In its fifth week on the chart, Michael Bublé’s Christmas climbed into the top spot on the Billboard 200, shifting just over 227,000 copies.
Thanks to a Black Friday sales boost, the album increased 37 percent from last week, thereby giving Bublé the best sales week of his career and lifting total sales to 745,000. It should pass 1 million by year’s end. READ FULL STORY »
They call tonight’s CMA Awards (ABC, 8 p.m. ET) “Country music’s biggest night,” and with more than 20 performers — including Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Sugarland, Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter, plus returning cohosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood — that seems like a fair assesment.
American Idol winner Scotty McCreery, who last month topped the Billboard 200 chart with his debut release Clear As Day, knows all eyes will be on him when he takes the stage for the album cut that the show’s producers asked him to perform: his cover of “Walk In the Country,” a tune Urban sang when he was in the country trio The Ranch in 1997. “I’ll be in a room with Nashville’s biggest stars, and in a way I’ll be singing to prove myself and to say, ‘This is me,’” McCreery tells EW. “I’m still the newbie in Nashville. I’m that country-music fan that gets all giddy when I’m around those people.”
Will Urban, who’s been known to slap on his six-string and play backup for other performers, join him? We’ll have to wait to see. Regardless, the two already have an interesting awards show history. “The first time I met Keith Urban was in the bathroom at the CMT Awards,” McCreery says. “I wish maybe we could take that back. You don’t talk too much in the bathroom. So it was just kind of a ‘Hey.’ ‘Hey.’ It was funny, though.” READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Sarah Lee
Although Coldplay’s latest album, Mylo Xyolto, hasn’t been as warmly received as the band’s previous efforts, it still topped the Billboard 200 chart with ease this week.
In its first seven days, Mylo Xyolto sold 447,000 copies, marking the third-best debut of the year behind Lady Gaga’s Born This Way (1.1 million) and Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV (964,000), as well as the band’s third straight number one album.
Coldplay’s last effort, 2008′s Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends, shifted 721,000 copies in its first week, but that album had a number one smash single in “Viva La Vida.” Mylo Xyolto‘s lead single “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” only peaked at number 14, though the British rocker’s new single “Paradise” has quickly climbed to number 15.
Kelly Clarkson’s fifth album Stronger had a slightly weaker debut than her last effort, starting in second place with 163,000. Clarkson’s 2009 effort All I Ever Wanted debuted with 255,000 copies, but once again, that album had a higher charting lead single in “My Life Would Suck Without You” (No. 1) than current single “Mr. Know It All” (No. 18 so far).
Crooner Michael Bublé eased into third place with 141,000 scans of his new holiday compilation Christmas. Given Bublé’s gigantic appeal around the holiday season, (I’ve given my mom three of his albums on three separate Christmases… and okay, I miiight listen to them too) the set should be a powerhouse seller over the next two months.
Adele held strong in fourth, moving 107,000 units of 21 in its 36th week on the chart, and she was followed by two more new releases. In fifth, Toby Keith’s Clancy’s Tavern sold 69,000 copies. That result gave the outspoken star his 10th number one album on the country chart. Rocker Tom Waits was close behind in sixth place, moving 63,000 of his new disc, Bad As Me.
Scotty McCreery, Lady Antebellum, Tony Bennett, and Casting Crowns rounded out the top ten. Their respective albums have now sold 384,000, 718,000, 465,000, and 129,000 total units. Find the full list here: READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Andrew Yee
After 35 weeks on the chart, Adele’s smash album 21, which has yet to leave the Top 5, rose back into the number one spot on the Billboard 200 this week, selling an additional 106,000 copies.
That number pushed 21‘s total to a whopping 4.1 million copies, by far the biggest selling album of 2011. All told, the “Someone Like You” singer has spent 13 non-consecutive weeks atop the chart this year. Now, if she could just fix those dang vocal cords!
Christian band Casting Crowns finished close behind in second place with first-week sales of their album Come to the Well at 99,000 copies. The band’s last album, 2009′s Until the Whole World Hears, got off to a stronger start with 167,000 copies sold, but to be fair, that disc still holds the record for the highest Christian-album debut in history. Come to the Well‘s 99,000 debut is nothing to cast a stone (or crown, for that matter) at.
In third place, Scotty McCreery continues to impress as his album Clear As Day dipped just 36 percent to 57,000. That gives the country balladeer three-week sales of 342,000. His runner-up, Lauren Alaina fell down to tenth place, dropping 63 percent in her second week to 26,000. Her record, Wildflower, has now sold 95,000 copies, which isn’t incredible, but it’s not half bad considering Alaina’s lead single, “Like My Mother Does,” only peaked at number 36 on the country chart. (Not all American Idol alums are as fortunate as these two…)
Last week’s chart-topper Evanescence falls back into fourth, as their self-titled third album fell 69 percent to 40,000. It has sold 167,000 after two weeks. Meanwhile ,Tony Bennett’s Duets II rises one spot into fifth place with another 39,000 copies sold. The 85 year-old crooner’s set has moved 434,000 copies in five weeks, and sales should remain strong through the holidays.
R&B singer Joe fared alright in his debut: His latest album, The Good, the Bad, and the Sexy sold 33,000 copies, good enough for eighth place. His 2009 set Alright started at number 7 with 49,000. Check out the top ten below: READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Michael Becker/Fox
American Idol Season 9 runner-up Crystal Bowersox has split with label RCA/Jive, a rep for the singer confirmed yesterday to TVLine.
Bowersox, whose debut album Farmer’s Daughter sold 210,000 copies (compared to Idol winner Lee Dewyze’s Live It Up, which moved just 168,000 copies.), said, “For not having any radio play and any great promotion, I think I’ve done pretty well on sales … I’m able to provide a good, comfortable life for my family, and that’s what I wanted out of it.” She says that she expects that her second album will be released independently.
Reports of Bowersox’s split arrive just two weeks after news that Lee DeWyze had been dropped by RCA as well. Apparently, Season 9 of American Idol, which many viewers felt was lackluster edition, just didn’t produce a bankable star. (Although, technically, the jury’s out on third-place finisher Casey James, who just released his debut country single “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night.” He seems to be Season 9′s last hope.)
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox/Picture Group
Meanwhile, Season 10′s top two finishers, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, both of whom are managed by Interscope and signed to Mercury Nashville, are both kicking off their careers with decidedly healthier results.
In its first two weeks on the chart, Scotty McCreery’s Clear As Day has sold a strong 285,000 copies, while Lauren Alaina’s Wildflower managed to sell 69,000 copies (the best female country debut since 2006) in its debut last week. HITS Daily Double predicts that those titles will sell an additional 65,000 and 30,000, respectively, this week. Not too shabby for a couple of teens!
Perhaps the better numbers are a result of country audiences more willingly buying whole albums than pop listeners, or perhaps Scotty and Lauren benefited from October release dates, rather than the more competitive mid-November (Lee) and December (Crystal) dates of their predecessors. Or maybe audiences just like them more—after all, Scotty and Lauren fit into the smiley, bright-eyed, big-dreaming mold of American Idol better than the more subdued Bowersox and DeWyze.
Whatever the reason, McCreery and Alaina (and hopefully Haley Reinhart one day soon!) are re-establishing American Idol as a brand that can produce stars—so long as they aren’t named Pia Toscano, of course. She just never really happened, did she?
What do you think? Will Bowersox and DeWyze find success on the indie circuit? Will McCreery and Alaina experience career longevity? Sound off about all your favorite Idol-ites in the comments below!
Read more on EW.com:
Lauren Alaina debuts in fifth place on the Billboard 200
‘American Idol’ roundup: Four new music videos from non-winners: What do you think?
Scotty McCreery sings the national anthem at the World Series
Follow Grady on Twitter: @EWGradySmith
Image Credit: Paul Sancya-Pool/Getty Images
Last night at Busch Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals bested the Texas Rangers 3-2 in the opening game of the 2011 World Series. The biggest baseball event of the year kicked off with the usual pomp and circumstance, featuring a cameo appearance by First Lady Michelle Obama and a national anthem performance by American Idol winner and Billboard chart-topper Scotty McCreery.
Luckily, McCreery’s performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” was sharper than his unfortunately-tinted World Series jacket, and he also managed to overcome a bit of a technical snafu at the beginning (the first step to a great performance is to turn on the microphone).
It’s still a little bit jarring hearing that voice come out of McCreery’s face, but he managed to sidestep the usual pitfalls the come associated with the song. He’s had plenty of practice, as he performed it before a North Carolina State football game just a few weeks ago.
For those of you not interested in baseball (which is a shame, because this is the most evenly-matched Series in recent memory) but definitely concerned with music and patriotism, Fox announced the rest of the planned anthem singers for the three sure-thing games remaining.
It’s an especially country-tinged lineup: Trace Adkins will take the microphone before tonight’s game, with Ronnie Dunn holding it down before Saturday night’s game in Arlington, Texas. The most intriguing performance will come Sunday night in Texas, where New Girl star and She & Him member Zooey Deschanel will take on “The Star-Spangled Banner” before game four.
Check out Scotty’s performance below, and let us know who you’d like Major League Baseball to book to sing the national anthem should the World Series extend beyond four games. Anybody else hoping that St. Louis’ own Nelly gets the chance to bellow about the rockets’ red glare? READ FULL STORY »
Despite a five-year break from the music scene and some major personnel changes, goth rockers Evanescence returned to the top of the Billboard 200 chart today with their self-titled third album, which sold 127,000 copies in its first week.
Though that number is far less than Evanescence’s last album, The Open Door, which debuted at No. 1 in 2006 with 447,000 copies sold, it is impressive that the Amy Lee-led band managed to move that many discs without a smash single like “My Immortal” or “Bring Me To Life.” Their current single, “What You Want” sits at number 13 on the Rock Songs chart.
Another rock band enjoyed a strong debut this week: L.A.’s Five Finger Death Punch started off at No. 3 (behind the indomitable Adele, whose 21 is STILL holding strong at No. 2) with 91,000 copies of their album, American Capitalist, sold. That’s a big jump from their 2009 record, War Is the Answer, which debuted at No. 7 with 44,000.
Last week’s chart champ, Scotty McCreery’s Clear As Day, slipped down into fourth place after a 55 percent drop to 88,000, giving him a two-week total of 285,000. Meanwhile, his runner-up, Lauren Alaina, got off to a pretty good start herself with 69,000 copies of her disc Wildflower sold in its debut week.
Ryan Adams’ Ashes and Fire and Martina McBride’s Eleven debuted with 49,000 and 40,000, respectively. Joe Jonas wasn’t as lucky. Without his brothers beside him, the “Just In Love” singer started at No. 15 with only 18,000 copies. Check out the top ten below: READ FULL STORY »
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Fox has announced the nominees for their 2nd annual American Country Awards—you know, that country music awards show that isn’t the CMAs, ACMs, or the CMT Music Awards—which will be hosted by Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth (can’t wait to see those two stand side-by-side!) on December 5.
Jason Aldean and Zac Brown Band, both of whom have had a pretty stellar 2011, lead the pack with eight nominations each, while newcomer Thompson Square nabbed a whopping seven nominations. The Band Perry and Taylor Swift each scored six.
Fresh off his strong debut week, American Idol winner Scotty McCreery received a nomination for Artist of the Year: New Artist (not to be confused with Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist), another signal that the country community has welcomed him warmly.
On the whole, the nominations are pretty much what you’d expect, but there are a few pleasant surprises. Pistol Annies scored a New Artist nomination, and Ashton Shepherd’s sassy “Look It Up” earned one for Music Video: Female. Both well-deserved.
The only real snub here seems like Blake Shelton’s smash single “Honey Bee,” which easily could have fit right into the Single of Year category.
Check out the nominations below, and let us know what you think: READ FULL STORY »
Apparently, you love him this big!
Scotty McCreery’s debut disc Clear As Day debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 this week, selling 197,000 copies in its first week.
That makes McCreery, 18, the first American Idol winner to top the chart since Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard’s Soulful opened at number one back in 2003. It also provides the Idol franchise a much-needed success story.
McCreery’s strong sales week improves greatly upon the 39,000 debut tally that Lee Dewyze’s Live It Up notched last year, as well as the 80,000 first week sales of Kris Allen’s self-titled 2009 offering.
Of course, McCreery didn’t sell as many albums as past winners Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson, but considering the current state of the record industry, the fact that David Cook and Jordin Sparks’ sophomore albums both recently floundered, and the musical irrelevance of Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks these days, Idol was in dire need of a fresh star, and it looks like it’s got one with McCreery. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Reigning American Idol champ Scotty McCreery is having a pretty great week.
Not only was he invited to tour with country superstar Brad Paisley in 2012, he was asked to sing the National Anthem at the opening game of the World Series. On top of that, his debut album Clear As Day hit stores this morning. And if all that’s not enough of a reason to celebrate, McCreery also turns 18 on Sunday.
“I’m pretty pumped today,” the young star conceded over the phone this morning, just minutes after stepping off the Live! With Regis and Kelly stage. For McCreery, the release of his debut album is the culmination of months spent recording while he was out on the 49-stop American Idols LIVE! tour. “I’m anxious to see what people think of [the album],” he says. “We’re about to go walk down to the store and get it.”
Though Scotty says he enjoyed touring with his fellow Idol contestants this summer—”We miss it. I think all of us do.”—he’s looking forward to blazing his own trail. “I think everybody on the tour was kind of ready to get out and venture onto their own things now,” he explains. For this particularly talented group of Idol contestants, that makes sense. Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart, Pia Toscano, and James Durbin have all scored record deals, and Stefano Langone was recently picked up by 19 Management.
Scotty’s next venture is to promote Clear As Day, an album that reflects the teenager’s old-soul sentiments, which are immediately apparent upon speaking with him. READ FULL STORY »
