Hunter Hayes
continues (and extends) his renewed strength on the charts this week with
hit song ‘Wanted’, potentially due to Billboard’s recent announcement of
inclusion of YouTube views (using official audio) in compiling the charts. He
remains at #1 on Hot Country Songs, and jumps up to #1 from #5 on Country
Digital Songs. In addition, his latest single ‘Somebody’s Heartbreak’ climbs up
one place to #9 on Country Airplay, with his self-titled album finding itself
two spots higher at #3 this week. Blake
Shelton also seems to be affected by the methodology change as well as
general popularity, his January release ‘Sure Be Cool If You Did’ now up to #2
on Hot Country Songs, #10 on Country Airplay, and #2 on Digital Country Songs.
His new album ‘Based On A True Story’ (due March 26) no doubt will also do
well.
However, The Band
Perry aren’t letting go of their chart domination just yet. They remain at
#1 on Country Airplay with ‘Better Dig Two’ this week, #3 on Hot Country Songs
and actually move up the chart to #4 on Country Digital Songs. Their new album,
‘Pioneer’, is due April 2 and no doubt will also shake up the sometimes
slow-moving album chart. YouTube plays also seem to have aided Carrie Underwood,
the climber of the week, as the
plodding climb of ‘Two Black Cadillacs’ for several months has finally sped up
to allow the song to find #4 on Hot Country Songs, leap seven places up to #3
on Country Digital Songs, and has also moved up to #8 on Country Airplay. Her
album, ‘Blown Away’ is back at #6 on Top Country Albums for its 42nd
week on the chart, with the single of the same name having a new lease of life,
jumping back into the top 10 of Hot Country Songs, from last week’s place of #19.
It also is now at #5 on Country Digital Songs, seven places higher than it was
last week.
Tim McGraw’s week,
however, has not been so promising chart-wise. His initially successful
debut at the top of the charts last week with the already-charting ‘One Of
Those Nights’ benefiting, gives way to #5 on Hot Country Songs this week, #6 on
Country Digital Songs, and the new album ‘Two Lanes of Freedom’ dropping down
to #2. However, Country Airplay is unaffected, pushing him up one place to #2
on that chart. Taylor Swift, who knocked Tim off the #1 spot of Top Country
Albums with her October 2012 release ‘Red’, has enjoyed the album’s first
single ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back
Together’ coming back into the top 10, at #10 on Country Digital Songs and
#9 on Hot Country Songs. Her latest single, ‘Begin Again’, finds itself at #4
on Country Airplay this week, amidst
claims that her label Big Machine ‘helped’ it to get there, and up six
places to #15 on Hot Country Country Songs.
Gary Allan, Florida
Georgia Line and Little Big Town all remain in the top 10 of Hot Country
Songs, with Lady Antebellum noticeably
dropping from #2 to #7 with ‘Downtown’ on Country Digital Songs (and from
#6 to #12 on Hot Country Songs), possibly due to the effects of the new chart
methodology upping other acts’ chart places. Kenny Chesney also drops right
down this chart with ‘Pirate Flag’, going from #7 to #16. Honorable mentions go to Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown
Band, Lee Brice, Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert. Eric Church’s 2011 album ‘Chief’
drops down to #11 for its 82nd
week on the chart, for the longest running chart run at the moment.
It’s also good news
for acts on the Country Airplay chart, as almost all tracks in the top 20
are up one or more places this week.
Also apologies for how late this chart roundup comes this
week, tune in in a few day’s time to see how YouTube streams further shake up
the chart.
Posted by Vickye (Guest Writer).
If you want to check out my own blog it's For The Country Record, and you can
follow me on twitter @planmymistake. You can email me at
vickye.countrymusic@gmail.com.
