Country Update
BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 1 OF 23
INSIDE BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE [email protected]
The Impact Of If We Make It Through December: Charley Pride Page 4 2020 Hindsight Starts With COVID-19
Chris Lane’s We find ourselves at the end, according to some pundits, of It. Has. Been. Bad. ‘Big, Big’ Moment the worst year ever. But 2021 is another year, and there is reason for optimism. Page 5 Thanks to an erratic government response, COVID-19 has For starters, the rollout of the first vaccines brings a hazy prom- killed nearly 300,000 Americans, unemployment remains ise of future tours. high, major cities are beset by lengthy food lines, and one-third Plus, country music is establishing its next wave of stars, and Palomino of citizens are likely to face eviction or foreclosure in the next some areas of the business are demonstrating their adaptabil- Rides Again two months, accord- ity, a necessary trait Page 14 ing to U.S. Census for survival. Bureau projec- L e a d i n g t h a t tions. Add in racial new-artist class tensions, a soaring are Luke Combs, Darius Rucker national debt and Gabby Barrett A Big-League Star the increasing toll and Morgan Wal- Page 14 of climate change, len. Combs, who and… well… can we topped eight of just get to 2021? Billboard’s year- Makin’ Tracks: This year has end country charts ‘Famous Friends’ naturally been a for the second year Young, Brown challenge in country in a row, has now Page 20 music, too. COVID- spent 35 weeks at 19 decimated the PRINE BARRETT DIFFIE No. 1 on Top Coun- concert sector try Albums with his Country Coda: in particular, with cancellations causing some venues to sophomore LP, What You See Is What You Get, and is the only Ernest Tubb’s permanently close, leaving road crews and musicians without country act to rule for at least that long with each of his first ‘Blue Christmas’ an income and frustrating a large amount of artists unable to two albums. His “Forever After All” likewise became the first Page 23 pursue part of their dream at the peak point in their career. To track by a solo country male to debut at No. 2 on the all-genre add insult to injury, three artists of significance — Songwriters Billboard Hot 100. To our readers: Billboard Country Hall of Fame member John Prine, modern honky-tonk singer Barrett’s inaugural single, “I Hope,” has now spent a cool Update will publish its next issue on Jan. 11, 2021. For 24/7 music Joe Diffie and Country Music Hall of Fame member Charley 20 weeks atop Hot Country Songs, appropriate since the anger
coverage, go to billboard.com. Pride — died from COVID-19-related complications. in its lyrics mirrors the level of revenge many would like to exact BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 2 OF 23 on 2020. The song’s life was extended by a Charlie Puth collaboration, and it ultimately became only the fourth track to hit the summit on both Country Airplay and the all-genre Radio Songs chart. Wallen, fresh off his best new artist victory at the Country Music Associa- tion Awards, became the first act to debut two separate titles (“Somebody’s Problem” and “Still Goin Down”) within the top 10 on Hot Country Songs in the same week. The genre’s ability to adjust — albeit sluggishly, in some regards — taps into the creativity inherent in music. The most obvious adaptation came with the widespread use of Zoom, a program that many (likely most) had never heard of at the start of the year. Executives have essentially mastered the art of working from home via video hookup, even if it does create a level of fatigue. Live online platforms have also proved valuable for concerts, for benefits, for writing songs and even for recording sessions, providing a new avenue of con- Carrie Underwood (center) was recognized as Pandora’s most- nection when isolation is a necessary part of most lifestyles. streamed female country artist during a Dec. 8 performance on On-demand streaming in country is up more than 6% over 2019, and TikTok Pandora LIVE. She’s flanked by Pandora head of country Beville has emerged as a new vehicle for artist development in the genre. Trey Lewis, Dunkerley and SiriusXM host Storme Warren. Priscilla Block, Andrew Jannakos and SarahBeth Taite all made Hot Country Songs chart debuts with TikTok breakouts, while several acts — including Sony Music Nashville’s Jaden Hamilton and Warner Music Nashville’s Robyn Ottolini — parlayed exposure on the platform into major-label deals. After years of gross underrepresentation, women made strides at country radio, though the results were mixed. The current Country Airplay chart, for example, boasts one or more females on six of the top 20 singles, a major gain from two years ago when the corresponding chart (dated Dec. 15, 2018) did not feature any women in that same range. Not that the issue is resolved: The year-end Top Country Airplay Artists list is solidly male in its first 15 spots, with Maddie & Tae finally offering femme harmonies at No. 16. Similarly, advances could be felt in minority representation. Following the death of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, country’s Del McCoury (right) performed on the Grand Ole Opry along with awareness of its lack of Black representation in both the creative and executive mandolinist Ronnie McCoury on Dec. 5 as the WSM-AM Nashville ranks was heightened. A segment of the business became more vocal about the show celebrated the 75th anniversary of the birth of bluegrass. disparity, and the Country Music Association’s awards show offered a notably larger Black presence on-screen, with Maren Morris using her final acceptance speech for a shoutout specifically to female artists of color, including Yola, Brittany Spencer and Rissi Palmer. Weeks later, Mickey Guyton’s “Black Like Me,” an emotional recount of her own experiences with discrimination, broke a barrier in the Grammy Awards as the first nomination for a Black solo female in a country category. While 2020 was tough, 2021 should be better, and there are signs that country is addressing some of its deficiencies. But don’t count on next year to be a walk in the park, either. Futurist David Houle, a keynote speaker at the 2012 Country Radio Seminar, has for several years characterized the 2020s New Quartz Hill artist Nate Barnes (center) paid a virtual office visit as the most disruptive decade in history. And the new year will likely not mark to the Billboard Country Update on Dec. 10. He’s joined by Quartz Hill some return to a prior status quo. vp publicity and integrated marketing Natalie Kilgore and Billboard
“The only normal this decade,” he wrote here, “is abnormality.” Country Update editor Tom Roland. HOLLO. CHRIS MCCOURY:
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BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 4 OF 23
TOM ROLAND [email protected] The Legacy Of Charley Pride: How A 1963 Introduction Still Matters In 2020
For Charley Pride to present himself as a country singer at a Montana radio Country Music Hall of Fame membership in 2000, the Recording Academy’s station in December 1963 was an audacious move. Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and the CMA’s Willie Nelson In the previous six months, Gov. George Wallace had refused to allow two Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. Black students to register at the University of Alabama until President John F. Once Pride became a leader in his field, he used his position to boost younger Kennedy called in the National Guard to protect them. A Ku Klux Klan mem- acts. Ronnie Milsap, Janie Fricke, Dave & Sugar, Sylvia and Neal McCoy ber had killed NAACP executive Medgar Evers in Mississippi. Martin Luther were among the artists he personally encouraged and/or actively promoted King Jr. had given his “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C. Four by giving them the opening slot on his concert tours. Black girls had been killed in a Birmingham, Ala., church bombing. And Ken- “Without his encouragement when I was playing the Whiskey a Go-Go nedy was assassinated in Dallas just months after he had submitted a bill to on the Sunset Strip in the ’70s, I might have never made it to Nashville,” said Congress that would provide protections against discrimination. Milsap after Pride’s death. Race was an American tinderbox. “There is a Neal McCoy because there was a Charley Pride,” said McCoy. Thus when Pride popped into KCAP-AM on Dec. 12, country singer Red “No other way to put it.” Foley — who was there to promote a concert — had reservations as the tall When Pride accepted the Willie Nelson Award in November from current Black man introduced himself and reached out for a handshake. hitmaker Jimmie Allen, the moment underscored the long-tail significance “Is this something pertaining to civil of the former’s foray into country. When RCA rights?” asked Foley, according to an account released Pride’s first single in 1965, the label in Pride: The Charley Pride Story. took numerous steps to sidestep his race. The The DJ, Elmer “Tiny” Stokes, vouched for record, “The Snakes Crawl at Night,” shipped Pride, and before the day was over, the singer without the usual PR photo; it branded him was able to perform two songs during the show Country Charley Pride on the label; and at the Helena Civic Center. He also got a boost it listed three RCA staff producers — Chet when Red Sovine, another hitmaker on the Atkins, Danny Davis and Bob Ferguson — bill, offered assistance to get Pride a meeting in addition to actual producer Jack Clement at Cedarwood Publishing in Nashville. in a show of support. Pride died on Dec. 12 — the 57th When Stoney Creek released Allen’s first anniversary of that historic encounter — of single in 2018, the label also avoided his racial complications from COVID-19 in Dallas. In status — not because it was controversial, but the decades between, the Helena meeting because it simply didn’t need to be pointed out. — and Pride’s subsequent audition at As recently as 2008, a radio programmer Cedarwood, where he met his first manager, told Darius Rucker that country audiences Jack D. Johnson — led him to a breakthrough would not accept a single from a Black man, career. He became country music’s first Black but Rucker, Allen, Blanco Brown and Kane superstar, overcoming public doubts and Brown have proven that assessment to outward hostility to find success in a genre that be incorrect. was closely associated with white Southerners. Black women are asserting themselves in Pride built his legacy in part by playing greater numbers, too. During an acceptance down the hurdles. A veteran of the Negro speech the same night that Pride claimed the ALLEN (left) and PRIDE Leagues, he was still playing with the Mon- Willie Nelson Award, Maren Morris listed sev- tana State League’s East Helena Smelterites eral who have inspired her. On Nov. 24, Mickey at the time he wandered into KCAP. But he had always longed to reach the Guyton’s “Black Like Me” became the first track by a solo woman of color to Major Leagues, and he studied Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier earn a Grammy nomination in a country category. with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1947. Pride took the same tack as Robinson, It’s been a long, long time coming, but thanks in no small part to Pride redirecting attention away from the obstacles he faced and onto his voice and charting his original course, change is underway in country and seemingly the music he loved. picking up steam. That voice was a convincing instrument, too. Pride was a dyed-in-the-wool “My heart is so heavy,” tweeted Rucker on Dec. 12. “Charley Pride was an country traditionalist, singing more like Hank Williams — whom he often icon a legend and any other word u wanna use for his greatness. He destroyed heard through radio broadcasts of the Grand Ole Opry during his formative Barriers and did things that no one had ever done. But today I’m thinking of years in northern Mississippi — than Sam Cooke. He also stood firm in that my friend. Heaven just got one of the finest people I know.” position. Session piano player Hargus “Pig” Robbins recalled on Dec. 11, There was, to be sure, only one Charley Pride, a man who stepped into a the day prior to Pride’s passing, that Pride would caution him to dial it back difficult role and used a forceful, convincing voice to become a key insider in when Robbins added too much blues influence to a session. a genre that initially thought of him as an outsider. Pride used his sturdy, traditional tone to amass 52 top 10 singles, with 29 of “He broke barriers, unprecedented at the time, and made us all realize that those titles — including “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” “Mountain of Love,” we have more in common than our differences,” said actor Dennis Quaid, “Just Between You and Me” and “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone” — climb- who has been developing a Pride biopic. “While Charley has left this Earth, ing all the way to No. 1. he is now singing in the Heavenly choir.” He parlayed his hit list into a significant body of accolades: the Country “His last performance,” noted Ken Burns, producer of the PBS series Coun- Music Association’s entertainer of the year in 1971, Grand Ole Opry mem- try Music: A Film by Ken Burns, “was his hit, ‘Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’.’ bership in 1993, the Academy of Country Music’s Pioneer Award in 1994, Now he is one.” BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE APRIL 13, 2020 | PAGE 4 OF 19
ON THE CHARTS JIM ASKER [email protected] BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 5 OF 23 ON STHEa CHARTSmH JIMunt ASKER’ [email protected] Southside Rules Top Country Albums; ChrisBrett YLaneoung Lands ‘Catc hHis’-es Third Fifth Airplay LeaCountryder; Travis Airplay Denning No. 1; GabbyMakes BarrettHistory Breaks Record Atop Hot Country Songs Sam Hunt’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%). Top Country Albums chart dated April 18. In its first week (ending April 9), it Chris Lane achieves his third No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as selling 1,000 in the tracking week. earned 46,000 equivalent album units, including 16,000 in album sales, ac- TRY TO ‘CATCH’ UP WITH YOUNG Brett Youngachieves his fifth consecutive “Big, Big Plans” (Big Loud) ascends 2-1 on the Dec. 19-dated list. The song Kelly Clarkson and Brett Eldredge’s “Under the Mistletoe” (Atlantic/ cording to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. and total Country Airplay No. 1 as “Catch” (Big Machine Label Group) ascends increased by 10% to 33 million audience impressions in the week ending Warner Music Nashville) dashes 15-10 on Hot Country Songs, marking SouthsideDec. 13, according marks Hunt’s to Nielsen second Music/MRC No. 1 on the Data. Clarkson’s third top 10 and Eldredge’s2-1, increasing ninth. 13% The to carol, 36.6 millionwhich the impressions. twosome chart andLane’s fourth first No.top 110. on It the follows list as freshmana writer was LP co-penned with Jacob Durrett performed on NBC’s The Voice onYoung’s Dec. 8, first is up of 18% six chartto 10.3 entries, million “Sleep streams With - Montevalloand Ernest, which K. Smith arrived. “When at the we summit wrote in‘Big, No Big- Plans,’ I had no idea it would and 121% to 3,000 sold. out You,” reached No. 2 in December 2016. He vemberend up2014 on and the reignedradio, let for alone nine as weeks. a No. To 1 song,” date, Lane tells Billboard. “I’m so Luke Combs earns his 10thfollowed Country with Airplay the multiweek top 10 as “Better No. 1s “InTogether” Case You Montevallothankful has to the earned fans 3.9for millionembracing units, what with was 1.4 such a (RiverDidn’t House/Columbia Know” (two weeks, Nashville) June 2017), lifts “Like 11-8 I Loved millionpersonal in album song sales. for me and making it their own. I’m (19.6You” million, (three, up January 6%). His 2018), previous “Mercy” nine top (two, 10s August all Montevallothankful to has country spent radio 267 weeks for playing on the it list, and tying my team hit No.2018) 1. The and most “Here recent, Tonight” “Lovin’ (two, on AprilYou,” 2019). ruled for Lukefor Bryan working’s Crash so hard My toParty make as surethe sixth-longest- it was heard. This four weeks“Catch” in September. completes Plus, his longest Lady A journey adds its to 15th No. 1, runningone feels titles extra in the special chart’s since 56-year it’s myhistory. first No. 1 as a top 10having on the taken chart 46 as weeks “Champagne to reach Night” the apex. (BMLG It out - Onsongwriter. the all-genre It’s a Billboardmoment I’ll 200, never Southside forget.” ar- Records)paces bumps the 30-week 12-9 (19.5 climb million, of “Here up 8%). Tonight.” The trio rives atThe No. artist 5, awarding previously Hunt led his Country second Airplay top 10 with last visitedOn Hot the Countrytier with Songs, “What “Catch” If I Never pushes Get Over 7-5 for HUNT YOUNG after“I the Don’t No. Know 3-peaking About You”Montevallo in October. 2019 and “Fix” You,”a newwhich high. became its 10th No. 1 in January. Huntin August first released2017. He the also EP boastsX2C , which the top debuted 10s “Take andBack peaked Home at Girl,” No. 5 featuring on Top Country Tori Kelly Albums (No. 8, 2018), in August 2014. Following COMBS ‘DOES’ IT AGAINLADIES Luke Combs & GENTLEMEN…’ “Does to Me” Morgan (River House/Columbia Wallen made Montevalloand “For, Her”Between (No. the 10, Pines: 2017). Acoustic Mixtape started at its No. 7 high in Nashville), featuring Erichis Church debut, ascendson NBC’s 11-8 Saturday on Country Night Airplay, Live on up Dec. 10% 5 to November 2015. 24.7 million in audience.and The performed song is Combs’ two songs eighth from straight his upcoming career-opening LP, MontevalloHISTORIC produced ‘HOPE’ Gabbyfive singles, Barrett four ’sof “Iwhich Hope” hit the pinnacle of Country top 10, following a recordDangerous: run of seven The consecutive Double Album out-of-the-gate,, due Jan. 8, 2021:properly Airplay:(Warner “Leave Music the Nashville/WAR) Night On,” “Take tops Your the Time,” airplay-, “House Party” and “Make promoted No. 1 singles. “7 Summers” and “Still Goin Down.” The former, Youstreaming- Miss Me.” “Breakand sales-powered Up in a Small Hot Town” Country peaked Songs at No. 2. Church adds his 15th Countrywhich rocketed Airplay in top atop 10. the Hot Country Songs chart Huntchart co-penned for a 20th week. all 12 songsThe song on surpassesSouthside Maren, including “Body Like a Back dated Aug. 29, pushes 16-13 on the list, up 149% to Morris LANE Road,” which’ “The was Bones” released (which in 2017. “Hope” The dethronedsmash hit ruledin Country Airplay for THAT TOOK QUITE ‘A FEW’4,000 MONTHS sold in the Travis week Denning ending Dec. shatters 10. the record for July) for the longest-leading No. 1 by a solo woman As revealed in the Dec. 7 issue of Billboard Coun- 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 since the chart launched as an all-encompassing genre ranking in October 1958. try Update, Wallen’s “Chasin’ You,” which led Country Airplay for a week in 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 - Bebe Rexha retains the crown as the female artist with the longest-ruling title May, is the chart’s No. 1 hit of 2020. Since his “Whiskey Glasses” claimed Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant to Be” (50 weeks atop the latter list in 2017-18). lion in radio reach. overall, as “Meant To Be,” with Florida Georgia Line, led for a record 50 frames the list’s top title of 2019, he’s the fourth artist to earn back-to-back year-end “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: in 2017-18. “Hope” drew 64.1 million in all-format airplay audience and No. 1s since the chart began in 1990. Rodney Atkins doubled up in 2006- on Hot8.8 millionCountry U.S. Songs streams, and Country selling 4,000 Airplay, downloads respectively, in the latestin June tracking 2018. “Kin week.- Easton07, with Corbin “If You’re’s “A Going Girl Like Through You,” which Hell (Before reached the No. Devil 10 in Even January Knows)” 2018 be - folks” led Country Airplay on Feb. 29, becoming Hunt’s seventh No. 1. It hit foreand peaking“Watching at No. You.” 6 that Tim February, McGraw and achieved Aaron the Watson feat in’s 1997-98 “Outta Style,” with “It’s which No.NEW 3 on Hot TOP Country 10s Jon Songs.Pardi nabs his eighth Hot Country Songs top 10 as “Ain’t achievedYour Love” its No.(with 10 Faith high inHill December) and “Just 2017. To See You Smile,” after John Mi- LatestAlways single a Cowboy” “Hard (Capitolto Forget” Nashville) jumps 17-9 hops on 13-9. Hot Country It rises 6-3 Songs. on Country It’s his chael“After” Montgomery is Denning’s ruled second in 1994-95 Country with Airplay “I Swear” entry. and “David “Sold (The Ashley Grundy Parker eighthAirplay top 10, (27.8 having million, corralled up 15%), 8.2 million having U.S. corralled streams 5.8 (up million 96%) and streams 5,000 and in FromCounty Powder Auction).” Springs” traveled to No. 32 in September 2018. ETHAN MICHAEL YOUNG: VIA MARTIN/NHLI GETTY HUNT: IMAGES. IMAGES MILLER/GETTY STEVE JENNINGS/WIREIMAGE STEVE
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 7 OF 23
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 2 55 BIG, BIG PLANS Big Loud HH No. 1 (1 week) HH Chris Lane 32.991 +2.903 7675 589 1 2 1 21 HAPPY ANYWHERE Warner Music Nashville/WMN Blake Shelton Featuring Gwen Stefani 28.713 -3.848 6378 - 1112 3 l3 6 39 AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY Capitol Nashville HH Most Increased Audience HH Jon Pardi 27.827 +3.558 6798 821 2 4 3 41 LOVE YOU LIKE I USED TO Triple Tigers Russell Dickerson 26.657 -1.644 5673 -359 5 l5 4 49 PRETTY HEART MCA Nashville Parker McCollum 25.752 +0.447 6265 148 4 6 5 36 ONE OF THEM GIRLS Curb Lee Brice 24.168 -0.185 5059 63 7 l7 9 20 I SHOULD PROBABLY GO TO BED Warner Music Nashville/WAR Dan + Shay 20.611 +0.419 5389 69 6 l8 11 11 BETTER TOGETHER River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 19.584 +1.134 4589 158 10 l9 12 34 CHAMPAGNE NIGHT BMLG Lady A 19.555 +1.405 5039 542 8 l10 10 22 HAPPY DOES Blue Chair/Warner Music Nashville/WEA Kenny Chesney 18.507 -0.021 4662 20 9 l11 14 19 BEERS AND SUNSHINE Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker 16.211 +1.554 4127 329 12 l12 13 28 HOLE IN THE BOTTLE Black River Kelsea Ballerini 16.108 +0.390 4441 185 11 l13 15 35 GOOD TIME RCA Nashville Niko Moon 14.441 +0.801 3923 37 13 l14 16 16 STARTING OVER Mercury Nashville Chris Stapleton 14.295 +0.823 3814 180 14 l15 17 9 DOWN TO ONE Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan 12.938 +0.958 3323 158 15 l16 20 5 WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG Valory HH Airpower HH Thomas Rhett 12.083 +1.356 3068 374 19 l17 19 14 LONG LIVE BMLG Florida Georgia Line 11.816 +0.474 3148 -22 18 l18 18 26 HOW THEY REMEMBER YOU Big Machine Rascal Flatts 11.761 +0.346 3259 66 16 l19 21 43 MOMMA’S HOUSE Broken Bow Dustin Lynch 10.621 +0.291 3219 138 17 l20 22 30 JUST THE WAY Stoney Creek HH Airpower HH Parmalee x Blanco Brown 10.248 +1.856 2964 534 20 l21 23 44 SOMEBODY LIKE THAT 19th & Grand Tenille Arts 7.488 +0.483 2693 140 21 l22 25 34 NOBODY Curb Dylan Scott 7.101 +0.497 2302 110 23 l23 26 17 7 SUMMERS Republic/Big Loud Morgan Wallen 6.814 +0.308 1926 81 27 l24 24 28 ALMOST MAYBES MCA Nashville Jordan Davis 6.580 -0.131 2386 46 22 l25 28 33 LADY BMLG Brett Young 6.198 +0.570 1941 149 26 l26 27 27 THE GOOD ONES Warner Music Nashville/WAR Gabby Barrett 6.157 +0.118 2237 131 24 l27 29 30 ALL NIGHT EMI Nashville Brothers Osborne 5.069 +0.192 2157 132 25 l28 30 10 BREAKING UP WAS EASY IN THE 90’S MCA Nashville Sam Hunt 4.843 +0.170 1569 81 29 l29 31 12 ONE TOO MANY Hit Red/Capitol Nashville Keith Urban Duet With P!nk 4.382 +0.013 16 11 -23 28 l30 34 6 HELL OF A VIEW EMI Nashville Eric Church 4.330 +0.091 1423 88 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 Nielsen detections will also receive decline, regardless of total Music. Audience totals on a bullet if the total audience chart weeks. AIRPOWER the 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 © 2020, 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 Nielsen Music’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 Nielsen Music) previous week. A song audience or detections are for stations that do not report © 2020 Prometheus Global Media, will also receive a bullet moved to recurrent after 20 adds. LLC if its percentage loss in weeks, provided that they BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 8 OF 23
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 31 33 8 GONE Capitol Nashville Dierks Bentley 4.186 -0.050 1421 -13 32 l32 35 12 SETTLING DOWN Vanner/RCA Nashville Miranda Lambert 4.063 +0.104 1174 49 34 l33 37 30 MADE FOR YOU Big Loud Jake Owen 3.573 +0.547 1113 113 36 34 36 37 TO HELL & BACK Columbia Nashville Maren Morris 3.434 -0.124 15 11 -51 30 l35 39 26 HARD DAYS Valory Brantley Gilbert 2.814 +0.058 1241 -23 33 l36 41 14 DEAR RODEO CoJo/Warner Music Nashville/WMN Cody Johnson & Reba McEntire 2.807 +0.347 451 -6 56 37 38 20 BETTY Republic/MCA Nashville Taylor Swift 2.687 -0.267 112 1 -16 35 l38 43 5 BLAME IT ON YOU Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean 2.622 +0.299 756 44 42 l39 44 12 NEXT GIRL Big Machine Carly Pearce 2.418 +0.168 1037 34 39 40 40 21 WINE, BEER, WHISKEY Capitol Nashville Little Big Town 2.303 -0.172 1062 -21 37 41 42 8 WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH Valory Justin Moore 2.288 -0.086 748 20 44 42 46 7 WORSHIP YOU RCA Nashville Kane Brown 1.885 -0.125 609 -20 49 43 47 12 JUST ABOUT OVER YOU inDent/Mercury Nashville Priscilla Block 1.797 -0.124 665 -2 47 44 48 24 WE WERE RICH Wheelhouse Runaway June 1.785 -0.128 1052 -21 38 l45 49 15 NEVER BE SORRY RCA Nashville Old Dominion 1.694 -0.015 753 21 43 l46 50 24 SINGLE SATURDAY NIGHT Warner Music Nashville/WMN Cole Swindell 1.492 +0.006 775 121 41 l47 54 17 WHAT DO I KNOW Arista Nashville Robert Counts 1.388 +0.156 709 36 46 l48 52 10 MY BOY Wheelhouse Elvie Shane 1.379 +0.013 710 37 45 l49 55 6 YOU TIME Triple Tigers Scotty McCreery 1.328 +0.156 656 52 48 50 32 2 DRINKIN’ BEER. TALKIN’ GOD. AMEN. Dack Janiels/BMLG/Broken Bow Chase Rice Featuring Florida Georgia Line 1.300 -2.951 455 -391 55 51 51 6 MEMORY I DON’T MESS WITH Curb Lee Brice 1.253 -0.178 535 -19 50 52 53 13 WAITIN’ ON 5 Warner Music Nashville/WAR Chris Janson 1.221 -0.104 468 0 54 53 45 2 FAMOUS FRIENDS RCA Nashville Chris Young + Kane Brown 1.137 -1.034 233 -198 - 54 56 13 BEERS TO CATCH UP ON Wheelhouse LOCASH 0.966 -0.030 490 -24 52 l55 RE-ENTRY ALL OF THE BOYS True To The Song/Mailboat/New Revolution Caroline Jones 0.936 +0.191 789 71 40 l56 60 2 HEAVEN ON DIRT Monument Teddy Robb 0.806 +0.047 508 -20 51 57 59 8 WHISKEY AND RAIN Warner Music Nashville/WEA Michael Ray 0.759 -0.036 450 52 57 l58 NEW SHALLOW Pearl HH Hot Shot Debut HH Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood 0.755 +0.027 364 31 - l59 RE-ENTRY IF IT WASN’T FOR TRUCKS BMLG Riley Green 0.751 +0.016 372 8 60 60 57 4 LADY LIKE Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville/WEA Ingrid Andress 0.736 -0.188 401 -54 59
21 39
The singer-songwriter’s debut single Co-written by Pearce, the song is her sixth TENILLE CARLY hits another high, rising 23-21 in its to hit the Country Airplay chart’s top 40. ARTS PEARCE It climbs 44-39, up 7% to 2.4 million Somebody 44th week on Country Airplay, up 7% to Next Girl Like That 7.5 million impressions. audience impressions.
JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES FOR CMA BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 9 OF 23
AIRPLAY Country Airplay MONITORED BY
MOST ADDED® NEW AND ACTIVE TITLE Imprint/Label Artist ADDS TOTAL TOTAL TAKE ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Warner Music Nashville/WAR Dan + Shay 16 TITLE Imprint/Label Artist AUDIENCE STATIONS ADDS SINGLE SATURDAY NIGHT Warner Music Nashville/WMN Cole Swindell 15 BROKEN UP Riser House/Columbia Nashville Mitchell Tenpenny 0.597 54 2 HELL OF A VIEW EMI Nashville Eric Church 10 COLD BEER CALLING MY NAME River House/Columbia Nashville Jameson Rodgers F/Luke Combs 0.593 18 5 HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS Capitol Nashville Carrie Underwood 10 TAKE ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Warner Music Nashville/WAR Dan + Shay 0.487 18 16 WHISKEY’S FINE Arista Nashville Adam Doleac 9 JUST THE WAY Stoney Creek Parmalee x Blanco Brown 7 NEED A BAR SOMETIMES Show Dog Nashville Clay Walker 0.451 24 1 DRINKIN’ BEER. TALKIN’ GOD. AMEN. Dack Janiels/BMLG/Broken Bow Chase Rice Feat. Florida Georgia Line 7 WHISKEY’S FINE Arista Nashville Adam Doleac 0.360 9 9 COLD BEER CALLING MY NAME River House/Columbia Nashville Jameson Rodgers Feat. Luke Combs 5 CHRISTMAS ON THE RADIO Wheelhouse Runaway June 0.280 2 2 SETTLING DOWN Vanner/RCA Nashville Miranda Lambert 4 ALL OF THE BOYS True To The Song/Mailboat/New Revolution Caroline Jones 4 RECURRENTS MOST INCREASED AUDIENCE THIS TOTAL AUD. WEEK TITLE Imprint/Label Artist (IN MILLIONS) GAIN 1 MORE THAN MY HOMETOWN Republic/Big Loud Morgan Wallen 22.459 TITLE Imprint/Label Artist (IN MIILIONS) 2 LOVIN’ ON YOU River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 16.359 AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi +3.558 BIG, BIG PLANS Big Loud Chris Lane +2.903 3 ONE BEER Big Loud HARDY Featuring Lauren Alaina & Devin Dawson 16.176 JUST THE WAY Stoney Creek Parmalee x Blanco Brown +1.856 4 I HOPE Warner Music Nashville/WAR Gabby Barrett 14.725 BEERS AND SUNSHINE Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker +1.554 5 SOME GIRLS Combustion/River House/Columbia Nashville Jameson Rodgers 13.730 CHAMPAGNE NIGHT BMLG Lady A +1.405 6 GOT WHAT I GOT Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean 13.656 WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG Valory Thomas Rhett +1.356 7 THE BONES Columbia Nashville Maren Morris 11.622 BETTER TOGETHER River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs +1.134 8 EVERYWHERE BUT ON RECORDS/Arista Nashville Matt Stell 11.435 DOWN TO ONE Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan +0.958 9 CHASIN’ YOU Big Loud Morgan Wallen 10.689 STARTING OVER Mercury Nashville Chris Stapleton +0.823 GOOD TIME RCA Nashville Niko Moon +0.801 10 NOBODY BUT YOU Warner Music Nashville/WMN Blake Shelton Duet With Gwen Stefani 10.402 MOST INCREASED PLAYS TITLE Imprint/Label Artist GAIN AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi +821 BIG, BIG PLANS Big Loud Chris Lane +589 CHAMPAGNE NIGHT BMLG Lady A +542 JUST THE WAY Stoney Creek Parmalee x Blanco Brown +534 WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG Valory Thomas Rhett +374 BEERS AND SUNSHINE Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker +329 HOLE IN THE BOTTLE Black River Kelsea Ballerini +185 STARTING OVER Mercury Nashville Chris Stapleton +180 BETTER TOGETHER River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs +158 DOWN TO ONE Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan +158 BLANCO BROWN (center) and PARMALEE TEXAS REGIONAL RADIO REPORT WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 13, 2020
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 HEART TO STEAL TONIGHT (Independent) HH 1 Week at 1 HH Jon Wolfe 1972 20 l11 16 5 CALLIN’ ALL HEARTS (Independent) Terry McBride 1225 106 l2 3 12 I DO THING (Independent) Kylie Frey 1846 90 l12 19 7 SILVERADO SATURDAY NIGHT (BIG Label ) Aaron Watson 1208 257 l3 5 10 DRINKING MONEY (Tommy Jackson/Thirty Tigers) Randy Rogers Band 1735 162 l13 13 18 MISSIN’ YOU, MISSISSIPPI (Independent) Dustin Sonnier 119 6 51 l4 4 16 WANT TO WITH YOU (Independent) Jamie Richards 1717 35 l14 22 9 DEVIL’S RED HOT SAUCE (Independent) James Lann 112 0 242 l5 8 11 STILL A LITTLE COUNTRY LEFT (Independent) Curtis Grimes 1673 130 15 7 15 BAD GUY (Almost Country) Casey Donahew 1078 -485 l6 6 25 THE LUCKIEST (Independent) Josh Abbott Band 1578 9 16 12 15 DEAR RODEO (COJO/Warners Nashille) Cody Johnson 1027 -193 l7 9 17 ANOTHER TOWN (Independent) Jon Stork 1448 36 l17 17 11 OLD SCHOOL (Independent) David Adam Byrnes 1025 23 l8 11 11 FOOL’S LOVE AFFAIR (117 Music) Randy Travis 1416 50 l18 18 19 ONE DAY (Independent) Triston Marez 1010 46 l9 15 18 RHYTHM OF YOU (Independent) Holly Tucker 1277 150 l19 21 25 WAITIN’ ON LOVE (Independent) Hayden Baker 905 14 l10 14 20 TOO MANY LOVE SONGS (Independent) Kaitlyn Kohler 1245 103 20 1 23 GRAVITY & YOU (Jake Bush Music) Jake Bush 902 -1069
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 2020, Texas Regional Radio Report
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 11 OF 23
JIM ASKER [email protected]
Charley Pride’s Biggest Billboard Hits: ‘Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’ ’ And More
Charley Pride became country music’s first African-American commercial star in the 1960s and went on to earn 29 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in his pioneering career. He died Dec. 12 in Dallas at age 86 from complications due to COVID-19. Pride, who received the 2020 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 54th annual CMA Awards on Nov. 11, turned in his final live perfor- mance on the ABC-TV broadcast: a duet version of his biggest hit, 1971’s “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” with Jimmie Allen. The Sledge, Miss., native played professional baseball before committing to a career in country music and signed to RCA Records in September 1965. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1993 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. Pride leaves a bounty of legendary hits. Between 1967 and 1988, he posted 29 No. 1s among 52 top 10s on Hot Country Songs. He also notched 12 No. 1s among 27 top 10s on Top Country Albums.
CHARLEY PRIDE’S 40 BIGGEST BILLBOARD HITS: Rank, Title, Peak Position, Year 1. “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” No. 1 (five weeks), 1971 2. “(I’m So) Afraid of Losing You Again,” No. 1 (three weeks), 1969 3. “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” No. 1 (two weeks), 1970 4. “Someone Loves You Honey,” No. 1 (two weeks), 1978 5. “Ev’ry Heart Should Have One,” No. 2, 1984 6. “Wonder Could I Live There Anymore,” No. 1 (two weeks), 1970 7. “Missin’ You,” No. 2, 1980 8. “Never Been So Loved,” No. 1 (two weeks), 1981 9. “Night Games,” No. 1 (one week), 1983 10. “Don’t Fight the Feelings of Love,” No. 1 (one week), 1973 11. “It’s Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer,” No. 1 (three weeks), 1972 12. “I’m Just Me,” No. 1, (four weeks), 1971 PRIDE 13, “Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town,” No. 3, 1974 14. “Mountain of Love,” No. 1 (one week), 1982 15. “Why Baby Why,” No. 1 (one week), 1983 16. “She’s Too Good to Be True,” No. 1 (three weeks), 1972 17. “You’re So Good When You’re Bad,” No. 1 (one week), 1982 18. “Amazing Love,” No. 1 (one week), 1973 19. “Hope You’re Feelin’ Me (Like I’m Feelin’ You),” No. 1 (one week), 1975 20. “I Don’t Think She’s in Love Anymore,” No. 2, 1982 21. “Where Do I Put Her Memory,” No. 1 (one week), 1979 22. “Honky Tonk Blues,” No. 1 (one week), 1980 23. “A Shoulder to Cry On,” No. 1 (one week), 1973 24. “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me),” No. 1 (one week), 1989 25. “Burgers and Fries,” No. 2, 1978 26. “I Can’t Believe That You Stopped Loving Me,” No. 1 (two weeks), 1970 27. “A Whole Lotta Things to Sing About,” No. 2, 1976 28. “My Eyes Can Only See As Far As You,” No. 1 (one week), 1976 29. “You Win Again,” No. 1 (one week), 1980 30. “I’d Rather Love You,” No. 1 (one week), 1971 31. “Kaw-Liga,” No. 3, 1969 32. “The Happiness of Having You,” No. 3, 1976 33. “You’re My Jamaica,” No. 1 (one week), 1979
34. “When I Stop Leaving (I’ll Be Gone),” No. 3, 1978 DERENZIO BEN 35. “We Could,” No. 3, 1974 36. “I’ll Be Leavin’ Alone,” No. 1 (one week), 1979 Pride’s Biggest Billboard Hits recap is based on actual performance on the 37. “Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger” (billed as Country Charley Pride), No. 4, 1967 weekly Hot Country Songs chart. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point sys- 38. “The Day the World Stood Still,” No. 4, 1968 tem, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value. Due to changes in chart meth- 39. “Shouldn’t It Be Easier Than This,” No. 5, 1988 odology over the years, eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover 40. “The Easy Part’s Over,” No. 2, 1968 rates during various periods.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 13 OF 23
NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND
Music Group Nashville is offering two holiday specials for December: A Country Christmas, a 24-hour yuletide program available Dec. 18-25; and Little Big Town’s Wine, Beer, Whiskey and More New Year’s Special, a two-hour package for broadcast Dec. 31-Jan. 3. Interested stations can reach UMGN director of radio marketing Donna Hughes here … WSM-AM Nashville will begin airing Bob Kingsley’s Countdown Classics on Jan. 2, 2021, in a deal with Nan Kingsley’s KCCS Productions … CIMX Windsor, Ontario, installed Premiere Networks’ The Bobby Bones Show in its morning daypart beginning Dec. 14 … Beasley Media/Boston promoted Brian Schneekloth to director of sales for the cluster from general sales manager for sports WBZ and rock WBOS. Among the stations added to his portfolio is country WKLB … WQHK Fort Wayne, Ind., morning host Josh Michaels has parted ways with the station, RadioInsight.com reported … Thomas Rhett will headline the Blake Shelton (right) discussed The Voice and his fiancée/duet partner songwriter showcase “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley” on Feb. 17 during Gwen Stefani during a Dec. 10 appearance on NBC’s Late Night With the virtual Country Radio Seminar … Tenille Arts, Travis Denning, HARDY, Seth Meyers. Ashley McBryde and Matt Stell will perform Feb. 17 during Country Radio Seminar’s New Faces Show, as determined by a vote of broadcasters. ‘TALKING’ WITH AIMEE MAYO A Christmas Eve tragedy when she was 8 years old had a profound impact on ’ROUND THE ROW the life of songwriter Aimee Mayo (“Amazed,” “This One’s for the Girls”). BMI Nashville hired Shannon Sanders as the creative team’s executive Her father, songwriter Danny Mayo (“The Keeper of the Stars,” “Feed Jake”) director. Sanders has been musical director for India.Arie for 20 years and is shot himself. He survived that moment, though the incident has made her feel founder of classic soul WPRT-HD2 Nashville … Mary Megan Peer is the new a wave of sadness every year when the season rolls around. She also started CEO for peermusic, rising from deputy CEO to succeed Ralph Peer II, who keeping a diary that very night, and that habit is part of what led her to write will operate as executive chair of the board … International Bluegrass Music Talking to the Sky: A Memoir of Living My Best Life in a Shit Show. Association executive director Paul Schiminger announced plans to retire The just-released book is, at times, a difficult read with frank stories when his contract expires on May 31, 2021 … New York-based Donovan PR about her dad’s suicide attempt, a rape, an 11th-grade incident when she retooled as the Oriel Company as Donovan founder Carleen Donovan partners accidentally burned down the house and her own drunken suicide attempt. with former Grandstand Media senior publicist Jen Appel and Grandstand Her writing is vivid with plenty of adjectives and metaphors that provide publicist Chloe Walsh. The restructuring adds over 20 new pop and rock just enough description that the reader can feel the setting and sense her artists to the existing Donovan roster that already includes country acts emotional state. Old Dominion and Kelsea Ballerini … BMG Music extended its publishing It’s an outgrowth of all that diary-writing. She approaches her journal contract with songwriter James Slater (“God Whispered Your Name,” “In My without restriction, gets the info out fast without punctuation, and it seems Daughter’s Eyes”) … Singer-songwriter Josh Kiser signed a publishing deal with to endure no matter what happens to her. When she burned down the house, Liz Rose Music and Warner/Chappell Nashville … Gary Morris pacted with the diaries were in a metal trunk and escaped the flames. When she moved Fusion Touring for concert representation … The Academy of Country Music to Nashville and her car went up in a blaze, the diaries survived because she announced winners of its industry and studio awards, including: Jimmie Lee had decided not to pack them. Sloas, bass player of the year; Miles McPherson, drummer; Rob McNelley, “I feel like I always planned my life on paper,” she says. “When it would get guitar player; Gordon Mote, piano/keyboards player; Jenee Fleenor, specialty off-track, I knew it was off of that track, and I would be trying to get it back instrument(s) player; Paul Franklin, down on the right track.” steel guitar player; Justin Niebank, Mayo’s book lays out both tracks in sometimes funny, sometimes painful audio engineer; and the late busbee, detail. For every time she faints at the feet of her schoolgirl crush, Rick Spring- producer. Go here for the full winners field, there’s another story about how her father let her down. list … The Nashville board of the But that relationship with her dad is central to Talking to the Sky. Her first Association of Independent Music co-writing appointment was actually an impromptu father/daughter moment Publishers added new treasurer that inspired her to pursue her vocation. And his eventual death — from a heart Emily Boardman, Hipgnosis; and attack in a hotel room in 1999 — provided the impetus for the book. administrative assistant Kendall “When he died,” she says, “I wanted to write down everything I could re- Lettow, peermusic. Go here for member about him.” the full details … The Women’s After she met fellow songwriter Chris Lindsey (“Every Time I Hear That Music Business Association named Song,” “Backseat of a Greyhound Bus”), she made notes about him in her Nashville Symphony corporate diary, too. They co-wrote “Amazed,” and they were a couple at the time her partnerships manager Kortney father died, due to marry shortly after. Toney as its new president. Go here “I look back and I know now that he probably saved my life,” she says. “I for more info … The Country Music don’t even know what would have happened to me when my dad died. I would Association’s CMA Foundation have been so alone, and I think he got me through that.” tabbed Jimmie Allen as music True to her songwriting vocation, she got it all down on paper in Talking education artist ambassador to the Sky. for December … The CMA has expanded its COVID-19 support RADIO & RECORDS® Capitol Nashville/Buena Vista resources, including help with Sony Music Nashville promoted three marketing executives. Jennifer artist Adam Hambrick made health, finance and food issues. Go Way was boosted to senior vp marketing from senior director. VPs Paige his national TV debut on Dec. 8 here for details … Former Capitol Altone and Liz Cost were also upped from senior director. Reach Way when he performed “Between president Don Zimmerman died here, Altone here and Cost here … Warner Music Nashville signed Buena Me and the End of the World” on Dec. 11. He oversaw the label’s work Vista trio Temecula Road to a recording deal, with new music due in the ABC’s The Bachelorette, featuring across multiple formats, including spring … Country-rap-rock artist Austin Tolliver joined the roster at Average this year’s central contestant, associations with Anne Murray, Juice Joes and released his debut single, “Tip My Hat,” on Dec. 11 … Universal Tayshia Adams. Newton and Linda Ronstadt. BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 14 OF 23
NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND
MUSIC NOTES ON THIS DATE IN COUNTRY MUSIC
Mule Kick Productions is deep into work Dec. 15 on Palomania, a documentary about the • 1995 — Naomi and Wynonna Judd Palomino, a Los Angeles club that was sing “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” on an important venue in the exposure and the two-hour NBC special Bob Hope’s Bag growth of country music on the West Full of Christmas Memories. It marks The Coast from 1949 until its closing in 1995. Judds’ first public performance since It was a key vehicle for Emmylou Harris, their farewell tour concluded in Decem- Dwight Yoakam, The Desert Rose Band ber 1991. and several Clint Eastwood movies, and • 1990 — Kenny Chesney graduates from regularly featured such acts as George East Tennessee State. THE JUDDS Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie Rabbitt JONES
COURTESY TEAM PALOMANIA TEAM COURTESY and Linda Ronstadt. Mule Kick, includ- Dec. 16 ing director Adrienne Isom, is working • 2017 — Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line take over the No. 1 with the International Documentary Association to complete a film for 2022 position on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with “Meant To Be,” release, and has developed several prize packages to generate funding. remaining at the top for a record 50 weeks. • 2000 — Little Jimmy Dickens and Jeannie Seely — dressed as Santa Darius Rucker was announced Dec. 8 as a member of the advisory board Claus and the Mrs. — and Bill Anderson ask Brad Paisley to join the for Music City Baseball, an ownership group hoping to land a Major League Grand Ole Opry. Paisley cries in response to the invitation. He also Baseball team in Tennessee. Currently billed as the Nashville Stars — the performs “We Danced” and “He Didn’t Have To Be.” name of the city’s former Negro Leagues franchise — the group has enlisted over a dozen music community members as industry advisors, including Luke Dec. 17 Bryan, Maren Morris, Kane Brown, Eric Church and Justin Timberlake. • 2005 — Willie Nelson and Arlo Guthrie team up in a benefit concert Go here for the full list. at Tipitina’s in New Orleans for musicians harmed by Hurricane Ka- trina. Both artists had hits with versions of “City of New Orleans,” Willie Nelson once again leans on the classics with his next album, That’s Life, which they perform as a duet. featuring covers of traditional pop songs that Frank Sinatra tackled from 1955-1966. The basic tracks were recorded at the historic Capitol Studios in Dec. 18 Los Angeles, a venue that hosted numerous Sinatra sessions, under the direc- • 2015 — Rascal Flatts performs “My Wish” and “I Like the Sound tion of producers Buddy Cannon (Kenny Chesney, Joe Nichols) and Matt of That” during CBS-TV’s A Home for the Holidays. Rollings (Edwin McCain, Keith Urban). Nelson has reimagined the Great American Songbook previously with the albums Stardust, Somewhere Over Dec. 19 the Rainbow and My Way, which also nodded to Sinatra. Among the tracks on • 2010 — Chase Rice finishes second as the CBS series Survivor: Ni- That’s Life are “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Luck Be a Lady” and “I Won’t caragua concludes. Dance,” featuring Diana Krall. • 1980 — Dolly Parton’s first movie, 9 To 5, debuts. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin co-star in the picture that’s buoyed by a title song writ- In the aftermath of Charley Pride’s Dec. 12 death, his family is holding a ten and performed by Parton. private wake and memorial in Dallas the week of Dec. 14 and is planning a public event at a later date. Meanwhile, he’ll be saluted in a Dec. 16 special, Dec. 20 CMT Remembers Charley Pride, which will be rebroadcast several times. The • 2019 — The RIAA rewards Jon Pardi with a double-platinum single package includes appearances by Tim McGraw, Loretta Lynn, Darius Rucker for “Heartache on the Dance Floor.” and Shania Twain, among others. Dec. 21 • 1970 — Elvis Presley receives a narcotics agent badge from President Top Headlines from .com Richard Nixon while giving the commander in chief a World War II Click on headlines below for more details Colt .45 during a meeting in the Oval Office.
Source: RolandNote.com, the Ultimate Country Music Database Garth Brooks Remembers Charley Pride At One Of The Late Artist’s Last Recording Sessions
New York Just Made It Easier For Artists To Protect Their Image After They Die
Will Offsite Performances Change The Future Of Award Shows?
Holiday Songs Already Make Up Half Of The Streaming Songs Chart
12 Can’t-Miss Moments From 2020 Billboard Women In Music Event Jameson Rodgers (left) and Luke Combs (right) performed their current single, “Cold Beer Calling Your Name,” during a Dec. 4 appearance on iHeartMedia’s The Bobby Bones Show. BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 15 OF 23
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 1 1 85 I HOPE No. 1 (20 weeks) Gabby Barrett RC 1 R.COPPERMAN,Z.KALE (Z.KALE,J.M.NITE,G.BARRETT) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR 2 2 2 34 MORE THAN MY HOMETOWN Morgan Wallen RC 2 J.MOI (M.W.HARDY,E.K.SMITH,CHARLIE HANDSOME,M.WALLEN) REPUBL IC/BIG LOUD BIG, BIG PLANS 3 6 11 41 Chris Lane 1 3 l J.MOI (J.DURRETT,C.LANE,E.K.SMITH) BIG LOUD 4 4 6 32 PRETTY HEART Parker McCollum 5 4 JON RANDALL (P.MCCOLLUM,R.MONTANA) MCA NASHVILLE BETTER TOGETHER 5 5 9 27 Luke Combs 8 5 l S.MOFFATT (L.COMBS,D.ISBELL,R.MONTANA) RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE HH HH 6 11 16 33 AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY Airplay Gainer Jon Pardi 3 6 l B.BUTLER,R.GORE,J.PARDI (B.KINNEY,J.THOMPSON) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 7 3 7 20 HAPPY ANYWHERE Blake Shelton Featuring Gwen Stefani 2 3 S.HENDRICKS (R.COPPERMAN,J.OSBORNE,M.JENKINS) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WMN 8 7 5 35 ONE OF THEM GIRLS Lee Brice 6 2 B.GLOVER,K.JACOBS,L.BRICE (A.GORLEY,B.JOHNSON,D.DAVIDSON,L.BRICE) CURB 9 10 12 16 STARTING OVER Chris Stapleton 14 7 D.COBB,C.STAPLETON (C.STAPLETON,M.HENDERSON) MERCURY NASHVILLE UNDER THE MISTLETOE 10 15 29 4 Kelly Clarkson & Brett Eldredge - 10 l J.SHATKIN,A.EUBANKS (K.CLARKSON,A.EUBANKS) ATLANTIC/WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WMN I SHOULD PROBABLY GO TO BED 11 13 14 20 Dan + Shay 7 7 l D.SMYERS (D.SMYERS,S.MOONEY,S.M.DOUGLAS,J.G.EVIGAN) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR 12 14 13 7 FOREVER AFTER ALL Luke Combs - 1 CHIP MATTHEWS,J.D.SINGLETON,L.COMBS (L.COMBS,D.PARKER,R.WILLIFORD) RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE HH HH 13 16 15 17 7 SUMMERS Digital Gainer Morgan Wallen 23 1 l J.MOI (M.WALLEN,S.MCANALLY,J.OSBORNE) REPUBLI C/BIG LOUD 14 12 — 2 DICKED DOWN IN DALLAS Trey Lewis - 12 A.MAXWELL,G.SAXMAN (B.M.GAFFORD,M.C.MCKINNEY,A.J.TROSCLAIR) TREY LEWIS CHAMPAGNE NIGHT 15 17 17 35 Lady A 9 15 l S.MCANALLY,A.DEROBERTS (D.HAYWOOD,C.KELLEY,H.SCOTT,P.CONROY,E.R.DEAN,A.DEROBERTS,T.A.GEMZA,S.MCANALLY,M.R.MERLO,R.B.TEDDER,D.THOMSON) BMLG GOOD TIME 16 20 18 28 Niko Moon 13 15 l N.MOON,J.MURTY (N.MOON,J.MINTON,A.MOON,J.MURTY,M.TRUSSELL) RCA NASHVILLE FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR 17 21 32 3 Carrie Underwood - 17 l G.WELLS (C.UNDERWOOD,H.LINDSEY,C. DESTEFANO) CAPITOL NASHVILLE HOLE IN THE BOTTLE 18 22 20 26 Kelsea Ballerini 12 16 l J.FRASURE,K.BALLERINI (K.BALLERINI,S.JONES,H.LINDSEY,J.FRASURE,A.GORLEY) BLACK RIVER HH HH 19 34 — 2 TAKE ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Streaming Gainer Dan + Shay - 19 l D.SMYERS (D.SMYERS,A.ALBERT,J.REYNOLDS,J.M.SCHMIDT,M.TENPENNY,S.MOONEY) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR 20 18 3 3 SOMEBODY’S PROBLEM Morgan Wallen - 3 J.MOI (M.WALLEN,R.CLAWSON,J.DURRETT,E.K.SMITH) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD HALLELUJAH 21 30 33 3 Carrie Underwood & John Legend - 21 l G.WELLS (JOHN LEGEND,T.GAD) CAPITOL NASHVILLE SILENT NIGHT 22 26 39 3 Carrie Underwood - 22 l G.WELLS (PUBLIC DOMAIN) CAPITOL NASHVILLE BEERS AND SUNSHINE 23 25 24 18 Darius Rucker 11 20 l R.COPPERMAN (D.RUCKER,R.COPPERMAN,J.T.HARDING,J.OSBORNE) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 24 23 21 21 HAPPY DOES Kenny Chesney 10 18 B.CANNON,K.CHESNEY (B.CLAWSON,J.PAULIN,B.BERRYHILL,G.JAMES) BLU E CHAIR/WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WEA WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG 25 24 23 5 Thomas Rhett 16 18 l D.HUFF,J.FRASURE (THOMAS RHETT,R.AKINS,J.FRASURE,A.GORLEY,P.WELLING) VALORY
COUNTRY SONGWRITERSTM COUNTRY PRODUCERSTM
#1 #1 1 4 WKS JOSH OSBORNE Tie TW1 32W WKS ARTISTJOEY MOI 2 MORGAN WALLEN 2 DAN SMYERS 3 RANDY MONTANA 3 GREG WELLS 4 ERNEST KEITH SMITH 4 ROSS COPPERMAN TIE 5 GABBY BARRETT 5 ZACH KALE TIE 5 ZACH KALE 6 DANN HUFF 7 JON NITE 7 JON RANDALL 8 LUKE COMBS 8 SCOTT MOFFATT 9 ROSS COPPERMAN 9 SCOTT HENDRICKS 10 JACOB DURRETT 10 JAY JOYCE WALLEN WILL HEATH / NBC / HEATH WILL
The weekly Country Songwriters 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 DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 16 OF 23
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 19 8 3 STILL GOIN DOWN Morgan Wallen - 8 J.MOI (M.WALLEN,M.W.HARDY,CHARLIE HANDSOME) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD DOWN TO ONE 27 29 28 8 Luke Bryan 15 27 l J.STEVENS,J.STEVENS (K.FISHMAN,D.DAVIDSON,J.EBACH) CAPI TOL NASHVILLE THE GOOD ONES 28 28 26 25 Gabby Barrett 26 21 l R.COPPERMAN,Z.KALE (G.BARRETT,E.LANDIS,J.MCCORMICK,Z.KALE) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR LONG LIVE 29 27 25 14 Florida Georgia Line 17 22 l C.CROWDER,T.HUBBARD,B.KELLEY (T.HUBBARD,B.KELLEY,C.CROWDER,D.A.GARCIA,J.MILLER) BMLG JUST THE WAY 30 35 34 43 Parmalee x Blanco Brown 20 28 l D.FANNING (M.THOMAS,K.BARD,N.W.SIPE) STONEY CREEK 31 31 27 13 ONE TOO MANY Keith Urban Duet With P!nk 29 13 K.URBAN,PHD,CUTFATHER (D.H.DAVIDSEN,P.WALLEVIK,M.H.HANSEN,J.NORTON,C.TIGHE) HIT RED/CAPITOL NASHVILLE 32 32 30 29 MOMMA’S HOUSE Dustin Lynch 19 25 Z.CROWELL (D.SCHNEIDER,M.LOTTEN,R.CLAWSON,J.T.WILSON) BROKEN BOW 33 33 31 30 ALMOST MAYBES Jordan Davis 24 25 P.DIGIOVANNI (J.DAVIS,J.FRASURE,H.LINDSEY) MCA NASHVILLE HH HH 34 NEW 1 CHRISTMAS ISN’T CHRISTMAS Hot Shot Debut Dan + Shay - 34 l D.SMYERS (D.SMYERS,A.ALBERT,J.REYNOLDS,S.MOONEY) WAR NER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR LADY 35 39 37 32 Brett Young 25 22 l D.HUFF (B.YOUNG,R.COPPERMAN,J.M.NITE) BMLG HELL OF A VIEW 36 38 36 7 Eric Church 30 29 l J.JOYCE (E.CHURCH,C.BEATHARD,M.CRISWELL) EMI NASHVILLE 37 37 38 14 HOW THEY REMEMBER YOU Rascal Flatts 18 31 D.HUFF (M.BEESON,J.OSBORNE,A.SHAMBLIN) BIG MACHINE WINE, BEER, WHISKEY 38 42 35 19 Little Big Town 40 23 l LITTLE BIG TOWN (T.BROWN,K.FAIRCHILD,S.MCCONNELL,K.SCHLAPMAN,P.SWEET,J.WESTBROOK) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 39 41 41 8 GONE Dierks Bentley 31 37 D.GARCIA (N.GALYON,B.JOHNSON,N.MOON) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 40 40 40 8 BREAKING UP WAS EASY IN THE 90’S Sam Hunt 28 34 Z.CROWELL (S.L.HUNT,C.LA CORTE,Z.CROWELL,E.K.SMITH,J.OSBORNE) MCA NASHVILLE THE FIRST NOEL 41 NEW 1 Gabby Barrett - 41 l NOT LISTED (PUBLIC DOMAIN) WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE/WAR 42 43 42 10 SETTLING DOWN Miranda Lambert 32 32 J.JOYCE (M.LAMBERT,L.DICK,N. HEMBY) VAN NER/RCA NASHVILLE SOMEBODY LIKE THAT 43 44 46 11 Tenille Arts 21 36 l A.KLINE (T.ARTS,A.KLINE,A.M.CRUZ) 19TH & GRAND 44 36 19 3 LIVIN’ THE DREAM Morgan Wallen - 19 J.MOI (M.WALLEN,B.BURGESS,J.DURRETT,M.W.HARDY) REPUBLIC/BIG LOUD 45 45 45 17 ALL NIGHT Brothers Osborne 27 25 J.JOYCE (J. OSBORNE,T.J. OSBORNE,A.DEROBERTS) EMI NASHVILLE 46 46 43 7 SHALLOW Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood 58 39 G.BROOKS (S.G.GERMANOTTA,M.D.RONSON,A.ROSSOMANDO,ANDREW WYATT) PEARL 47 48 — 19 BETTY Taylor Swift 37 6 A.DESSNER,J.M.ANTONOFF,T.SWIFT (T.SWIFT,WILLIAM BOWERY) REPUBL IC/MCA NASHVILLE NOBODY 48 50 — 5 Dylan Scott 22 47 l M.ALDERMAN,C.GIBBS,J.E.NORMAN (D.SCOTT,M.ALDERMAN,D.WILSON) CURB WORSHIP YOU Kane Brown 49 RE-ENTRY 6 42 24 l D.HUFF (K.BROWN,A.IZQUIERDO,M.J.MCGINN,CHARLIE HANDSOME) RCA NASHVILLE NEXT GIRL Carly Pearce 50 RE-ENTRY 5 39 41 l S.MCANALLY,J.OSBORNE (C.PEARCE,S.MCANALLY,J.OSBORNE) BIG MACHINE
The week’s most popular country songs, ranked by radio airplay audience impressions as measured by Nielsen Music, sales data as compiled by Nielsen Music and streaming activity data from online music sources tracked by Nielsen Music. Descending titles below No. 25 are moved to recurrent after 20 weeks.
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 2019 2020 CHANGE ALBUM CONSUMPTION This Week 1,168,000 1,171,349,000 125,965,000 Album ’19 51.95 million Consumption 51,951,000 57,996,000 11.6% ’20 57.99 million Last Week 1,143,000 1,140,960,000 120,979,000 Album Sales 9,924,000 8,221,000 -17.2% Change 2.2% 2.7% 4.1% TOTAL ON-DEMAND STREAMS Audio On-Demand 51,557,970,000 62,608,012,000 21.4% ’19 64.82 billion This Week Last Year 1,027,000 963,795,000 267,084,000 ’20 69.21 billion Change 13.7% 21.5% -52.8% Video On-Demand 6,610,002,000 13,271,817,000 100.8%
All data measures U.S. activity as of the week ending December 10, 2020. 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. Nielsen Music/MRC Data has reprocessed year-to-date figures to account for a change in methodology, resulting in a restatement in streaming data from a provider, which has resulted in a shift in some previously reported data, most notably for video streams. For inquiries about any Nielsen Music data, please contact Josh Bennett at 615-807-1338 or [email protected] CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 55TH ACM INDUSTRY AWARD AND STUDIO RECORDING AWARD WINNERS
INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS STUDIO RECORDING CASINO OF THE YEAR - THEATER AWARD WINNERS THE JOINT: TULSA BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR TULSA, OK JIMMIE LEE SLOAS CASINO OF THE YEAR - ARENA DRUMMER OF THE YEAR MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA LAS VEGAS, NV MILES McPHERSON
FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW & RODEO ROB McNELLEY HOUSTON, TX PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR GORDON MOTE TORTUGA MUSIC FESTIVA L FT. LAUDERDALE, FL SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR CLUB OF THE YEAR JENEE FLEENOR JOE’S LIVE ROSEMONT, IL STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR PAUL FRANKLIN THEATER OF THE YEAR THE BEACON THEATRE AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR NEW YORK, NY JUSTIN NIEBANK OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR PRODUCER OF THE YEAR RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE MORRISON, CO busbee
ARENA OF THE YEAR MADISON SQUARE GARDEN NEW YORK, NY
DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR COUNTRY MUSIC CAN GIL CUNNINGHAM NESTE LIVE! CONTINUE WITH YOUR HELP. Learn about the ACM Lifting Lives PROMOTER OF THE YEAR COVID-19 Response Fund at BRIAN O’CONNELL LIVE NATION ACMLiftingLives.org/covid-19-relief BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 18 OF 23
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 ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE CARRIE UNDERWOOD MY GIFT 1 1 50 1 2 47 1 1 3 11 1 l BRENDA LEE l BRENDA LEE l CAPITOL NASHVILLE 032601*/UMGN JINGLE BELL ROCK DICKED DOWN IN DALLAS LUKE COMBS WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET l2 2 44 2 1 2 2 2 1 57 RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 595687*/SMN 1 1 BOBBY HELMS TREY LEWIS A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS JINGLE BELL ROCK DOLLY PARTON A HOLLY DOLLY CHRISTMAS 3 3 40 3 3 41 3 3 4 10 BUTTERFLY RECORDS 23435/12TONE 1 l BURL IVES l BOBBY HELMS RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER TAKE ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS CHRIS STAPLETON STARTING OVER 4 5 44 4 7 4 4 4 2 4 MERCURY NASHVILLE 032689*/UMGN 1 l GENE AUTRY l DAN + SHAY HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS (RIGHT DOWN SANTA CLAUS LANE) 7 SUMMERS 5 11 24 GENE AUTRY RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER AND OTHER CHRISTMAS CLASSICS 1 5 4 20 l5 21 17 l5 COLUMBIA 63598/LEGACY (6.98) GENE AUTRY MORGAN WALLEN BLUE CHRISTMAS STARTING OVER 6 12 42 ELVIS PRESLEY THE CLASSIC CHRISTMAS ALBUM 6 l6 6 33 6 4 15 l6 RCA 45538*/LEGACY (9.98) ELVIS PRESLEY CHRIS STAPLETON UNDER THE MISTLETOE A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS 8 13 13 BRENDA LEE ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE: THE DECCA CHRISTMAS RECORDINGS 2 l7 9 2 l7 8 26 l7 DECCA/MCA NASHVILLE 70090/UME KELLY CLARKSON & BRETT ELDREDGE BURL IVES LUKE COMBS THIS ONE’S FOR YOU 8 7 7 FOREVER AFTER ALL 8 6 67 I HOPE 8 7 6 184 RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 538883*/SMN 3 1 LUKE COMBS GABBY BARRETT FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR HALLELUJAH 12 — 6 BURL IVES THE BEST OF BURL IVES: 20TH CENTURY MASTERS THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION 9 9 13 2 9 9 3 l9 MCA/CHRONICLES/GEFFEN 000519/UME (11.98) l CARRIE UNDERWOOD l CARRIE UNDERWOOD & JOHN LEGEND MORGAN WALLEN IF I KNOW ME 10 10 59 I HOPE 10 5 7 FOREVER AFTER ALL 10 9 5 132 BIG LOUD 783* 1 1 GABBY BARRETT LUKE COMBS MORE THAN MY HOMETOWN MORE THAN MY HOMETOWN 10 18 9 BOBBY HELMS THE BEST OF BOBBY HELMS 7 11 8 31 11 10 25 l11 GEFFEN /UME MORGAN WALLEN MORGAN WALLEN CHRIS STAPLETON TRAVELLER 12 14 11 BETTER TOGETHER 12 11 24 BETTER TOGETHER 12 11 9 293 MERCURY NASHVILLE 019405*/UMGN 4 1 LUKE COMBS LUKE COMBS 7 SUMMERS UNDER THE MISTLETOE LEE BRICE HEY WORLD 13 15 17 13 NEW 13 15 8 3 CURB 79537* 8 MORGAN WALLEN l KELLY CLARKSON & BRETT ELDREDGE SOMEBODY’S PROBLEM CHRISTMAS ISN’T CHRISTMAS NEW 1 RUSSELL DICKERSON SOUTHERN SYMPHONY 14 14 11 3 14 13 2 l14 TRIPLE TIGERS 981560* MORGAN WALLEN DAN + SHAY DICKED DOWN IN DALLAS STILL GOIN DOWN GABBY BARRETT GOLDMINE 15 NEW 15 12 3 15 16 17 25 WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE 629930/WMN 4 l TREY LEWIS MORGAN WALLEN TENNESSEE WHISKEY WHERE ARE YOU CHRISTMAS? GARTH BROOKS FUN 16 16 192 16 20 42 16 14 7 3 PEARL 60018 7 CHRIS STAPLETON l FAITH HILL SILENT NIGHT THE GOOD ONES KANE BROWN MIXTAPE, VOL. 1 (EP) 17 23 2 17 22 7 17 17 14 17 RCA NASHVILLE DIGITAL EX/SMN 2 l CARRIE UNDERWOOD l GABBY BARRETT PRETTY HEART HAPPY ANYWHERE 18 23 74 TYLER CHILDERS PURGATORY 12 18 17 18 18 17 20 l18 HICKMAN HOLLER 001*/THIRTY TIGERS PARKER MCCOLLUM l BLAKE SHELTON FEAT. GWEN STEFANI GEORGE STRAIT 50 NUMBER ONES STARTING OVER WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG 19 18 15 19 18 5 19 19 19 241 MCA NASHVILLE 000459/UMGN (25.98) 7 1 CHRIS STAPLETON l THOMAS RHETT JOHNNY CASH THE ESSENTIAL JOHNNY CASH ONE BEER GOOD TIME 21 28 198 16 20 19 27 20 19 11 l20 COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 86290*/LEGACY (24.98/17.98) 3 HARDY FEAT. LAUREN ALAINA & DEVIN DAWSON l NIKO MOON SAM HUNT SOUTHSIDE TAKE ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS WINE, BEER, WHISKEY 21 NEW 21 16 23 21 20 21 36 MCA NASHVILLE 031776*/UMGN 1 l DAN + SHAY LITTLE BIG TOWN BLAKE SHELTON FULLY LOADED: GOD’S COUNTRY ONE OF THEM GIRLS I STILL BELIEVE 22 22 26 22 NEW 22 22 27 52 WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE 607343*/WMN 0 1 LEE BRICE l DOLLY PARTON HARDY A ROCK 23 23 22 14 4 23 20 28 GOT WHAT I GOT 23 25 248 TENNESSEE WHISKEY BIG LOUD 836* JASON ALDEAN CHRIS STAPLETON KACEY MUSGRAVES GOLDEN HOUR WHISKEY GLASSES PRETTY HEART 24 26 — 135 1 24 21 95 24 RE-ENTRY MCA NASHVILLE 027921*/UMGN 0 MORGAN WALLEN l PARKER MCCOLLUM LUKE BRYAN BORN HERE LIVE HERE DIE HERE 25 28 31 18 1 25 12 3 STILL GOIN DOWN 25 15 3 SOMEBODY’S PROBLEM CAPITOL NASHVILLE 031777/UMGN MORGAN WALLEN MORGAN WALLEN Top Country Albums ranks the most popular country albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music, The week’s top-streamed and top-selling paid download country songs, respectively, from sales reports based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming collected and provided by Nielsen Music. Charts update weekly on Tuesdays at www.Billboard.Biz/ equivalent albums). Copyright 2020, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights charts. Copyright 2020, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved. 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 1 1 1 4 CHRIS STAPLETON STARTING OVER 1 1 NEW 1 THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS DUST THE HALLS: AN ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY! 1 MERCURY NASHVILLE 032689*/UMGN l AMERICANA VIBES 2 2 2 239 CHRIS STAPLETON TRAVELLER 1 3 1 8 STURGILL SIMPSON CUTTIN’ GRASS, VOL. 1: THE BUTCHER SHOPPE SESSIONS 1 MERCURY NASHVILLE 019405*/UMGN 4 l2 HIGH TOP MOUNTAIN DIGITAL EX/THIRTY TIGERS (58784* 56285) 3 3 3 7 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN LETTER TO YOU 1 2 2 63 BILLY STRINGS HOME 1 COLUMBIA 981158* l3 ROUNDER 610063*/CONCORD 4 4 91 TYLER CHILDERS PURGATORY 2 5 7 25 YO-YO MA/STUART DUNCAN/EDGAR MEYER/CHRIS THILE NOT OUR FIRST GOAT RODEO 1 l4 HICKMAN HOLLER 001*/THIRTY TIGERS l4 SOUND POSTINGS/SONY CLASSICAL 973855*/SONY MASTERWORKS KACEY MUSGRAVES GOLDEN HOUR GARY BREWER & THE KENTUCKY RAMBLERS 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 5 5 10 141 MCA NASHVILLE 027921*/UMGN 0 1 5 4 4 23 STRETCH GRASS 4050 1 HOZIER HOZIER BERENS & GREUEL UNTHAWED 6 6 6 285 RUBYWORKS 309996*/COLUMBIA 2 1 6 1 5 3 UFDA 453* 1
7 7 — 2 JIMMY BUFFETT SONGS YOU DON’T KNOW BY HEART 7 NEW 1 WES CORBETT CASCADE 7 MAILBOAT 2507 l7 PADIDDLE 003 8 8 8 244 THE LUMINEERS CLEOPATRA 1 9 3 3 HORSESHOES & HAND GRENADES MILES IN BLUE 3 DUALTONE 1738* 1 l8 HORSESHOES & HAND GRENADES 420* NEW 1 THE MOUNTAIN GOATS THE JORDAN LAKE SESSIONS 9 8 9 8 STEEP CANYON RANGERS ARM IN ARM 2 l9 MERGE DIGITAL EX l9 YEP ROC 2698* 10 10 9 202 SIMON & GARFUNKEL SIMON AND GARFUNKEL’S GREATEST HITS 3 7 8 5 THE PETERSENS CHRISTMAS WITH THE PETERSENS 3 COLUMBIA 31350/LEGACY l10 THE PETERSENS 7384 WS EX Americana/Folk Albums ranks the most popular Americana/folk albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music, Bluegrass Albums ranks the most popular bluegrass albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music, based on based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming album sales. Copyright 2020, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved. equivalent albums). Copyright 2020, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 20 OF 23
MAKIN’ TRACKS TOM ROLAND [email protected]
‘Famous Friends’ Chris Young And Kane Brown Unite
How important are fame and fortune in defining a successful life? mous friends you’ve probably never heard of.” It depends on whom you’re talking about. Not that there aren’t some quirks in it. The first character — Brandon, a A Gallup poll conducted in July 2019 indicated that Americans value char- record-setting high-school quarterback — was a bit frustrated that his role in acter, relationships and quality of life as the most significant indicators of their the song is unrecognized even by some of the Murfreesboro locals. personal success. But those same people believe that the culture values status “He was like, ‘Why are you going to put my real name in there?’ ” says Young. — i.e., fame, power and money — as the most important driver. “He just goes by Bubba.” Chris Young and two co-writers, Cary Barlowe (“American Honey,” “It Additionally, the reference to Randy, a preacher, assigns a real person the Don’t Hurt Like It Used To”) and Corey Crowder (“I Love My Country,” “I’m wrong occupation. In truth, it’s a nod to Sony Music Nashville chairman/ Comin’ Over”), must have been in sync with those ideas during a weekend CEO Randy Goodman. songwriting run. On Feb. 16, 2018, they authored “Raised On Country,” list- “I didn’t even know that,” says Barlowe. ing a bunch of famous musicians who inspired Young, prior to a concert in “That’s hilarious,” adds Crowder. St. Augustine, Fla. The next day, they created “Famous Friends,” a song that Once the song was written, they pulled together a demo with Young sing- celebrates the character and important work of not-so-famous folks, prior to ing the lead, while Barlowe and Crowder worked out supporting gang vocals. a show near Fort Myers, Fla. Barlowe played a battery of guitars. He spruced up the signature riff, crafting “Raised On Country” and “Famous Friends” were not intended as compan- a second unison part one octave lower to give it more heft. And he threw in ion pieces, but they kind of operate that way, making subtle statements about a solo, balancing the forceful words in the “Famous Friends” chorus with a influence and notoriety in the context more fuzzy tone. of brisk tempos and driving beats. “I think we captured some magic “With ‘Raised On Country,’ what on this song,” says Barlowe. “I luck- we were trying to write was an an- ily had a slide with me that weekend them about the music I grew up on,” [for] my Gibson.” says Young. “And obviously, when That demo became the founda- you start talking about how you grow tion for the eventual master record- up and what shapes you outside of ing, though not everything survived your town and the music you listened the process. In May, Crowder hired to, it’s definitely your friends. And drummer Miles McPherson to in- I think that was kind of the seed in ject a more powerful, and more au- ‘Famous Friends.’ ” thentic, percussion track, replacing His songwriter friends — Barlowe the demo’s original programming. and Crowder, Young’s co-producer Young also redid his lead vocal YOUNG BROWN — had to start without him as Young and added another voice into the handled concert-day artist chores at mix. Kane Brown was the open- the Germain Arena in Estero, Fla. They were hoping to write something upt- ing act the weekend they wrote the song, and it didn’t take long for Young empo that day, and Crowder fired up a backbeat on his laptop. Barlowe started to target him, an actual famous friend, as an ideal collaborator. Brown did noodling on guitar and popped out a cascading flurry of notes that formed an his part remotely, voicing it so that the duet sounds like buddies. Instead of energetic instrumental riff. He had that “Famous Friends” title, too, though a creating a tight effect — where such bands as Queen or The Beach Boys he wasn’t sure what to do with it. might try to make the harmonies come across as one massive voice — Brown “For whatever reason,” says Crowder, “I just heard the flip, you know; ‘I loosely shades Young, making it sound like two guys singing along with the got some famous friends/You’ve probably never heard of.’ Like, they’re fa- car radio or at a bar. mous in my hometown.” “I was hoping we would blend as well as we do,” says Young. When Young was ready to write, he heard the riff, the title and the flip, and “It was perfect.” he took it one step further, suggesting they populate the lyrics with real people Brown declined the opportunity to name his own not-so-famous friends straight from his own life. in the second verse, but he did tweak a geographical lyric in the chorus. The “It’s true to his story, and that’s what makes it even cooler,” says Barlowe. original version had Young touting Rutherford County in each instance, Young unleashed a litany of folks from Murfreesboro, Tenn., hailing them but Young thought Brown should personalize his chorus. His home county, by their first name and some important trait, including Johnny, the life of the Hamilton, had the same number of syllables as Rutherford County, so it was party; Jason, the local sheriff; and Megan, an award-winning teacher. These an easy adjustment. Then they decided their joint third chorus should salute not-so-famous friends may not have Young’s star power, but their character Davidson County, another three-syllable region that includes Nashville. and quality of life are potentially significant. “That’s our country music community, and Music Row and the literal “This Megan is really making an impact on some kids’ lives,” says Barlowe. famous friends side of it,” says Crowder. “It’s this uptempo, feel-good song, but when you pick it apart and look at the RCA Nashville issued “Famous Friends” to AM/FM country stations via lines, what it’s saying, I think that’s cool, too.” PlayMPE on Dec. 7, a time that suited the release schedules for both duet And even though they’re Young’s friends, Barlowe and Crowder felt a con- partners. It debuted at No. 45 on the Country Airplay chart dated Dec. 12, nection to them. and rests at No. 53 in its second week on the list. “We all have these people in our life, and they’re all kind of the same char- “When you get two artists involved in something, it’s a little bit differ- acters,” notes Crowder. “That’s what makes the song so relatable. It’s like ent,” says Young. “It’s also something that was a lot of fun, and I think that’s Chris has his real-life people in his brain, but so do I, and probably so do you one of the reasons why people have jumped on it so early. I think people are
when you listen. That’s what’s cool about that idea is we all kind of have fa- happy with the positive message.” JOHNSON. JEFF YOUNG: BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 21 OF 23 Country Airplay Index
TITLE Publishing-Licensing Org. DOWN TO ONE Play It Again Entertainment, BMI/ J P (Songwriter) Chart Position Kyle Fishman Music, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/Natalia’s Music Money, BMI/Memory Days, SESAC/ JUST ABOUT OVER YOU Scilla’s Song Shop PRETTY HEART Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Curb Wordspring Music, SESAC (K.Fishman, D.Davidson, Publising, BMI/91 Dogs Publishing, BMI/Emily Kroll Corp., BMI/Parkermac Publishing, BMI/Sullivan S Guns 7 SUMMERS Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Bo Wallace J.Ebach) 15 Music, ASCAP (P.Block, S.Jones, E.K.Kroll) 43 Music, BMI (P.McCollum, R.Montana) 5 Publishing, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/Tempo Investments-Smack Hits, GMR/Smackstreet Music, DRINKIN’ BEER. TALKIN’ GOD. AMEN. JUST THE WAY Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/JM S GMR/Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/Sony/ATV Accent, Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Georgia Song Vibez, ASCAP/ ASCAP/Smackborne Music, ASCAP (M.Wallen, S.McAnally, Big Crowd Publishing, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Thomas Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, ASCAP/Kevin Bard Music, ASCAP/Margetts Road Music, ASCAP/Nolan SETTLING DOWN Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ J.Osborne) 23 Nontypical Music, ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy My W. Sipe Music, ASACP 20 Publishing, ASCAP/Cale Dodds Publishing, ASCAP (C.Rice, (M.Thomas, K.Bard, N.W.Sipe) Pink Dog Publishing, BMI/Emileon Songs, BMI/Songs C.Crowder, H.Phelps, C.Dodds) 50 Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Songs Of A L Universal, Inc., BMI/Wrucke For You Publishing, BMI (M. Lambert, L.Dick, N. Hemby) 32 F AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY Peermusic LADY Super Big Music, ASCAP/Caliville Publishing, III, Ltd., BMI/Whiskey Tub Music, BMI/Big Music Machine, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/EMI April Music, SHALLOW Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI/Warner-Barham BMI/Two Laine Collections, BMI (B.Kinney, J.Thompson) 3 FAMOUS FRIENDS Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ Inc., ASCAP/Iris In The Sky With Diamonds, BMI/Nite Music LLC, BMI/SG Songs Worldwide, BMI/Warner-Olive They’ve Gone To Plaid Publishing, BMI/W.C.M. Music Writer Music, ASCAP (B.Young, R.Copperman, J.M.Nite) 25 Music LLC, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Concord ALL NIGHT All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Trampy Corp., SESAC/Roc Nation US Music, SESAC/Bennett’s Publishing, BMI/Zelig Publishing, BMI/Stephaniesays McCauley, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Songstein Dad’s Songs, SESAC/Songs Of Rhythm House Black, SESAC/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, LADY LIKE Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/What Is An Music, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/White Publishing, ASCAP/Songs In The Key Of Claire, ASCAP/ Ingrid, BMI/Straight From The Art Music, BMI/Songs For Bull Music Group, BMI/Downtown DMP Songs, BMI Patriot Games Publishing, ASCAP/DTCM Ave, ASCAP (J. ASCAP/Big Crowd Publishing, ASCAP (C.Young, C.R.Barlowe, 58 C.Crowder) 53 A Stone Heart, BMI/Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Happy (S.G.Germanotta, M.D.Ronson, A.Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt) Osborne, T.J. Osborne, A.DeRoberts) 27 Rock Publishing, ASCAP (I.Andress, S.Ellis, D.Southerland) 60 SINGLE SATURDAY NIGHT Round Hill Songs G ALL OF THE BOYS Bare Feet Publishing LLC, LONG LIVE Big Loud Mountain, BMI/T Hubb II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP/Relative Music BMI/Day For The Dead Publishing, SESAC (C.D.Jones, Publishing, BMI/Pranch Ringle Music, BMI/Round Group, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Z.Brown) 55 GONE Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Boy Hill Works, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Big Crowd Inc., BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Art In The Fodder Named Ford, BMI/Ben There Wrote That Publishing, Publishing, ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, ASCAP/Spirit Music, BMI/Hark Molman Songs, BMI/BMG Platinum ALMOST MAYBES Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/ BMI/Artist 101 Publishing Group, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Two Music Inc., ASCAP/4TheKidz Music, ASCAP/Spirit Songs US, BMI/Ju Jettsu Music, BMI/Rednecker Music, Jordan Davis Music, ASCAP/Anthem Entertainment, Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Hits From The Tape Vault Songs, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (A.Gorley, M.W.Hardy, M.L.Holman) 46 ASCAP/Roc Nation WC Publishing Designee, BMI/ Room, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/W.C.M. Music BMI/Jack 10 Publishing, BMI/Songs Of The Corn, BMI (T. Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon Publishing, SESAC (N.Galyon, Hubbard, B.Kelley, C.Crowder, D.A.Garcia, J.Miller) 17 SOMEBODY LIKE THAT Oven Music Inc., Publishing Corp., BMI/BIRB Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold B.Johnson, N.Moon) 31 BMI/Ziggys Z Music, SESAC/Tunes Of Big Deal Music, Songs, ASCAP (J.Davis, J.Frasure, H.Lindsey) 24 LOVE YOU LIKE I USED TO BMG Platinum SESAC/Songs Of Porterfied Music, SESAC (T.Arts, A.Kline, THE GOOD ONES GBF Music Global, BMI/Sony/ Songs US, BMI/Kailey’s Dream, BMI/Blue Corolla A.M.Cruz) 21 B ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs US, BMI/ Oklahoma, SESAC/Feel Your Creative Pulse Music, BMG Blue, BMI/Fox Landis Lyrics, BMI/Songs Of Jim SESAC/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Songs STARTING OVER I Wrote These Songs, ASCAP/WC BEERS AND SUNSHINE Sony/ATV Accent, McCormick, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Revinyl Of Home Team Music, BMI/Tunes Of TrailerParker, BMI (R. Music Corp., ASCAP/Straight Six Music, BMI/Wixen Music ASCAP/GrowingMusic Publishing, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood House, BMI (G.Barrett, E.Landis, J.McCormick, Z.Kale) 26 Dickerson, C.Brown, P.Welling) 4 Publishing, BMI (C.Stapleton, M.Henderson) 14 Music Inc., BMI/Iris In The Sky With Diamonds, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Detroit Records And Tapes, ASCAP/ GOOD TIME W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon M T Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/Smackborne Publishing, SESAC/Here Comes The Boom Music, BMI/ Music, ASCAP (D.Rucker, R.Copperman, J.T.Harding, J.Osborne) Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/ 11 Anna Moon Publishing, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ MADE FOR YOU Plaid Flag Music, BMI/Sony/ATV TO HELL & BACK International Dog Music, BMI/ Joshua Murty Publishing, ASCAP/Mark Trussell Music, Tree Publishing, BMI/Dixie Stars Music, ASCAP/Son Of a Downtown DMP Songs, BMI/Jay Gatsby Music, BMI/ ASCAP/Future Heartbeat Publishing, ASCAP (N.Moon, Carl Music, ASCAP/HoriPro Entertainment Group, Inc., Revelry Music, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing BEERS TO CATCH UP ON Warner-Tamerlane 13 ASCAP (B.Davis, J.Hyde, N.A.Medley) 33 America, Inc., BMI/Oh Denise Publishing, BMI/Warner- Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten By Rhettro, BMI/Ole J.Minton, A.Moon, J.Murty, M.Trussell) Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Big Music Machine, BMI Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Real Big Red Tunes, ASCAP/ MEMORY I DON’T MESS WITH Love (M.Morris, J.J.Dillon, L.J.Veltz) 34 Universal Music Corp., ASCAP (R.Akins, J.S.Stover, H Cannons Publishing, SESAC/W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC/ P.DiGiovanni) 54 Mike Curb Music, BMI/Is That The Train Music, BMI/ W HAPPY ANYWHERE EMI Blackwood Music Inc., Anthem Music Publishing I, BMI/Twangville Music, BMI/ BETTER TOGETHER Big Music Machine, BMI/50 BMI/Endurance Romeo Charlie, BMI/Highly Combustible Music, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy Songs About Jack, BMI/Write Or Die Music, BMI/Warner- WAITIN’ ON 5 ole Red Vinyl Music, BMI/Buckkilla Egg Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/Sony/ Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (L.Brice, B.Montana, Music, BMI/Round Hill Songs BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud ATV Countryside, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing My Publishing, ASCAP/One77 Songs, ASCAP/Combustion B.Davis) 51 Corp., BMI/Sullivan S Guns Music, BMI (L.Combs, D.Isbell, Five, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Big Blue Nation Proud Songs, ASCAP/Red Toe Rocker, ASCAP/Sony/ATV R.Montana) 8 Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP Songs LLC, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs Of (R.Copperman, J.Osborne, M.Jenkins) 2 MOMMA’S HOUSE Sony/ATV Cross Keys XO, BMI/We In Good Company, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs Publishing, ASCAP/Two Black Dogs, ASCAP/ole Music US, BMI (C.Janson, Shy Carter, T.Cecil, C.Wiseman) 52 BETTY TASRM Publishing, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Of Parallel, BMI/Lucky Mic Publishing, BMI/Round Hill Inc., BMI/William Bowery Music Publishing.BMI (T.Swift, HAPPY DOES Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Compositions, BMI/Ford Drives A Chevy, BMI/Shirt At William Bowery) 37 BMI/Murphy The Wolf Music, BMI/Five Miles West Songs, WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH Universal Music Corp., BMI/Mandy’s Favorite Songs, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Work, BMI/Legends Of Magic Mustang Music, SESAC/BMG ASCAP/Paulywood Music, ASCAP/Sullivan S Guns Music, Inc., BMI/Songsfortatum Publishing, BMI/Don’t Be A Cicada, SESAC (D.Schneider, M.Lotten, R.Clawson, J.T.Wilson) 19 BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Tunes BIG, BIG PLANS Magic Mustang Music, BMI/ Gypsy, BMI/Hold On Can I Get A Number 1 Music, BMI (B. From The Red White And Blue School, ASCAP/Anthem Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Big Loud Clawson, J.Paulin, B.Berryhill, G.James) 10 MY BOY Rome Phrey Songs, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing II, ASCAP (P.DiGiovanni, R.Montana, Mountain, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Tree Vibez Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP/Rome Phrey Publishing, J.S.Stover) 41 Music, LLC, BMI/Ern Dog Music, BMI (J.Durrett, C.Lane, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., E.K.Smith) 1 HARD DAYS Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Indiana Angel Music, BMI/Don’t Be A Gypsy, BMI/ BMI/Nick Columbia Publishing, ASCAP/Block Of Marble WE WERE RICH EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/ Music, BMI/Lee Starr Publishing, BMI/SNG Music, LLP, BMI Endurance Romeo Charlie, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Spirit Of Nashville One, BMI (B.Gilbert, J.Bell, B.Berryhill, 48 BLAME IT ON YOU Makena Cove Music, ASCAP/ J.Brunswick, L.Wall) 35 (E.Shane, R.Sutton, N.Columbia, L.Starr) Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Round Hill Songs BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Zona Blue Music, BMI/Lee 45 II, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (R. Music Publishing, BMI/Irishsonmusic, BMI/BMG Platinum N Copperman, A.Gorley, N.Galyon) 44 Songs US, BMI/Peertunes, Ltd., SESAC/MTNoize, SESAC/ HEAVEN ON DIRT Haus Of Kings, ASCAP/Twin SB21 Music Publishing, SESAC/BW Tunes, SESAC Spires, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing LLC, (K.M.Allison, J.Edwards, T.Kennedy, M.Tyler, B.White) 38 ASCAP/King Pen Songs, SESAC/Smackworks Music, NEVER BE SORRY Kobalt Songs Music Publishing WHAT DO I KNOW Sony/ATV Cross Keys SESAC/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, SESAC/Ben Lau, LLC, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Smack Songs Publishing, ASCAP/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Dos BMI 56 LLC, ASCAP/Rezsongs, ASCAP/MeGusta Music, ASCAP/ Hobos Music, ASCAP/Relative Music Group, BMI/Songs Of BREAKING UP WAS EASY IN THE 90’S (B.Ratcliff, P.Good, A.J.Babcock, B.Foster) Reehits World, ASCAP/Smacktown Music, ASCAP/Smack Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/New Writers Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Between the Pines, LLC, Blue, LLC, ASCAP/Unfair Entertainment, ASCAP/We’re Of Sea Gayle Music, BMI/West Pass Music, BMI (R.Counts, ASCAP/BIPOD, ASCAP/Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/Miller HELL OF A VIEW Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ Really Doin’ It Publishing, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Cross Keys 47 Crow Music, ASCAP/Kyler’s Kinda Night, ASCAP/Songs Longer And Louder Music, BMI/Seven Ring Circus Songs, M.W.Hardy, J.Mitchell) BMI/Little Louder Songs, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing, ASCAP/Tempo Investments-Smack Hits, Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Ern Dog Music, BMI/Big Loud GMR/Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/Universal Music WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG EMI Mountain, BMI/Tree Vibez Music, LLC, BMI/Sony/ATV Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Spirit Of Nashville One, Corp., ASCAP (M.Ramsey, T. Rosen, B.F.Tursi, S.McAnally, Accent, ASCAP/Smackborne Music, ASCAP (S.L.Hunt, C.La BMI/Tunes Of Fluid, BMI/Rust And Chrome Music, BMI (E. Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/ 30 J.Osborne) 45 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten By Corte, Z.Crowell, E.K.Smith, J.Osborne) 28 Church, C.Beathard, M.Criswell) Rhettro, BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Songs NEXT GIRL Smackborne Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Tunes by TrailerParker, BMI/ C HOLE IN THE BOTTLE Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/ Vistaville Music, ASCAP/Steph Jones Who Music, ASCAP/ Accent, ASCAP/Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/Tempo Songs Of Home Team Music, BMI/Round Hill Songs Big Deal Hits, ASCAP/410 Music, ASCAP/Telemitry Investments-Smack Hits, GMR/Smackwood Music, GMR/ II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP (Thomas Rhett, CHAMPAGNE NIGHT WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Rhythm House Music, BMI/Roc Nation WC Publishing For The Kids Gold, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP (C. R.Akins, J.Frasure, A.Gorley, P.Welling) 16 Haywoodja Cut That Song, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Designee, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ Pearce, S.McAnally, J.Osborne) 39 Publishing Corp., BMI/RADIOBULLETSPublishing, Round Hill Songs II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP WHISKEY AND RAIN Warner-Tamerlane BMI/W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC/EKT Publishing, SESAC/ 12 NOBODY Curb Congregation Songs, SESAC/Good Publishing Corp., BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, Sllaight Music Publishing, SOCAN/Round Hill Songs BLS (K.Ballerini, S.Jones, H.Lindsey, J.Frasure, A.Gorley) Vibes, Good Times Music, SESAC/Curb Songs, ASCAP/ BMI/Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Big Music Machine, JV, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Dat Damn Dean Songs Of Riser House, BMI (D.Scott, M.Alderman, D.Wilson) BMI/Two Laine Collections, BMI (J.Frasure, J.Thompson) 57 Music, BMI/Songs In The Key Of Claire, ASCAP/Patriot HOW THEY REMEMBER YOU Son Of Ron 22 Games Publishing, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/ Songs, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV G23 Publishing, SESAC/Eligible Music dba Songland Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/ WINE, BEER, WHISKEY Razor And Tie Music Television Publishing, SESAC/BMG Cicada, SESAC/Tempo Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing O Publishing, BMI/Tofer The Musical, BMI/Warner- Investments-Smack Hits, GMR/Smackwood Music, GMR/ LLC, ASCAP/Built On Rock Music, ASCAP (M.Beeson, Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Silent Desert Music, Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/MerloJamsPublishing, J.Osborne, A.Shamblin) 18 ONE OF THEM GIRLS Caleb’s College Fund, BMI/Self Made Entertainment, BMI (T.Brown, K.Fairchild, ASCAP/Deluge Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music ASCAP/Round Hill Songs II, ASCAP/Big Blue Nation S.McConnell, K.Schlapman, P.Sweet, J.Westbrook) 40 Publishing LLC, ASCAP/Write Me A Song Publishing, I Music, ASCAP/Natalia’s Music Money, BMI/Round GMR/Downtown Global Two, GMR (D.Haywood, C.Kelley, Hill Compositions, BMI/Love Cannons Publishing, WORSHIP YOU Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ SESAC/W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC Kane Brown Music, BMI/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/AIX H.Scott, P.Conroy, E.R.Dean, A.DeRoberts, T.A.Gemza, S.McAnally, IF IT WASN’T FOR TRUCKS Peermusic III, (A.Gorley, B.Johnson, M.R.Merlo, R.B.Tedder, D.Thomson) 9 Ltd., BMI/Sullivan S Guns Music, BMI/Back 40 Publishing D.Davidson, L.Brice) 6 Publishing, ASCAP/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, International, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., SESAC/McGinntellectual Property, SESAC/True Blue D BMI 59 ONE TOO MANY Kobalt Songs Music Publishing Works, SESAC/Krispy Pork Gang, BMI (K.Brown, A.Izquierdo, (R.Green, Erik Dylan, R.Montana) LLC, ASCAP/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, M.J.McGinn, Charlie Handsome) 42 Inc., BMI/Reservoir 416, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ DEAR RODEO Songs From The Couch, BMI/Cori’s I SHOULD PROBABLY GO TO BED Beats Daddy’s Publishing, BMI (D.Couch, C.D.Johnson) 36 And Banjos, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Shay James Norton Publishing Designee, ASCAP (D.H.Davidsen, Y Mooney Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., P.Wallevik, M.H.Hansen, J.Norton, C.Tighe) 29 BMI/Eastman Pond Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum YOU TIME Dagum Music, BMI/Spirit Two Nashville, Songs US, BMI/Bad Robot Music, BMI (D.Smyers, S.Mooney, ASCAP/Fluid Tunes, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/ S.M.Douglas, J.G.Evigan) 7 Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP (S.McCreery, F.Rogers, A.Eshuis) 49 BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 22 OF 23 Hot Country Songs Index
TITLE Publishing-Licensing Org. D HOW THEY REMEMBER YOU Son Of Ron ONE TOO MANY Kobalt Songs Music Publishing (Songwriter) Chart Position Songs, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV LLC, ASCAP/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, DICKED DOWN IN DALLAS Charlotte Pike Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/ Inc., BMI/Reservoir 416, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ 7 SUMMERS Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Bo Wallace Music, ASCAP/Matthew Charles McKinney Publishing Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing James Norton Publishing Designee, ASCAP (D.H.Davidsen, Publishing, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/Tempo Designee, BMI/Andrew Joseph Trosclair Publishing LLC, ASCAP/Built On Rock Music, ASCAP (M.Beeson, P.Wallevik, M.H.Hansen, J.Norton, C.Tighe) 31 Investments-Smack Hits, GMR/Smackstreet Music, Designee, BMI (B.M.Gafford, M.C.McKinney, A.J.Trosclair) 14 J.Osborne, A.Shamblin) 37 GMR/Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/Sony/ATV Accent, P DOWN TO ONE Play It Again Entertainment, BMI/ I ASCAP/Smackborne Music, ASCAP (M.Wallen, S.McAnally, Kyle Fishman Music, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, PRETTY HEART Warner-Tamerlane Publishing J.Osborne) 13 BMI/Natalia’s Music Money, BMI/Memory Days, SESAC/ I HOPE Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/GBF Music Global, Corp., BMI/Parkermac Publishing, BMI/Sullivan S Guns A Curb Wordspring Music, SESAC (K.Fishman, D.Davidson, BMI/Revinyl House, BMI/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/ Music, BMI (P.McCollum, R.Montana) 4 J.Ebach) 27 Nite Writer Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY Peermusic (Z.Kale, J.M.Nite, G.Barrett) 1 S F III, Ltd., BMI/Whiskey Tub Music, BMI/Big Music Machine, SETTLING DOWN Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ BMI/Two Laine Collections, BMI (B.Kinney, J.Thompson) 6 I SHOULD PROBABLY GO TO BED Beats FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR Carrie-Okie Music, And Banjos, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Shay Pink Dog Publishing, BMI/Emileon Songs, BMI/Songs ALL NIGHT All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Trampy BMI/410 Music, ASCAP/Concord Sounds, ASCAP/EMI April Mooney Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Songs Of McCauley, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Songstein Music, Inc., ASCAP/CDS Words And Music, ASCAP (C. BMI/Eastman Pond Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Universal, Inc., BMI/Wrucke For You Publishing, BMI (M. Underwood, H.Lindsey, C. DeStefano) 17 Lambert, L.Dick, N. Hemby) 42 Publishing, ASCAP/Songs In The Key Of Claire, ASCAP/ Songs US, BMI/Bad Robot Music, BMI (D.Smyers, S.Mooney, Patriot Games Publishing, ASCAP/DTCM Ave, ASCAP (J. THE FIRST NOEL Public Domain (Public Domain) 41 S.M.Douglas, J.G.Evigan) 11 SHALLOW Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI/Warner-Barham Osborne, T.J. Osborne, A.DeRoberts) 45 Music LLC, BMI/SG Songs Worldwide, BMI/Warner-Olive FOREVER AFTER ALL Big Music Machine, J ALMOST MAYBES Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/ Music LLC, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Concord BMI/50 Egg Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/ JUST THE WAY Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/JM Publishing, BMI/Zelig Publishing, BMI/Stephaniesays Jordan Davis Music, ASCAP/Anthem Entertainment, Works For RHA Music, BMI/Rowdy Rob Music, BMI/Sony/ ASCAP/Roc Nation WC Publishing Designee, BMI/ Thomas Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, ASCAP/Kevin Music, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/White ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Oak Tree Swing Publishing, Bard Music, ASCAP/Margetts Road Music, ASCAP/Nolan Bull Music Group, BMI/Downtown DMP Songs, BMI Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane BMI (L.Combs, D.Parker, R.Williford) 12 Publishing Corp., BMI/BIRB Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold W. Sipe Music, ASACP (M.Thomas, K.Bard, N.W.Sipe) 30 (S.G.Germanotta, M.D.Ronson, A.Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt) 46 G Songs, ASCAP (J.Davis, J.Frasure, H.Lindsey) 33 L SILENT NIGHT Public Domain (Public Domain) 22 B GONE Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Boy LADY Super Big Music, ASCAP/Caliville Publishing, SOMEBODY LIKE THAT Oven Music Inc., Named Ford, BMI/Ben There Wrote That Publishing, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/EMI April Music, BMI/Ziggys Z Music, SESAC/Tunes Of Big Deal Music, BEERS AND SUNSHINE Sony/ATV Accent, BMI/Artist 101 Publishing Group, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt ASCAP/GrowingMusic Publishing, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Inc., ASCAP/Iris In The Sky With Diamonds, BMI/Nite SESAC/Songs Of Porterfied Music, SESAC (T.Arts, A.Kline, Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Hits From The Tape Writer Music, ASCAP (B.Young, R.Copperman, J.M.Nite) 35 A.M.Cruz) 43 Music Inc., BMI/Iris In The Sky With Diamonds, BMI/WC Room, BMI/Round Hill Compositions, BMI/W.C.M. Music Music Corp., ASCAP/Detroit Records And Tapes, ASCAP/ Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon Publishing, SESAC (N.Galyon, LIVIN’ THE DREAM Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Bo SOMEBODY’S PROBLEM Big Loud Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/Smackborne B.Johnson, N.Moon) 39 Wallace Publishing, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Mountain, BMI/Bo Wallace Publishing, BMI/Round Hill Music, ASCAP (D.Rucker, R.Copperman, J.T.Harding, J.Osborne) Corp., BMI/Bump Into Genius Music, BMI/Mr. Buck Lucky, Compositions, BMI/Ford Drives A Chevy, BMI/Shirt At THE GOOD ONES GBF Music Global, BMI/Sony/ 23 BMI/Relative Music Group, BMI Work, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs US, BMI/ (M.Wallen, B.Burgess, BETTER TOGETHER Big Music Machine, BMI/50 J.Durrett, M.W.Hardy) 44 Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Em Dog Music, BMI (M. BMG Blue, BMI/Fox Landis Lyrics, BMI/Songs Of Jim Wallen, R.Clawson, J.Durrett, E.K.Smith) 20 Egg Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/Sony/ McCormick, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Revinyl LONG LIVE Big Loud Mountain, BMI/T Hubb ATV Countryside, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing House, BMI (G.Barrett, E.Landis, J.McCormick, Z.Kale) 28 Publishing, BMI/Pranch Ringle Music, BMI/Round STARTING OVER I Wrote These Songs, ASCAP/WC Corp., BMI/Sullivan S Guns Music, BMI (L.Combs, D.Isbell, Hill Works, BMI/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Big Crowd Music Corp., ASCAP/Straight Six Music, BMI/Wixen Music R.Montana) 5 GOOD TIME W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Niko Moon Publishing, ASCAP/Georgia Song Vibez, ASCAP/Spirit Publishing, BMI (C.Stapleton, M.Henderson) 9 Publishing, SESAC/Here Comes The Boom Music, BMI/ Two Music Inc., ASCAP/4TheKidz Music, ASCAP/Spirit BETTY TASRM Publishing, BMI/Songs Of Universal, STILL GOIN DOWN Big Loud Mountain, BMI/ Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/ Vault Songs, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Inc., BMI/William Bowery Music Publishing.BMI (T.Swift, Anna Moon Publishing, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ Round Hill Compositions, BMI/Relative Music Group, William Bowery) 47 BMI/Jack 10 Publishing, BMI/Songs Of The Corn, BMI (T. Joshua Murty Publishing, ASCAP/Mark Trussell Music, Hubbard, B.Kelley, C.Crowder, D.A.Garcia, J.Miller) 29 BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BIG, BIG PLANS Magic Mustang Music, BMI/ ASCAP/Future Heartbeat Publishing, ASCAP (N.Moon, BMI/Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI (M.Wallen, M.W.Hardy, Charlie Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Big Loud J.Minton, A.Moon, J.Murty, M.Trussell) 16 M Handsome) 26 Mountain, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Tree Vibez H MOMMA’S HOUSE Sony/ATV Cross Keys T Music, LLC, BMI/Ern Dog Music, BMI (J.Durrett, C.Lane, Publishing, ASCAP/Two Black Dogs, ASCAP/ole Music E.K.Smith) 3 TAKE ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Beats HALLELUJAH Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing Of Parallel, BMI/Lucky Mic Publishing, BMI/Round Hill And Banjos, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Buzz Light BREAKING UP WAS EASY IN THE 90’S America, Inc., BMI/BMG Platinum Songs US, BMI (John Compositions, BMI/Ford Drives A Chevy, BMI/Shirt At Legend, T.Gad) 21 Beer Music, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/ Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Between the Pines, LLC, Work, BMI/Legends Of Magic Mustang Music, SESAC/BMG Jreynmusic, ASCAP/Buckeye26, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/BIPOD, ASCAP/Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/Miller Cicada, SESAC 32 HAPPY ANYWHERE EMI Blackwood Music Inc., (D.Schneider, M.Lotten, R.Clawson, J.T.Wilson) ASCAP/The Money Tree Vibez, ASCAP/Pile Of Schmidt Crow Music, ASCAP/Kyler’s Kinda Night, ASCAP/Songs BMI/Endurance Romeo Charlie, BMI/Highly Combustible MORE THAN MY HOMETOWN Relative Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Riser Ten Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Ern Dog Music, BMI/Big Loud Music, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy Music Group, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Big Music, BMI (D.Smyers, A.Albert, J.Reynolds, J.M.Schmidt, Mountain, BMI/Tree Vibez Music, LLC, BMI/Sony/ATV My Publishing, ASCAP/One77 Songs, ASCAP/Combustion Loud Mountain, BMI/Em Dog Music, BMI/Songs Of M.Tenpenny, S.Mooney) 19 Accent, ASCAP/Smackborne Music, ASCAP (S.L.Hunt, C.La Five, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Big Blue Nation Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Round Corte, Z.Crowell, E.K.Smith, J.Osborne) 40 Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP U Hill Compositions, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI (R.Copperman, J.Osborne, M.Jenkins) 7 C (M.W.Hardy, E.K.Smith, Charlie Handsome, M.Wallen) 2 UNDER THE MISTLETOE Songs For My Shrink, ASCAP/DigbyOmega Music, BMI (K.Clarkson, A.Eubanks) 10 CHAMPAGNE NIGHT WC Music Corp., ASCAP/ HAPPY DOES Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Murphy The Wolf Music, BMI/Five Miles West Songs, N Haywoodja Cut That Song, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane W Publishing Corp., BMI/RADIOBULLETSPublishing, BMI/Mandy’s Favorite Songs, BMI/Songs Of Universal, NEXT GIRL Smackborne Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV BMI/W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC/EKT Publishing, SESAC/ Inc., BMI/Songsfortatum Publishing, BMI/Don’t Be A Accent, ASCAP/Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/Tempo WHAT’S YOUR COUNTRY SONG EMI Sllaight Music Publishing, SOCAN/Round Hill Songs BLS Gypsy, BMI/Hold On Can I Get A Number 1 Music, BMI (B. Investments-Smack Hits, GMR/Smackwood Music, GMR/ Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/ 24 JV, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Dat Damn Dean Clawson, J.Paulin, B.Berryhill, G.James) For The Kids Gold, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP (C. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten By Pearce, S.McAnally, J.Osborne) 50 Music, BMI/Songs In The Key Of Claire, ASCAP/Patriot HELL OF A VIEW Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ Rhettro, BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Tunes by TrailerParker, BMI/ Games Publishing, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/ Longer And Louder Music, BMI/Seven Ring Circus Songs, NOBODY Curb Congregation Songs, SESAC/Good Songs Of Home Team Music, BMI/Round Hill Songs G23 Publishing, SESAC/Eligible Music dba Songland BMI/Little Louder Songs, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Vibes, Good Times Music, SESAC/Curb Songs, ASCAP/ Television Publishing, SESAC/BMG Cicada, SESAC/Tempo Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Spirit Of Nashville One, II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP (Thomas Rhett, Songs Of Riser House, BMI (D.Scott, M.Alderman, D.Wilson) R.Akins, J.Frasure, A.Gorley, P.Welling) 25 Investments-Smack Hits, GMR/Smackwood Music, GMR/ BMI/Tunes Of Fluid, BMI/Rust And Chrome Music, BMI (E. 48 Warner Geo Met Ric Music, GMR/MerloJamsPublishing, Church, C.Beathard, M.Criswell) 36 WINE, BEER, WHISKEY Razor And Tie Music ASCAP/Deluge Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music O HOLE IN THE BOTTLE Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/ Publishing, BMI/Tofer The Musical, BMI/Warner- Publishing LLC, ASCAP/Write Me A Song Publishing, ONE OF THEM GIRLS Caleb’s College Fund, Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Silent Desert Music, GMR/Downtown Global Two, GMR (D.Haywood, C.Kelley, Vistaville Music, ASCAP/Steph Jones Who Music, ASCAP/ Big Deal Hits, ASCAP/410 Music, ASCAP/Telemitry ASCAP/Round Hill Songs II, ASCAP/Big Blue Nation BMI/Self Made Entertainment, BMI (T.Brown, K.Fairchild, H.Scott, P.Conroy, E.R.Dean, A.DeRoberts, T.A.Gemza, S.McAnally, S.McConnell, K.Schlapman, P.Sweet, J.Westbrook) 38 M.R.Merlo, R.B.Tedder, D.Thomson) 15 Rhythm House Music, BMI/Roc Nation WC Publishing Music, ASCAP/Natalia’s Music Money, BMI/Round Designee, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ Hill Compositions, BMI/Love Cannons Publishing, WORSHIP YOU Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ CHRISTMAS ISN’T CHRISTMAS Beats And Round Hill Songs II, ASCAP/Caleb’s College Fund, ASCAP SESAC/W.C.M. Music Corp., SESAC (A.Gorley, B.Johnson, Kane Brown Music, BMI/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/AIX 8 Banjos, ASCAP/WC Music Corp., ASCAP/Buzz Light Beer (K.Ballerini, S.Jones, H.Lindsey, J.Frasure, A.Gorley) 18 D.Davidson, L.Brice) Publishing, ASCAP/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, Music, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Jreynmusic, SESAC/McGinntellectual Property, SESAC/True Blue ASCAP/Buckeye26, ASCAP (D.Smyers, A.Albert, J.Reynolds, Works, SESAC/Krispy Pork Gang, BMI (K.Brown, A.Izquierdo, S.Mooney) 34 M.J.McGinn, Charlie Handsome) 49 BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE DECEMBER 14, 2020 | PAGE 23 OF 23 CODA 71 Years Ago Ernest Tubb’s “Blue Christmas” voice, especially honky-tonk- Ernest Tubb dashed to No. 1 on Billboard’s flavored country, becoming known Most-Played Juke Box (Country & as the Texas Troubadour. He joined Was Doin’ Western) Records chart for the the Grand Ole Opry in 1943 and week ending Dec. 30, 1949. was inducted into the Country That August, Tubb had re- Music Hall of Fame in 1965. He Alright corded the song — written by Billy died from emphysema at age 70 Hayes and Jay W. Johnson — in 1984. With ‘Blue and his version of Irving Berlin’s Ernest Tubb’s Record Shop, “White Christmas” in an afternoon which opened in 1947, remains Christmas’ session at Castle Studio in Nash- a fixture at its lower Broadway ville. As “Blue,” the A-side, topped location in Nashville. Meanwhile, In 1949, Tubb’s recording the chart, B-side “White” reached “Blue Christmas” has become a hit No. 1 before Elvis Presley No. 7. holiday staple, thanks in large part solidified its status as a Tubb was born in Crisp, Texas, to the version that Elvis Presley on Feb. 9, 1914. He helped pioneer first recorded for his 1957 LP Elvis’ holiday standard country music with his big baritone Christmas Album. —JIM ASKER
Tubb, circa 1977.
REWINDING THE COUNTRY CHARTS EVERETT/SHUTTERSTOCK