASCAP/Shay T    Mooney Music, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Beats And LONG LIVE Big Loud Mountain, BMI/T Hubb ALL NIGHT All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Trampy Banjos, ASCAP (D.Smyers, J.Reynolds, T.M.Parks, S.Mooney, Publishing, BMI/Pranch Ringle Music, BMI/Round TEQUILA LITTLE TIME Sony/ATV Countryside, McCauley, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Songstein R.L.Taylor) 28 Hill Works, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Big Crowd BMI/Cowboy And Gus Publishing, BMI/Happy Song Publishing, ASCAP/Songs In The Key Of Claire, ASCAP/ Publishing, ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, ASCAP/Spirit Factory, BMI/Ritten By Rhettro, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Patriot Games Publishing, ASCAP/DTCM Ave, ASCAP (J. GONE Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Boy Two Music Inc., ASCAP/4TheKidz Music, ASCAP/Spirit Publishing Corp., BMI/Sony/ATV Story Music Publishing, Osborne, T.J. Osborne, A.DeRoberts) 26 Named Ford, BMI/Ben There Wrote That Publishing, Vault Songs, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., GMR/We Are Creative Nation, GMR/Suzanne James BMI/Artist 101 Publishing Group, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt BMI/Jack 10 Publishing, BMI/Songs Of The Corn, BMI (T. Songs, GMR (J.Pardi, R.Akins, L.Laird) 36 ALMOST MAYBES Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/ Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Hits From The Tape Hubbard, B.Kelley, C.Crowder, D.A.Garcia, J.Miller) 7 Jordan Davis Music, ASCAP/Anthem Entertainment, Room, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/W.C.M. Music THINGS A MAN OUGHTA KNOW Sony/ ASCAP/ WC Publishing Designee, BMI/ Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon Publishing, SESAC (N.Galyon, M   ATV Accent, ASCAP/Super Big Music, ASCAP/Jett Music, Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane B.Johnson, N.Moon) 24 ASCAP/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI (L.Wilson, J.D.Singleton, Publishing Corp., BMI/BIRB Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold MADE FOR YOU Plaid Flag Music, BMI/Sony/ATV J.Nix) 57 Songs, ASCAP (J.Davis, J.Frasure, H.Lindsey) 18 THE GOOD ONES GBF Music Global, BMI/Sony/ Tree Publishing, BMI/Dixie Stars Music, ASCAP/Son Of a ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs US, BMI/ Carl Music, ASCAP/HoriPro Entertainment Group, Inc., TO BE LOVED BY YOU Warner-Tamerlane B    BMG Blue, BMI/Fox Landis Lyrics, BMI/Songs Of Jim ASCAP (B.Davis, J.Hyde, N.A.Medley) 16 Publishing Corp., BMI/Parkermac Publishing, BMI/Ritten McCormick, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Revinyl By Rhettro, BMI (P.McCollum, R.Akins) 56 BEERS AND SUNSHINE Sony/ATV Accent, House, BMI (G.Barrett, E.Landis, J.McCormick, Z.Kale) 12 MEMORY I DON’T MESS WITH Love ASCAP/GrowingMusic Publishing, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Cannons Publishing, SESAC/W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC/ U   Music Inc., BMI/Iris In The Sky With Diamonds, BMI/WC GOOD TIME W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon Mike Curb Music, BMI/Is That The Train Music, BMI/ Music Corp., ASCAP/ Records And Tapes, ASCAP/ Publishing, SESAC/Here Comes The Boom Music, BMI/ Anthem Music Publishing I, BMI/Twangville Music, BMI/ UNDIVIDED T Tree Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/Smackborne Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/ Songs About Jack, BMI/Write Or Die Music, BMI/Warner- Publishing Corp., BMI/Straight Outta Georgia Songs, Music, ASCAP (D.Rucker, R.Copperman, J.T.Harding, J.Osborne) Anna Moon Publishing, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (L.Brice, B.Montana, SESAC/Tree Vibez Bus Vibez, SESAC/W.C.M. Music Corp., 1 Joshua Murty Publishing, ASCAP/Mark Trussell Music, B.Davis) 43 SESAC (T.Hubbard, C.Loocke) 19 ASCAP/Future Heartbeat Publishing, ASCAP (N.Moon, BEERS TO CATCH UP ON Warner-Tamerlane J.Minton, A.Moon, J.Murty, M.Trussell) 6 MINIMUM WAGE A Boy Named Ford, BMI/Big W    Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten By Rhettro, BMI/Ole Crowd Publishing, ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, ASCAP/ Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Real Big Red Tunes, ASCAP/ H    Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ WAITIN’ ON 5 ole Red Vinyl Music, BMI/Buckkilla Universal Music Corp., ASCAP (R.Akins, J.S.Stover, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (C.Crowder, Music, BMI/Round Hill Songs BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud P.DiGiovanni) 52 HARD DAYS Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., N.Galyon, J.Frasure) 22 Proud Songs, ASCAP/Red Toe Rocker, ASCAP/Sony/ATV BMI/Indiana Angel Music, BMI/Don’t Be A Gypsy, BMI/ Songs LLC, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs Of BETTER TOGETHER Big Music Machine, BMI/50 Spirit Of Nashville One, BMI (B.Gilbert, J.Bell, B.Berryhill, MOMMA’S HOUSE Sony/ATV Cross Keys XO, BMI/We In Good Company, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs Egg Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/Sony/ J.Brunswick, L.Wall) 29 Publishing, ASCAP/Two Black Dogs, ASCAP/ole Music US, BMI (C.Janson, Shy Carter, T.Cecil, C.Wiseman) 45 ATV Countryside, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Of Parallel, BMI/Lucky Mic Publishing, BMI/Round Hill Corp., BMI/Sullivan S Guns Music, BMI (L.Combs, D.Isbell, HEAVEN ON DIRT Haus Of Kings, ASCAP/Twin Compositions, BMI/Ford Drives A Chevy, BMI/Shirt At WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH Universal Music Corp., R.Montana) 2 Spires, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing LLC, Work, BMI/Legends Of Magic Mustang Music, SESAC/BMG ASCAP/Paulywood Music, ASCAP/Sullivan S Guns Music, ASCAP/King Pen Songs, SESAC/Smackworks Music, Cicada, SESAC (D.Schneider, M.Lotten, R.Clawson, J.T.Wilson) 11 BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Tunes BLAME IT ON YOU Makena Cove Music, ASCAP/ SESAC/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, SESAC/Ben Lau, From The Red White And Blue School, ASCAP/Anthem BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Zona Blue Music, BMI/Lee 45 BMI (B.Ratcliff, P.Good, A.J.Babcock, B.Foster) 54 MY BOY Rome Phrey Songs, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing II, ASCAP (P.DiGiovanni, R.Montana, Music Publishing, BMI/Irishsonmusic, BMI/BMG Platinum Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP/Rome Phrey Publishing, J.S.Stover) 30 Songs US, BMI/Peertunes, Ltd., SESAC/MTNoize, SESAC/ HELL OF A VIEW Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., SB21 Music Publishing, SESAC/BW Tunes, SESAC Longer And Louder Music, BMI/Seven Ring Circus Songs, BMI/Nick Columbia Publishing, ASCAP/Block Of Marble WE WERE RICH EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/ (K.M.Allison, J.Edwards, T.Kennedy, M.Tyler, B.White) 25 BMI/Little Louder Songs, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Music, BMI/Lee Starr Publishing, BMI/SNG Music, LLP, BMI Endurance Romeo Charlie, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Spirit Of Nashville One, (E.Shane, R.Sutton, N.Columbia, L.Starr) 33 Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Round Hill Songs BREAKING UP WAS EASY IN THE 90’S BMI/Tunes Of Fluid, BMI/Rust And Chrome Music, BMI (E. II, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (R. Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Between the Pines, LLC, Church, C.Beathard, M.Criswell) 17 N    ASCAP/BIPOD, ASCAP/Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/Miller Copperman, A.Gorley, N.Galyon) 39 Crow Music, ASCAP/Kyler’s Kinda Night, ASCAP/Songs HOLE IN THE BOTTLE Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/ NEED A BAR SOMETIMES Peertunes, WHAT DO I KNOW Sony/ATV Cross Keys Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Ern Dog Music, BMI/Big Loud Vistaville Music, ASCAP/Steph Jones Who Music, ASCAP/ Ltd., SESAC/Marlow Sinclair Songs, SESAC/Reservoir Publishing, ASCAP/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Dos Mountain, BMI/Tree Vibez Music, LLC, BMI/Sony/ATV Big Deal Hits, ASCAP/410 Music, ASCAP/Telemitry Media Music, ASCAP/Mirendawrites, ASCAP/Raincreek Hobos Music, ASCAP/Relative Music Group, BMI/Songs Of Accent, ASCAP/Smackborne Music, ASCAP (S.L.Hunt, C.La Rhythm House Music, BMI/Roc Nation WC Publishing Publishing, ASCAP/Espiritu de Leon, BMI (C.Walker, J.Boyer, 21 Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/New Writers Corte, Z.Crowell, E.K.Smith, J.Osborne)  Designee, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ J.Mirenda, G.Birge) 60 Of Sea Gayle Music, BMI/West Pass Music, BMI (R.Counts, Round Hill Songs II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP M.W.Hardy, J.Mitchell) 48 C   (K.Ballerini, S.Jones, H.Lindsey, J.Frasure, A.Gorley) 10 NEXT GIRL Smackborne Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/Tempo WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG EMI COLD BEER CALLING MY NAME Highly HOME SWEET BMG Platinum Songs US, BMI/ Investments-Smack Hits, GMR/Smackwood Music, GMR/ Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/ Combustible Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Music That Is Russelled, BMI/Blue Corolla Oklahoma, For The Kids Gold, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP (C. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten By Publishing LLC, ASCAP/One77 Songs, ASCAP/WC Music SESAC/Feel Your Creative Pulse Music, SESAC/The Best I Pearce, S.McAnally, J.Osborne) 32 Rhettro, BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Songs Corp., ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP/ Could Do Publishing, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP (R. Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Tunes by TrailerParker, BMI/ Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Sonofgroceries Dickerson, C.Brown, C.Kelley) 50 NOBODY Curb Congregation Songs, SESAC/Good Songs Of Home Team Music, BMI/Round Hill Songs Music, BMI/Extremely Combustible Music, BMI/Songs Vibes, Good Times Music, SESAC/Curb Songs, ASCAP/ II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP (Thomas Rhett, Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Castle HOW THEY REMEMBER YOU Son Of Ron Songs Of Riser House, BMI (D.Scott, M.Alderman, D.Wilson) R.Akins, J.Frasure, A.Gorley, P.Welling) 5 Bound Music, Inc., SESAC (J.Rodgers, H.Phelps, Brett Tyler, Songs, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV 15 47 A.Vanderheym)  Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/ WHERE I FIND GOD Jolly To the Roger, BMI/ Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing NO BODY, NO CRIME TASRM Publishing, BMI/ Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Make It Better D    LLC, ASCAP/Built On Rock Music, ASCAP (M.Beeson, Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI (T.Swift) 58 Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI (L.Fleet, J.Osborne, A.Shamblin) 14 C.R.Harrington) 49 DEAR RODEO Songs From The Couch, BMI/Cori’s O    Daddy’s Publishing, BMI (D.Couch, C.D.Johnson) 41 I    WHISKEY AND RAIN Warner-Tamerlane ONE TOO MANY Kobalt Songs Music Publishing Publishing Corp., BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, DOWN TO ONE Play It Again Entertainment, BMI/ I CAN’T Songs Of The Corn, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane LLC, ASCAP/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, BMI/Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Big Music Machine, Kyle Fishman Music, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/ Publishing Corp., BMI/Noodlehead Publishing, BMI/BMG Inc., BMI/Reservoir 416, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ BMI/Two Laine Collections, BMI (J.Frasure, J.Thompson) 51 Natalia’s Music Money, BMI/Memory Days, SESAC/Curb Platinum Songs US, BMI/For The Kids Platinum, BMI/ James Norton Publishing Designee, ASCAP (D.H.Davidsen, Wordspring Music, SESAC/W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC (K. Legitimate Efforts Music, BMI/BMG Silver Songs, SESAC P.Wallevik, M.H.Hansen, J.Norton, C.Tighe) 20 WINE, BEER, WHISKEY Razor And Tie Music Fishman, D.Davidson, J.Ebach) 4 (C.Smith, B.West, S.Wilson Jr.) 55 Publishing, BMI/Tofer The Musical, BMI/Warner- S   Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Silent Desert Music, DRINKIN’ BEER. TALKIN’ GOD. AMEN. IF IT WASN’T FOR TRUCKS Peermusic III, BMI/Self Made Entertainment, BMI (T.Brown, K.Fairchild, Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Georgia Song Vibez, ASCAP/ Ltd., BMI/Sullivan S Guns Music, BMI/Back 40 Publishing Big Crowd Publishing, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ SETTLING DOWN Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ S.McConnell, K.Schlapman, P.Sweet, J.Westbrook) 34 International, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Pink Dog Publishing, BMI/Emileon Songs, BMI/Songs Nontypical Music, ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy My BMI (R.Green, Erik Dylan, R.Montana) 59 Publishing, ASCAP/Cale Dodds Publishing, ASCAP (C.Rice, Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Songs Of WORSHIP YOU Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ C.Crowder, H.Phelps, C.Dodds) 37 Universal, Inc., BMI/Wrucke For You Publishing, BMI (M. Kane Brown Music, BMI/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/AIX J    Lambert, L.Dick, N. Hemby) 23 Publishing, ASCAP/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, F    SESAC/McGinntellectual Property, SESAC/True Blue JUST ABOUT OVER YOU Scilla’s Song Shop SHALLOW Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI/Warner-Barham Works, SESAC/Krispy Pork Gang, BMI (K.Brown, A.Izquierdo, Publising, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Music LLC, BMI/SG Songs Worldwide, BMI/Warner-Olive M.J.McGinn, Charlie Handsome) 38 FAMOUS FRIENDS Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ BMI/91 Dogs Publishing, BMI/Emily Kroll Music, ASCAP (P. Music LLC, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Concord They’ve Gone To Plaid Publishing, BMI/W.C.M. Music 35 Corp., SESAC/Roc Nation US Music, SESAC/Bennett’s Block, S.Jones, E.K.Kroll)  Publishing, BMI/Zelig Publishing, BMI/Stephaniesays Y   Dad’s Songs, SESAC/Songs Of Rhythm House Black, Music, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/White SESAC/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, JUST THE WAY Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/JM Bull Music Group, BMI/Downtown DMP Songs, BMI YOU TIME Dagum Music, BMI/Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/Big Crowd Publishing, ASCAP (C.Young, C.R.Barlowe, Thomas Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, ASCAP/Kevin (S.G.Germanotta, M.D.Ronson, A.Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt) 42 ASCAP/Fluid Tunes, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/ C.Crowder) 27 Bard Music, ASCAP/Margetts Road Music, ASCAP/Nolan Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing W. Sipe Music, ASACP (M.Thomas, K.Bard, N.W.Sipe) 3 SINGLE SATURDAY NIGHT Round Hill Songs LLC, ASCAP (S.McCreery, F.Rogers, A.Eshuis) 40 FOREVER AFTER ALL Big Music Machine, II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP/Relative Music BMI/50 Egg Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/ L    Group, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Works For RHA Music, BMI/Rowdy Rob Music, BMI/Sony/ Inc., BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Art In The Fodder ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Oak Tree Swing Publishing, LADY Super Big Music, ASCAP/Caliville Publishing, Music, BMI/Hark Molman Songs, BMI/BMG Platinum BMI  44 ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/EMI April Music, Songs US, BMI/Ju Jettsu Music, BMI/ Music, (L.Combs, D.Parker, R.Williford)  Inc., ASCAP/Iris In The Sky With Diamonds, BMI/Nite BMI (A.Gorley, M.W.Hardy, M.L.Holman) 31 FREEDOM WAS A HIGHWAY Sony/ATV Writer Music, ASCAP (B.Young, R.Copperman, J.M.Nite) 9 Lakeview, SESAC/Red Lining Music, SESAC/Sony/ATV SOMEBODY LIKE THAT Oven Music Inc., Countryside, BMI/Big Spaces Music, BMI/Sony/ATV BMI/Ziggys Z Music, SESAC/Tunes Of Big Deal Music, Accent, ASCAP/Nepasongs, ASCAP (J.Allen, A.Bowers, SESAC/Songs Of Porterfied Music, SESAC (T.Arts, A.Kline, M.Rogers) 53 A.M.Cruz) 13 BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 19 OF 20 Hot Country Songs Index

TITLE Publishing-Licensing Org. G   LONG LIVE Big Loud Mountain, BMI/T Hubb SILVERADO FOR SALE Round Hill (Songwriter) Chart Position Publishing, BMI/Pranch Ringle Music, BMI/Round Compositions, BMI/Natalia’s Music Money, BMI/Sony/ GLAD YOU EXIST Monet Music, BMI/Warner- Hill Works, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Big Crowd ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing 865 Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Blake Pendergrass Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Spokane Boy Music, Publishing, ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, ASCAP/Spirit Corp., BMI/All Night Linda Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Cross Publishing Designee, BMI (J.Byron, B.Pendergrass) 26 BMI/Jreynmusic, ASCAP/Buckeye26, ASCAP/Shay Two Music Inc., ASCAP/4TheKidz Music, ASCAP/Spirit Keys Publishing, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Mooney Music, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Beats And Vault Songs, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Pinetucky Road Publishing, ASCAP (D.Davidson, M.Green, A   Banjos, ASCAP (D.Smyers, J.Reynolds, T.M.Parks, S.Mooney, BMI/Jack 10 Publishing, BMI/Songs Of The Corn, BMI (T. B.Hayslip) 49 R.L.Taylor) 22 Hubbard, B.Kelley, C.Crowder, D.A.Garcia, J.Miller) 9 ALL NIGHT All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Trampy SINGLE SATURDAY NIGHT Round Hill Songs McCauley, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Songstein GONE Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Boy LOVE STORY (TAYLOR’S VERSION) Taylor II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP/Relative Music Publishing, ASCAP/Songs In The Key Of Claire, ASCAP/ Named Ford, BMI/Ben There Wrote That Publishing, Swift Music, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI (T.Swift) 1 Group, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Patriot Games Publishing, ASCAP/DTCM Ave, ASCAP (J. BMI/Artist 101 Publishing Group, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Inc., BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Art In The Fodder Osborne, T.J. Osborne, A.DeRoberts) 44 Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Hits From The Tape M   Music, BMI/Hark Molman Songs, BMI/BMG Platinum Room, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/W.C.M. Music ALMOST MAYBES Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/ MADE FOR YOU Plaid Flag Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Songs US, BMI/Ju Jettsu Music, BMI/Rednecker Music, Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon Publishing, SESAC (N.Galyon, BMI (A.Gorley, M.W.Hardy, M.L.Holman) 48 Jordan Davis Music, ASCAP/Anthem Entertainment, B.Johnson, N.Moon) 34 Tree Publishing, BMI/Dixie Stars Music, ASCAP/Son Of a ASCAP/Roc Nation WC Publishing Designee, BMI/ Carl Music, ASCAP/HoriPro Entertainment Group, Inc., SOMEBODY LIKE THAT Oven Music Inc., THE GOOD ONES GBF Music Global, BMI/Sony/ Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane ASCAP (B.Davis, J.Hyde, N.A.Medley) 28 BMI/Ziggys Z Music, SESAC/Tunes Of Big Deal Music, Publishing Corp., BMI/BIRB Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs US, BMI/ MINIMUM WAGE A Boy Named Ford, BMI/Big SESAC/Songs Of Porterfied Music, SESAC (T.Arts, A.Kline, Songs, ASCAP (J.Davis, J.Frasure, H.Lindsey) 23 BMG Blue, BMI/Fox Landis Lyrics, BMI/Songs Of Jim A.M.Cruz) 20 McCormick, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Revinyl Crowd Publishing, ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, ASCAP/ B   House, BMI (G.Barrett, E.Landis, J.McCormick, Z.Kale) 12 Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ SOMEBODY’S PROBLEM Big Loud Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (C.Crowder, Mountain, BMI/Bo Wallace Publishing, BMI/Round Hill BEERS AND SUNSHINE Sony/ATV Accent, GOOD TIME W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon N.Galyon, J.Frasure) 33 ASCAP/GrowingMusic Publishing, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Compositions, BMI/Ford Drives A Chevy, BMI/Shirt At Publishing, SESAC/Here Comes The Boom Music, BMI/ Work, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ Music Inc., BMI/Iris In The Sky With Diamonds, BMI/WC Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/ MOMMA’S HOUSE Sony/ATV Cross Keys Music Corp., ASCAP/Detroit Records And Tapes, ASCAP/ Publishing, ASCAP/Two Black Dogs, ASCAP/ole Music Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Em Dog Music, BMI (M. Anna Moon Publishing, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Wallen, R.Clawson, J.Durrett, E.K.Smith) 17 Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/Smackborne Joshua Murty Publishing, ASCAP/Mark Trussell Music, Of Parallel, BMI/Lucky Mic Publishing, BMI/Round Hill Music, ASCAP (D.Rucker, R.Copperman, J.T.Harding, J.Osborne) ASCAP/Future Heartbeat Publishing, ASCAP (N.Moon, Compositions, BMI/Ford Drives A Chevy, BMI/Shirt At STARTING OVER I Wrote These Songs, ASCAP/WC 7 J.Minton, A.Moon, J.Murty, M.Trussell) 4 Work, BMI/Legends Of Magic Mustang Music, SESAC/BMG Music Corp., ASCAP/Straight Six Music, BMI/Wixen Music Cicada, SESAC (D.Schneider, M.Lotten, R.Clawson, J.T.Wilson) 18 Publishing, BMI (C.Stapleton, M.Henderson) 5 BETTER TOGETHER Big Music Machine, BMI/50 H   Egg Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/Sony/ MORE SURPRISED THAN ME W.C.M. Music STILL GOIN DOWN Big Loud Mountain, BMI/ ATV Countryside, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing HELL OF A VIEW Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon Publishing, SESAC/Warner- Round Hill Compositions, BMI/Relative Music Group, Corp., BMI/Sullivan S Guns Music, BMI (L.Combs, D.Isbell, Longer And Louder Music, BMI/Seven Ring Circus Songs, Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Bump Into Genius BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., 3 R.Montana)  BMI/Little Louder Songs, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Music, BMI/Mr. Buck Lucky, BMI/The Country And BMI/Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI (M.Wallen, M.W.Hardy, Charlie Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Spirit Of Nashville One, Western Music, BMI (N.Moon, B.Burgess, L.T.Miller) 47 Handsome) 30 BLAME IT ON YOU Makena Cove Music, ASCAP/ BMI/Tunes Of Fluid, BMI/Rust And Chrome Music, BMI (E. BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Zona Blue Music, BMI/Lee 45 Church, C.Beathard, M.Criswell) 19 N   U    Music Publishing, BMI/Irishsonmusic, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs US, BMI/Peertunes, Ltd., SESAC/MTNoize, SESAC/ HOLE IN THE BOTTLE Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/ NEON EYES Big Loud Mountain, BMI/BMG Platinum UNDIVIDED T Tree Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane SB21 Music Publishing, SESAC/BW Tunes, SESAC Vistaville Music, ASCAP/Steph Jones Who Music, ASCAP/ Songs US, BMI/Ju Jettsu Music, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Publishing Corp., BMI/Straight Outta Georgia Songs, (K.M.Allison, J.Edwards, T.Kennedy, M.Tyler, B.White) 42 Big Deal Hits, ASCAP/410 Music, ASCAP/Telemitry Inc., BMI/Art In The Fodder Music, BMI/Hark Molman SESAC/Tree Vibez Bus Vibez, SESAC/W.C.M. Music Corp., Rhythm House Music, BMI/Roc Nation WC Publishing Songs, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ SESAC (T.Hubbard, C.Loocke) 35 BREAKING UP WAS EASY IN THE 90’S Designee, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ Bump Into Genius Music, BMI (M.Wallen, M.L.Holman, Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Between the Pines, LLC, Round Hill Songs II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP B.Burgess) 43 W   ASCAP/BIPOD, ASCAP/Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/Miller (K.Ballerini, S.Jones, H.Lindsey, J.Frasure, A.Gorley) 10 Crow Music, ASCAP/Kyler’s Kinda Night, ASCAP/Songs NEXT GIRL Smackborne Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV WARNING Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Big Loud Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Ern Dog Music, BMI/Big Loud HOW THEY REMEMBER YOU Son Of Ron Accent, ASCAP/Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/Tempo Mountain, BMI/Tree Vibez Music, LLC, BMI/Ern Dog Music, Mountain, BMI/Tree Vibez Music, LLC, BMI/Sony/ATV Songs, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Investments-Smack Hits, GMR/Smackwood Music, GMR/ BMI/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Accent, ASCAP/Smackborne Music, ASCAP (S.L.Hunt, C.La Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/ For The Kids Gold, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP (C. BMI (E.K.Smith, A.Gorley, Charlie Handsome) 29 Pearce, S.McAnally, J.Osborne) 46 Corte, Z.Crowell, E.K.Smith, J.Osborne) 27 Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing WASTED ON YOU Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Bo LLC, ASCAP/Built On Rock Music, ASCAP (M.Beeson, C   NOBODY Curb Congregation Songs, SESAC/Good Wallace Publishing, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ J.Osborne, A.Shamblin) 24 Vibes, Good Times Music, SESAC/Curb Songs, ASCAP/ Em Dog Music, BMI/Red Bandana Publishing, BMI/MV2 CHASING AFTER YOU Songs Of Mojo Two, I    Songs Of Riser House, BMI (D.Scott, M.Alderman, D.Wilson) Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI (M.Wallen, E.K.Smith, ASCAP/Addington Music, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ 25 J.Thompson, Charlie Handsome) 11 Who Wants To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP/Highly I HOPE Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/GBF Music Global, Combustible Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music BMI/Revinyl House, BMI/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/ O   WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/ Publishing LLC, ASCAP/Get Ur Seek On, ASCAP (B. Nite Writer Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI ONE TOO MANY Kobalt Songs Music Publishing Addington, J.Flowers) 37 (Z.Kale, J.M.Nite, G.Barrett) 2 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten By LLC, ASCAP/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Rhettro, BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Songs D   J    Inc., BMI/Reservoir 416, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Tunes by TrailerParker, BMI/ James Norton Publishing Designee, ASCAP (D.H.Davidsen, Songs Of Home Team Music, BMI/Round Hill Songs DANGEROUS Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Bo Wallace JUST THE WAY Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/JM P.Wallevik, M.H.Hansen, J.Norton, C.Tighe) 21 II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP (Thomas Rhett, Publishing, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Ern Dog Thomas Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, ASCAP/Kevin R.Akins, J.Frasure, A.Gorley, P.Welling) 13 Music, BMI (M.Wallen, E.K.Smith) 32 Bard Music, ASCAP/Margetts Road Music, ASCAP/Nolan S   W. Sipe Music, ASACP (M.Thomas, K.Bard, N.W.Sipe) 6 WINE, BEER, WHISKEY Razor And Tie Music DOWN TO ONE Play It Again Entertainment, BMI/ SAND IN MY BOOTS Round Hill Songs II, ASCAP/ Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP/Relative Music Group, BMI/ Publishing, BMI/Tofer The Musical, BMI/Warner- Kyle Fishman Music, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/ L    Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Silent Desert Music, Natalia’s Music Money, BMI/Memory Days, SESAC/Curb Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/Smackborne Music, ASCAP (A. Gorley, M.W.Hardy, J.Osborne) 14 BMI/Self Made Entertainment, BMI (T.Brown, K.Fairchild, Wordspring Music, SESAC/W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC (K. LADY Super Big Music, ASCAP/Caliville Publishing, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/EMI April Music, S.McConnell, K.Schlapman, P.Sweet, J.Westbrook) 38 Fishman, D.Davidson, J.Ebach) 8 SETTLING DOWN Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ Inc., ASCAP/Iris In The Sky With Diamonds, BMI/Nite Pink Dog Publishing, BMI/Emileon Songs, BMI/Songs WORSHIP YOU Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ F    Writer Music, ASCAP  15 (B.Young, R.Copperman, J.M.Nite)  Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Songs Of Kane Brown Music, BMI/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/AIX FAMOUS FRIENDS Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ LIL BIT Big Loud Mountain, BMI/T Hubb Publishing, Universal, Inc., BMI/Wrucke For You Publishing, BMI (M. Publishing, ASCAP/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, They’ve Gone To Plaid Publishing, BMI/W.C.M. Music BMI/Round Hill Works, BMI/Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/ Lambert, L.Dick, N. Hemby) 31 SESAC/McGinntellectual Property, SESAC/True Blue Corp., SESAC/Roc Nation US Music, SESAC/Bennett’s Works, SESAC/Krispy Pork Gang, BMI (K.Brown, A.Izquierdo, Pile Of Schmidt Songs, ASCAP/The Money Tree Vibez, SHALLOW Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI/Warner-Barham Dad’s Songs, SESAC/Songs Of Rhythm House Black, M.J.McGinn, Charlie Handsome) 41 ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/WC Music LLC, BMI/SG Songs Worldwide, BMI/Warner-Olive SESAC/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, Music Corp., ASCAP (T.Hubbard, J.M.Schmidt, B.Redferrin, Music LLC, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Concord Y    ASCAP/Big Crowd Publishing, ASCAP (C.Young, C.R.Barlowe, C.Haynes, Jr.) 39 C.Crowder) 40 Publishing, BMI/Zelig Publishing, BMI/Stephaniesays YOUR BARTENDER Matt Drag Music, ASCAP/ LIVIN’ THE DREAM Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Bo Music, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/White Round Hill Songs BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud Proud Songs, FOREVER AFTER ALL Big Music Machine, Wallace Publishing, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Bull Music Group, BMI/Downtown DMP Songs, BMI ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ BMI/50 Egg Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/ Corp., BMI/This Songs For You Pops, BMI (M.Wallen, (S.G.Germanotta, M.D.Ronson, A.Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt) 36 Ritten By Rhettro, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/ Works For RHA Music, BMI/Rowdy Rob Music, BMI/Sony/ B.Burgess, J.Durrett, M.W.Hardy) 45 Cricket On The Line, BMI/Red Bandana Publishing, ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Oak Tree Swing Publishing, BMI/MV2 Music, BMI (M.Dragstrem, R.Akins, Thomas Rhett, BMI (L.Combs, D.Parker, R.Williford) 16 J.Thompson) 50 BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PAGE 20 OF 20 CODA On Feb. 26, 2011, Luke Bryan’s No. 1 “Good Directions.” 10 Years Ago “Someone Else Calling You Baby” In December, Bryan was re- rose 3-1 on Hot Country Songs. vealed as Billboard’s top country Co-written by Bryan and Jeff artist of the 2010s (based on chart Luke Bryan’s Stevens, the song became Bryan’s performance). On Feb. 14, he re- second of 11 No. 1s, following turned for a fourth season as a ‘Calling’ Was “.” Both judge, alongside Katy Perry and tracks were released from his , on ABC’s Ameri- second album, Doin’ My Thing. can Idol. Heard At No. 1 Born in Leesburg, Ga., the now On April 9, Bryan will release 44-year-old Bryan has earned a deluxe version of his latest In 2011, he notched his 31 top 10s on the chart, start- studio set, Born Here Live Here second of 11 leaders on ing with his debut entry, 2007’s Die Here, with six new tracks. Its No. 5-peaking “All My Friends current single, “Down To One,” Hot Country Songs Say.” He first led the list as a ranks at Nos. 4 and 8 on Country writer, having co-penned Billy Airplay and Hot Country Songs, Currington’s three-week 2007 respectively. —JIM ASKER

REWINDING THE COUNTRY CHARTS

Bryan IMAGES GETTY VIA RAPOPORT/CORBIS AARON BY PHOTO