Country Update

Country Update 

BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS NOVEMBER 7, 2016 | PAGE 1 OF 24 

INSIDE 

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE 

Tom.Roland@billboard.com 

Kenny Chesney’s 

Cosmic Chart Debut 

>page 4 

‘Happy,’ ‘Longer’ 

Reign At BMI, ASCAP 

>page 11 

Garth, Dolly Bring 

Christmas To TV 

>page 13 

Makin’ Tracks: 

Hunter Hayes’ 

‘Yesterday’s Song’ 

>page 18 

Stark Report: WUSN 

Chicago Rolls An 11 

>page 19 

Country Coda: 

Hank Snow Has 

‘Been Everywhere,’ 

Including No. 1 

>page 24 

Tears Of Joy As Thomas Rhett, Randy, 

Garth Lead Out-Of-The-Box CMAs 

Can I get a “hallelujah”? Can I get an “amen”? 

The “amen” that spoke the loudest at the 50th annual Country 

Music Association Awards belonged to Randy Travis, who — in 

his first televised vocal performance since suffering a 2013 stroke 

— sang the final “amen” on a mass rendition of his signature 

song, “Forever and Ever, Amen.” Travis, who officially joined 

the Country Music Hall of Fame in October, is 

emblematic of country’s past, having turned 

the business on its ear in the 1980s when he 

reintroduced a traditional country sound to a 

genre leaning heavily toward pop. 

Travis’ moment put a coda on a stellar CMA 

opening that paid homage to country’s last 50 

years with Vince Gill and Ben Haggard recreating 

Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried,” 

Brad Paisley and Roy Clark playing Buck 

Owens’ “Buckaroo,” Alabama harmonizing 

on “Mountain Music” and Ricky Skaggs 

BROOKS 

speeding through the frets on “Country Boy.” 

That history lesson — expanded by several 

other significant voices — set up a feel-good vibe for genuine 

fans of the format, but Travis’ personal achievement started 

the tears. Entertainer of the year winner Garth Brooks and 

Thomas Rhett, whose “Die a Happy Man” claimed single, had a 

good cry together. Songwriter Lori McKenna was in tears when 

“Humble and Kind” — a song that has led many listeners to wipe 

their eyes in 2016 — took song of the year. And Faith Hill, an 

early champion of McKenna, was likewise crying in her seat. 

Maren Morris — shortly after delivering the “Amen” chorus 

of her first hit, “My Church” — blubbered her way through her 

acceptance speech, while duo of the year Brothers Osborne, 

female vocalist winner Carrie Underwood and Pinnacle Award 

recipient Kenny Chesney all fought off a faucet of emotions. 

Even Reba McEntire was flustered, losing her place in “9 to 5” 

as she sang it with Dolly Parton watching from 

the front rows. Before it was all over, Gill was 

crying during Paisley’s performance of his 

current single, “Today,” nicely reimagined as a 

touching recap of country’s ambassadors, from 

Loretta Lynn and Marty Robbins to Blake 

Shelton and Little Big Town, who snagged 

vocal group for a fifth straight year. 

“We are so damn lucky,” a buoyant Brooks 

proclaimed as he picked up his record-setting 

fifth entertainer award, “to be part of this thing 

called country music.” 

What exactly country is has stumped 

observers. The music seems to cycle through 

styles at a quicker pace than ever, chugging from its arenarock 

era into the bro-country movement and then into a 

soul-tinged brand. Rhett’s “Happy Man,” with its R&B touches 

and Marvin Gaye reference, was a part of that movement, as 

were a number of songs written by repeat male vocalist of the 

year Chris Stapleton. 

In the process, a genre that was once derided as a 

tear-in-your-beer format has earned a reputation as party

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE NOVEMBER 7, 2016 | PAGE 2 OF 24 

central. The industry’s creative community, which represents a sizeable portion 

of the CMA voting musicianship, seemed to be making a statement for music 

of greater depth. Eric Church’s layered Mr. Misunderstood claimed album of 

the year, “Humble and Kind” worked as both a personal and social statement, 

and even Cam’s “Burning House” — a song of the year nominee — challenged 

country’s norms, using a 7/8 time signature in sections and dream imagery 

to make a somewhat abstract statement. 

If the chains have been removed from country, it only puts the format in a 

league with many of the other genres vying for consumers’ attention. 

“It feels that way across all music,” said “Burning House” co-writer Tyler 

Johnson on the red carpet at the BMI Country Awards. “Right now, there’s 

not a buzz sound, and the main thing is to just write something that inspires 

you, that feels authentic. We still have to make it be country, otherwise you’re 

making another genre. But I think in 2017 there’s a lot of flexibility in terms 

of what that genre means.” 

Not that every country fan is happy about stretching boundaries. Beyoncé’s 

appearance with Dixie Chicks was panned by a number of fans who were 

offended (among other reasons) that the CMA brought in a non-country act to 

expand the audience. But it’s not like it’s a new thing. ’N Sync and Sting are 

among the out-of-genre visitors who played the CMA show in the 1990s, and 

even in 2015, Stapleton’s collaboration with Justin Timberlake was widely 

regarded as the highlight of the night. 

But during the 50th, it could be argued that the CMAs tipped a subtle hat 

to Americana, the rootsy sister to country that’s a little less polished and a 

little more likely, in 2016, to induce a tear. Stapleton and Dwight Yoakam, 

who covered Willie Nelson and Ray Charles’ “Seven Spanish Angels” during 

the telecast, have been nominated in the Americana Honors & Awards in 

recent years. And the spirit of Americana — embracing and revising old-school 

sounds — plays at least a minor role in the music of Brothers Osborne, Morris 

and Church. Miranda Lambert’s forthcoming The Weight of These Wings 

likewise has an Americana thread. 

“I think that the most exciting stuff happening right now, what’s happening 

in Americana, really bled into country music,” said Church in the CMA press 

room. “You can start with Chris Stapleton. Last year, that was the heart of 

Americana, and it’s been a big popular winner this past year. I think that it really 

comes down to the spirit of making music and creativity, and not being boxed 

in because of commercialism or what radio will play. I think that sometimes 

you can get boxed in on what you think the rules are. [But] I think that that 

spirit of freedom is what makes stuff work and sell.” 

With 50 CMA ceremonies in the rear-view mirror, it’s tempting to look ahead 

another 50 years, with this latest shift setting a tone. But as country cycles 

through its trends faster, it’s tough to know what’s on the horizon. 

“I couldn’t possibly know what country music’s doing 50 years from now,” 

said Stapleton. “But I’m sure it’ll still be going.” 

If the highlights of the music from years 51-100 is as good as the signposts 

during the CMA’s first 50, it’ll still be generating tears. And a big “amen.” 

Martina McBride was announced during a Nov. 1 showcase as the 

headliner for CMT’s Next Women of Country Tour in 2017. From left: 

Lauren Alaina, McBride and CMT senior vp music strategy Leslie Fram. 

Gretchen Wilson was among the artists who participated in the 

Country Music Association radio remotes in advance of the CMA 

Awards. From left: Redneck promotion exec Bob Mitchell, Wilson and 

KXLY Spokane, Wash., assistant PD/music director Tim Cotter. 

Ricky Skaggs was the featured guest when the weekly concert series 

Music City Pickers Live debuted Nov. 3 at the Factory in Franklin, Tenn. 

From left: co-host Brady Seals, Skaggs and co-host Gordon Kennedy. 

ALAINA: RICK DIAMOND/GETTY IMAGES; SKAGGS: MATT HUESMANN PRODUCTIONS

August 6, 2016 | billboard.com 


ON THE CHARTS JIM ASKER jim.asker@billboard.com 

Kenny & Keith Add New No. 1s; 

Little Big Town Makes Swift Leap 

Kenny Chesney scores his 14th No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart 

(dated Nov. 19), as Cosmic Hallelujah (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville/Sony 

Music Nashville) bows at the summit. In its first sales week (ending Nov. 3), 

the album sold 79,000 copies, according to Nielsen Music. It also opens at 

No. 1 on the all-genre Top Album Sales chart, where it’s his eighth leader. 

Cosmic Hallelujah is Chesney’s first album since The Big Revival, which 

debuted at No. 1 (with 130,000 sold) on Top Country Albums on Oct. 11, 2014. 

With 14 Top Country Albums No. 1s, Chesney ties Garth Brooks and Alan 

Jackson for fifth place among acts with the most leaders in the list’s nearly 53- 

year history. George Strait leads with 26, followed by Merle Haggard and 

Willie Nelson (16 each) and Tim McGraw (15). 

“Setting the World on Fire,” the second single from 

Cosmic Hallelujah (featuring Pink), topped both Country 

Airplay (Nov. 5) and Hot Country Songs (for three weeks 

beginning Oct. 22). The album’s lead single, “Noise,” 

peaked at Nos. 6 and 14 on the tallies, respectively. 

The last week has been chock-full of honors for 

Chesney. At the 50th annual Country Music Association 

(CMA) Awards on Nov. 2, broadcast on ABC from 

Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, he was presented with the 

Pinnacle Award, joining inaugural winner Garth Brooks 

(2005) and Taylor Swift (2013) as its only recipients. 

The honor recognizes artists who have achieved global 

prominence through performances and record sales. The 

previous night (Nov. 1), Chesney was honored with the 

CHESNEY 

all-genre BMI President’s Award. Prior winners include 

Brooks & Dunn, Willie Nelson and Pink. 

FOR ‘BLUE,’ SKY IS THE LIMIT Keith Urban earns his 16th Hot Country 

Songs No. 1, and first in three years, as “Blue Ain’t Your Color” (Hit Red/ 

Capitol Nashville) rises 2-1. Following Urban’s performance of the song on 

the CMA Awards, its download sales swell by 61 percent to 54,000, as it leads 

the Country Digital Song Sales chart for a third week; Urban’s first No. 1 on 

the sales list scores its best sales week. On Country Airplay, “Blue” bumps 

10-8, up 3 percent to 31.4 million in audience. It holds at No. 2 on Country 

Streaming Songs, increasing by 9 percent to 3.8 million U.S. streams. 

Urban rules Hot Country Songs for the first time since “We Were Us,” with 

Miranda Lambert, led for three weeks beginning Nov. 23, 2013. He first reigned 

with “But for the Grace of God” (Feb. 24, 2001). 

LITTLE BIG TOWN’S SWIFT HIT Concurrently on Hot Country Songs, Little 

Big Town, who won the group of the year trophy at the CMAs, flies 20-6 with 

new single “Better Man” (Capitol Nashville). The day before the awards, the 

group revealed that the song’s writer is Taylor Swift. 

Thanks to social media buzz surrounding Swift’s 

involvement, the group’s CMAs victory and its performance 

of the song on the broadcast, the track’s sales increase by 

138 percent to 47,000, pushing it 3-2 on Country Digital 

Song Sales. It blasts onto Country Streaming Songs at No. 8 

(2 million, up 108 percent) and jumps 46-38 on Country 

Airplay (4.1 million, up 110 percent). 

“Better Man” grants Swift her 20th Hot Country Songs 

top 10 as a writer and first visit to the tier since March 2, 

2013, when her 10-week No. 1 “We Are Never Ever Getting 

Back Together” spent its last week in the region. Swift 

earns her second top 10 as a writer for another act: Her 

Kellie Pickler co-write “Best Days of Your Life” hit No. 9 

for Pickler in August 2009. 

‘CHURCH’ REVIVAL Maren Morris also receives a 

post-CMAs bounce after winning the Horizon Award 

for best new artist and performing her launch single, “My Church” (Columbia 

Nashville/SMN). It re-enters Country Digital Song Sales at No. 7, leaping by 

879 percent to 25,000 sold. 

“Church” hit No. 1 on Country Digital Song Sales for two weeks and reached 

No. 5 on Hot Country Songs in March; it rose to No. 9 on Country Airplay in 

May. Follow-up “80s Mercedes” rolls 16-15 on the Nov. 19 Country Airplay 

chart (19.4 million, up 2 percent). 

CHESNEY: MICHAEL LOCCISIANO GETTYIMAGES 

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WKS 

AUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS) 

PLAYS 

THIS 

WEEK 

LAST 

WEEK 

ON 

CHART TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK +/– RANK 

l1 1 17 MOVE Capitol Nashville HH No. 1 (2 weeks) HH Luke Bryan 50.156 -0.365 8475 222 1 

2 2 27 MIDDLE OF A MEMORY Warner Bros./WMN Cole Swindell 49.530 +0.184 8394 330 2 

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3 4 17 A LITTLE MORE SUMMERTIME Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean 45.655 +1.479 7729 233 3 

4 5 37 SLEEP WITHOUT YOU BMLG Brett Young 39.280 +2.611 6902 560 4 

5 7 14 MAY WE ALL BMLG Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw 37.228 +3.074 6755 763 5 

6 3 15 SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville Kenny Chesney Featuring P!nk 35.587 -12.678 5760 -2357 7 

l7 8 22 SONG FOR ANOTHER TIME RCA Nashville Old Dominion 33.547 +1.124 6136 382 6 

8 10 12 BLUE AIN’T YOUR COLOR Hit Red/Capitol Nashville Keith Urban 31.407 +0.875 5303 267 8 

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9 11 17 HOW I’LL ALWAYS BE McGraw/Big Machine Tim McGraw 30.196 +0.121 5208 188 9 

10 12 25 WANNA BE THAT SONG Atlantic/WMN HH Most Increased Audience HH Brett Eldredge 28.731 +3.457 5177 645 10 

11 14 11 DIRTY LAUNDRY 19/Arista Nashville Carrie Underwood 24.413 +2.096 4405 382 11 

12 13 16 VICE RCA Nashville Miranda Lambert 22.073 -1.350 4155 -149 12 

l13 15 48 LIVIN’ THE DREAM Dot Drake White 21.116 +0.601 4142 149 13 

14 17 36 IF THE BOOT FITS Wheelhouse Granger Smith 20.397 +1.469 4067 282 14 

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Country Airplay 

15 16 20 80S MERCEDES Columbia Nashville Maren Morris 19.380 +0.309 3843 195 15 

16 18 6 STAR OF THE SHOW Valory Thomas Rhett 18.775 +1.457 3327 286 16 

17 19 6 A GUY WITH A GIRL Warner Bros./WMN HH Airpower HH Blake Shelton 17.752 +2.808 3186 675 17 

18 20 11 KILL A WORD EMI Nashville Eric Church Featuring Rhiannon Giddens 14.587 +0.669 3142 275 18 

19 21 12 ROAD LESS TRAVELED 19/Interscope/Mercury HH Airpower HH Lauren Alaina 12.580 +0.063 2691 34 20 

20 23 28 PARACHUTE Mercury HH Airpower HH Chris Stapleton 12.088 +0.411 2847 169 19 

21 22 22 SOBER SATURDAY NIGHT RCA Nashville Chris Young Featuring Vince Gill 11.910 +0.099 2596 38 21 

22 26 5 TODAY Arista Nashville Brad Paisley 11.222 +1.382 2237 350 24 

23 24 20 SEEIN’ RED Broken Bow Dustin Lynch 11.031 +0.893 2492 280 23 

24 25 37 21 SUMMER EMI Nashville Brothers Osborne 9.652 -0.192 2593 71 22 

25 28 29 THINK A LITTLE LESS Atlantic/WEA Michael Ray 8.950 +0.595 2066 128 27 

26 27 37 MAKE YOU MINE Atlantic/WEA High Valley 8.845 -0.274 2143 28 26 

27 29 4 BABY, LET’S LAY DOWN AND DANCE Pearl Garth Brooks 8.167 -0.090 1851 110 29 

28 30 27 HOLDIN’ HER Warner Bros./WAR Chris Janson 8.139 -0.011 2019 -6 28 

l29 32 16 THE WEEKEND Valory Brantley Gilbert 8.125 +0.524 1837 193 30 

l30 31 27 A LITTLE MORE LOVE Curb Jerrod Niemann & Lee Brice 7.872 +0.156 2171 -21 25 

AIRPLAY 

MONITORED BY 

BILLBOARD COUNTRY AIRPLAY PANEL — 151 STATIONS 

Albany, N.Y. 

WGNA 

Albuquerque, N.M. 

KBQI 

KRST 

Allentown, Pa. 

WCTO 

Atlanta 

WKHX 

WUBL 

Augusta, Ga. 

WKXC 

Austin, Texas 

KASE 

Bakersfield, Calif. 

KUZZ 

Baltimore 

WPOC 

Baton Rouge, La. 

WYNK 

Birmingham, Ala. 

WDXB 

WZZK 

Boise, Idaho 

KAWO 

 

KIZN 

BostonWBWL 

WKLB 

Buffalo, N.Y. 

WYRK 

Charleston, S.C. 

WCKN 

WEZL 

Charlotte, N.C. 

WKKT 

WSOC 

Chattanooga, Tenn. 

WUSY 

ChicagoWEBG 

WUSN 

CincinnatiWUBE 

ClevelandWGAR 

Colorado Springs, Colo. 

KATC 

Columbia, S.C. 

WCOS 

Columbus, Ohio 

WCOL 

Corpus Christi, Texas 

KRYS 

DallasKPLX 

KSCS 

DenverKWOF 

KYGO 

Des Moines, Iowa 

KHKI 

KJJY 

DetroitWYCD 

El Paso, Texas 

KHEY 

Ft. Myers, Fla. 

WCKT 

WWGR 

Ft. Wayne, Ind. 

WQHK 

Fresno, Calif. 

KSKS 

Gainesville, Fla. 

WOGK 

Grand Rapids, Mich. 

WBCT 

Greensboro, N.C. 

WPAW 

WTQR 

Greenville, S.C. 

WESC 

WSSL 

Harrisburg, Pa. 

WRBT 

Hartford, Conn. 

WWYZ 

HoustonKILT 

KKBQ 

Huntsville, Ala. 

WDRM 

IndianapolisWFMS 

WLHK 

Jacksonville, Fla. 

WGNE 

 

WQIK 

Johnson City, Tenn. 

WXBQ 

Kansas City 

KBEQ 

WDAF 

 

KFKF 

Knoxville, Tenn. 

WCYQ 

 

WIVK 

Lafayette, La. 

KMDL 

Lakeland, Fla. 

WPCV 

Las Vegas 

KCYE 

KWNR 

Lexington, Ky. 

WBUL 

Little Rock, Ark. 

KSSN 

Los Angeles 

KKGO 

Louisville, Ky. 

 

WAMZ 

WQNU 

Madison, Wis. 

McAllen, Texas 

WWQM 

KTEX 

MemphisWGKX 

WLFP 

MiamiWKIS 

MilwaukeeWMIL 

MinneapolisKEEY 

 

KMNB 

Mobile, Ala. 

WKSJ 

Monmouth/Ocean, N.J. WKMK 

Monterey, Calif.. 

KTOM 

Nashville 

WKDF 

 

WSIX 

WSM-FM 

Nassau, N.Y. 

WJVC 

New Bern, N.C. 

WRNS 

New Orleans 

WNOE 

New York 

WNSH 

Norfolk, Va. 

WGH 

 

WUSH 

Oklahoma City, Okla. 

KJKE 

KTST 

Omaha, Neb. 

KXKT 

Orlando, Fla. 

WWKA 

PhiladelphiaWXTU 

Phoenix 

KMLE 

KNIX 

PittsburghWDSY 

WOGI 

WPGB 

Portland, Maine 

WPOR 

 

WTHT 

Portland, Ore. 

KUPL 

KWJJ 

Providence, R.I. 

WCTK 

Raleigh, N.C. 

WNCB 

WQDR 

Richmond, Va. 

WKHK 

Riverside, Calif. 

Roanoke, Va. 

KFRG 

WSLC 

Rochester, N.Y. 

WBEE 

Sacramento, Calif. 

KBEB 

KNCI 

KNTY 

St. Louis 

KSD 

WIL 

Salt Lake City 

KEGA 

KSOP 

KUBL 

San Antonio, Texas 

KAJA 

KCYY 

San Diego 

KSON 

San Jose, Calif. 

KRTY 

KSJO 

Santa Rosa, Calif. 

KFGY 

Sarasota, Fla. 

WCTQ 

SeattleKKWF 

KMPS 

Shreveport, La. 

KXKS 

Spokane, Wash. 

KXLY 

Springfield, Mass. 

WRNX 

Springfield, Mo. 

KTTS 

Stockton, Calif. 

KATM 

Syracuse, N.Y. 

WBBS 

Tampa, Fla. 

WFUS 

WQYK 

Tucson, Ariz. 

KIIM 

Tulsa, Okla. 

KTGX 

KVOO 

KWEN 

Visalia, Calif. 

KJUG 

Washington, D.C. 

WMZQ 

West Palm Beach, Fla. 

WIRK 

Wichita, Kan. 

KFDI 

KZSN 

Wilkes Barre, Pa. 

WGGY 

Wilmington, Del. 

York, Pa. 

WXCY 

WGTY


WKS 

AUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS) 

PLAYS 

THIS LAST ON 

WEEK WEEK CHART TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK +/– RANK 

l31 33 23 HOMETOWN GIRL MCA Nashville Josh Turner 7.062 -0.001 1721 24 31 

32 34 7 DIRT ON MY BOOTS Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi 7.031 +0.511 1470 152 32 

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33 35 5 YEAH BOY Black River Kelsea Ballerini 6.938 +0.853 1416 218 34 

34 37 30 OUTSKIRTS OF HEAVEN Red Bow Craig Campbell 5.369 -0.115 1430 72 33 

35 38 16 THERE’S A GIRL 19/Republic/Dot Trent Harmon 5.238 +0.133 1307 57 35 

36 36 17 LONG LIVE TONIGHT Arista NashvilleLANco 5.095 -0.428 991 -251 39 

l37 39 13 LOVE TRIANGLE Warner Bros./WMN HH Breaker HHRaeLynn 4.963 +0.465 925 83 40 

38 46 3 BETTER MAN Capitol Nashville HH Breaker/Most AddedHH Little Big Town 4.112 +2.155 1038 516 37 

l 

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39 40 23 LIPSTICK Wheelhouse Runaway June 3.311 +0.182 1249 77 36 

40 41 16 IF I TOLD YOU Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker 2.800 +0.150 1028 35 38 

41 45 10 DAMN DRUNK Nash Icon Ronnie Dunn With Kix Brooks 2.392 +0.409 457 29 50 

42 42 27 ROOTS Stoney CreekParmalee 2.369 -0.018 803 -1 41 

43 44 3 IF HE AIN’T GONNA LOVE YOU RCA Nashville Jake Owen 2.015 -0.087 399 26 53 

l44 48 10 MY GIRL Curb Dylan Scott 1.999 +0.156 706 64 43 

45 51 6 HOW NOT TO Warner Bros./WAR Dan + Shay 1.981 +0.326 602 61 44 

l 

46 43 10 THUNDER IN THE RAIN Zone 4/RCA Nashville Kane Brown 1.942 -0.169 542 -3 46 

l47 47 11 ROOM TO BREATHE Red Bow Chase Bryant 1.838 -0.050 747 2 42 

48 50 20 YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO GOOD Stoney Creek Thompson Square 1.731 +0.002 554 4 45 

l 

49 49 11 EVERYBODY WE KNOW DOES Dack Janiels/Columbia Nashville Chase Rice 1.623 -0.216 437 -10 51 

l50 53 8 UNDONE Red Bow Joe Nichols 1.493 +0.094 475 12 49 

51 55 3 HURRICANE River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 1.377 +0.125 303 41 57 

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52 56 11 CIGARETTE Warner Bros./WAR Frankie Ballard 1.303 +0.082 311 -18 56 

53 59 2 SOMEBODY ELSE WILL Valory Justin Moore 1.273 +0.268 375 89 54 

54 54 5 FOR HER Big Loud Chris Lane 1.179 -0.159 519 -5 47 

55 57 2 YESTERDAY’S SONG Atlantic/WMN Hunter Hayes 1.153 -0.048 255 53 60 

l56 60 2 CANDYLAND Curb Love And Theft 0.926 +0.032 238 15 - 

57 52 6 GOOD AT TONIGHT MCA Nashville David Nail Featuring Brothers Osborne 0.909 -0.563 367 19 55 

l58 NEW OUR TOWN Columbia Nashville HH Hot Shot Debut HH Tyler Farr 0.899 +0.056 487 141 48 

59 58 5 CIRCLES Elektra Nashville/WAR Jana Kramer 0.878 -0.199 432 -20 52 

l60 RE-ENTRY THE WAY I TALK Big Loud Morgan Wallen 0.818 +0.126 265 48 59 

GOING FOR ADDS 

AIRPLAY 

MONITORED BY 

11/14 

DIERKS BENTLEY 

Black 

Capitol Nashville 

DONICA KNIGHT 

Acting Like A Lady 

Donica Knight/MTS 

MICHAEL TRAN/FILMMAGIC 

5 

FLORIDA 

GEORGIA LINE 

Featuring TIM 

McGRAW 

May We All 

One of many songs to gain in sales 

following a performance at the CMA 

Awards on Nov. 2, broadcast on ABC, “All” 

surges by 20 percent to 28,000 downloads 

sold. It also hits the Country Airplay top five 

(7-5; 37.2 million in audience, up 9 percent). 

LOCASH 

Ring On Every Finger 

Reviver 

NEWTOWN 

Harlan Road 

Mountain Home 

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN 

Missing 

Warner Bros./WMN



AIRPLAY 

MONITORED BY 

MOST ADDED® 

TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist ADDS 

BETTER MAN Capitol Nashville Little Big Town 33 

OUR TOWN Columbia Nashville Tyler Farr 18 

A GUY WITH A GIRL Warner Bros./WMN Blake Shelton 17 

YEAH BOY Black River Kelsea Ballerini 12 

TODAY Arista Nashville Brad Paisley 11 

SOMEBODY ELSE WILL Valory Justin Moore 9 

DIRT ON MY BOOTS Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi 8 

PUT A LABEL ON IT BMLG Ryan Follese 8 

BABY, LET’S LAY DOWN AND DANCE Pearl Garth Brooks 7 

YESTERDAY’S SONG Atlantic/WMN Hunter Hayes 7 

MOST INCREASED AUDIENCE 

GAIN 

TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist (IN MIILIONS) 

WANNA BE THAT SONG Atlantic/WMN Brett Eldredge +3.457 

MAY WE ALL BMLG Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw +3.074 

A GUY WITH A GIRL Warner Bros./WMN Blake Shelton +2.808 

SLEEP WITHOUT YOU BMLG Brett Young +2.611 

BETTER MAN Capitol Nashville Little Big Town +2.155 

DIRTY LAUNDRY 19/Arista Nashville Carrie Underwood +2.096 

A LITTLE MORE SUMMERTIME Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean +1.479 

IF THE BOOT FITS Wheelhouse Granger Smith +1.469 

STAR OF THE SHOW Valory Thomas Rhett +1.457 

TODAY Arista Nashville Brad Paisley +1.382 

NEW AND ACTIVE 

TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist 

RECURRENTS 

TOTAL 

AUDIENCE 

TOTAL 

STATIONS 

LOVE CAN GO TO HELL Warner Bros. Brandy Clark 0.798 14 1 

REBOUND Cold River/New Revolution Drew Baldridge Feat. Emily Weisband 0.654 29 5 

WITH YOU I AM CoJo Cody Johnson 0.624 3 0 

DIAMONDS Red Bow Brooke Eden 0.615 14 2 

LIGHTS DOWN LOW Big Yellow Dog Jessie James Decker 0.432 12 6 

RING ON EVERY FINGER Reviver LoCash 0.420 3 1 

THIS 

WEEK TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist 

TOTAL AUD. 

(IN MILLIONS) 

1 IT DON’T HURT LIKE IT USED TO MercuryBilly Currington 28.073 

2 I KNOW SOMEBODY ReviverLoCash 27.779 

3 I MET A GIRL Warner Bros./WMN William Michael Morgan 19.277 

4 MAKE YOU MISS ME MCA Nashville Sam Hunt 18.333 

5 ROCK ON DotTucker Beathard 18.017 

6 PETER PAN Black River Kelsea Ballerini 16.049 

7 LIGHTS COME ON Broken Bow Jason Aldean 14.854 

8 DIE A HAPPY MAN ValoryThomas Rhett 14.286 

9 SOMEWHERE ON A BEACH Capitol Nashville Dierks Bentley 14.266 

10 H.O.L.Y. BMLGFlorida Georgia Line 13.025 

ADDS 

MOST INCREASED PLAYS 

TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist GAIN 

MAY WE ALL BMLG Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw +763 

A GUY WITH A GIRL Warner Bros./WMN Blake Shelton +675 

WANNA BE THAT SONG Atlantic/WMN Brett Eldredge +645 

SLEEP WITHOUT YOU BMLG Brett Young +560 

BETTER MAN Capitol Nashville Little Big Town +516 

SONG FOR ANOTHER TIME RCA Nashville Old Dominion +382 

DIRTY LAUNDRY 19/Arista Nashville Carrie Underwood +382 

TODAY Arista Nashville Brad Paisley +350 

MIDDLE OF A MEMORY Warner Bros./WMN Cole Swindell +330 

STAR OF THE SHOW Valory Thomas Rhett +286 

BILLBOARD COUNTRY BOXSCORE 

Gross Artist Attendance 

Ticket Price(s) Venue/Date(s) Capacity Promoter(s) 

$1,345,158 DIXIE CHICKS 16,048 

$175, $67.50 Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles/Oct. 10 sellout 

$1,178,026 DIXIE CHICKS 18,010 

$136, $42 PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte/Aug. 13 18,184 

$1,138,510 DIXIE CHICKS 13,520 

$124, $40.50 Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo./Aug. 30 sellout 

$1,018,230 DIXIE CHICKS 12,152 

$102.98, $31.80 Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta/Sept. 29 sellout 

$933,512 DIXIE CHICKS 11,194 

$103.47, $31.95 Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta/Oct. 1 sellout 

LIVE NATION 

LIVE NATION 

LIVE NATION 

LIVE NATION 

LIVE NATION 

Reported worldwide boxscore figures for Country artists. Boxscore figures should be submitted to Bob 

Allen by phone (615-891-1976), fax (615-891-2054) or email (bob.allen@billboard.com). 

TEXAS REGIONAL RADIO REPORT 

WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 6, 2016 

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 +/– 

l 10 11 12 KISS ME (Almost Country) Casey Donahew Band 1277 33 4 26 11 HONKY TONK KUNG FU (Ari-Tex ) James Lann 678 75 

l1 3 18 EVERYTHING I NEED (Independent) HH 1 week at 1 HH Jerrett Zoch and The OSR Band 1594 92 

l11 12 11 FROM WHERE I’M STANDING (Independent) Curtis Grimes 1245 72 

l2 2 20 ONE I WANT (Independent) Flatland Cavalry 1577 62 

l12 14 11 SECOND HAND SMOKE (Independent) Jamie Richards 1198 39 

3 1 21 SISTER LOST SOUL (Independent) Micky & The Motorcars 1453 -357 

l13 15 7 BROKEN HEART (Independent) Josh Ward 1195 138 

l4 5 16 LIGHTNING BUGS AND RAIN (Wiggy Thump) Whiskey Myers 1435 32 

l14 13 12 HIGH ON A COUNTRY SONG (Independent) Sam Riggs 1181 11 

l5 8 15 BOOTS ON A DANCE FLOOR (Fool Hearted/Tone tree) Jon Wolfe 1377 77 15 16 9 I DON’T DANCE (Independent) Jon Wolfe 744 117 

l6 7 22 SHE CAN FORGIVE (Independent) Jesse Raub Jr. 1355 36 4 24 8 TURN IT UP (Winding Road) Roger Creager 707 88 

l7 10 18 BRINGIN’ COUNTRY BACK (Independent) Zane Williams 1348 92 17 6 32 DREAM IT ALL OVER AGAIN (Independent)Rosehill 705 -390 

l8 9 16 WANNA WANNA BAR (Fun All Wrong) Roger Creager 1339 42 4 19 16 I’M WEARING BLACK (Independent) Granger Smith 703 23 

9 4 15 HOW CAN YOU LOVE HIM (YOU DON’T EVEN LIKE HIM) (No Big Deal) Reckless Kelly 1313 -175 4 22 12 DRINK TOO MUCH (Independent) Mark McKinney 703 60 

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 817-283-7984. Copyright 2016, Texas Regional Radio Report


NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND 

Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man” — written about his wife, Lauren 

Gregory — claimed song of the year during the 64th annual BMI 

Country Awards on Nov. 1. From left: BMI president/CEO Michael 

O’Neill, Gregory, Rhett and BMI Nashville vp writer/publisher relations 

Jody Williams. 

OSBORNES, RHETT GET SONGWRITER WINS 

Attendees didn’t know it at the time, but when ASCAP and BMI handed out their 

country song of the year awards on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, they were providing a 

minor preview of the Country Music Association Award winners. 

Brothers Osborne’s “Stay a Little Longer” took the ASCAP honor two nights 

before their surprise CMA win as vocal duo of the year, while Thomas Rhett’s 

“Die a Happy Man” — co-written with Joe London and Sean Douglas — nabbed 

the BMI trophy the night before the CMA recognized it as single of the year. 

Those awards provided a fresh coat of paint on the performing rights 

organization’s winners lists, which otherwise had an air of repetition at the 

top. Ashley Gorley pocketed ASCAP’s songwriter of the year for the third 

year in a row during a ceremony at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, after 

landing seven songs among the agency’s most-played country titles, including 

Dan + Shay’s “Nothin’ Like You,” Jason Aldean’s “Tonight Looks Good on 

You” and Frankie Ballard’s “Young & Crazy.” 

“It obviously never gets old — totally different songs, totally different year,” 

Gorley told Billboard. “I’m very humbled to get it again.” 

Ross Copperman swiped BMI’s songwriter trophy for the first time, though 

it was his second year in a row at the top of the winners list; he was a co-writer 

of the 2015 country song of the year, “Beat of the Music.” Copperman had a 

hand in seven of BMI’s top 50 songs this year, including Luke Bryan’s “Strip 

It Down,” Billy Currington’s “Don’t It” and Keith Urban’s “John Cougar, 

John Deere, John 3:16.” 

“In 10 years, when I’m sitting, smoking a cigar, maybe I’ll understand what 

a big deal this is,” said Copperman. “But right now, I’m so in it, I’m thinking 

about the next five songs. It’s hard for me to soak it in.” 

The publisher winners were distinctly familiar. Sony/ATV captured BMI’s 

country publisher honors for the 15th year in a row, with a stake in 22 of the 50 

titles celebrated among the PRO’s most-performed. Warner/Chappell walked 

off with the ASCAP equivalent for the fourth consecutive year after placing 

18 titles among that agency’s medallion winners. 

Kenny Chesney, Chris Stapleton and Ricky Skaggs were among the special 

honorees with tributes that featured the likes of Garth Brooks, Eric Church, 

Jamey Johnson and Peter Frampton. 

Go here for the full ASCAP story and here for the complete BMI recap. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS 

Envision Networks is launching Collin Raye’s Rewind Country, a vignette 

feature that runs on weekdays. For more info, reach Envision marketing 

director Amber Wade here … Justin Cole was installed as iHeartMedia/ 

Chattanooga (Tenn.) senior vp programming, overseeing five stations and 

serving as WUSY PD. He moves from Premiere Radio Networks director 

of country programming, but will continue to work some Premiere properties 

… Erika Beasley was promoted to Beasley/ Fayetteville, N.C., vp/ 

market manager, overseeing five stations, including country WKML. Beasley 

had been WQYK Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., general sales manager. She 

replaces Mac Edwards, who was transferred from Fayetteville to become 

Beasley/Detroit vp/market manager … Joel “Jax” Lisinski has joined WKTI 

Milwaukee in afternoon drive, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported, 

arriving after a recent stint at WUSN Chicago. WKTI continues to look for 

on-air talent with its lineup in flux. Jillene Khan moved to middays from 

weeknights, and Jonathan West grabbed her former shift after handling 

weekends. Scripps/ Milwaukee director of marketing J. Pat Miller is serving 

as interim PD following Dayton Kane’s departure in October … KSNI Santa 

Maria, Calif., morning co-host Jay Turner added PD stripes, according to 

RadioInfo.com … Brian Gann was promoted to iHeartMedia/Central Texas 

senior vp programming, InsideRadio.com reported. Previously affiliated with 

five outlets, he now oversees 15 stations in Austin and San Antonio, including 

four country signals: KVET and KASE Austin and KAJA and KRPT San Antonio. 

’ROUND THE ROW 

Pennington Entertainment hired two new employees for marketing and 

management. Kelly Rickert takes over as Nashville-based social media ninja on 

Nov. 14 after completing a run as Entercom/Wilkes-Barre, Pa., promotions and 

social media coordinator. That job included work 

with country WGGY. New executive assistant/special 

projects coordinator Danielle Clement is a VSA 

Tennessee artistic director. Reach Rickert here and 

Clement here … Songwriter Isaac Fox signed a jointventure 

publishing deal with Tim Wipperman’s 

Rezonant Music and MusInk … Miranda Lambert 

extended her relationship with Sony Music Nashville, 

establishing the Vanner label, beginning with 

FOX 

her Nov. 18 album The Weight of These Wings … The 

Country Music Association presented its media achievement award to Rolling 

Stone Country senior editors Beville Dunkerley and Joseph Hudak. The 

award comes as Dunkerley takes a new role as Pandora Nashville industry 

relations director … The British Country Music Association recognized Webster 

PR president Kirt Webster with its international services to industry 

award … Pop singer Kay Starr died Nov. 3 in Los Angeles. She landed two top 

five country singles in 1950 by teaming with Tennessee Ernie Ford on “I’ll 

Never Be Free” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own” … New Revolution 

Southeast regional promotion director Doug Baker died Nov. 2. He spent 

two decades in promotion with stops at RCA, Virgin and Capitol following a 

radio career that began as a KNIX Phoenix personality and concluded as WSIX 

Nashville PD/music director. 

John Osborne (left) and T.J. Osborne of Brothers Osborne accepted the 

song of the year award for “Stay a Little Longer” at the ASCAP Country 

Music Awards on Oct. 31 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. 

BROTHERS OSBORNE: ED RODE


NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND 

BALLERINI: COURTESY CMA 

MUSIC NOTES 

Hark! The herald angels will soon be singing. Country artists’ holiday bookings 

have begun in earnest, starting with CMA Country Christmas taping at the 

Grand Ole Opry House on Nov. 8 for a Nov. 28 ABC run date. Kacy Musgraves, 

Kelsea Ballerini, Rascal Flatts, Chris Young, Brett Eldredge and Trisha 

Yearwood are among the performers 

joining host Jennifer Nettles. 

Eldredge and Ballerini will also appear 

at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day 

Parade on Nov. 24, along with Easton 

Corbin and Maddie & Tae. Yearwood 

accompanies Garth Brooks during 

NBC’s Nov. 30 telecast of Christmas 

in Rockefeller Center, which also 

welcomes Dolly Parton. And A Pentatonix 

Christmas Special is on tap Nov. 

14 on NBC, with Kelly Clarkson and 

BALLERINI 

Reba McEntire. 

Record producer-guitarist Dann Huff acted much like a producer and studio 

musician during the 50th annual Country Music Association Awards by staying 

out of the limelight. But he joined Chris Stapleton as the only two-time 

winners during the evening. Huff was announced off-camera as the musician 

of the year, nabbing a prize he previously claimed in 2001 and 2004. He also 

got his first CMA victory as a producer, for his work (along with co-producer 

Jesse Frasure) on Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man,” the single of the year. 

After headlining the first-ever show at the University of Iowa’s Kinnick 

Stadium on Aug. 27, Blake Shelton is going back to school in 2017, giving 

the inaugural concert at yet another Big 10 stadium. This time, the event is 

the Happy Valley Jam, a multi-artist lineup at Penn State’s Beaver Stadium 

on July 8. The undercard includes Chris Young, Big & Rich, David Ray and 

Adley Stump, the latter a former member of Team Blake on NBC’s The Voice. 

During part of the Cowboy Rides Away Tour, George Strait threw a cover 

of Tom Petty’s “You Wreck Me” into the set list. Now Strait’s in line to help 

honor Petty as the MusiCares Person of the Year when the Recording Academy 

holds its annual tribute at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Feb. 10, 

2017, two days before the Grammy Awards. Desert Rose Band founders Chris 

Hillman and Herb Pedersen are also in the mix, along with Elle King, Don 

Henley, Lucinda Williams, Jackson Browne and Petty’s Traveling Wilburys 

bandmate Jeff Lynne. Proceeds aid the MusiCares Foundation. 

Top Headlines from 

Click on headlines below for more details 

.com 

CMA Awards Producer On 

‘Welcoming A New Friend & Welcoming 

Back An Old One’ In Beyoncé & Dixie Chicks 

Is The Record Business Really Back? 

How Streaming Is (And Isn’t) Turning a Profit 

ON THIS DATE IN COUNTRY MUSIC 

Nov. 7 

• 2009 — Taylor Swift is guest host and musical guest on NBC’s 

Saturday Night Live, telecast from New York. She jabs Kanye West 

and Joe Jonas in the opening monologue and performs “You Belong 

With Me.” 

• 2001 — The T Bone Burnett-produced O Brother, 

Where Art Thou? wins album of the year, and one 

of its tracks, The Soggy Bottom Boys’ “I Am a 

Man of Constant Sorrow,” takes single during the 

35th Country Music Association Awards from 

Nashville on CBS. 

BURNETT 

Nov. 8 

• 2010 — The movie Country Strong, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and 

Tim McGraw, premieres at Nashville’s Green Hills 16 theaters, 

drawing Luke Bryan, Sara Evans, Dierks Bentley, Mark Collie, 

Jerrod Niemann and Little Big Town. 

Nov. 9 

• 2012 — Owing to the line about a “Chevy with a lift kick” in their 

song “Cruise,” Carl Black Chevrolet in Kennesaw, Ga., gives 

Florida Georgia Line members Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley 

Silverado pickups. 

• 1966 — Jim Ed Brown records “Pop a Top” at Nashville’s RCA 

Studio B, using Dr Pepper cans supplied by Jimmy Dean to create 

the sound of a beer can opening. 

Nov. 10 

• 2014 — MCA releases Sam Hunt’s “Take Your Time” to radio. 

Nov. 11 

• 2011 — The Zac Brown Band welcomes a surprise guest during its 

concert at the Gexa Energy Pavilion in Dallas: Randy Travis, who 

joins the group on “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” 

• 2006 — Carrie Underwood carves her name into the top of the 

Billboard country chart with “Before He Cheats.” 

Nov. 12 

• 1916 — Lon Williams marries Lillie Skipper. The relationship 

produces a child who becomes a significant country star: some guy 

named Hank Williams. 

Nov. 13 

• 2015 — RCA releases the Chris Young album I’m Comin’ Over. 

Source: RolandNote.com, the Ultimate Country Music Database 

John Fogerty On Deck For Keynote Q&A 

At Billboard Touring Conference 

It’s Official: Dick Clark Productions 

Sells To China’s Wanda Group 

CMA Awards as Grammy Auditions: How the Odds 

Changed for Beyoncé, Maren Morris & Maybe Dolly 

Jason Aldean received a plaque during the BBR Music Group’s Nov. 1 

party. The plaque recognized Aldean’s three straight debuts at No. 1 

on the Billboard 200. From left: BBR executive vp Jon Loba, Aldean 

and BBR CEO/owner Benny Brown, GM Rick Shedd, vp promotion Lee 

Adams and senior vp promotion Carson James. 

SARAH KAUSS


CMA WEEK IN PICTURES 

The 50th annual Country Music Association Awards ran into a ratings buzzsaw, up against Game Seven of the Chicago Cubs’ historic World Series win, which 

drew more than 40 million viewers. Despite that competition, the ABC telecast retained 93 percent of its viewership from 2015, with a total viewer count of 

12.6 million that is expected to increase in TV playback. Following are just a few of the images from the night: 

1 2 

Randy Travis’ final note on “Forever and Ever, Amen” was a sentimental 

highlight of the awards. From left: co-host Carrie Underwood, Travis 

and co-host Brad Paisley. 

George Strait and Alan Jackson attended the Universal Music Group 

Nashville afterparty at the Musicians Hall of Fame. From left: UMGN 

president Cindy Mabe, Strait, Jackson and UMGN chairman/CEO 

Mike Dungan. 

3 4 

5 

Warner Music Nashville hosted its party at the WMN 

office on Music Row. From left: RaeLynn, WMN 

chairman/CEO John Esposito, Aubrie Sellers and 

Brandy Clark. 

6 

Jennifer Nettles celebrated 

with Big Machine Label Group 

president/CEO Scott Borchetta at 

the label’s post-awards party. 

Miranda Lambert joined executives at the Sony 

Music Nashville post-awards party at the Bell 

Tower. From left: ShopKeeper Management owner 

Marion Kraft, SMN chairman/CEO Randy Goodman, 

Lambert, Columbia chairman/CEO Rob Stringer and 

Sony CEO Doug Morris. 

7 8 

1: COURTESTY CMA, 4: RICK DIAMOND/GETTY IMAGES, 5: ERIKA GOLDRING, 

Beyoncé’s performance with Dixie Chicks provided the most-talked-about 

— and most controversial — segment of the CMA Awards. From left: the 

band’s Natalie Maines, Beyoncé and band member Martie Maguire. 

Faith Hill adjusted Eric Church’s 

tie as he accepted album of the 

year for Mr. Misunderstood. 

Chris Stapleton accepted the 

male vocalist of the year trophy for 

the second straight year.


Hot Country Songs 

SALES, AIRPLAY & 

STREAMING DATA 

COMPILED BY 

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WEEKS 

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THIS 

WEEK 

LAST 

WEEK 

WKS ON 

CHART 

TITLE 

PRODUCER (SONGWRITER) 

Artist 

IMPRINT / PROMOTION LABEL CERTIFIED 

l 1 2 2 13 BLUE AIN’T YOUR COLOR HH No. 1 (1 week) HH Keith Urban 

D.HUFF,K.URBAN (S.L.OLSEN,H.LINDSEY,C.LAGERBERG) 

HIT RED/CAPITOL NASHVILLE 

l 2 1 1 15 SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE Kenny Chesney Featuring P!nk 

B.CANNON,K.CHESNEY (R.COPPERMAN,M.JENKINS,J.OSBORNE) 

BLUE CHAIR/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 

l 3 3 4 16 MAY WE ALL Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw 

J.MOI (R.CLAWSON,J.MOORE) 

BMLG 

l 4 4 3 26 MIDDLE OF A MEMORY Cole Swindell 

M.CARTER (C.SWINDELL,A.GORLEY,Z.CROWELL) 

WARNER BROS./WMN 

l 5 5 5 17 MOVE Luke Bryan 

J.STEVENS,J.STEVENS (L.BRYAN,M.CARTER,J.CLEMENTI) 

CAPITOL NASHVILLE 

l 6 20 41 3 BETTER MAN HH Digital Streaming Gainer HH Little Big Town 

J.JOYCE (T.SWIFT) 


l 7 7 8 16 A LITTLE MORE SUMMERTIME Jason Aldean 

M.KNOX (W.MOBLEY,T.MARTIN,J.FLOWERS) 

MACON/BROKEN BOW 

l 8 8 9 28 SLEEP WITHOUT YOU Brett Young 

D.HUFF (B.YOUNG,K.ARCHER,J.EBACH) 

BMLG 

l 9 10 11 16 VICE Miranda Lambert 

F.LIDDELL,E.MASSE,G.WORF (M.LAMBERT,S.MCANALLY,J.OSBORNE) 

RCA NASHVILLE 

l 10 11 12 21 SONG FOR ANOTHER TIME Old Dominion 

S.MCANALLY (M.RAMSEY,T. ROSEN,B.TURSI,M.JENKINS) 

RCA NASHVILLE 

l 11 13 13 10 DIRTY LAUNDRY Carrie Underwood 

J.JOYCE (Z.CROWELL,A.GORLEY,H.LINDSEY) 

19/ARISTA NASHVILLE 

l 12 12 14 24 WANNA BE THAT SONG HH Airplay Gainer HH Brett Eldredge 

R. COPPERMAN,B.ELDREDGE (B.ELDREDGE,R.COPPERMAN,SCOOTER CARUSOE) ATLANTIC/WMN 

I KNOW SOMEBODY 

LoCash 

13 6 6 23 

L.RIMES (R.AKINS,R.COPPERMAN,J.S.STOVER) 

REVIVER 

l 14 17 19 5 STAR OF THE SHOW Thomas Rhett 

JOE LONDON,J.BUNETTA,THOMAS RHETT (THOMAS RHETT,R.AKINS,B.HAYSLIP) 

VALORY 

l 15 14 17 17 HOW I’LL ALWAYS BE Tim McGraw 

B.GALLIMORE,T.MCGRAW (J.S.STOVER,C.JANSON,J.PAULIN) 

MCGRAW/BIG MACHINE 

l 16 15 15 23 DIFFERENT FOR GIRLS Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King 

R. COPPERMAN (S.MCANALLY,J.T.HARDING) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 

0 3 

l 17 16 16 22 80S MERCEDES Maren Morris 

BUSBEE,M.MORRIS (M.MORRIS,BUSBEE) 

COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 

l 18 19 18 7 FOREVER COUNTRY Artists Of Then, Now & Forever 

S.MCANALLY (D.PARTON,J.DENVER,T.DANOFF,W.DANOFF,W.NELSON,S.MCANALLY,J.OSBORNE) 

CMA/MCA NASHVILLE 

l 19 18 20 30 PARACHUTE Chris Stapleton 

D.COBB,C.STAPLETON (C.STAPLETON,J.BEAVERS) 

MERCURY 

l 20 22 23 8 KILL A WORD Eric Church Featuring Rhiannon Giddens 

J.JOYCE (E.CHURCH,J.HYDE,L.DICK) 

EMI NASHVILLE 

l 21 21 21 29 LIVIN’ THE DREAM Drake White 

R. COPPERMAN,J.S.STOVER (T.DOUGLAS,J.JOHNSTON,L.LAIRD) DOT 

l 22 25 22 5 TODAY Brad Paisley 

L.WOOTEN (B.PAISLEY,C.DUBOIS,A.GORLEY) 

ARISTA NASHVILLE 

l 23 26 30 5 A GUY WITH A GIRL Blake Shelton 

S.HENDRICKS (A.GORLEY,B.SIMPSON) 


l 24 23 25 7 DIRT ON MY BOOTS Jon Pardi 

B.BUTLER,J.PARDI (R.AKINS,J.FRASURE,A.GORLEY) 


l 25 30 28 32 21 SUMMER Brothers Osborne 

J.JOYCE (J. OSBORNE,T.J. OSBORNE,C.WISEMAN) 

EMI NASHVILLE 

PEAK 

POSITION 

1 

1 

3 

3 

5 

6 

7 

8 

2 

10 

11 

12 

4 

14 

14 

16 

1 

18 

20 

21 

12 

23 

23 

25 

GILBERT: ROBB COHEN/INVISION/AP 

10 

OLD 

DOMINION 

Song for 

Another Time 

With an 11-10 hop, Old Dominion 

earns its third Hot Country Songs top 

10, following the No. 3-peaking “Break 

Up With Him” and the No. 4 follow-up 

“Snapback.” On Country Airplay, “Song” 

bumps 8-7 (33.6 million, up 3 percent). 

29 

BRANTLEY 

GILBERT 

The 

Weekend 

The first single from Gilbert’s third LP, The 

Devil Don’t Sleep (Jan. 13, 2017), pushes 

32-29 on Hot Country Songs. After its official 

video debuted Oct. 30, the track bounds 

by 88 percent to 1 million streams and 

70 percent to 6,000 downloads sold.


Hot Country Songs 



COMPILED BY 

TWO 

WEEKS 

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CHART 

TITLE 

PRODUCER (SONGWRITER) 

Artist 

IMPRINT / PROMOTION LABEL CERTIFIED 

l 26 24 24 16 IF THE BOOT FITS Granger Smith 

G.SMITH,F.ROGERS (J.M.SCHMIDT,A.ALBERT,M.TENPENNY) 

WHEELHOUSE 

l 27 27 26 10 ROAD LESS TRAVELED Lauren Alaina 

BUSBEE (LAUREN ALAINA,J.FRASURE,M.TRAINOR) 

19/INTERSCOPE/MERCURY 

l 28 29 29 19 SEEIN’ RED Dustin Lynch 

M.J.CONES (T.KENNEDY,K.ALLISON,S.BOGARD,J.SEVER) 

BROKEN BOW 

l 29 32 32 15 THE WEEKEND Brantley Gilbert 

D.HUFF (B.GILBERT,A.DEROBERTS) 

VALORY 

l 30 28 27 21 SOBER SATURDAY NIGHT Chris Young Featuring Vince Gill 

C.CROWDER,C.YOUNG (C.YOUNG,B.WARREN,B.WARREN) 

RCA NASHVILLE 

l 31 31 31 19 MAKE YOU MINE High Valley 

S.MOSLEY (B.REMPEL,S.MOSLEY,B.STENNIS) 

ATLANTIC/WEA 

l 32 36 38 4 YEAH BOY Kelsea Ballerini 

F.G.WHITEHEAD,J.MASSEY (K.BALLERINI,F.G.WHITEHEAD,K.TIMMER) 

BLACK RIVER 

l 33 35 34 11 LOVE TRIANGLE RaeLynn 

N.GALYON,J.ROBBINS (N.GALYON,J.ROBBINS,RAELYNN) 


l 34 34 33 9 HOMETOWN GIRL Josh Turner 

K.GREENBERG (M.BEESON,D.TASHIAN) 

MCA NASHVILLE 

l 35 40 40 6 THINK A LITTLE LESS Michael Ray 

S.HENDRICKS (J.M.NITE,THOMAS RHETT,BARY DEAN,J.ROBBINS) 

ATLANTIC/WEA 

l 36 38 35 10 HOLDIN’ HER Chris Janson 

B.GALLIMORE (C.JANSON,J.OTTO) 

WARNER BROS./WAR 

l 37 39 37 13 MY GIRL Dylan Scott 

M.ALDERMAN,J.E.NORMAN (D.SCOTT,J.KERR) 

CURB 

l 38 41 39 10 THERE’S A GIRL Trent Harmon 

J.ROBBINS (T.HARMON,J.ROBBINS,L.VELTZ) 

19/REPUBLIC/DOT 

l 39 42 36 10 HURRICANE Luke Combs 

S.MOFFATT (L.COMBS,T.PHILLIPS,T.ARCHER) 

RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 

IF I TOLD YOU 

Darius Rucker 

40 33 43 12 

R. COPPERMAN (R.COPPERMAN,J.M.NITE,S.MCANALLY) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 

l 41 NEW 1 WHISKEY AND YOU HH Hot Shot Debut HH Josh Halverson 

B.APPLEBERRY (C.STAPLETON,L.T.MILLER) 

REPUBLIC 

l 42 NEW 1 HOW GREAT THOU ART Home Free 

NOT LISTED (NOT LISTED) 

COLUMBIA 

l 43 43 46 7 A LITTLE MORE LOVE Jerrod Niemann & Lee Brice 

J.L.SLOAS,J.L.NIEMANN,L.BRICE (S.MCANALLY,R.COPPERMAN,N.HEMBY,K.NEUMANN) 

CURB 

l 44 RE-ENTRY 3 

WHISKEY AND YOU 

Chris Stapleton 

D.COBB,C.STAPLETON (C.STAPLETON,L.T.MILLER) 

MERCURY 

45 44 45 6 

46 45 47 4 

OUTSKIRTS OF HEAVEN 

M.J.CONES (C.CAMPBELL,D.TURNBULL) 

BABY, LET’S LAY DOWN AND DANCE 

M.A.MILLER (K.BLAZY,S.DORFF,V.SHAW,K.WILLIAMS,G.BROOKS) 

Craig Campbell 

RED BOW 

Garth Brooks 

PEARL 

47 46 49 5 

LONG LIVE TONIGHT 

LANco 

J.JOYCE (B.LANCASTER,J.REEVES) 

ARISTA NASHVILLE 

l 48 NEW 1 THESE HANDS Taylor Ray Holbrook 

J.SCIULLO (T.R.HOLBROOK,P.O’NEAL BRITT,G.S.STANTON) 

TAYLORRAYMADE 

49 37 — 4 

JOLENE 

Pentatonix Featuring Dolly Parton 

50 50 50 4 

D.PARTON,PENTATONIX (D.PARTON) 

HOW NOT TO 

D.SMYERS,S.HENDRICKS (A.HAMBRICK,P.DIGIOVANNI,K.BARD) 

RCA 

Dan + Shay 

WARNER BROS./WAR 

PEAK 

POSITION 

24 

25 

28 

23 

27 

29 

32 

33 

33 

35 

35 

31 

36 

32 

25 

41 

42 

43 

35 

43 

36 

46 

48 

18 

50 

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. 

Year-Over-Year ALBUM SALESAlbum Sales 

’15 

’16 

DIGITAL TRACKS SALES 

’15 

’16 

22.9 million 

19.8 million 

000.0 million 96.9 million 

74.6 million 

For week ending Nov. 3, 2016. Figures are rounded. Compiled from 

a national sample of retail store and rack sales reports collected and 

provided by Nielsen Music. 

COUNTRY MARKET WATCH 

A Weekly National Music Sales Report 

Weekly Unit ’15 Sales 

’14 

ALBUMS 

DIGITAL 

ALBUMS* 

DIGITAL 

TRACKS 

This Week 558,000 228,000 1,538,000 

Last Week 364,000 104,000 1,276,000 

Change 53.3% 119.2% 20.5% 

This Week Last Year 780,000 446,000 2,165,000 

Change -28.5% -48.9% -29.0% 

*Digital album sales are also counted within album sales. 

YEAR-TO-DATE 

Overall Unit Sales 

2015 2016 CHANGE 

Albums 22,883,000 19,812,000 -13.4% 

Digital Tracks 96,901,000 74,631,000 -23.0% 

Sales by Album Format 

2015 2016 CHANGE 

Physical 14,447,000 12,949,000 9.0% 

Digital 84,360,000 6,863,000 -91.9% 

For inquiries about any Nielsen Music data, please contact Josh Bennett at 615-807-1338 or josh.bennett@nielsen.com


TOP COUNTRY ALBUMS 



COMPILED BY 

COUNTRY 

DIGITAL SONG SALES 



COMPILED BY 

THIS 

WEEK 

LAST 

WEEK 

2 WEEKS 

AGO 

WEEKS 

ON CHT 

ARTIST 

Title 

IMPRINT & NUMBER / DISTRIBUTING LABEL 

l1 NEW 

KENNY CHESNEY COSMIC HALLELUJAH 

1 BLUE CHAIR/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 518037/SMN 

l2 NEW 

BRETT ELDREDGE GLOW 

1 ATLANTIC 556817/WMN 

KEITH URBAN RIPCORD 

l3 4 6 26 HIT RED/CAPITOL NASHVILLE 023591*/UMGN 

CHRIS STAPLETON TRAVELLER 

l4 1 2 79 MERCURY 019405*/UMGN 

2 2 

l5 NEW 

COLE SWINDELL DOWN HOME SESSIONS III (EP) 

1 WARNER BROS. DIGITAL EX/WMN 

l6 NEW 

JIMMY BUFFETT ‘TIS THE SEASON 

1 MAILBOAT 2165* 

MAREN MORRIS 

l7 26 25 22 COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 516885*/SMN 

HERO 

THOMAS RHETT 

l8 27 27 58 VALORY RT0200A/BMLG 

TANGLED UP 

1 

JASON ALDEAN 

9 2 3 8 MACON/BROKEN BOW 2227/BBMG 

THEY DON’T KNOW 

CARRIE UNDERWOOD 

l10 8 11 54 19/ARISTA NASHVILLE 510539*/SMN 

STORYTELLER 

0 

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE 

11 3 5 10 BMLG 0300* 

DIG YOUR ROOTS 

l12 NEW 

KIP MOORE 

1 MCA NASHVILLE DIGITAL EX/UMGN 

UNDERGROUND (EP) 

l13 NEW 

FRANK FOSTER GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC 

1 LONE CHIEF 4999 

VARIOUS ARTISTS CMA AWARDS 50 ZINEPAK 

l14 5 — 2 CMA 100116 WMEX/ZINEPAK 

ERIC CHURCH MR. MISUNDERSTOOD 

l15 22 22 53 EMI NASHVILLE 024200*/UMGN 

0 

l16 NEW 

KACEY MUSGRAVES A VERY KACEY CHRISTMAS 

1 MERCURY 025469*/UMGN 

l17 NEW 

JENNIFER NETTLES TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS 

1 BIG MACHINE JN0150A/BMLG 

BLAKE SHELTON IF I’M HONEST 

l18 12 8 24 WARNER BROS. 555352/WMN 

0 

COLE SWINDELL YOU SHOULD BE HERE 

l19 18 16 26 WARNER BROS. 554671/WMN 

JOEY + RORY HYMNS 

l20 13 10 38 FARMHOUSE/GAITHER 49134*/CAPITOL CMG 

DIERKS BENTLEY BLACK 

l21 31 26 23 CAPITOL NASHVILLE 024745*/UMGN 

LUKE BRYAN KILL THE LIGHTS 

l22 15 17 65 CAPITOL NASHVILLE 022813/UMGN 

1 

AARON LEWIS SINNER 

l23 10 9 7 DOT 025343*/BMLG 

CHRIS YOUNG IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS 

l24 9 4 3 RCA NASHVILLE 533286/SMN 

KELSEA BALLERINI THE FIRST TIME 

l25 17 19 77 BLACK RIVER 2015 

The week’s most popular country albums, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen Music. Albums are 

defined as current if they are less than 18 months old or older than 18 months but still residing in the Billboard 

200’s top 100. Charts update weekly on Thurdays at www.Billboard.Biz/charts. Copyright 2016, Prometheus 

Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved. 

CERT. 

PEAK 

POS. 

THIS 

WEEK 

LAST 

WEEK 

WKS ON 

CHART 

TITLE 

ARTIST (IMPRINT/LABEL) 

l1 1 16 

BLUE AIN’T YOUR COLOR 

KEITH URBAN (Hit Red/Capitol Nashville/UMGN) 

l2 4 3 

BETTER MAN 

LITTLE BIG TOWN (Capitol Nashville/UMGN) 

l3 2 14 

SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE 

KENNY CHESNEY FEAT. P!NK(Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville/SMN) 

l 4 35 42 

HUMBLE AND KIND 

TIM MCGRAW(McGraw/Big Machine/BMLG) 

l5 3 16 

MAY WE ALL 

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE FEAT. TIM MCGRAW(BMLG) 

l6 6 16 

VICE 

MIRANDA LAMBERT(RCA Nashville/SMN) 

MY CHURCH 

l7 RE-ENTRY 

MAREN MORRIS(Columbia Nashville/SMN) 

l 8 38 59 

DIE A HAPPY MAN 

THOMAS RHETT(Valory/BMLG) 

l9 7 7 

FOREVER COUNTRY 

ARTISTS OF THEN, NOW & FOREVER(CMA/MCA Nashville/UMGN) 

l10 8 31 

PETER PAN 

KELSEA BALLERINI (Black River) 

l11 12 9 

DIRTY LAUNDRY 

CARRIE UNDERWOOD(19/Arista Nashville/SMN) 

l12 13 16 

MOVE 

LUKE BRYAN(Capitol Nashville/UMGN) 

l13 19 20 

SONG FOR ANOTHER TIME 

OLD DOMINION(RCA Nashville/SMN) 

14 9 21 

SLEEP WITHOUT YOU 

BRETT YOUNG(BMLG) 

l15 15 6 

DIRT ON MY BOOTS 

JON PARDI(Capitol Nashville/UMGN) 

l16 NEW 


JOSH HALVERSON(Republic) 

l 17 14 26 

MIDDLE OF A MEMORY 

COLE SWINDELL(Warner Bros./WMN) 

l18 27 23 

DIFFERENT FOR GIRLS 

DIERKS BENTLEY FEAT. ELLE KING (Capitol Nashville/UMGN) 

l19 16 5 

STAR OF THE SHOW 

THOMAS RHETT(Valory/BMLG) 

l20 24 4 

TODAY 

BRAD PAISLEY(Arista Nashville/SMN) 

21 10 27 H.O.L.Y. 

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE (BMLG) 

l22 37 5 

KILL A WORD 

ERIC CHURCH FEAT. RHIANNON GIDDENS (EMI Nashville/Capitol CMG) 

21 SUMMER 

l23 RE-ENTRY 

BROTHERS OSBORNE(EMI Nashville/UMGN) 

l24 21 22 

PARACHUTE 

CHRIS STAPLETON(Mercury/UMGN) 

l25 NEW THESE HANDS 

TAYLOR RAY HOLBROOK (TaylorRayMade) 

THIS 

WEEK 

LAST 

WEEK 

WKS ON 

CHART 

TITLE 

ARTIST (IMPRINT/LABEL) 

WANNA BE THAT SONG 

l26 20 22 

BRETT ELDREDGE(Atlantic/WMN) 

l27 25 54 

TENNESSEE WHISKEY 


l28 28 18 

80S MERCEDES 

MAREN MORRIS(Columbia Nashville/SMN) 

29 17 16 

30 23 16 

I MET A GIRL 

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN (Warner Bros./WMN) 

A LITTLE MORE SUMMERTIME 

JASON ALDEAN(Macon/Broken Bow/BBMG) 

l31 49 7 

THE WEEKEND 

BRANTLEY GILBERT(Valory/BMLG) 

32 18 20 

IT DON’T HURT LIKE IT USED TO 

BILLY CURRINGTON(Mercury/UMGN) 

l33 31 3 

A GUY WITH A GIRL 

BLAKE SHELTON(Warner Bros./WMN) 

l34 NEW 

REMEMBER WHEN 

ALAN JACKSON(Arista Nashville/Legacy) 

l35 NEW 

CHEVROLET DJ 


36 5 14 

I KNOW SOMEBODY 

LOCASH (Reviver) 

l37 NEW 

ALL EYES ON US 

JON LANGSTON(Jon Langston) 

38 30 28 

THY WILL 

HILLARY SCOTT & THE SCOTT FAMILY(HST/EMI Nashville/UMGN) 

l39 42 8 

ROAD LESS TRAVELED 

LAUREN ALAINA(19/Interscope/Mercury/UMGN) 

l40 RE-ENTRY 

DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES 

KEITH WHITLEY(RCA Nashville/Legacy) 

l41 43 9 

SEEIN’ RED 

DUSTIN LYNCH(Broken Bow/BBMG) 

l42 RE-ENTRY 

l43 RE-ENTRY 



RECORD YEAR 

ERIC CHURCH(EMI Nashville/UMGN) 

l44 46 39 

FROM THE GROUND UP 

DAN + SHAY (Warner Bros./WMN) 

45 11 8 HURT 

JOHNNY CASH(American/Lost Highway/UMGN) 

l46 RE-ENTRY 

l47 RE-ENTRY 

GIRL CRUSH 

LITTLE BIG TOWN (Capitol Nashville/UMGN) 

YOU SHOULD BE HERE 


48 26 4 JOLENE 

PENTATONIX FEAT. DOLLY PARTON(RCA) 

l49 NEW 

KEEPER OF THE FLAME 

MIRANDA LAMBERT(RCA Nashville/SMN) 

l50 RE-ENTRY FOREVER AND EVER AMEN 

RANDY TRAVIS(Warner Bros./WMN) 

Top-selling paid download country songs compiled from sales reports collected and provided by Nielsen 

Music. Charts update weekly on Thurdays at www.Billboard.Biz/charts. Copyright 2016, Prometheus Global 

Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved. 

COUNTRY 

STREAMING SONGS 


COMPILED BY 

HALVERSON: TYLER GOLDEN/NBC 

16 

JOSH 

HALVERSON 

Whiskey and 

You 

Halverson chose Chris Stapleton’s 

“Whiskey and You” to perform on NBC’s 

The Voice on Oct. 31 — winning him a spot 

on coach Alicia Keys’ team. He makes 

his chart debut as the cover enters 

Country Digital Song Sales at No. 16 

(11,000) and Hot Country Songs at No. 41. 

THIS 

WEEK 

LAST 

WEEK 

WKS ON 

CHART 

TITLE 

ARTIST 

1 1 27 H.O.L.Y. 

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE 

BLUE AIN’T YOUR COLOR 

l2 2 7 

KEITH URBAN 

MAY WE ALL 

l3 3 10 

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE FEAT. TIM MCGRAW 

DIE A HAPPY MAN 

l4 4 58 

THOMAS RHETT 

SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE 

l5 10 12 

KENNY CHESNEY FEAT. P!NK 

MIDDLE OF A MEMORY 

l6 5 14 

COLE SWINDELL 

VICE 

l7 7 15 

MIRANDA LAMBERT 

BETTER MAN 

l8 — 1 

LITTLE BIG TOWN 

HUNTIN’, FISHIN’ & LOVIN’ EVERY DAY 

LUKE BRYAN 

9 6 31 

l10 9 53 

TENNESSEE WHISKEY 

CHRIS STAPLETON 

Country Streaming Songs -The week’s top Country streamed radio songs, on-demand songs and videos 

on leading online music services. Charts update weekly on Thurdays at www.Billboard.Biz/charts. Copyright 

2016, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved. 

THIS 

WEEK 

LAST 

WEEK 

WKS ON 

CHART 

11 8 19 

TITLE 

ARTIST 

DIFFERENT FOR GIRLS 

DIERKS BENTLEY FEAT. ELLE KING 

BREAK UP IN A SMALL TOWN 

SAM HUNT 

12 11 66 

WANNA BE THAT SONG 

l13 12 6 

BRETT ELDREDGE 

HUMBLE AND KIND 

l14 17 35 

TIM MCGRAW 

SLEEP WITHOUT YOU 

l15 13 6 

BRETT YOUNG 

TAKE YOUR TIME 

SAM HUNT 

16 15 97 

FOREVER COUNTRY 

l17 — 6 

ARTISTS OF THEN, NOW & FOREVER 

PARACHUTE 

l18 18 4 

CHRIS STAPLETON 

MOVE 

l19 23 4 

LUKE BRYAN 

20 14 26 

PETER PAN 

KELSEA BALLERINI


MAKIN’ TRACKS TOM ROLAND tom.roland@billboard.com 

Hunter Hayes Looks To Tomorrow 

With ‘Yesterday’s Song’ 

Hunter Hayes has punched the reset button with “Yesterday’s Song.” 

In the five years since he released his debut album at age 20, he has developed 

a rabid fan base with anthemic ballads (“Wanted,” “Invisible”) and bright pop 

(“I Want Crazy,” “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me”), recording, singing 

and writing the entire first album by himself. 

But the new single, released to radio via Play MPE on Oct. 3, takes a different 

tack. “Yesterday’s Song” has the raw, aggressive sound of a rock band, and 

Hayes pitches the piece in a lower, huskier part of his vocal range. Instead of 

assembling it one piece at a time on his own, 

he hammered out the core instrumental tracks 

with two members of his road band, bass player 

Matt Utterback and drummer Steve Sinatra, 

as he fashions Hunter Hayes 2.0. 

“The song kind of stands for leaving an old 

chapter behind and starting a new one,” says 

Hayes. 

It’s written, like most songs, from the vantage 

point of a relationship, though he wasn’t actually 

working through a breakup. 

“If anything, I was maybe pulling from past 

experiences romantically,” he says. “At the 

time, I was — and I still am — very happy.” 

But musically, he was frustrated. He doesn’t 

say it, but he had to be disappointed when the 

public reception for his music fell off. After 

three straight singles reached No. 1 or No. 2 

on Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay, four 

consecutive releases from 2013-2015 stalled in 

the low teens or the 20s on Airplay. Even more 

dramatic, his voice began to falter in concert, 

and he gradually lost confidence in his ability 

HAYES 

to hit the money notes. 

Hayes enlisted a new vocal coach, who 

helped him identify and eliminate some bad habits, some of which were a 

reaction to changes in his voice. While males go through a major voice change 

in their teens, they typically experience a second, lesser-known transition from 

18-24 — the period in which Hayes made his entry into recording — and once 

he understood the issue, he was able to address both the physical problems 

and his reactions to them. 

“The problem actually was mainly mental,” observes Hayes. “I was 

overthinking a lot of things, but also at the same time I was going through that 

voice change, and I was singing my debut record in my debut-record keys from 

six years ago, which wasn’t good for me. I was also struggling with allergies 

and minor health things that make a big difference when you’re doing twohour 

shows four nights in a row.” 

Hayes reluctantly dropped those keys in concert, and as he worked on his 

next album, he delivered a new song with such ease that the demo version would 

become the final vocal. He knew at that point that he had turned a corner. 

“Yesterday’s Song” helps say goodbye to that rough period in his 

development. Hayes wrote it March 23, 2015, with Barry Dean (“Pontoon,” 

“Diamond Rings and Old Barstools”) and Boys Like Girls frontman Martin 

Johnson at Dean’s Nashville office. The energy in the room was palpable. 

“Martin and Hunter, both of them lead their groups,” says Dean. “And 

those guys came together and worked — iron sharpens iron, and those guys 

work together really well.” 

They chased several ideas for hours, none of them panning out, but as Hayes 

revealed his mind-set, Dean threw out the title “Yesterday’s Song.” 

“Barry always saves the day with two words that resonate with everyone in 

the room,” says Hayes. “I don’t know how he does this, but it’s almost like he 

sits there and lets you talk for two hours, and then he’s like, ‘How about these 

two words? Does this sum up what you’re feeling?’ ” 

“Yesterday’s Song” was tricky. It needed to explain how hopeful the 

relationship had once been while embracing a future without it. 

“Every song tends to be like, ‘Oh, I heard this song and it made me think 

of you,’ ” says Dean. “But with ‘Yesterday’s Song,’ I wanted to go the other 

way, which was, ‘I don’t even listen to it anymore. That was yesterday’s song, 

it doesn’t sound like I remember it.’ ” 

The breakout chorus uses music to explain 

the change: “You were the ‘woo-hoo’ gettin’ 

stuck in my head/Now you’re just an echo when 

the feelin’ is gone.” 

The song itself took little time to write. 

Hayes and Johnson “are in that room, tearing 

at each other with guitars, and the beats are 

flying, and then off we went,” recalls Dean. “We 

really did talk for quite a long time, and then 

once it kicked off, it was really moving fast.” 

Johnson built an impressive demo in the room. 

“To most people it would sound like a record,” 

says Dean, “but to those guys, it was just a 

sketch. It just happens to have 23 tracks on it.” 

Hayes approached it differently than in the 

past. He found a studio on a residential street 

in the Belmont University area and rented it 

for months, writing and recording in a casual 

manner. Sometimes producer Dann Huff 

(Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts) was able to 

make it. Sometimes Hayes barreled ahead 

without him. 

“I was not in there, nor required to be there, 

for every moment of it,” says Huff. “It was a bit 

more of the broad strokes, and then when it comes down to his playing, he 

needs an objective partner to kind of throw things off of. Sometimes you need 

somebody to say, ‘This is good,’ or ‘This is ineffective, you’re doing too much.’ 

If he has an enemy, it’s his limitless ideas flowing.” 

Sinatra’s drums rattle through the production, a combination of the tight 

studio quarters and his unbridled intensity. 

“We did a shit ton of takes on that song,” Huff says. “For him to keep up 

that energy was pretty impressive.” 

Hayes overdubbed a bundle of guitars, mandolins and Dobro, but he was 

stumped for a time by the bridge, where he becomes something of a cheerleader, 

invoking a call-and-answer section: “I got a whole new ‘hey.’ ” “Hey!” “I got 

a brand new ‘woo.’ ” “Woo!” 

“The ‘heys’ and the ‘woos’ are very out of character for me,” says Hayes. “I 

had to open myself up to that. It’s like, ‘Let’s celebrate, let’s be goofy, let’s get 

out of our comfort zones and do crazy stuff.’ I had to jump into it. I couldn’t 

be scared of it.” 

Warner Music Nashville certainly was not afraid of “Yesterday’s Song.” 

As Hayes started playing it live, it seemed to get the best response on social 

media, and he introduced the recorded version among three songs posted 

temporarily on SoundCloud on Sept. 9. The official release came four weeks 

later, and “Yesterday’s Song” has begun its run on today’s charts, ranking 

No. 55 on Country Airplay in its second week. It’s part of a new chapter for 

Hayes, who’s optimistic that it will resonate in country’s fan base. 

“Whether it’s a breakup or a life change, I want people to find that message,” 

he says, “and be able to sing along to it knowing they’re starting a new day.”

July 30, 2016 | billboard.com 


THE STARK REPORT PHYLLIS STARK phyllis.stark@billboard.com 

CBS Radio Comes Together For 

Stars And Strings Benefit Show 

If there was a lucky number for CBS Radio’s upcoming Stars 

and Strings benefit show, it would be 11. That’s precisely how 

many acts there are on the bill, and contest winners from all 

11 of the chain’s country stations will be in attendance. And 

while the show takes place Nov. 9, its focus is on Veteran’s Day, 

which is marked annually on Nov. 11. Yup, 11/11. 

The acoustic show, which will honor military heroes and 

their families, will take place at the historic Chicago Theatre 

in the Windy City and feature Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, 

Big & Rich, Dan + Shay, Tyler Farr, Brantley Gilbert, Randy 

KAPUGI 

Houser, Rascal Flatts, Chase Rice and two 

surprise guests who could not be announced in 

advance due to nearby tour routing concerns. 

The 3,800-seat venue sold out in five minutes, 

according to Jeff Kapugi, CBS Radio vp country 

programming and PD of WUSN Chicago. Two 

other artists, Jerrod Niemann and Michael Ray, 

will perform at a related event on Nov. 8, Toast 

to the Troops, at Chicago’s Joe’s Pub. That event 

also honors veterans, active military and first 

responders. 

“It’s really a great way for our country radio 

stations to wrap our arms around things that are 

important to our listeners,” says Kapugi of the two 

events. 

The beneficiary of both shows is the charity 

Folds of Honor, which provides educational 

support to spouses and children of America’s 

fallen and wounded soldiers. Kapugi says CBS will 

make “a very sizable contribution” to the charity, 

and the rest of the show’s proceeds will pay for 

production costs. 

This is the second year for Stars and Strings, and Kapugi says the success 

of 2015’s show, which featured Dierks Bentley, Little Big Town and other 

stars, made the follow-up an inevitability. Even before Kapugi 

and his team had done a postmortem on that show, he says 

he began fielding calls from artists and reps volunteering for 

the 2016 edition. 

“Everybody that played here last year just had a blast,” he 

says. “Honestly, a lot of them said, ‘If you need someone to 

do this again next year, please call me.’ We didn’t do that, but 

we’re definitely keeping that one in our hip pocket.” 

The show is deliberately timed for midweek, says Kapugi, 

“as we try to be respectful to the artists and their touring 

schedules, not taking any weekend play dates out 

of their schedule. And it gives us a better bill at the 

end of the day.” 

Farr and Ballerini are excited to be participating. 

Says Farr, “Anything that benefits that kind of 

organization, I’m always going to be a part of. It’s 

a great cause.” Farr and his band have done three 

overseas tours to perform for U.S. troops in Africa, 

Europe and Bahrain, and he says performing for 

troops and military-related causes is “the least we 

can do to pay some gratitude and respect back.” 

Ballerini, too, says she “has a heart” for 

military causes. “In country music, the military is 

something that’s written and talked about a lot and 

is honored a lot. As a new country music artist, it’s 

my job to keep that legacy alive.” That’s particularly 

true, she says, in the lead-up to the holiday season 

when military families are feeling the absence of 

loved ones lost in combat or stationed abroad. “It’s 

good to be able to take the time and honor them 

while their families are missing them.” 

On a personal note, Ballerini is looking forward 

to once again sharing a bill with Rascal Flatts, joking that since their tour 

together ended earlier in 2016 she has had “separation anxiety.” 

BY LAURIE KAPUGI 

TAYLOR VS. KIMYE 

PR pros on the battle of 

the pop-star megabrands 

AVAILABLE 

FREE 

TO CURRENT 

BILLBOARD 

SUBSCRIBERS 

CAMERON STRANG 

VS. THE HATERS 

Warner’s CEO takes 

on his (many) critics 

as label surges 

Nick & Demi 

FRIENDS WITH 

(CAREER) BENEFITS 

Disney pals Jonas and Lovato pair up for an 

ambitious arena tour, as they talk tween stardom 

(‘I have PTSD,’ cracks Demi), high-profile 

Twitter feuds and, yes, the upcoming election: 

‘We’ve both evolved,’ says Nick 

ACCESS THE 

BEST IN MUSIC. 

A DIGITAL VERSION OF EVERY ISSUE, FEATURING: 

COVER STORIES . SPECIAL REPORTS . REVIEWS . INTERVIEWS 

EVENT COVERAGE & MORE


WKS 

ON 

CHART 

PLAYS 

AUDIENCE 

(IN MILLIONS) 

THIS LAST 

WEEK WEEK TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK 

l1 2 17 A LITTLE MORE SUMMERTIME Macon/Broken Bow HH No. 1 (1 week) HHJason Aldean 4620 +90 7.914 

2 1 16 MOVE Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan 4561 -292 8.211 

l3 3 27 MIDDLE OF A MEMORY Warner Bros./WMN Cole Swindell 4513 +27 8.154 

4 5 13 MAY WE ALL BMLG Florida Georgia Line & Tim McGraw 4409 +235 7.394 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

5 4 22 SONG FOR ANOTHER TIME RCA Nashville Old Dominion 4407 +131 7.831 

6 6 31 SLEEP WITHOUT YOU BMLG Brett Young 4195 +34 7.202 

7 8 13 BLUE AIN’T YOUR COLOR Hit Red/Capitol Nashville Keith Urban 3904 +242 6.726 

8 10 25 WANNA BE THAT SONG Atlantic/WMN Brett Eldredge 3564 +355 6.263 

9 9 19 HOW I’LL ALWAYS BE McGraw/Big Machine Tim McGraw 3541 +32 6.424 

10 12 11 DIRTY LAUNDRY 19/Arista Nashville Carrie Underwood 3277 +254 5.489 

11 14 11 KILL A WORD EMI Nashville Eric Church Feat. Rhiannon Giddens 2823 +179 4.603 

12 11 16 VICE RCA Nashville Miranda Lambert 2793 -385 4.718 

l13 13 20 80S MERCEDES Columbia Nashville Maren Morris 2773 +46 4.537 

14 15 46 LIVIN’ THE DREAM Dot Drake White 2662 +52 4.655 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

15 16 36 IF THE BOOT FITS Wheelhouse Granger Smith 2643 +71 4.307 

16 19 6 STAR OF THE SHOW Valory Thomas Rhett 2371 +315 3.841 

17 20 6 A GUY WITH A GIRL Warner Bros./WMN HH Most Increased Plays HHBlake Shelton 2303 +429 3.646 

18 17 28 PARACHUTE Mercury Chris Stapleton 2236 +69 3.417 

19 18 23 SOBER SATURDAY NIGHT RCA Nashville Chris Young Feat. Vince Gill 2211 +130 3.603 

20 22 5 TODAY Arista Nashville Brad Paisley 1941 +174 3.051 

21 21 37 21 SUMMER EMI Nashville Brothers Osborne 1820 +12 2.760 

22 24 4 BABY, LET’S LAY DOWN AND DANCE Pearl Garth Brooks 1816 +168 2.729 

23 23 13 ROAD LESS TRAVELED 19/Interscope/Mercury Lauren Alaina 1772 +51 2.859 

24 26 17 SEEIN’ RED Broken Bow Dustin Lynch 1476 +114 2.190 

25 25 27 A LITTLE MORE LOVE Curb Jerrod Niemann & Lee Brice 1387 -11 2.154 

l26 27 8 DIRT ON MY BOOTS Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi 1364 +116 1.886 

27 30 6 YEAH BOY Black River Kelsea Ballerini 1314 +203 2.063 

l 

l 

l 

l 

Country Indicator 

28 28 23 HOMETOWN GIRL MCA Nashville Josh Turner 1260 +22 1.810 

29 29 32 MAKE YOU MINE Atlantic/WEA High Valley 1247 +49 2.190 

30 31 24 HOLDIN’ HER Warner Bros./WAR Chris Janson 1108 +45 1.822 

BILLBOARD COUNTRY INDICATOR PANEL — 106 STATIONS 

Abilene, Texas 

KEAN 

Alexandria, La. 

KRRV 

Amarillo, Texas 

KGNC 

Asheville, N.C. 

WKSF 

Atlantic City, N.J. 

WPUR 

Beaumont, Texas 

KYKR 

Beckley, W. Va. 

WJLS 

Biloxi, Miss. 

WZKX 

Bloomington, Ill. 

WIBL 

Bluefield, W. Va. 

WHKX 

Burlington, Vt. 

WOKO 

Cape Girardeau, Mo. 

KEZS 

Charleston, W. Va 

WKWS 

 

WQBE 

College Station, Texas KAGG 

Columbia, Mo. 

KCLR 

Columbus, Ga. 

WKCN 

WSTH 

Cookeville, Tenn. 

WGSQ 

Dothan, Ala. 

WTVY 

Duluth, Minn. 

KKCB 

Eau Claire, Wis. 

WAXX 

Elizabeth City, N.C. 

WRSF 

Erie, Pa. 

WTWF 

Eugene, Ore. 

KKNU 

Evansville, Ind. 

WKDQ 

Fargo, N.D. 

KBVB 

WSTH 

Fayetteville, N.C. 

WKML 

Flagstaff, Ariz. 

KAFF 

Flint, Mich. 

WFBE 

Florence, Ala. 

WXFL 

Florence, S.C. 

WEGX 

Ft. Collins, Colo. 

KUAD 

Ft. Smith, Ark. 

KTCS 

Frederick, Md. 

WFRE 

Fredericksburg, Va. 

WFLS 

Green Bay, Wis. 

WNCY 

Hagerstown, Md. 

WAYZ 

Hot Springs, Ark. 

KQUS 

Huntington, Ky. 

WDGG 

Huntington, W. Va. 

WTCR 

Idaho Falls, Idaho 

KTHK 

Jackson, Miss. 

WMSI 

WUSJ 

Janesville, Wis. 

WJVL 

Jonesboro, Ark. 

KDXY 

Joplin, Mo. 

KIXQ 

Kalamazoo, Mich. 

WNWN 

Kalispell, Mont. 

KDBR 

Kingmah, Ariz. 

KFLG 

Lafayette, Ind. 

WKOA 

Laredo, Texas 

KRRG 

Lansing, Mich. 

WITL 

Laurel, Miss. 

WBBN 

Lebanon, N.H. 

Lincoln, Neb 

Longview, Texas 

Lubbock, Texas 

Lufkin, Texas 

Mason City, Iowa 

Medford, Ore. 

Meridian, Miss. 

Montgomery, Ala. 

Morgantown, W. Va. 

Muskegon, Mich. 

New London, Conn. 

Odessa, Texas 

Palm Springs, Calif. 

Pensacola, Fla. 

Peoria, Ill. 

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 

Rapid City, S.D. 

Rockford, Ill. 

Rocky Mount, N.C. 

Saginaw, Mich. 

St. Cloud, Minn. 

Salina, Kan. 

Salisbury, Md. 

San Angelo, Texas 

San Luis Obispo, Calif. 

WXXK 

KFGE 

KYKX 

KLLL 

KYKS 

KIAI 

KRWQ 

WOKK 

WLWI 

WKKW 

WMUS 

WCTY 

KHKX 

KPLM 

WXBM 

WXCL 

WRWD 

KOUT 

WXXQ 

WDWG 

WCEN 

KZPK 

KYEZ 

WKTT 

KGKL 

KKJG 

Santa Barbara, Calif. 

KRAZ 

Santa Maria, Calif. 

KSNI 

Sheboygan, Wis. 

WBFM 

Savannah, Ga. 

WJCL 

WUBB 

Shreveport, La. 

KXKS 

Sioux Cty, Iowa 

KSUX 

South Bend, Ind. 

WBYT 

Springfield, Ill. 

WFMB 

Springfield, Mo. 

KTTS 

Terre Haute, Ind. 

WTHI 

Topeka, Kan. 

WIBW 

Traverse City, Mich. 

WTCM 

Tupelo, Miss. 

WWZD 

Utica, N.Y. 

WFRG 

Victor Valley, CA.KATJ 

Waco, Texas 

WACO 

Wausau, Wis. 

WDEZ 

Wheeling, W. Va. 

WOVK 

Williamsport, Pa. 

WILQ 

Yakima, Wash. 

KXDD 

Youngstown, Ohio 

WQXK 

WWGY 

Westwood One HOT COUNTRY 

 

MAINSTREAM COUNTRY 

Music Choice TODAY’S COUNTRY 

Sirius XM 

THE HIGHWAY


WKS 

ON 

CHART 

PLAYS 

AUDIENCE 

(IN MILLIONS) 

THIS LAST 

WEEK WEEK TITLE Imprint/LabelArtist THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK 

l31 32 14 THE WEEKEND Valory Brantley Gilbert 1030 +45 1.350 

32 38 3 BETTER MAN Capitol Nashville HH Most Added HHLittle Big Town 974 +354 1.504 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

33 34 14 THINK A LITTLE LESS Atlantic/WEA Michael Ray 917 +118 1.429 

34 33 18 IF I TOLD YOU Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker 869 +15 1.051 

35 36 18 WITH YOU I AM CoJo Cody Johnson 726 +22 0.897 

36 37 9 HURRICANE River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 688 +59 1.055 

37 35 8 FOREVER COUNTRY CMA/MCA Nashville Artists Of Then, Now & Forever 551 -213 1.103 

38 39 14 THERE’S A GIRL 19/Republic/Dot Trent Harmon 513 -49 0.877 

l39 42 7 GOIN’ GOIN’ GONE MCA Nashville George Strait 458 +31 0.665 

40 41 29 OUTSKIRTS OF HEAVEN Red Bow Craig Campbell 449 +14 0.747 

l 

l 

l 

41 43 8 GOOD AT TONIGHT MCA Nashville David Nail Feat. Brothers Osborne 438 +17 0.626 

42 47 5 OUR TOWN Columbia Nashville Tyler Farr 361 +94 0.456 

43 44 7 FOR HER Big Loud Chris Lane 357 -1 0.439 

l44 45 8 LOAD IT UP Lila Alex Smith 321 +11 0.413 

45 46 17 LIPSTICK Wheelhouse Runaway June 289 +11 0.298 

l 

46 40 13 LONG LIVE TONIGHT Arista Nashville LANco 289 -183 0.518 

l47 59 2 SOMEBODY ELSE WILL Valory Justin Moore 285 +101 0.435 

48 51 4 YOU’RE THE ONE Garage Door Smith & Wesley 283 +32 0.323 

l 

l 

l 

l 

49 49 6 DIRTY Reznam Sarah Dunn Band 279 +19 0.376 

50 52 6 HOW NOT TO Warner Bros./WAR Dan + Shay 275 +31 0.338 

51 50 12 DAMN DRUNK Nash Icon Ronnie Dunn With Kix Brooks 270 +18 0.281 

52 48 6 MY GIRL Curb Dylan Scott 264 -2 0.353 

l53 54 3 IF HE AIN’T GONNA LOVE YOU RCA Nashville Jake Owen 262 +40 0.365 

54 55 11 LOVE TRIANGLE Warner Bros./WMN RaeLynn 257 +35 0.268 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

l 

Country Indicator 

55 53 3 I’M NOT THE DEVIL Cody Jinks/Thirty Tigers Cody Jinks 254 +15 0.317 

56 56 3 ME & MY GIRL MCA Nashville Vince Gill 219 +13 0.232 

57 NEW BLACK Capitol Nashville HH Hot Shot Debut HHDierks Bentley 209 +188 0.270 

58 58 11 TO BE YOUNG Nine North/Turnpike/Edgehill Lauren Lizabeth 204 +14 0.251 

59 60 3 OUGHTA MISS ME BY NOW Row Mark Chesnutt 197 +15 0.258 

60 57 3 EVERYBODY WE KNOW DOES Dack Janiels/Columbia Nashville Chase Rice 187 -6 0.190 

RANKINGS 

Country Airplay is ranked by 

total audience impressions 

for the week ending Sunday 

based on monitored airplay of 

151 stations by Nielsen BDS. 

Audience totals on the chart are 

derived, in part, using certain 

Arbitron Inc. copyrighted 

Persons 12+ audience 

estimates (under license © 

2016, Arbitron Inc.) Country 

Indicator is tabulated using 

reported playlists and Nielsen 

BDS-monitored airplay at 106 

stations, ranked by total plays. 

BULLETS 

l Awarded on Country Airplay 

to titles gaining audience or 

remaining flat from the previous 

week. A song will also receive 

a bullet if its percentage loss 

in audience does not exceed 

the percentage of monitored 

station downtime for the format. 

Titles that decline in audience 

but increase in detections will 

also receive a bullet if the total 

audience erosion for the week 

does not exceed 3%. Bullets are 

awarded on Country Indicator to 

titles gaining plays or remaining 

flat from the previous week. 

TIES 

On Country Airplay, if two songs 

are tied in total audience, the song 

with the larger increase in audience 

is placed first. On Country Indicator, 

if two songs are tied in total plays, 

the song with the larger increase in 

plays is placed first. 

RECURRENTS 

On Country Airplay, descending 

titles below No. 10 in either 

audience or detections are moved 

to recurrent after 20 weeks, 

provided that they are not still 

CHARTS LEGEND 

gaining enough audience points 

to bullet or if they rank below No. 

10 and post a third consecutive 

week of (non-bulleted) audience 

decline, regardless of total chart 

weeks. On Country Indicator, 

descending, non-bulleted titles 

below No. 10 are moved to 

recurrent after 20 weeks or if they 

post a third consecutive week of 

decline in plays after 10 weeks. 

HOT SHOT DEBUT 

Awarded to the highest-ranking 

new entry on Country Airplay and 

Country Indicator, respectively. 

MOST ADDED 

The total number of new adds 

officially reported to Billboard by 

each reporting station, or by an 

automatic-add threshold (seven plays 

for the first time in a chart tracking 

week, according to Nielsen BDS) for 

stations that do not report adds. 

MOST INCREASED AUDIENCE/ 

PLAYS 

Most Increased Audience on 

Country Airplay and Most 

Increased Plays on Country 

Indicator list the songs with the 

greatest week-to-week increases 

in total audience or plays, 

respectively. 

AIRPOWER 

Awarded on Country Airplay to 

titles ranking inside top 20 in 

plays and audience rankings for 

the first time, with increases in 

both plays and audience. 

BREAKER 

Awarded on Country Airplay 

to titles achieving airplay (at 

least one detection) at 60% of 

reporting stations for the first 

time. 

© 2016 Prometheus Global Media, LLC


Country Airplay Index 

TITLE Publishing-Licensing Org. 

(Songwriter) Chart Position 

21 SUMMER WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Trampy 

McCauley, ASCAP/All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Songstein 

Publishing, ASCAP/Big Loud Shirt Industries, ASCAP (J. 

Osborne, T.J. Osborne, C.Wiseman) 24 

80S MERCEDES International Dog Music, BMI/BMG 

Platinum Songs, BMI (M.Morris, busbee) 15 

B 

BABY, LET’S LAY DOWN AND DANCE I 

Want To Hold Your Songs, BMI/Dorffmeister Music, BMI/ 

Victoria Shaw Songs, SESAC/All My Soul Music, SESAC/ 

Major Bob Music, Inc., ASCAP/No Fences Music, ASCAP 

(K.Blazy, S.Dorff, V.Shaw, K.Williams, G.Brooks) 27 

BETTER MAN Taylor Swift Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Tree 

Publishing, BMI (T.Swift) 38 

BLUE AIN’T YOUR COLOR WB Music Corp., 

ASCAP/Music Of The Corn, ASCAP/HillarodyRathbone 

Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/House Of Sea 

Gayle Music, ASCAP/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l./Spirit 

Two Nashville, ASCAP (S.L.Olsen, H.Lindsey, C.Lagerberg) 8 

C 

CANDYLAND EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Jon Mark 

Nite Music, ASCAP/It’s A Birthday Party Publishing, 

ASCAP/Rockapop Music, ASCAP/Round Hill Songs Jimmy 

Robbins, ASCAP/Extraordinary Alien Publishing, ASCAP 

(J.M.Nite, S.Barker-Liles, J.Robbins) 56 

CIGARETTE WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Cool Change 

Music, ASCAP/Music Of The Corn, ASCAP/Spirit Catalog 

Holdings, S.a.r.l./Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/Sony/ATV 

Harmony, ASCAP/Texa Rae Music, ASCAP/House Of Sea 

Gayle Music, ASCAP (K.Moore, C.Stapleton, J.Johnston) 52 

CIRCLES Scribblin’ Dixie Music, ASCAP/This Is 

Gold Music, ASCAP/Jeffrey Steele Music, BMI (B.Hood, 

A.Bonagura, Jeffrey Steele) 59 

D 

DAMN DRUNK Starstruck Writers Group, ASCAP/ 

Giving Out Wings Music, ASACP/Songs Of Starstruck, 

SESAC/Vision Board Songs, SESAC/Airplanes For Stars 

Music, SESAC/The Stennis Mightier Music, BMI/Dead Aim 

Music, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, 

Inc., BMI (L.Hengber, A.Kline, B.Stennis) 41 

DIRT ON MY BOOTS EMI Blackwood Music Inc., 

BMI/Brooks County Boy Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane 

Publishing Corp., BMI/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/ 

Telemitry Productions, BMI/Combustion Engine Music, 

ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., 

ASCAP (R.Akins, J.Frasure, A.Gorley) 32 

DIRTY LAUNDRY Atlas Music Publishing, 

ASCAP/External Combustion Music, ASCAP/Songs Of 

Southside Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/ 

HillarodyRathbone Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, 

ASCAP (Z.Crowell, A.Gorley, H.Lindsey) 11 

E 

EVERYBODY WE KNOW DOES Universal 

Tunes, SESAC/Buzzcut Music, SESAC/I’m About To Go RED 

On Ya Music, BMI/ole, BMI (J.Bussey, T.Denning) 49 

F 

FOR HER Round Hill Songs BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud 

Proud Songs, ASCAP/Downtown DMP Songs, BMI/Stars 

And Stripes And Maple Leaf Music, BMI/Bux Tone Music, 

BMI (M.Dragstrem, K.Archer, S.Buxton) 54 

G 

GOOD AT TONIGHT WB Music Corp., ASCAP/All 

The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ 

Magnolia Beach Music, BMI/Country Paper, BMI/Creative 

Pulse Music, BMI/Pulse Nation, BMI/These Are Pulse 

Songs, BMI (T.J. Osborne, J. Osborne, T.Verges, Bary Dean) 57 

A GUY WITH A GIRL Combustion Engine 

Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music 

Corp., ASCAP/Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, BMI/Spirit Of 

Nashville One, BMI/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l. (A. 

Gorley, B.Simpson) 17 

H 

HOLDIN’ HER Red Vinyl Music, Inc., BMI/Buckkilla 

Music, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Eldorotto Music 

Publishing, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., 

BMI (C.Janson, J.Otto) 28 

HOMETOWN GIRL Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/ 

Son Of Ron Songs, ASCAP/Diver Dann Music, ASCAP/ 

International Dog Music, BMI (M.Beeson, D.Tashian) 31 

HOW I’LL ALWAYS BE Ole Red Cape Songs, 

ASCAP/Real Big Red Tunes, ASCAP/Red Vinyl Music, Inc., 

BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI (J.S.Stover, C.Janson, 

J.Paulin) 9 

HOW NOT TO Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Red Like 

The Sunset Music, ASCAP/Universal Music Corporation, 

ASCAP/Paulywood Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, 

ASCAP/Kevin Bard Music, ASCAP (A.Hambrick, P.DiGiovanni, 

K.Bard) 45 

HURRICANE Luke Combs Publishing Designee, BMI/ 

Intune Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI (L. 

Combs, T.Phillips, T.Archer) 51 

I 

IF HE AIN’T GONNA LOVE YOU Songs Of 

Universal, Inc., BMI/Creative Nation Music, BMI/Universal 

Music Corporation, ASCAP/Smack Ink, ASCAP/WB Music 

Corp., ASCAP/House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP (L.Laird, 

S.McAnally, C.Stapleton) 43 

IF I TOLD YOU EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/ 

Songs By Red Room, BMI/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/ 

Jon Mark Nite Music, ASCAP/Smack Hits, GMR/Kobalt 

Music Group Ltd., GMR (R.Copperman, J.M.Nite, S.McAnally) 

40 

IF THE BOOT FITS Tree Vibez Music, LLC, BMI/ 

Major Bob Music, Inc., ASCAP/We-Volve Music, ASCAP/ 

Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI 

(J.M.Schmidt, A.Albert, M.Tenpenny) 14 

K 

KILL A WORD Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ 

Longer And Louder Music, BMI/Little Louder Songs, BMI/ 

Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music, BMI/Emileon Songs, BMI 

(E.Church, J.Hyde, L.Dick) 18 

L 

LIPSTICK Magic Mustang Music Inc., BMI/Warner- 

Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Little Duchess Music, 

BMI/Songwriters of Platinum Pen Publishing, BMI/ 

Legends Of Magic Mustang Music, SESAC/W.B.M. 

Music Corp., SESAC/Thunder Cookie, SESAC/Hatchoo 

Music, SESAC/Music Of Platinum Pen, SESAC/Hannah 

Mulholland Publishing, BMI/Hyper Hobby Music, 

SESAC/Tri Star Sports and Enterainment Group, SESAC/ 

Fabulicious Music, SESAC/Do Write Music, LLC, BMI/ 

Round Hill Works, BMI/Music From Riding Songs, BMI/ 

Songs of Colton Entertainment, BMI (J.Wayne, N.Cooke, 

H.Mulholland, C.Hobby, E. Hoffman, R.L.Howard) 39 

A LITTLE MORE LOVE Smack Hits, GMR/ 

Kobalt Music Group Ltd., GMR/EMI Blackwood Music 

Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room, BMI/HappyGoWrucke, 

BMI/Creative Pulse Music, BMI/These Are Pulse Songs, 

BMI/Hello Jerry, SESAC (S.McAnally, R.Copperman, N.Hemby, 

K.Neumann) 30 

A LITTLE MORE SUMMERTIME Warner- 

Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Fonde Moutian Music, 

BMI/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Casa Jaco Music, 

BMI/ole, BMI/Who Wants To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP/ 

WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/ 

Highly Combustible Music, ASCAP (W.Mobley, T.Martin, 

J.Flowers) 3 

LIVIN’ THE DREAM Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, 

BMI/Tomdouglasmusic, BMI/Sony/ATV Harmony, ASCAP/ 

Texa Rae Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ 

Creative Nation Music, BMI (T.Douglas, J.Johnston, L.Laird) 13 

LONG LIVE TONIGHT Warner-Tamerlane 

Publishing Corp., BMI/Concession 114 Music, BMI/Neon 

Cross Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Sonic Graffiti, 

ASCAP (B.Lancaster, J.Reeves) 36 

LOVE TRIANGLE Warner-Tamerlane Publishing 

Corp., BMI/A Girl Named Charlie, BMI/Round Hill Songs 

Jimmy Robbins, ASCAP/Extraordinary Alien Publishing, 

ASCAP/Super Big Music, ASCAP/Prescription Songs, LLC., 

ASCAP/I Take The Bull By The Horns, ASCAP (N.Galyon, 

J.Robbins, RaeLynn) 37 

M 

MAKE YOU MINE Centricity Music Publishing, 

ASCAP/Bluenort Records, SOCAN/CentricSongs, SESAC/2 

Hour Songs, SESAC/Pickin Publishing, BMI/Songs Of 

Kickingbird, BMI (B.Rempel, S.Mosley, B.Stennis) 26 

MAY WE ALL Round Hill Works, BMI/Farm Town 

Songs, BMI/Big Loud Proud Crowd, BMI/BMG Gold Songs, 

ASCAP/Team Destiny, ASCAP (R.Clawson, J.Moore) 5 

MIDDLE OF A MEMORY Sony/ATV Tree 

Publishing, BMI/Colden Rainey Music, BMI/Combustion 

Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB 

Music Corp., ASCAP/External Combustion Music, ASCAP/ 

Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside 

Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Who Wants 

To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP (C.Swindell, A.Gorley, 

Z.Crowell) 2 

MOVE Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Peanut Mill 

Songs, BMI/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/243 

Music, ASCAP (L.Bryan, M.Carter, J.Clementi) 1 

MY GIRL Curb Songs, ASCAP/Songs Of Black River, 

ASCAP (D.Scott, J.Kerr) 44 

O 

OUR TOWN Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., 

BMI/Songs Of Crazy Girl Music, BMI/Eighty Nine 89 

Music, BMI/Songs From The Rose Hotel, ASCAP (L.Rose, 

N.Chapman, S.Ennis) 58 

OUTSKIRTS OF HEAVEN Legends Of Magic 

Mustang Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Ole 

Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Full Of Bulls Music, ASCAP/Ole 

Ole, ASCAP (C.Campbell, D.Turnbull) 34 

P 

PARACHUTE WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Ken 

Tucky Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ 

Dontcallmebrett Musicm, BMI (C.Stapleton, J.Beavers) 20 

R 

ROAD LESS TRAVELED Warner-Tamerlane 

Publishing Corp., BMI/Lylas Music, BMI/Rio Bravo Music, 

Inc., BMI/Year Of The Dog Music, ASCAP/MTrain Music, 

ASCAP (Lauren Alaina, J.Frasure, M.Trainor) 19 

ROOM TO BREATHE BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/ 

SWMBMGBMI, BMI/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/WB 

Music Corp., ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/Funky 

Friar Music, ASCAP (C.Bryant, A.Gorley, D.George) 47 

ROOTS Music Of Big Deal, BMI/The Stennis Mightier 

Music, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, 

Inc., BMI/Dead Aim Music, BMI/Young Guns Publishing, 

LLC, BMI/Parallel Music Publishing, LLC, BMI (J.Mullins, 

B.Stennis, B.Bollinger) 42 

S 

SEEIN’ RED Magic Mustang Music Inc., BMI/Warner- 

Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/This Is Magic Mustang 

Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Legends Of Magic 

Mustang Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Casa 

Del Amour Music, SESAC/Little Champion Music, ASCAP/ 

Big Deal Notes, ASCAP/Leighalu Music, ASCAP (T.Kennedy, 

K.Allison, S.Bogard, J.Sever) 23 

SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE EMI 

Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room, BMI/ 

Highly Combustible Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., 

ASCAP/Jenkalenk Tunes, ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy 

My Publishing, ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/ 

Smackville Music, ASCAP/Anderson Fork In The Road 

Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing America, 

Inc., ASCAP (R.Copperman, M.Jenkins, J.Osborne) 6 

SLEEP WITHOUT YOU Super Big Music, ASCAP/ 

Caliville Publishing, ASCAP/Downtown DMP Songs, 

BMI/Stars And Stripes And Maple Leaf Music, BMI/ 

Wordspring Music, LLC, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC 

(B.Young, K.Archer, J.Ebach) 4 

SOBER SATURDAY NIGHT EMI Blackwood 

Music Inc., BMI/Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI/Goodbye Pants 

Music, BMI/Sagequinnjude Music, BMI (C.Young, B.Warren, 

B.Warren) 21 

SOMEBODY ELSE WILL Stars And Stripes And 

Maple Leaf Music, BMI/Downtown DMP Songs, BMI/Ole 

Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Red Like The Sunset Music, 

ASCAP/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/Songs For Elle, BMI (K. 

Archer, A.Hambrick, T.Ottoh) 53 

SONG FOR ANOTHER TIME Carrot Seed 

Songs, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing America, 

Inc., ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/ReHits Music, Inc., 

ASCAP/Smacktown Music, ASCAP/Unfair Entertainment, 

ASCAP/Songs Of Big Deal, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, 

ASCAP/Wooden Ships, ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, 

ASCAP/Highly Combustible Music, ASCAP/WB Music 

Corp., ASCAP/Jenkalenk Tunes, ASCAP/Who Wants To 

Buy My Publishing, ASCAP (M.Ramsey, T. Rosen, B.Tursi, 

M.Jenkins) 7 

STAR OF THE SHOW EMI Blackwood Music Inc., 

BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Brooks County Boy Music, 

BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Thankful 

For This Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP (Thomas 

Rhett, R.Akins, B.Hayslip) 16 

T 

THERE’S A GIRL Big Music Machine, BMI/19 Music 

Publishing Worldwide, BMI/Trent Harmon Publishing, 

BMI/Round Hill Songs Jimmy Robbins, ASCAP/ 

Extraordinary Alien Publishing, ASCAP/Jammy Rabbins 

Music, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ 

Oh Denise Publishing, BMI (T.Harmon, J.Robbins, L.Veltz) 35 

THINK A LITTLE LESS EMI April Music, Inc., 

ASCAP/Jon Mark Nite Music, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music 

Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Songs Of Universal, 

Inc., BMI/Creative Nation Music, BMI/Country Paper, 

BMI/Pulse Nation, BMI/Extraordinary Alien Publishing, 

ASCAP (J.M.Nite, Thomas Rhett, Bary Dean, J.Robbins) 25 

THUNDER IN THE RAIN Songs Of Universal, 

Inc., BMI/Kane Brown Music, BMI/EMI Foray Music, 

SESAC/Write 2 Be Free Music, SESAC/B Frank 

Entertainment, BMI/Song House Publishing, BMI/Songs 

Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI (K.Brown, 

J.Hoge, M.R.McVaney) 46 

TODAY New Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Spirit Two 

Nashville, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside Independent 

Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Music Of Windswept, 

ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP (B.Paisley, C.DuBois, 

A.Gorley) 22 

U 

UNDONE ReHits Music, Inc., ASCAP/MeGusta Music, 

ASCAP/Smack Ink, ASCAP/Songs Of Black River, ASCAP/ 

Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music 

Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room, BMI (T. Rosen, J.Osborne, 

R.Copperman) 50 

V 

VICE Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Pink Dog 

Publishing, BMI/Smack Hits, GMR/Kobalt Music Group 

Ltd., GMR/Anderson Fork In The Road Music, ASCAP/ 

Kobalt Songs Music Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP/ 

Smackville Music, ASCAP (M.Lambert, S.McAnally, J.Osborne) 

12 

W 

WANNA BE THAT SONG Sony/ATV 

Countryside, BMI/Paris Not France Music, BMI/EMI 


Scrambler Music, ASCAP/Abbott’s Creek Music, ASCAP (B. 

Eldredge, R.Copperman, Scooter Carusoe) 10 

THE WAY I TALK WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Damn 

Country Music, ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/ 

Pinetucky Road Publishing, ASCAP/Universal Music 

Corporation, ASCAP/Round Room Recoreds, ASCAP 

(J.L.Alexander, B.Hayslip, C.McGill) 60 

THE WEEKEND Warner-Tamerlane Publishing 

Corp., BMI/Indiana Angel Music, BMI/BMG Gold 

Songs, ASCAP/Lanercost Publishing, ASCAP (B.Gilbert, 

A.DeRoberts) 29 

Y 

YEAH BOY Songs Of Black River, ASCAP/KNB Music, 

ASCAP/Songs Of Blue Guitar, BMI (K.Ballerini, F.G.Whitehead, 

K.Timmer) 33 

YESTERDAY’S SONG Songs Of Universal, Inc., 

BMI/Ogden Avenue Publishing, BMI/Creative Pulse 

Music, BMI/Pulse Nation, BMI/Be Barry Quiet, BMI/These 

Are Pulse Songs, BMI/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Martin 

Music, Inc., ASCAP (H.Hayes, Bary Dean, M.Johnson) 55 

YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO GOOD BMG 

Platinum Songs, BMI/Sixteen Stars Music, BMI/Universal 

Tunes, SESAC/Buzzcut Music, SESAC/Brave Sons Cuts, BMI 

(M.Dodson, T.Cecil, J.Bussey, M.Lane) 48


Hot Country Songs Index 

TITLE Publishing-Licensing Org. 

(Songwriter) Chart Position 

21 SUMMER WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Trampy 

McCauley, ASCAP/All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Songstein 

Publishing, ASCAP/Big Loud Shirt Industries, ASCAP (J. 

Osborne, T.J. Osborne, C.Wiseman) 25 

80S MERCEDES International Dog Music, BMI/BMG 

Platinum Songs, BMI (M.Morris, busbee) 17 

B 

BABY, LET’S LAY DOWN AND DANCE I 

Want To Hold Your Songs, BMI/Dorffmeister Music, BMI/ 

Victoria Shaw Songs, SESAC/All My Soul Music, SESAC/ 

Major Bob Music, Inc., ASCAP/No Fences Music, ASCAP 

(K.Blazy, S.Dorff, V.Shaw, K.Williams, G.Brooks) 46 

BETTER MAN Taylor Swift Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Tree 

Publishing, BMI (T.Swift) 6 

BLUE AIN’T YOUR COLOR WB Music Corp., 

ASCAP/Music Of The Corn, ASCAP/HillarodyRathbone 

Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/House Of Sea 

Gayle Music, ASCAP/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l./Spirit 

Two Nashville, ASCAP (S.L.Olsen, H.Lindsey, C.Lagerberg) 1 

D 

DIFFERENT FOR GIRLS Smack Hits, GMR/ 

Kobalt Music Group Ltd., GMR/Songs Of SMP, ASCAP/ 

Mighty Seven Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP/Heavy Metal 

Disco, ASCAP (S.McAnally, J.T.Harding) 16 

DIRT ON MY BOOTS EMI Blackwood Music Inc., 


Publishing Corp., BMI/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/ 

Telemitry Productions, BMI/Combustion Engine Music, 

ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., 

ASCAP (R.Akins, J.Frasure, A.Gorley) 24 

DIRTY LAUNDRY Atlas Music Publishing, 

ASCAP/External Combustion Music, ASCAP/Songs Of 

Southside Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/ 

HillarodyRathbone Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, 

ASCAP (Z.Crowell, A.Gorley, H.Lindsey) 11 

F 

FOREVER COUNTRY Velvet Apple Music, BMI/ 

Reservior Media Music, ASCAP/BMG Ruby Songs, ASCAP/ 

Full Nelson Music Inc., BMI (D.Parton, J.Denver, T.Danoff, 

W.Danoff, W.Nelson, S.McAnally, J.Osborne) 18 

G 

A GUY WITH A GIRL Combustion Engine 

Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music 

Corp., ASCAP/Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, BMI/Spirit Of 

Nashville One, BMI/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l. (A. 

Gorley, B.Simpson) 23 

H 

HOLDIN’ HER Red Vinyl Music, Inc., BMI/Buckkilla 

Music, BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Eldorotto Music 

Publishing, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., 

BMI (C.Janson, J.Otto) 36 

HOMETOWN GIRL Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/ 

Son Of Ron Songs, ASCAP/Diver Dann Music, ASCAP/ 

International Dog Music, BMI (M.Beeson, D.Tashian) 34 

HOW GREAT THOU ART Not Listed (Not 

Listed) 42 

HOW I’LL ALWAYS BE Ole Red Cape Songs, 

ASCAP/Real Big Red Tunes, ASCAP/Red Vinyl Music, Inc., 

BMI/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI (J.S.Stover, C.Janson, 

J.Paulin) 15 

HOW NOT TO Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Red Like 

The Sunset Music, ASCAP/Universal Music Corporation, 

ASCAP/Paulywood Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, 

ASCAP/Kevin Bard Music, ASCAP (A.Hambrick, P.DiGiovanni, 

K.Bard) 50 

HURRICANE Luke Combs Publishing Designee, BMI/ 

Intune Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI (L. 

Combs, T.Phillips, T.Archer) 39 

I 

IF I TOLD YOU EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/ 

Songs By Red Room, BMI/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/ 

Jon Mark Nite Music, ASCAP/Smack Hits, GMR/Kobalt 

Music Group Ltd., GMR (R.Copperman, J.M.Nite, S.McAnally) 

40 

IF THE BOOT FITS Tree Vibez Music, LLC, BMI/ 

Major Bob Music, Inc., ASCAP/We-Volve Music, ASCAP/ 

Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI 

(J.M.Schmidt, A.Albert, M.Tenpenny) 26 

I KNOW SOMEBODY EMI Blackwood Music Inc., 


Publishing Corp., BMI/Songs By Red Room, BMI/EMI 

April Music, Inc., ASCAP/ole Songs Of Countrywood, 

ASCAP (R.Akins, R.Copperman, J.S.Stover) 13 

J 

JOLENE Velvet Apple Music, BMI (D.Parton) 49 

K 

KILL A WORD Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ 

Longer And Louder Music, BMI/Little Louder Songs, BMI/ 

Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music, BMI/Emileon Songs, BMI 

(E.Church, J.Hyde, L.Dick) 20 

L 

A LITTLE MORE LOVE Smack Hits, GMR/ 

Kobalt Music Group Ltd., GMR/EMI Blackwood Music 

Inc., BMI/Songs By Red Room, BMI/HappyGoWrucke, 

BMI/Creative Pulse Music, BMI/These Are Pulse Songs, 

BMI/Hello Jerry, SESAC (S.McAnally, R.Copperman, N.Hemby, 

K.Neumann) 43 

A LITTLE MORE SUMMERTIME Warner- 

Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Fonde Moutian Music, 

BMI/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Casa Jaco Music, 

BMI/ole, BMI/Who Wants To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP/ 

WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/ 

Highly Combustible Music, ASCAP (W.Mobley, T.Martin, 

J.Flowers) 7 

LIVIN’ THE DREAM Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, 

BMI/Tomdouglasmusic, BMI/Sony/ATV Harmony, ASCAP/ 

Texa Rae Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/ 

Creative Nation Music, BMI (T.Douglas, J.Johnston, L.Laird) 21 

LONG LIVE TONIGHT Warner-Tamerlane 

Publishing Corp., BMI/Concession 114 Music, BMI/Neon 

Cross Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Sonic Graffiti, 

ASCAP (B.Lancaster, J.Reeves) 47 

LOVE TRIANGLE Warner-Tamerlane Publishing 

Corp., BMI/A Girl Named Charlie, BMI/Round Hill Songs 

Jimmy Robbins, ASCAP/Extraordinary Alien Publishing, 

ASCAP/Super Big Music, ASCAP/Prescription Songs, LLC., 

ASCAP/I Take The Bull By The Horns, ASCAP (N.Galyon, 

J.Robbins, RaeLynn) 33 

M 

MAKE YOU MINE Centricity Music Publishing, 

ASCAP/Bluenort Records, SOCAN/CentricSongs, SESAC/2 

Hour Songs, SESAC/Pickin Publishing, BMI/Songs Of 

Kickingbird, BMI (B.Rempel, S.Mosley, B.Stennis) 31 

MAY WE ALL Round Hill Works, BMI/Farm Town 

Songs, BMI/Big Loud Proud Crowd, BMI/BMG Gold Songs, 

ASCAP/Team Destiny, ASCAP (R.Clawson, J.Moore) 3 

MIDDLE OF A MEMORY Sony/ATV Tree 

Publishing, BMI/Colden Rainey Music, BMI/Combustion 

Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB 

Music Corp., ASCAP/External Combustion Music, ASCAP/ 

Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside 

Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Who Wants 

To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP (C.Swindell, A.Gorley, 

Z.Crowell) 4 

MOVE Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Peanut Mill 

Songs, BMI/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP/243 

Music, ASCAP (L.Bryan, M.Carter, J.Clementi) 5 

MY GIRL Curb Songs, ASCAP/Songs Of Black River, 

ASCAP (D.Scott, J.Kerr) 37 

O 

OUTSKIRTS OF HEAVEN Legends Of Magic 

Mustang Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Ole 

Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Full Of Bulls Music, ASCAP/Ole 

Ole, ASCAP (C.Campbell, D.Turnbull) 45 

P 

PARACHUTE WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Ken 

Tucky Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/ 

Dontcallmebrett Musicm, BMI (C.Stapleton, J.Beavers) 19 

R 

ROAD LESS TRAVELED Warner-Tamerlane 

Publishing Corp., BMI/Lylas Music, BMI/Rio Bravo Music, 

Inc., BMI/Year Of The Dog Music, ASCAP/MTrain Music, 

ASCAP (Lauren Alaina, J.Frasure, M.Trainor) 27 

S 

SEEIN’ RED Magic Mustang Music Inc., BMI/Warner- 

Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/This Is Magic Mustang 

Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Legends Of Magic 

Mustang Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Casa 

Del Amour Music, SESAC/Little Champion Music, ASCAP/ 

Big Deal Notes, ASCAP/Leighalu Music, ASCAP (T.Kennedy, 

K.Allison, S.Bogard, J.Sever) 28 

SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE EMI 


Highly Combustible Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., 

ASCAP/Jenkalenk Tunes, ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy 

My Publishing, ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/ 

Smackville Music, ASCAP/Anderson Fork In The Road 

Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing America, 

Inc., ASCAP (R.Copperman, M.Jenkins, J.Osborne) 2 

SLEEP WITHOUT YOU Super Big Music, ASCAP/ 

Caliville Publishing, ASCAP/Downtown DMP Songs, 

BMI/Stars And Stripes And Maple Leaf Music, BMI/ 

Wordspring Music, LLC, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC 

(B.Young, K.Archer, J.Ebach) 8 

SOBER SATURDAY NIGHT EMI Blackwood 

Music Inc., BMI/Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI/Goodbye Pants 

Music, BMI/Sagequinnjude Music, BMI (C.Young, B.Warren, 

B.Warren) 30 

SONG FOR ANOTHER TIME Carrot Seed 

Songs, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Music Publishing America, 

Inc., ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/ReHits Music, Inc., 

ASCAP/Smacktown Music, ASCAP/Unfair Entertainment, 

ASCAP/Songs Of Big Deal, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, 

ASCAP/Wooden Ships, ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, 

ASCAP/Highly Combustible Music, ASCAP/WB Music 

Corp., ASCAP/Jenkalenk Tunes, ASCAP/Who Wants To 

Buy My Publishing, ASCAP (M.Ramsey, T. Rosen, B.Tursi, 

M.Jenkins) 10 

STAR OF THE SHOW EMI Blackwood Music Inc., 

BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Brooks County Boy Music, 

BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Thankful 

For This Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP (Thomas 

Rhett, R.Akins, B.Hayslip) 14 

T 

THERE’S A GIRL Big Music Machine, BMI/19 Music 

Publishing Worldwide, BMI/Trent Harmon Publishing, 

BMI/Round Hill Songs Jimmy Robbins, ASCAP/ 

Extraordinary Alien Publishing, ASCAP/Jammy Rabbins 

Music, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/ 

Oh Denise Publishing, BMI (T.Harmon, J.Robbins, L.Veltz) 38 

THESE HANDS TaylorRayMade, BMI/Copyright 

Control/Gary Stanton Publishing Designee, SESAC 

(T.R.Holbrook, P.O’Neal Britt, G.S.Stanton) 48 

THINK A LITTLE LESS EMI April Music, Inc., 

ASCAP/Jon Mark Nite Music, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music 

Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Songs Of Universal, 

Inc., BMI/Creative Nation Music, BMI/Country Paper, 

BMI/Pulse Nation, BMI/Extraordinary Alien Publishing, 

ASCAP (J.M.Nite, Thomas Rhett, Bary Dean, J.Robbins) 35 

TODAY New Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Spirit Two 

Nashville, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside Independent 

Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Music Of Windswept, 

ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP (B.Paisley, C.DuBois, 

A.Gorley) 22 

V 

VICE Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Pink Dog 

Publishing, BMI/Smack Hits, GMR/Kobalt Music Group 

Ltd., GMR/Anderson Fork In The Road Music, ASCAP/ 

Kobalt Songs Music Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP/ 

Smackville Music, ASCAP (M.Lambert, S.McAnally, J.Osborne) 

9 

W 

WANNA BE THAT SONG Sony/ATV 

Countryside, BMI/Paris Not France Music, BMI/EMI 


Scrambler Music, ASCAP/Abbott’s Creek Music, ASCAP (B. 

Eldredge, R.Copperman, Scooter Carusoe) 12 

THE WEEKEND Warner-Tamerlane Publishing 

Corp., BMI/Indiana Angel Music, BMI/BMG Gold 

Songs, ASCAP/Lanercost Publishing, ASCAP (B.Gilbert, 

A.DeRoberts) 29 

WHISKEY AND YOU WB Music Corp., ASCAP/ 

New Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane 

Publishing Corp., BMI/New Songs Of Sea Gayle, BMI (C. 

Stapleton, L.T.Miller) 41 

WHISKEY AND YOU WB Music Corp., ASCAP/ 

New Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane 

Publishing Corp., BMI/New Songs Of Sea Gayle, BMI (C. 

Stapleton, L.T.Miller) 44 

Y 

YEAH BOY Songs Of Black River, ASCAP/KNB Music, 

ASCAP/Songs Of Blue Guitar, BMI (K.Ballerini, F.G.Whitehead, 

K.Timmer) 32


CODA 

REWINDING 

THE 

COUNTRY 

CHARTS 

54 Years Ago 

Hank Snow Went 

‘Everywhere,’ 

Including No. 1 

In 1962, “I’ve Been Everywhere” 

traveled to the top of the 

Hot Country Songs chart 

On Nov. 10, 1962, Hank Snow, 

then 48, earned his first No. 1 on 

Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart 

with “I’ve Been Everywhere.” When 

Australian Geoff Mack wrote 

the now iconic song in 1959, he 

had such Down Under towns as 

Mooloolaba on the roll call. When 

Snow, who was from Nova Scotia, 

got a hold of the tune, he reworked 

the musical map it contains to include 

a host of U.S. and Canadian 

cities. 

Many artists have covered “I’ve 

Been Everywhere,” with Johnny 

Cash’s version earning a synch in 

Choice Hotels ads in recent years. 

Meanwhile, Rihanna worked the 

song’s lyrics into her 2012 top five 

Billboard Hot 100 hit “Where Have 

You Been.” 

While “Everywhere” marked 

Snow’s first Hot Country Songs 

No. 1, he tallied five, beginning with 

“I’m Moving On” in 1950, on predecessor 

charts. He scored a second 

and final Hot Country Songs No. 1 

with “Hello Love” in 1974. 

Snow, aka “The Singing Ranger” 

thanks to numerous cowboy songs, 

is enshrined in both the U.S. and 

Canadian Country Music Halls of 

Fame. He died, at 85, on Dec. 20, 

1999. —JIM ASKER 

Hank Snow 

circa 1970s 

MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIVES/GETTY IMAGES

Country Update

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