BILLBOARD.COM/NEWSLETTERS SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 1 OF 22

INSIDE

Dustin Bustin’ 2017 Airplay Marks

>page 4

Country Still Battling Hurricanes

>page 10

Chris Stapleton, Scotty McCreery:

Live Surprises >page 12

Meghan Linsey Takes A Knee

To Make A Stand >page 12

Makin’ Tracks: Luke Bryan’s ‘Neurotic’ Hit

>page 17

Country Coda: Dierks Bentley’s

First No. 1 >page 22

It’s chaotic, unpredictable, potentially deflating and physically taxing. And most artists and media want to be part of it.

Formerly reserved for the most exclusive of events, the red carpet has become a more frequent piece of the music and entertainment landscape. Awards shows, movie premieres, Hall of Fame inductions, TV tapings and charity events have incorporated the carpet i n t o t h e i r p r e - s h o w ritual, primarily to draw media attention.

It looks impressive on t he sm a l l s c reen : scads of famous people d r e s s e d t o t h e h i l t , laughing and sharing t hei r ent hu siasm for the big moment. But the reality is uncomfortable, especially if the carpet is outdoors.

“No one loves to get dressed up and then sweat on a carpet while you stand in line,” says Essential Broadcast Media CEO Ebie McFarland, who counts Eric Church, Kenny Chesney and Darius Rucker among her clients. “The actual process of a carpet is not glamorous, it’s not sexy, so to have it make sense and to feel worthwhile, it needs to have that sense of ‘Wow, somebody listened to me. I know that that wasn’t wasted time.’ ”

The final round of voting for the 51st annual Country Music

Association Awards will begin Oct. 2, signaling the arrival of the most concentrated red-carpet period on the genre’s calendar. The CMT Artists of the Year TV special (Oct. 18), the Country Music Hall of Fame induction (Oct. 22), the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony (Oct. 23), the SESAC Awards (Nov. 5), the ASCAP Awards (Nov. 6), the BMI Awards

(Nov. 7) and the CMAs ( Nov. 8) a l l involve a dressy media line.

Depending on their arrival time and the size of the event, artists could wait 15-30 minutes just to start their way through a chaotic parade t hat starts with posing for photographers before w a d i n g o n e b y o n e

through the journalists who get on average about three minutes for an interview. The media itself usually has only a sketchy idea who will be walking the carpet and little time to prepare for interviews that might not actually happen, so it becomes a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants operation.

“Everybody’s unprepared, to be frankly honest, but you can definitely answer a question and lead it into other things,” says red-carpet pro Lindsay Ell. “Artists and presenters and entertainers — you can’t possibly keep up with everybody.”

That leads to plenty of awkward encounters.

How Country Artists Survive — And Thrive On — The Red Carpet

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE Tom.Roland@billboard.com

Country Update

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“You worry about putting them in that scenario where they are not set up for success, but there’s no way to crash-course someone on what’s going on with your artist,” says McFarland. “I’ve had some moments where it almost took the artist mentally off their game because they called them the wrong name or asked how their wife was and they’re divorced.”

It happened to LoCash right after the duo announced the name of its website, LoCashMusic.com, to viewers.

“The guy, on live TV, called us LANco,” recalls Preston Brust with a laugh. “You just roll with it.”

A thick skin certainly helps. Plenty of media gets bypassed in the line for strategic reasons or because of time constraints. On the flip side, artists are occasionally aware that particular media declined to speak with them. Or they get brushed aside by someone higher in the celebrity pecking order.

“What you don’t want is Garth Brooks to walk by,” says A Thousand Horses guitarist Zach Brown, “because then you just have to wait.”

There are coping mechanisms. Parmalee walked the gray carpet at the CMT Music Awards in June with alcohol flasks. “These aren’t props,” insisted guitarist Josh McSwain.

Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, the red carpets serve multiple functions. Artists have some time to catch up with each other, the photos get plenty of coverage, the interviews are used to drive immediate tune-in or to build future stories, and it creates a familiarity between the acts and the reporters who cover them. Many of the people on both sides of the velvet rope in October and November will also be on the carpet for the Academy of Country Music Awards next spring, the CMTs in June and the ACM honors next fall. For new acts, the carpets function with media the way that radio promotion tours work with broadcasters, establishing a level of trust for future encounters.

“The real payoff is with the relationships that were forged with the media,” says McFarland. “Several years down the road, there’s a sense that ‘I know this person. I’m telling my story to the world through them, but I feel safe in doing so.’ ”

For the immediate carpet, there are numerous ways to evaluate its success. Ell says 10 good interviews is a worthy carpet, while A Thousand Horses’ Michael Hobby says it’s easiest just to “read the paper on Monday.” Hunter Hayes sees it more philosophically.

“When I finish, if I felt like I was just trying to figure out how to talk the whole time, or [overthinking] the whole time, then I’m like, ‘Well, shucks,’ ” says Hayes. “If I felt like I don’t really remember what I just said, I just jumped in and was totally present and was like a little vulnerable — probably said some things I wish I could take back — that’s a good interview. That’s a good carpet.”

As uncomfortable and jumbled as it might be, the red carpet ultimately operates much like the backstage pass: It looks more exciting from the outside than it actually is, but it’s useful to careers and carries a little prestige.

“When I walk past the security guys, I always walk slow,” says Michael Ray, “like, ‘Yeah, I’m supposed to be here. I belong.’ ”

Granger Smith visited with WSLC Roanoke, Va., staff when he played the Berglund Center Coliseum on Sept. 14. From left: WSLC music director Rachel Rodes-Metcalf, Smith, Mel Wheeler/Roanoke operations manager Brett Sharp and Wheelhouse director of Northeast promotion Brittany Pellegrino.

Luke Combs performed Sept. 13 at the York Fair in Pennsylvania on a stage sponsored by WGTY. From left: WGTY PD Scott Donato, Combs and Columbia Nashville director of Northeast regional promotion Cliff Blake.

Kenny Chesney (right) joined Virgin Group founder Richard Branson at a Sept. 20 party in Nashville following the groundbreaking for a Virgin Hotel on Music Row. C

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BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 2 OF 22

Marking a f irst this year, the same song dominates Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated Oct. 7) for four weeks. Dustin Lynch’s “Small Town Boy” (Broken Bow) tallies a fourth week at the summit, earning 42.5 million audience impressions (down 4 percent) in the week ending Sept. 24, according to Nielsen Music. “Boy” scores the longest No. 1 stay since Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man” reigned for six frames starting on the survey dated Jan. 2, 2016.

“Sometimes you have a song that everyone knows is the right one: the artist, label, radio and listeners,” Broken Bow Records vp promotion Lee Adams tells Billboard. “Clearly, ‘Boy’ is that song.”

The track, written by Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip and Kyle Fishman, is Lynch’s fifth total and consecutive Country Airplay No. 1 among six top 10s. His debut hit, “Cowboys and Angels,” reached No. 2 in 2012.

“Boy” “is the perfect song for the core countr y audience, and it connected immediately,” says WYCD Detroit PD Tim Roberts. “It tested power from day one and is just a rare song that never burns. I could play it for another eight weeks in heavy rotation.”

For other programmers, “Boy” took a minute to connect with audiences. “The interesting thing is it did start a bit slow in research,” says KRTY San Jose, Calif., GM Nate Deaton. “A lot of times, long-running [hit] songs jump out immediately, but this one took a bit longer to kick in. Once it did, however, it was huge. It has the perfect end-of-summer groove.”

“Boy” is now halfway to the longest roll at No. 1 in the Country Airplay chart’s 27-year history: eight weeks. Two songs have accomplished that feat — Lonestar’s 1999 smash “Amazed” and Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet’s “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” (2003).

BIG (& RICH) DEBUT On Top Country Albums, the sixth full-length album by Big & Rich, Did It for the Party (B&R/Thirty Tigers), opens at No. 2, earn-ing 27,000 units (26,000 in pure sales) in its first week (ending Sept. 21).

The duo, Kenny Alphin and John Rich, makes its highest Top Country Al-bums debut since Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace began at No. 1 on the chart dated June 23, 2007 (with 103,000 sold). The new set marks the duo’s sixth Top Country Albums top 10. On the all-genre Billboard 200, Party starts at No. 9.

Elsewhere on Top Country Albums, Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes (Valory/Big Machine Label Group) rules for a second week with 39,000 equivalent

album units (down 68 percent). The album also launches at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 1 on Country Album Sales.

NEW TOP 10s While Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Back Road” (MCA Nashville) leads for a record-extending 33rd week on the streaming-, airplay- and sales-driven Hot Country Songs, two acts achieve top 10 success on the chart for the first time.

LANco’s “Greatest Love Story” (Arista Nashville) jumps 14-9, buoyed by multiple new chart peaks: It logs a 22 percent hike to 16,000 downloads sold, romping 9-5 on Country Digital Song Sales; increases 13 per-cent to 3.3 million U.S. streams to lift 18-16 on Coun-try Streaming Songs; and gains by 12 percent to 17.9 million in radio audience as it rises 17-15 on Country

Airplay. “Story” is the band’s second charted single, following “Long Live Tonight,” which peaked at Nos. 32 and 46, respectively, on Country Air-play and Hot Country Songs.

Carly Pearce’s debut single, “Every Little Thing” (Big Machine), pushes 12-10 on Hot Country Songs. It enters the top 10 on Country Digital Song Sales for the first time (12-9; up 16 percent to 11,000 sold) and returns to its high on Country Airplay (10-9; increasing 10 percent to 26.1 million).

‘DRINK’ TO THAT Chris Janson notches his second Country Airplay top 10 as “Fix a Drink” (Warner Bros./WAR) pushes 11-10 (23.5 million, up 12 percent). It follows 2015’s No. 3-peaking “Buy Me a Boat.”

No ‘Small’ Feat: Lynch Remains No. 1; Big & Rich’s ‘Party’ Gets Started

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

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 4 OF 22

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BILLBOARD COUNTRY AIRPLAY PANEL — 147 STATIONSAlbany, N.Y. WGNAAlbuquerque, N.M. KBQI KRSTAllentown, Pa. WCTOAtlanta WKHX WUBLAugusta, Ga. WKXCAustin, Texas KASEBakersfield, Calif. KUZZBaltimore WPOCBaton Rouge, La. WYNKBirmingham, Ala. WDXB WZZKBoise, Idaho KAWO KIZNBoston WBWL WKLBBuffalo, N.Y. WYRKCharleston, S.C. WCKN WEZLCharlotte, N.C. WKKT WSOCChattanooga, Tenn. WUSYChicago WEBG WUSNCincinnati WUBECleveland WGARColorado Springs, Colo. KATCColumbia, S.C. WCOSColumbus, Ohio WCOLCorpus Christi, Texas KRYSDallas KPLX KSCSDayton, Ohio WHKODenver KWOF KYGODes Moines, Iowa KHKI

Detroit WDRQ WYCDEl Paso, Texas KHEYFt. Myers, Fla. WCKT WWGRFt. Wayne, Ind. WQHKFresno, Calif. KSKSGainesville, Fla. WOGKGrand Rapids, Mich. WBCTGreensboro, N.C. WTQRGreenville, S.C. WSSLHarrisburg, Pa. WRBTHartford, Conn. WWYZHouston KILT KKBQHuntsville, Ala. WDRMIndianapolis WFMS WLHKJacksonville, Fla. WGNE WQIKJohnson City, Tenn. WXBQKansas City KBEQ WDAF KFKFKnoxville, Tenn. WCYQ WIVKLafayette, La. KMDLLakeland, Fla. WPCVLancaster, Pa. WIOV Las Vegas KCYE KWNRLexington, Ky. WBULLittle Rock, Ark. KSSNLos Angeles KKGOLouisville, Ky. WAMZ WQNUMadison, Wis. WWQMMcAllen, Texas KTEX

Memphis WGKX WLFPMiami WKISMilwaukee WMILMinneapolis KEEY KMNBMobile, Ala. WKSJMonmouth/Ocean, N.J. WKMKMonterey, Calif.. KTOMNashville WKDF WSIXNassau, N.Y. WJVCNew Bern, N.C. WRNSNew Orleans WNOENew York WNSHNorfolk, Va. WGH WUSHOklahoma City, Okla. KJKE KTSTOmaha, Neb. KXKTOrlando, Fla. WWKAPhiladelphia WXTUPhoenix KMLE KNIXPittsburgh WDSY WOGI WPGBPortland, Maine WPOR WTHTPortland, Ore. KUPL KWJJPortsmouth-Dover, NH WOKQProvidence, R.I. WCTKRaleigh, N.C. WNCB WQDRRichmond, Va. WKHKRiverside, Calif. KFRG

Reno, Nevada KBUL KOLCRoanoke, Va. WSLCRochester, N.Y. WBEESacramento, Calif. KBEB KNCI KNTYSt. Louis KSD WILSalt Lake City KSOP KUBLSan Antonio, Texas KAJA KCYYSan Diego KSONSan Jose, Calif. KRTYSarasota, Fla. WCTQSeattle KKWF KMPSSpokane, Wash. KXLYSpringfield, Mass. WRNXStockton, Calif. KATMSyracuse, N.Y. WBBSTampa, Fla. WFUS WQYKTucson, Ariz. KIIMTulsa, Okla. KVOO KWENVisalia, Calif. KJUGWashington, D.C. WMZQWest Palm Beach, Fla. WIRKWichita, Kan. KFDI KZSNWilkes Barre, Pa. WGGYWilmington, Del. WXCYYork, Pa. WGTY

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 6 OF 22

THIS WEEK

LAST WEEK

WKS ON

CHART TITLE Imprint/Label ArtistAUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS) PLAYS

THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK +/– RANK

1 1 29 SMALL TOWN BOY Broken Bow HH No. 1 (4 weeks) HH Dustin Lynch 42.465 -1.841 7048 -731 3

l2 2 17 ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville Kenny Chesney 41.657 +3.167 7388 447 1

l3 3 22 HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi 41.023 +3.354 7280 363 2

l4 5 32 WHAT IFS Zone 4/RCA Nashville Kane Brown Featuring Lauren Alaina 37.235 +3.756 6620 561 5

l5 4 22 THEY DON’T KNOW Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean 36.673 +2.535 6677 299 4

l6 7 32 MORE GIRLS LIKE YOU MCA Nashville Kip Moore 28.980 +0.940 5303 118 6

l7 9 9 UNFORGETTABLE Valory Thomas Rhett 27.499 +3.138 4620 294 10

l8 8 15 WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 27.151 +2.423 4936 426 8

l9 10 28 EVERY LITTLE THING Big Machine Carly Pearce 26.143 +2.436 5155 249 7

l10 11 19 FIX A DRINK Warner Bros./WAR Chris Janson 23.478 +2.437 4692 316 9

l11 13 28 I COULD USE A LOVE SONG Columbia Nashville Maren Morris 20.691 +1.136 3864 99 13

l12 12 37 IT AIN’T MY FAULT EMI Nashville Brothers Osborne 20.595 +0.908 4357 141 11

l13 14 27 ASK ME HOW I KNOW Pearl Garth Brooks 20.443 +1.203 3904 140 12

l14 15 5 LIGHT IT UP Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan 20.100 +2.717 3605 386 15

l15 17 30 GREATEST LOVE STORY Arista Nashville LANCO 17.854 +1.924 3622 241 14

l16 16 45 RING ON EVERY FINGER Reviver LOCASH 17.078 +0.789 3380 54 17

l17 18 24 ROUND HERE BUZZ EMI Nashville Eric Church 15.901 +0.287 3453 65 16

l18 22 3 I’LL NAME THE DOGS Warner Bros./WMN HH Airpower/Most Increased Audience HH Blake Shelton 14.283 +4.012 2577 719 20

l19 20 8 SMOOTH BMLG Florida Georgia Line 12.815 +0.918 2665 213 19

l20 19 23 LAST TIME FOR EVERYTHING Arista Nashville Brad Paisley 12.405 +0.393 2755 48 18

l21 21 20 LOSING SLEEP RCA Nashville Chris Young 11.390 +0.177 2243 10 22

l22 28 10 LIKE I LOVED YOU BMLG Brett Young 9.652 +1.931 2075 340 25

l23 23 35 A GIRL LIKE YOU Mercury Easton Corbin 9.645 +0.472 2486 35 21

l24 24 38 OUTTA STYLE BIG Label Aaron Watson 9.228 +0.279 1989 15 26

l25 25 22 YOURS Triple Tigers Russell Dickerson 9.064 +0.739 2116 73 23

l26 26 17 ALL ON ME Atlantic/WEA Devin Dawson 8.488 +0.541 1679 71 28

l27 27 13 YOU BROKE UP WITH ME Monument/Arista Nashville Walker Hayes 8.001 +0.020 1727 112 27

l28 30 25 TIN MAN Vanner/RCA Nashville Miranda Lambert 7.139 +0.795 1639 52 29

l29 29 27 CALIFORNIA B$R/Thirty Tigers/New Revolution Big & Rich 6.783 +0.014 2089 -48 24

l30 31 16 LEGENDS Black River Kelsea Ballerini 4.741 +0.322 1286 69 30

Country Airplay AIRPLAY MONITORED BY

Nichols ’ 25th Country Airplay appearance re-enters at No. 56, increasing 34 percent

to 908,000 audience impressions. The traditional-sounding song is the title track

from his latest album, which debuted and peaked at No. 15 on the Top Country

Albums chart dated Aug. 19.

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BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 7 OF 22

THIS WEEK

LAST WEEK

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CHART TITLE Imprint/Label ArtistAUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS) PLAYS

THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK +/– RANK

l31 33 21 SHE’S WITH ME Atlantic/WEA High Valley 4.383 +0.538 937 46 35

l32 32 15 BOY Curb Lee Brice 4.233 +0.092 917 -27 36

l33 36 10 BROKEN HALOS Mercury Chris Stapleton 4.205 +0.769 1069 119 32

l34 34 18 FIVE MORE MINUTES Triple Tigers HH Breaker HH Scotty McCreery 4.195 +0.591 945 135 34

l35 35 14 HAPPENS LIKE THAT Wheelhouse Granger Smith 3.564 +0.047 1175 14 31

l36 37 13 ONES THAT LIKE ME Valory Brantley Gilbert 3.069 -0.036 1034 13 33

37 38 14 SINGLES YOU UP MCA Nashville Jordan Davis 2.799 -0.218 833 33 37

l38 40 5 THE LONG WAY Atlantic/WMN Brett Eldredge 2.702 +0.085 659 51 40

39 39 10 GET TO YOU Atlantic/WEA Michael Ray 2.688 -0.151 659 12 41

l40 58 2 WRITTEN IN THE SAND RCA Nashville Old Dominion 2.446 +1.456 382 223 51

41 41 6 ROOTS Southern Ground/Elektra/WAR Zac Brown Band 2.192 -0.081 649 2 42

l42 44 9 ROAD TRIPPIN’ Warner Bros./WAR Dan + Shay 2.048 +0.394 680 9 39

l43 43 19 SUNDAY MORNING Stoney Creek Parmalee 1.922 +0.296 601 29 43

l44 42 4 STAY DOWNTOWN Warner Bros./WMN Cole Swindell 1.789 +0.096 470 55 47

l45 45 7 FOR THE FIRST TIME Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker 1.755 +0.247 443 41 48

l46 52 4 HOOKED Curb Dylan Scott 1.648 +0.488 385 73 50

l47 49 6 WHEN SOMEONE STOPS LOVING YOU Capitol Nashville Little Big Town 1.556 +0.200 682 49 38

l48 48 4 THREE CHORDS & THE TRUTH Dack Janiels/Broken Bow Chase Rice 1.466 +0.096 471 25 46

49 46 8 DOIN’ FINE 19/Interscope/Mercury Lauren Alaina 1.398 -0.049 519 -7 44

50 47 12 WAITING ON YOU Stoney Creek Lindsay Ell 1.313 -0.125 421 1 49

l51 54 7 SWAY Big Machine Danielle Bradbery 1.271 +0.170 371 18 52

l52 51 8 ALL ABOUT YOU MCA Nashville Josh Turner 1.221 +0.045 499 46 45

l53 55 4 BACK TO US Big Machine Rascal Flatts 1.216 +0.161 330 20 54

l54 NEW MAKE A LITTLE Big Machine HH Hot Shot Debut HH Midland 1.175 +0.618 210 107 60

55 57 3 WAKE ME UP Mercury Billy Currington 0.909 -0.120 201 70 -

l56 RE-ENTRY NEVER GETS OLD Red Bow Joe Nichols 0.908 +0.228 336 45 53

57 53 2 DRINK A LITTLE BEER Valory Thomas Rhett Featuring Rhett Akins 0.837 -0.292 100 -24 -

58 56 6 LOVE IN A BAR RCA Nashville Ryan Hurd 0.821 -0.225 330 -27 55

59 60 7 I SHOULD GO TO CHURCH SOMETIME Columbia Nashville Tyler Farr 0.684 -0.136 287 -79 57

l60 NEW BETTER ME Average Joes Montgomery Gentry 0.651 +0.358 104 44 -

Country Airplay AIRPLAY MONITORED BY

10/2

DAN TYMINSKI Bloodline Mercury Nashville

KID ROCK Tennessee Mountain Top Top Dog/BMG/Red Bow

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN Vinyl Warner Bros./WMN

10/9

CHARLES PARKER Bring Back The Sun Mach 3/Jerry Duncan

JACKSON MICHELSON Rollin’ Curb

10/16

ASHLEY MCBRYDE A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega Atlantic/WAR

DELTA RAE No Peace In Quiet Valory

DUSHANE BAND Can’t Slow Down KES

GOING FOR ADDS

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 8 OF 22

MOST ADDED®TITLE Imprint/Label Artist ADDSTHAT’S WHY THEY MAKE JACK DANIELS Big Machine Ronnie Dunn 18I’LL NAME THE DOGS Warner Bros./WMN Blake Shelton 16LIKE I LOVED YOU BMLG Brett Young 12WRITTEN IN THE SAND RCA Nashville Old Dominion 11YOU BROKE UP WITH ME Monument/Arista Nashville Walker Hayes 10LEGENDS Black River Kelsea Ballerini 10KINDA DON’T CARE Valory Justin Moore 10ROOTS Southern Ground/Elektra/WAR Zac Brown Band 7HOOKED Curb Dylan Scott 7MAKE A LITTLE Big Machine Midland 7

MOST INCREASED PLAYSTITLE Imprint/Label Artist GAINI’LL NAME THE DOGS Warner Bros./WMN Blake Shelton +719WHAT IFS Zone 4/RCA Nashville Kane Brown Featuring Lauren Alaina +561ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville Kenny Chesney +447WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs +426LIGHT IT UP Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan +386HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi +363LIKE I LOVED YOU BMLG Brett Young +340FIX A DRINK Warner Bros./WAR Chris Janson +316THEY DON’T KNOW Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean +299UNFORGETTABLE Valory Thomas Rhett +294

MOST INCREASED AUDIENCETITLE Imprint/Label Artist

GAIN(IN MIILIONS)

I’LL NAME THE DOGS Warner Bros./WMN Blake Shelton +4.012WHAT IFS Zone 4/RCA Nashville Kane Brown Featuring Lauren Alaina +3.756HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi +3.354ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville Kenny Chesney +3.167UNFORGETTABLE Valory Thomas Rhett +3.138LIGHT IT UP Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan +2.717THEY DON’T KNOW Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean +2.535FIX A DRINK Warner Bros./WAR Chris Janson +2.437EVERY LITTLE THING Big Machine Carly Pearce +2.436WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs +2.423

AIRPLAY MONITORED BY

BILLBOARD COUNTRY BOXSCOREGross Artist AttendanceTicket Price(s) Venue/Date(s) Capacity Promoter(s)

$813,685 JASON ALDEAN 19,443 LIVE NATION$71.75, $31.75 USANA Amphitheatre, West Valley, City, Utah/Sept. 14 sellout

$775,338 JASON ALDEAN 11,205 LIVE NATION$80.25, $40.25 Pepsi Center, Denver/Sept. 15 12,967

$773,405 JASON ALDEAN 16,905 LIVE NATION$71.75, $31.75 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, N.J./Sept. 9 sellout

$738,065 JASON ALDEAN 15,337 LIVE NATION$71.75, $31.75 Isleta Amphitheater, Albuquerque/Sept. 16 sellout

$717,233 JASON ALDEAN 18,161 LIVE NATION$71.75, $30.75 Coastal Credit Union Music Park, Raleigh, N.C./Sept.8 18,719

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 REPORTWEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 24, 2017

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 2017, Texas Regional Radio Report

THIS WEEK

LAST WEEK

WKS ON CHART TITLE (Label) ARTIST

TW SPINS

SPINS +/–

l1 2 11 COUNTRY SONG �(Independent) HH 1 week at 1 HH Casey Donahew Band 1764 62

l2 4 13 NO WORDS (Independent) Cody Jinks 1657 49

l3 5 13 MOVIN’ ON (KF Music) Kevin Fowler 1607 12

l4 6 13 TEXAS WOMEN, TENNESSEE WHISKEY (Independent) Josh Abbott Band 1493 27

5 3 15 BIG TIME LONESOME (Independent) Jake Worthington 1490 -196

6 1 16 RESTLESS (Independent) Jake Ward 1477 -443

l7 8 22 CONFORMITY (Independent) Natalie Rose 1376 9

l8 9 14 MEET ME TONIGHT (Independent) Randy Rogers Band 1361 11

9 7 18 DRINKIN’ DAYS (Greenhorse) Pat Green 1348 -27

l10 12 14 HOW I WANNA BE (Republic) Sundance Head 1287 28

THIS WEEK

LAST WEEK

WKS ON CHART TITLE (Label) ARTIST

TW SPINS

SPINS +/–

l11 13 15 RADIO (No Big Deal) Reckless Kelly 1245 1

12 11 18 ARMADILLO (Independent) Junior Gordon 1202 -83

l13 16 20 NEW ORLEANS (Independent) Shane Smith & The Saints 1189 73

14 14 23 MINE AGAIN (I’D BE A FOOL) (Lightning Rod) Dalton Domino 1179 -11

l15 15 15 HAPPENS LIKE THAT (Independent) Granger Smith 1169 22

16 10 27 RIVER FLOATIN’ (Independent) Jason Cassidy 1077 -213

l17 17 11 SIPPIN’ ON SHINE (Independent) Jerrett Zoch and The OSR Band 1042 76

l18 20 16 RAINY DAY MONEY (Texas Evolution) Mark McKinney 990 110

l19 18 13 LITTLE BIT OF RUST (Independent) Will Hoge 972 44

l20 26 5 DON’T CALL (Independent) Bri Bagwell 934 119

RECURRENTSTHIS

WEEK TITLE Imprint/Label ArtistTOTAL AUD.

(IN MILLIONS)1 BODY LIKE A BACK ROAD MCA Nashville Sam Hunt 29.334

2 NO SUCH THING AS A BROKEN HEART RCA Nashville Old Dominion 26.662

3 DO I MAKE YOU WANNA Mercury Billy Currington 25.117

4 IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW BMLG Brett Young 20.333

5 CRAVING YOU Valory Thomas Rhett Featuring Maren Morris 19.881

6 MY GIRL Curb Dylan Scott 17.966

7 HURRICANE River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 16.592

8 DRINKIN’ PROBLEM Big Machine Midland 14.779

9 SOMEBODY ELSE WILL Valory Justin Moore 14.745

10 HOMETOWN GIRL MCA Nashville Josh Turner 12.454

Country AirplayNEW AND ACTIVE

TITLE Imprint/Label ArtistTOTAL

AUDIENCETOTAL

STATIONS ADDSKINDA DON’T CARE Valory Justin Moore 0.623 16 10

WILD WEST Wheelhouse Runaway June 0.586 4 2

LONELY CALL Warner Bros./WMN RaeLynn 0.490 22 0

THAT’S WHY THEY MAKE JACK DANIELS Big Machine Ronnie Dunn 0.441 18 18

MOVIN’ ON Kevin Fowler Kevin Fowler 0.434 5 0

SPEAKERS, BLEACHERS AND PREACHERS EMI Nashville Brandon Lay 0.403 22 0

COUNTRY CONTINUES HURRICANE AIDWith Hurricane Maria making its way toward the Atlantic Coast, country artists are still assisting in bringing awareness and dollars to the recovery effort from multiple tropical onslaughts.

The dangerous drama from high winds and flooding has died down in Texas and Florida, but even now, some victims from Hurricane Harvey in Houston are being moved to new shelters a full month after the storm hit the Lone Star State’s coast.

Here are some of the ways the country community has been lending a hand:• George Strait — who owns a home in Rockport, Texas — joined Texas Gov.

Greg Abbott to tour the town, which was one of the hardest-hit communities in the region.

• Kenny Chesney established a Love for Love City Fund to help rebuild the Virgin Islands, where Hurricane Irma destroyed his vacation home while several neighbors were using the structure to try and ride out the rain. He even used his personal plane to reconnect two teens with their mother in Philadelphia.

• Clint Black, Don Henley and Lyle Lovett banded together for a Nov. 28 benefit concert at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas.

• The Randy Rogers Band raised $100,000 with its ninth annual Golf Jam and associated concert. Proceeds are being split between the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians and the MusiCares Hurricane Relief Fund.

• RaeLynn booked an Oct. 18 concert at the Club Bar & Grill inside New York’s Madison Square Garden with receipts earmarked for hurricane relief.

• Kree Harrison, Jenny Gill, Mindy Smith, Emily West, The Sisterhood’s Alyssa Bonagura and Tonic’s Emerson Hart plan to cover ’80s ballads to aid the cause in an Oct. 6 benefit at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley.

MOVERS AND SHAKERSDavid Dean joined KWNR Las Vegas as PD, transferring within the iHeartMedia structure from a similar post at WNOE New Orleans … Chris Randolph debuts as afternoon-drive host for WFMS Indianapolis on Oct. 2. He previously han-dled mornings at hot adult contemporary WXMA Louisville, Ky. … Julie Kansy will join WPCV Lakeland, Fla., as morning co-host in October. She was most recently with Cumulus/Shreveport (La.), where the stint included a run as operations manager for the cluster, which counts country KRMD among its properties. Reach her here … Eddie Edwards took an on-air post with WUUU Covington, La., following his association with WNOE New Orleans … Cox Media/Tulsa (Okla.) promoted Cathy Gunther to market vp; country KWEN is one of the nine TV and radio brands under her watch. She was previously vp/GM for the company’s three Tulsa TV stations … WIL St. Louis moved Josh “J.T.” Holleman to middays from the night shift. Assistant PD/music director Danny Montana fills the evening daypart … CBS Radio will present its third veterans-themed Stars and Strings concert on Nov. 15 at the Chicago Theatre, with Brad Paisley, Chris Young, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Hunt, Lady Antebellum and Lindsay Ell … Scripps/ Milwaukee hired Frank Mon-

roe as production director for country WKTI and news/talk WTMJ-AM, InsideRadio.com reported. Monroe held the same title and hosted mid-days previously for adult contempo-rary WZSR Woodstock, Ill. … C.J. Lusk left the morning show at WHKX Atlanta, and Rowdy Yates ended his morning run at KVOO Tulsa, Okla., according to Talkers.com … Former Radio Advertising Bureau president/CEO Gary Fries died, InsideRadio.com reported. He ran the RAB from 1991-2006 and remained president emeritus after stepping down.

’ROUND THE ROWKatie Rose joined Warner Music Nashville as senior publicity man-ager. She was previously a publicist for Big Machine Label Group … Paul McGuire joined the ole staff in Toronto to produce content and host shows on the publishing company’s YouTube multichannel network. He has worked as a host for CMT Canada … David Lee Murphy signed a recording deal with Reviver Entertainment Group. The label will release his album No Zip Codes, produced by Kenny Chesney and Buddy Cannon (Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire) … Indie label Hypermedia Nashville, owned by songwriter Max T. Barnes (“Love, Me,” “How Your Love Makes Me Feel”), signed the Boston-based Darren Bessette Band to a recording contract … Jada Vance joined the artist roster at Kore Public Relations … Bluegrass band Williamson Branch inked with Pinecastle, with an album expected in 2018 … Nashville venue The Listening Room will reopen Sept. 26 in its new location, 618 Fourth Ave. S. The official grand opening is planned for Oct. 14 … The Grammy Museum grant program is accepting submissions for music-related preservation and scientific research projects through Oct. 1. Go here for more info … The seventh annual Touring Career Workshop is slated for Oct. 25 at Nashville’s Soundcheck Annex. Go here for more info … A memorial service for late Country Music Hall of Fame member Don Williams is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 27 at the Hall of Fame’s CMA Theater … Songwriter Mark Selby died Sept. 18, CMT.com reported. He authored Dixie Chicks’ “There’s Your Trouble.”

NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND

Dolly Parton made a surprise appearance during the inaugural edition of the syndicated talk show Pickler & Ben, which debuted Sept. 18. From left: executive producer Faith Hill, Kellie Pickler, Parton and Ben Aaron.

New Warner Music Nashville artist Ashley McBryde met up with KNTY Sacramento, Calif., PD Tosh Jackson during one of the initial stops on her first radio promotion tour.

Easton Corbin (right) caught a moment with former President George W. Bush during a Sept. 20 party celebrating the opening of a Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Mo.

Darius Rucker celebrated with Grand Ole Opry GM Sally Williams when he observed his fifth anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member on Sept. 20.

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 10 OF 22

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MUSIC NOTESChris Stapleton made a big impact on concert stages the weekend of Sept. 23-24, earning shoutouts from Coldplay and P!nk when he played the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas on Sept. 22 and making a surprise appearance on Sept. 23 with Justin Timberlake at the Pilgrimage Music Festival in Franklin, Tenn. Scotty McCreery was a surprise addition, too, when he opened for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood on Sept. 22 in Sioux Falls, S.D. Elsewhere in the live-concert business, Darius Rucker booked an Oct. 19 date at the historic Apollo The-ater, and Jason Aldean selected an Oct. 20 show in Louisville, Ky., as this year’s Concert for the Cure. Lee Roy Parnell and Baillie & The Boys will play a Nov. 2 show at City Winery Nashville for nurses and veterans, and Exile announced a free Oct. 17 fan appreciation show at the Wildhorse Saloon, with guests TBA.

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, former Steel Magnolia member Meghan Linsey took a knee on Sept. 24 after she sang the national anthem before the Tennessee Titans game in Nashville. Both the Titans and the Seattle Seahawks stayed off the field during the performance in their own display of unity. Linsey later issued a statement of appreciation for the flag, but also said, “A symbol is nothing without the people it represents,” including those who feel “mistreated, beaten down and disregarded.”

Although autumn only just arrived, country acts are already prepping for Christmas. Dylan Scott’s first holiday EP, Merry Christmas, will arrive Oct. 13 with remakes of “Jingle Bell Rock,” “White Christmas” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” among others. The late Roy Orbison’s vocal on the Willie Nelson-penned “Pretty Paper” is being reframed with a string section for a new album, A Love So Beautiful: Roy Orbison With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. And Sara Evans will head out Dec. 1 for an eight-concert Christmas tour, beginning in Lincoln City, Ore., and winding up Dec. 16 in Mayetta, Kan.

Two behind-the-scenes players will get their due in the coming weeks. Songwriter Steve Dorff (“I Cross My Heart,” “Every Which Way but Loose”) tells his tale in I Wrote That One, Too… A Life in Songwriting From Willie to Whitney, to be published Nov. 1 by Backbeat Books. And bassist Dave Pomeroy (Don Williams, Keith Whit-ley) celebrates 40 years in Music City with an Oct. 5 “Nashiversary” show at Doug-las Corner. He is president of the American Federation of Musicians Local 257.

McCREERY (left) and BROOKS

Reba McEntire presented the ASCAP Christian Music song of the year award to songwriter Colby Wedgeworth on Sept. 19 at the Franklin Theatre in Tennessee. From left: ASCAP president/chairman Paul Williams and vp Nashville membership Michael Martin, McEntire, ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews and executive vp membership John Titta.

ON THIS DATE IN COUNTRY MUSIC

Sept. 25 • 2015 — Valory releases the Thomas Rhett album Tangled Up. • 2005 — Jake Owen signs with RCA

Records.

Sept. 26 • 2016 — Dierks Bentley welcomes a

surprise guest to his show at Red Rocks Amphitheater near Denver: Maren Morris sings “My Church” with him. Opening act Randy Houser joins the two of them on “Bad Angel.”

Sept. 27 • 2012 — Rodney Atkins performs at a

campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Springfield, Ohio. In the set: “Farmer’s Daughter,” “These Are My People” and Romney’s campaign theme, “It’s America.”

• 2011 — Vince Gill invites Rascal Flatts to join the Grand Ole Opry during a Tuesday edition of the show. The group teams with Gill on “Whenever You Come Around.”

Sept. 28 • 2007 — Montgomery Gentry performs “Hell Yeah” during the

season premiere of the NBC-TV series Las Vegas. • 2002 — Diamond Rio scores a No. 1 single in Billboard with

“Beautiful Mess.”

Sept. 29 • 2014 — Arista releases Carrie Underwood’s “Something in the

Water” to radio.

Sept. 30 • 1992 — George Jones and Frances Preston, head of the songwriter

agency BMI, earn a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame during the 26th annual Country Music Association Awards at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House.

• 1987 — George Strait records “Famous Last Words of a Fool” and “If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’)” at the Sound Stage Studios in Nashville.

Oct. 1 • 1977 — Kenny Rogers sings “Lucille” and “Daytime Friends” on Hee

Haw, the same weekend he marries show regular Marianne Gordon.

Source: RolandNote.com, the Ultimate Country Music Database

OWEN

NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND

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SiriusXM Completes $480 Million Pandora Investment

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Top Headlines from .com

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 12 OF 22

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The track jumps 40-31 on Hot Country Songs, up 43 percent with 5,000 downloads sold, 38 percent to 2.1 million U.S. streams

and 22 percent to 4.2 million in radio audience. Stapleton was one of many

country artists who took part in the Sept. 12 Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief

Telethon TV broadcast.

31CHRIS

STAPLETONBroken Halos

The ballad climbs 30-26 in its 23rd week on Hot Country Songs. It’s supported by its 30-28 bump (7.1 million, up 13 percent) to a new Country Airplay peak and 12 percent

sales hike (to 6,000) as it rises 24-21 on Country Digital Song Sales. The song also

gains by 7 percent to 1.2 million U.S. streams.

26MIRANDA LAMBERT

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BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 14 OF 22

Hot Country SongsSALES, AIRPLAY & STREAMING DATA COMPILED BY

THIS WEEK

LAST WEEK

TWO WEEKS

AGOWKS ON CHART

TITLE Artist PRODUCER (SONGWRITER) IMPRINT / PROMOTION LABEL

COUNTRY AIRPLAY

RANKPEAK

POSITION

1 1 1 34 BODY LIKE A BACK ROAD HH�No. 1 (33 weeks)�HH Sam Hunt Z.CROWELL (S.HUNT,Z.CROWELL,J.OSBORNE,S.MCANALLY) MCA NASHVILLE

RC 1

l2 2 2 42 WHAT IFS Kane Brown Featuring Lauren Alaina D.HUFF (K.BROWN,M.MCGINN,J.M.SCHMIDT) ZONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE 4 2

3 3 3 31 SMALL TOWN BOY Dustin Lynch Z.CROWELL (R.AKINS,B.HAYSLIP,K.FISHMAN) BROKEN BOW 1 2

l4 5 4 15 WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS Luke Combs S.MOFFATT (L.COMBS,R.FULCHER,J.WALKER) RIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 8 4

l5 6 5 20 HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR Jon Pardi B.BUTLER,J.PARDI (J.PARDI,B.BUTLER,B.LONG) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 3 5

l6 4 7 8 UNFORGETTABLE Thomas Rhett D.HUFF,J.FRASURE,THOMAS RHETT (THOMAS RHETT,J.FRASURE,A.GORLEY,S.MCANALLY) VALORY 7 4

l7 7 8 16 ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS Kenny Chesney B.CANNON,K.CHESNEY (N.GALYON,T.L.JAMES,J.OSBORNE) BLUE CHAIR/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 2 7

l8 11 10 19 THEY DON’T KNOW Jason Aldean M.KNOX (J.BOYER,J.MIRENDA,K.ALLISON) MACON/BROKEN BOW 5 8

l9 14 16 27 GREATEST LOVE STORY LANCO J.JOYCE (B.LANCASTER) ARISTA NASHVILLE 15 9

l10 12 11 23 EVERY LITTLE THING Carly Pearce BUSBEE (C.PEARCE,BUSBEE,E.SHACKELTON) BIG MACHINE 9 10

11 9 12 26 CRAVING YOU Thomas Rhett Featuring Maren Morris J.BUNETTA,D.HUFF,JOE LONDON,THOMAS RHETT (D.M.BARNES,J.BUNETTA) VALORY RC 3

l12 15 13 31 MORE GIRLS LIKE YOU Kip Moore K.MOORE,D.GARCIA (K.MOORE,S.L.OLSEN,J.MILLER,D.A.GARCIA) MCA NASHVILLE 6 12

l13 16 15 5 LIGHT IT UP Luke Bryan J.STEVENS,J.STEVENS (L.BRYAN,B.TURSI) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 14 11

14 10 40 3 I’LL NAME THE DOGS �������������������������HH�Airplay Gainer�HH Blake Shelton S.HENDRICKS (M.DRAGSTREM,B.HAYSLIP,J.THOMPSON) WARNER BROS./WMN

18 10

l15 18 17 27 I COULD USE A LOVE SONG Maren Morris BUSBEE,M.MORRIS (M.MORRIS,J.ROBBINS,L.VELTZ) COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 11 15

l16 17 14 35 IT AIN’T MY FAULT Brothers Osborne J.JOYCE (J. OSBORNE,T.J. OSBORNE,L.T.MILLER) EMI NASHVILLE 12 14

l17 19 18 17 FIX A DRINK Chris Janson B.ANDERSON,C.DUBOIS (C.JANSON,C.DUBOIS,A.GORLEY) WARNER BROS./WAR 10 17

l18 21 20 19 LOSING SLEEP �HH�Digital & Streaming Gainer�HH Chris Young C.CROWDER,C.YOUNG (C.YOUNG,J.HOGE,C. DESTEFANO) RCA NASHVILLE

21 18

l19 26 27 9 LIKE I LOVED YOU Brett Young D.HUFF (B.YOUNG,J.LEE) BMLG 22 19

l20 20 19 24 ROUND HERE BUZZ Eric Church J.JOYCE (E.CHURCH,J.HYDE,L.DICK) EMI NASHVILLE 17 19

l21 22 21 10 SMOOTH Florida Georgia Line J.MOI (T.HUBBARD,B.KELLEY,N.GALYON,J.M.SCHMIDT) BMLG 19 21

l22 24 22 18 ASK ME HOW I KNOW Garth Brooks M.A.MILLER (M.ROSSELL) PEARL 13 22

l23 27 26 15 YOURS Russell Dickerson C.BROWN (P.WELLING,C.BROWN,R.DICKERSON) TRIPLE TIGERS 25 21

l24 25 23 28 RING ON EVERY FINGER LOCASH L.RIMES (THOMAS RHETT,J.KEAR,J.FRASURE) REVIVER 16 22

l25 28 24 17 YOU BROKE UP WITH ME Walker Hayes S.MCANALLY (W.HAYES,K.SACKLEY,T.ARCHER) MONUMENT/ARISTA NASHVILLE 27 24

Hot Country Songs

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 15 OF 22

For week ending Sept. 21, 2017. Figures are rounded. Compiled from a national sample of retail store and rack sales reports collected and provided by Nielsen Music.

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

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

COUNTRY MARKET WATCHA Weekly National Music Sales Report

Hot Country Songs

ALBUMSDIGITAL

ALBUMS*DIGITAL TRACKS

This Week 331,000 119,000 1,075,000

Last Week 435,000 186,000 1,124,000

Change -23.9% -36.0% -4.4%

This Week Last Year 428,000 145,000 1,466,000

Change -22.7% -17.9% -26.7%

*Digital album sales are also counted within album sales.

Weekly Unit SalesYear-Over-Year Album Sales2016 2017 CHANGE

Albums 17,359,000 14,331,000 -17.4%

Digital Tracks 66,584,000 50,697,000 -23.9%

YEAR-TO-DATE

Overall Unit Sales

2016 2017 CHANGE

Physical 11,319,000 9,521,000 -15.9%

Digital 6,040,000 4,809,000 -20.4%

Sales by Album Format

SALES, AIRPLAY & STREAMING DATA COMPILED BY

THIS WEEK

LAST WEEK

TWO WEEKS

AGOWKS ON CHART

TITLE Artist PRODUCER (SONGWRITER) IMPRINT / PROMOTION LABEL

COUNTRY AIRPLAY

RANKPEAK

POSITION

l26 30 — 23 TIN MAN Miranda Lambert F.LIDDELL,G.WORF,E.MASSE (M.LAMBERT,J.INGRAM,J.R.STEWART) VANNER/RCA NASHVILLE 28 15

l27 32 29 12 ALL ON ME Devin Dawson J.JOYCE (D.DAWSON,J.DURRETT,A.SMITH) ATLANTIC/WEA 26 27

l28 31 28 23 LAST TIME FOR EVERYTHING Brad Paisley L.WOOTEN,B.PAISLEY (B.PAISLEY,S.AHNQUIST,B.ANDERSON,C.DUBOIS,M.RYAN) ARISTA NASHVILLE 20 26

29 13 — 2 FOUND YOU Kane Brown D.HUFF (K.BROWN,B.BERRYHILL,J.MULLINS,T.PHILLIPS) ZONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE - 13

l30 34 30 25 A GIRL LIKE YOU Easton Corbin A.GORLEY,W.KIRBY (A.GORLEY,J.FRASURE,R.AKINS) MERCURY 23 30

l31 40 33 23 BROKEN HALOS Chris Stapleton D.COBB,C.STAPLETON (C.STAPLETON,M.HENDERSON) MERCURY 33 13

l32 39 32 16 LEGENDS Kelsea Ballerini F.G.WHITEHEAD,J.MASSEY (K.BALLERINI,F.G.WHITEHEAD,H.LINDSEY) BLACK RIVER 30 32

l33 44 37 18 FIVE MORE MINUTES Scotty McCreery F.ROGERS (S.MCCREERY,R.ROGERS,M.CRISWELL) TRIPLE TIGERS 34 31

34 23 — 2 MARRY ME Thomas Rhett D.HUFF,J.FRASURE,THOMAS RHETT (THOMAS RHETT,J.FRASURE,A.GORLEY,S.MCANALLY) VALORY - 23

l35 37 31 14 OUTTA STYLE Aaron Watson M.ALTMAN,A.WATSON (A.WATSON) BIG LABEL 24 31

l36 47 47 14 BOY Lee Brice L.BRICE,J.STONE,K.JACOBS,D.FRIZSELL (J.M.NITE,N.GALYON) CURB 32 19

l37 43 34 11 CALIFORNIA Big & Rich B.KENNY,J.D.RICH (J.D.RICH,R.CLAWSON,V.MCGEHEE) B$R/THIRTY TIGERS/NEW REVOLUTION 29 34

l38 46 35 11 WRITTEN IN THE SAND Old Dominion S.MCANALLY (M.RAMSEY,T. ROSEN,B.TURSI,S.MCANALLY) RCA NASHVILLE 40 31

39 29 25 3 LIFE CHANGES Thomas Rhett D.HUFF,J.FRASURE,THOMAS RHETT (THOMAS RHETT,R.AKINS,J.FRASURE,A.GORLEY) VALORY - 25

l40 NEW 1 BETTER ME �HH�Hot Shot Debut�HH Montgomery Gentry NOT LISTED (NOT LISTED) AVERAGE JOES

- 40

l41 45 36 10 SINGLES YOU UP Jordan Davis P.DIGIOVANNI (J.DAVIS,S.D.JONES,J.EBACH) MCA NASHVILLE 37 36

42 33 44 6 SIXTEEN Thomas Rhett D.HUFF,J.FRASURE,THOMAS RHETT (THOMAS RHETT,S.M.DOUGLAS,JOE LONDON) VALORY - 24

l43 50 43 3 HAPPENS LIKE THAT Granger Smith G.SMITH,F.ROGERS,D.WELLS (G.SMITH,J.M.SCHMIDT,A.ALBERT,T.HUBBARD,J.WILSON) WHEELHOUSE 35 43

l44 RE-ENTRY 6 WHEN SOMEONE STOPS LOVING YOU Little Big Town J.JOYCE (H.LINDSEY,C.MCGILL,L.MCKENNA) CAPITOL NASHVILLE 47 40

l45 RE-ENTRY 6 SHE’S WITH ME High Valley S.MOSLEY,M.O’CONNOR (B.REMPEL,S.MOSLEY,B.STENNIS) ATLANTIC/WEA 31 42

46 35 41 5 GRAVE Thomas Rhett D.HUFF,J.FRASURE,THOMAS RHETT (C. DESTEFANO,H.LINDSEY,J.MILLER) VALORY - 23

l47 RE-ENTRY 5 THE LONG WAY Brett Eldredge R. COPPERMAN,B.ELDREDGE (B.ELDREDGE,M.ROGERS) ATLANTIC/WMN 38 38

l48 RE-ENTRY 3 ONES THAT LIKE ME Brantley Gilbert D.HUFF (B.GILBERT,B.CHAFFIN,B.PINSON) VALORY 36 46

49 38 — 2 LEAVE RIGHT NOW Thomas Rhett J.BUNETTA,THOMAS RHETT (THOMAS RHETT,J.BUNETTA,E.DREWETT,J.H.RYAN) VALORY - 38

50 41 — 2 SWEETHEART Thomas Rhett J.BUNETTA,D.HUFF,JOE LONDON,THOMAS RHETT (THOMAS RHETT,R.AKINS,S.M.DOUGLAS,J.SPARGUR) VALORY - 41

ALBUM SALES

’17

’16

DIGITAL TRACKS SALES

’17

’16

17.3 million

14.3 million

000.0 million

’15

’14

50.6 million

66.5 million

After its official video was released Sept. 14, the title track from Young ’s Oct. 20 album bounds by 50 percent to 7,000 sold and re-enters Country Digital Song Sales at No. 19.

It also debuts at No. 18 on Country Streaming Songs (4.1 million U.S. streams, up 20 percent).

19CHRIS

YOUNGLosing Sleep

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BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 16 OF 22

The week’s top-streamed and top-selling paid download country songs, respectively, from sales reports collected and provided by Nielsen Music. Charts update weekly on Tuesdays at www.Billboard.Biz/charts. Copyright 2017, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved.

TOP COUNTRY ALBUMS COUNTRY DIGITAL SONG SALES

Top Country Albums ranks the most popular country albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music, based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums). Copyright 2017, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved.

SALES, DATA COMPILED BY

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1 1 — 2 THOMAS RHETT LIFE CHANGESVALORY TR0300A/BMLG 1

l2 NEW 1 BIG & RICH DID IT FOR THE PARTYB$R 2/THIRTY TIGERS 2

3 2 — 2 DUSTIN LYNCH CURRENT MOODBROKEN BOW 7934/BBMG 2

4 5 1 16 LUKE COMBS THIS ONE’S FOR YOURIVER HOUSE/COLUMBIA NASHVILLE 538883*/SMN 1

l5 7 3 125 CHRIS STAPLETON TRAVELLERMERCURY 019405*/UMGN 2 1

6 4 4 42 KANE BROWN KANE BROWNZONE 4/RCA NASHVILLE 530947*/SMN 1

l7 9 7 32 BRETT YOUNG BRETT YOUNGBMLG BY0100A* 0 2

l8 10 5 136 SAM HUNT MONTEVALLOMCA NASHVILLE 021502/UMGN 3 1

l9 11 8 66 JON PARDI CALIFORNIA SUNRISECAPITOL NASHVILLE 024744*/UMGN 0 1

l10 15 9 20 CHRIS STAPLETON FROM A ROOM: VOLUME 1MERCURY 026379*/UMGN 0 1

11 12 6 56 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE DIG YOUR ROOTSBMLG 0300* 1 1

12 8 2 4 OLD DOMINION HAPPY ENDINGSRCA NASHVILLE 542939*/SMN 1

13 13 11 104 THOMAS RHETT TANGLED UPVALORY RT0200A/BMLG 1 2

l14 16 10 72 KEITH URBAN RIPCORDHIT RED/CAPITOL NASHVILLE 023591*/UMGN (025848 AMS & WSEX) 1 1

15 3 — 2 KIP MOORE SLOWHEARTMCA NASHVILLE 027132*/UMGN 3

l16 19 13 113 ZAC BROWN BAND GREATEST HITS SO FAR...ROAR/SOUTHERN GROUND/ATLANTIC 546369/AG 3

l17 21 22 68 MAREN MORRIS HEROCOLUMBIA NASHVILLE 516885*/SMN 0 1

18 20 16 79 BROTHERS OSBORNE PAWN SHOPEMI NASHVILLE 022364*/UMGN 3

l19 22 17 54 JASON ALDEAN THEY DON’T KNOWMACON/BROKEN BOW 2227/BBMG 1

l20 23 19 100 BLAKE SHELTON RELOADED: 20 #1 HITSWARNER BROS. 551788/WMN 2

21 25 18 111 LUKE BRYAN KILL THE LIGHTSCAPITOL NASHVILLE 022813/UMGN 2 1

l22 29 15 99 ERIC CHURCH MR. MISUNDERSTOODEMI NASHVILLE 024200*/UMGN 0 2

23 27 21 138 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE HERE’S TO THE GOOD TIMESREPUBLIC NASHVILLE 017773/BMLG 2 1

l24 28 24 145 LUKE BRYAN CRASH MY PARTYCAPITOL NASHVILLE 018733/UMGN 2 1

25 24 14 94 TAYLOR SWIFT REDBIG MACHINE 310400A*/BMLG (18.98) 4 1

COUNTRY STREAMING SONGS

STREAMING & SALES DATA COMPILED BY

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l1 3 19 WHAT IFS KANE BROWN FEAT. LAUREN ALAINA

l2 4 34 BODY LIKE A BACK ROAD SAM HUNT

l3 6 11 WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS LUKE COMBS

l4 10 8 UNFORGETTABLE THOMAS RHETT

l5 9 12 GREATEST LOVE STORY LANCO

6 5 30 SMALL TOWN BOY DUSTIN LYNCH

7 2 2 I’LL NAME THE DOGS BLAKE SHELTON

l8 11 14 HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR JON PARDI

l9 12 14 EVERY LITTLE THING CARLY PEARCE

l10 NEW BETTER ME MONTGOMERY GENTRY

l11 13 51 IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW BRETT YOUNG

l12 25 4 LIKE I LOVED YOU BRETT YOUNG

l13 16 19 IT AIN’T MY FAULT BROTHERS OSBORNE

l14 15 5 LIGHT IT UP LUKE BRYAN

15 14 23 DRINKIN’ PROBLEM MIDLAND

l16 21 5 ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS KENNY CHESNEY

l17 RE-ENTRY CRAVING YOU THOMAS RHETT FEAT. MAREN MORRIS

l18 17 90 TENNESSEE WHISKEY CHRIS STAPLETON

l19 RE-ENTRY LOSING SLEEP CHRIS YOUNG

l20 18 10 YOU BROKE UP WITH ME WALKER HAYES

l21 24 21 TIN MAN MIRANDA LAMBERT

l22 RE-ENTRY I COULD USE A LOVE SONG MAREN MORRIS

23 7 2 MARRY ME THOMAS RHETT

l24 RE-ENTRY WHEN SOMEONE STOPS LOVING YOU LITTLE BIG TOWN

25 1 2 FOUND YOU KANE BROWN

THIS

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l1 1 33 BODY LIKE A BACK ROAD SAM HUNT

l2 2 20 WHAT IFS KANE BROWN FEAT. LAUREN ALAINA

l3 3 10 WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS LUKE COMBS

4 4 8 UNFORGETTABLE THOMAS RHETT

l5 5 22 SMALL TOWN BOY DUSTIN LYNCH

6 6 36 HURRICANE LUKE COMBS

l7 7 13 HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR JON PARDI

l8 8 99 TENNESSEE WHISKEY CHRIS STAPLETON

l9 9 53 BLUE AIN’T YOUR COLOR KEITH URBAN

l10 10 104 DIE A HAPPY MAN THOMAS RHETT

l11 12 73 H.O.L.Y. FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE

l12 14 35 IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW BRETT YOUNG

13 11 25 CRAVING YOU THOMAS RHETT FEAT. MAREN MORRIS

l14 16 42 DIRT ON MY BOOTS JON PARDI

15 13 17 DRINKIN’ PROBLEM MIDLAND

l16 18 3 GREATEST LOVE STORY LANCO

17 15 14 NO SUCH THING AS A BROKEN HEART OLD DOMINION

l18 NEW LOSING SLEEP CHRIS YOUNG

l19 NEW LIKE I LOVED YOU BRETT YOUNG

l20 17 4 LIGHT IT UP LUKE BRYAN

l21 20 2 I’LL NAME THE DOGS BLAKE SHELTON

l22 22 56 MAY WE ALL FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE FEAT. TIM MCGRAW

l23 24 3 I COULD USE A LOVE SONG MAREN MORRIS

l24 23 30 THE FIGHTER KEITH URBAN FEAT. CARRIE UNDERWOOD

l25 RE-ENTRY GOD, YOUR MAMA, AND ME FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE FEAT. BACKSTREET BOYS

Americana/Folk Albums ranks the most popular Americana/folk albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music, based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums). Copyright 2017, Prometheus Global Media, LLC and Nielsen Music, Inc. All rights reserved.

AMERICANA/ FOLK ALBUMS

SALES DATA COMPILED BY

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ARTIST TITLEIMPRINT & NUMBER / DISTRIBUTING LABEL

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1 2 — 2 GREGG ALLMAN SOUTHERN BLOODROUNDER 610005*/CONCORD 1

l2 4 1 71 CHRIS STAPLETON TRAVELLERMERCURY NASHVILLE 019405*/UMGN 2 1

l3 5 2 20 CHRIS STAPLETON FROM A ROOM: VOLUME 1MERCURY NASHVILLE 026379*/UMGN 0 1

4 1 — 2 JACK JOHNSON ALL THE LIGHT ABOVE IT TOOBRUSHFIRE 027186*/REPUBLIC 1

l5 NEW 1 YUSUF THE LAUGHING APPLECAT-O-LOG/DECCA/VERVE 027220*/VLG 5

l6 6 3 76 THE LUMINEERS CLEOPATRADUALTONE 1738* 0 1

7 3 — 2 NEIL YOUNG HITCHHIKERREPRISE 560639*/WARNER BROS. 3

l8 NEW 1 THE LONE BELLOW WALK INTO A STORMDESCENDANT/MASTERWORKS 545259*/SONY MASTERWORKS 8

9 7 4 117 HOZIER HOZIERRUBYWORKS 309996*/COLUMBIA 1 1

10 8 5 112 ED SHEERAN +ELEKTRA 530433*/AG 2 1

Dictionary.com defines “neurosis” as “a relatively mild personality dis-order typified by excessive anxiety or indecision and a degree of social or interpersonal maladjustment.”

It’s a term more often associated with psychoanalysts, but its meaning is suddenly relevant in country music, thanks to Luke Bryan. Not because he has a personality disorder — heck, lots of introverts are likely jealous of his gregarious nature — but because he has introduced the word “neurotic” into mainstream country through his single “Light It Up.”

“I get so neurotic about it, baby” is the opening line of the chorus as Bryan plays the role of a guy stressed out by an unresponsive girlfriend. From the moment he wakes up, he focuses on his cellphone, knowing she has read his texts and feeling emotionally tortured by a call that never comes.

Neurotic “was an interesting word,” says Bryan. “You don’t hear that in a country song. And it’s the right word. It totally captures what you’re going through when you’re checking your phone like that.”

Old Dominion guitarist Brad Tursi is responsible for that word. It was part of a handful of lines he had used as a backbone for an idea that he brought to a songwriting session at Bryan’s house in 2016.

“We’re so obsessed with these phones,” says Tursi. “You can become sort of neurotic wait-ing for someone to hit you back.”

Appropriately, the word “neurotic” spurred some indecision. “The first time I heard him say, ‘Neurotic,’ I was like, ‘That’s interesting. I’m not sure we can keep the word in here,’ and we kind of moved on from it,” recalls Bryan. Tursi adds that they “kind of kept it in there as a placeholder.”

There was plenty of other work to do. Musically, Tursi had created an ascendant chord progression that begged for resolution. Lyrically, he had set up the half-crazed focus on the phone. But the piece didn’t have a name.

“When you don’t have a title to a song, you’re always backing yourself into a corner,” says Bryan. “You kind of have to write toward this unfinished product or unfinished situation, and when we arrived at the payoff line — ‘If you’re looking for my love, then light it up’ — that worked because that’s exactly the scenario.”

The chorus itself became fairly expansive. It requires 30 seconds to wind through its 13 lines. It’s actually two chunks of material — the first two lines have a distinct melodic arc with elongated notes that help identify Bryan’s tonality. The last half is a wordy, fast-paced section that backs up the phone obsession —“I wake up, I check it/I shower and I check it” — before coming back to the title.

The next time Tursi had a demo session scheduled, he slid “Light It Up” into the mix, and the chord structure’s rhythm shifted slightly to the after-beats, enhancing the tension and the angst that were already in the song. Tursi sang the lead part, then sent it to Bryan, who became a little more obsessive about the track.

“The big thing for me was when Brad went and demoed the song,” notes Bryan. “The production of it was perfectly done, and I couldn’t stop listening to the song.”

He brought it to producers Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens, and they all recognized that it should be part of the next album.

“One of the things on the demo that I heard was a sort of ascending [arpeggiated] piano thing,” says Jody. “It reminds me of a ringer on your cellphone. It plays from the beginning of the song pretty much to the end.”

But when they started recording on April 11-12, they left out “Light It Up,” creating a little neurosis, perhaps, for Tursi.

“We wrote it so long ago,” he says. “When he didn’t record the song, I was just thinking, ‘This song is never going to make it. I guess we missed it.’ ”

In fact, Br yan and the Stevenses were likely stewing over the word “neurotic.” Jeff double-checked its meaning in the dictionary and they kept looking for a better synonym, but never found one.

“It was such a funny word that I think that could’ve been one of the reasons why we skipped it on the first session,” says Jeff. “I don’t remember that specifically, but when you’re going through songs, if you’ve got a lot of them that you like, the smallest thing could kick you off of something and on to something else.”

“Neurotic” remained when they cut “Light It Up” during a June 20 tracking session on Starstruck Recording Studios on Music Row. Jody prepped some light programming for the date, and the musicians played on top of it, capturing the final track on their second take.

“It’s good to have that [programming],” says Jody. “It immediately feels more like a record from the first downbeat, instead of doing that stuff afterward. So while we’re in the studio,

Luke gets to hear what all that will sound like.” Drummer Greg Morrow led the charge, f lirting with Keith Moon-style

bombast as the song progressed. “That’s the most rock’n’roll drums that we’ve ever had on Luke’s records,” says Jeff. “Right at the top of the last chorus and in the middle of the chorus, there’s two drum fills that are incredible. This was like the second take, and man, it’s just world-class rock.”

Bryan had little trouble handling the final vocals in the studio, though that long chorus is a potential hazard in concert.

“When you’re in the studio recording it, you can pause,” he says. “But when you’re live and it’s midway through the set and you’re sweating and you’re out of breath, it takes on a whole ’nother shape and form. You have to learn when to get your breath and when to come up for air.”

When Bryan and Old Dominion played the Watershed Festival in George, Wash., on July 30, Bryan told Tursi “Light It Up” would be the first single.

“That’s like the kiss of death,” says Tursi. “I told him, ‘Oh great, now this song’s not going to make the record,’ and we just started laughing.”

Capitol released it to radio via PlayMPE on Aug. 23, and it immediately lit up the airwaves, reaching No. 14 on the Oct. 7 Country Airplay chart in a scant five weeks and No. 13 on Hot Country Songs, which measures airplay, sales and streaming.”

Bryan is familiar with the concept of the unrequited text message, though fortunately, he’s not experiencing it at home.

“Me and my wife use text messages to make up,” he says. “I guess we’ve texted, ‘I’m sorry, I love you,’ probably more than we’ve spoken those words to each other. As long as we’re apologizing and saying we love each other, we’re going down the right path, whether it’s vocally or through text.”

It’s a perfect scenario: Bryan can capture the meaning of the word “neurotic” without really experiencing it.

Luke Bryan’s ‘Light It Up’ Suited For Country Playlists – And Therapists’ Couches

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

BRYAN

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 17 OF 22

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BILLBOARD COUNTRY INDICATOR PANEL — 106 STATIONS

Abilene, Texas KEANAlexandria, La. KRRVAmarillo, Texas KGNCAsheville, N.C. WKSFAtlantic City, N.J. WPURBeaumont, Texas KYKRBeckley, W. Va. WJLSBiloxi, Miss. WZKXBloomington, Ill. WIBLBluefield, W. Va. WHKXBurlington, Vt. WOKOCape Girardeau, Mo. KEZSCharleston, W. Va WKWS WQBECollege Station, Texas KAGGColumbia, Mo. KCLRColumbus, Ga. WKCN WSTH Cookeville, Tenn. WGSQDothan, Ala. WTVYDuluth, Minn. KKCBEau Claire, Wis. WAXXElizabeth City, N.C. WRSFErie, Pa. WTWFEugene, Ore. KKNUEvansville, Ind. WKDQFargo, N.D. KBVB WSTH

Fayetteville, N.C. WKMLFlagstaff, Ariz. KAFFFlint, Mich. WFBEFlorence, Ala. WXFLFlorence, S.C. WEGXFt. Collins, Colo. KUADFt. Smith, Ark. KTCSFrederick, Md. WFREFredericksburg, Va. WFLSGreen Bay, Wis. WNCYHagerstown, Md. WAYZHot Springs, Ark. KQUSHuntington, Ky. WDGGHuntington, W. Va. WTCRIdaho Falls, Idaho KTHKJackson, Miss. WMSI WUSJJanesville, Wis. WJVL Jonesboro, Ark. KDXYJoplin, Mo. KIXQKalamazoo, Mich. WNWNKalispell, Mont. KDBRKingmah, Ariz. KFLGLafayette, Ind. WKOALaredo, Texas KRRGLansing, Mich. WITLLaurel, Miss. WBBN

Lebanon, N.H. WXXKLincoln, Neb KFGELongview, Texas KYKXLubbock, Texas KLLLLufkin, Texas KYKSMason City, Iowa KIAIMedford, Ore. KRWQMeridian, Miss. WOKKMontgomery, Ala. WLWIMorgantown, W. Va. WKKWMuskegon, Mich. WMUSNew London, Conn. WCTYOdessa, Texas KHKXPalm Springs, Calif. KPLMPensacola, Fla. WXBMPeoria, Ill. WXCL Poughkeepsie, N.Y. WRWDRapid City, S.D. KOUTRockford, Ill. WXXQRocky Mount, N.C. WDWGSaginaw, Mich. WCENSt. Cloud, Minn. KZPKSalina, Kan. KYEZSalisbury, Md. WKTTSan Angelo, Texas KGKLSan Luis Obispo, Calif. KKJG

Santa Barbara, Calif. KRAZSanta Maria, Calif. KSNISheboygan, Wis. WBFMSavannah, Ga. WJCL WUBBShreveport, La. KXKSSioux Cty, Iowa KSUXSouth Bend, Ind. WBYTSpringfield, Ill. WFMBSpringfield, Mo. KTTSTerre Haute, Ind. WTHITopeka, Kan. WIBWTraverse City, Mich. WTCMTupelo, Miss. WWZDUtica, N.Y. WFRGVictor Valley, CA. KATJWaco, Texas WACOWausau, Wis. WDEZWheeling, W. Va. WOVKWilliamsport, Pa. WILQYakima, Wash. KXDDYoungstown, Ohio WQXK WWGYWestwood One HOT COUNTRY MAINSTREAM COUNTRYMusic Choice TODAY’S COUNTRYSirius XM THE HIGHWAY

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 18 OF 22

THIS WEEK

LAST WEEK

WKS ON

CHART TITLE Imprint/Label ArtistPLAYS

AUDIENCE (IN MILLIONS)

THIS WEEK +/– THIS WEEK

l1 2 17 ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville HH No. 1 (1 week) HH Kenny Chesney 4957 +181 7.840

l2 4 23 THEY DON’T KNOW Macon/Broken Bow Jason Aldean 4656 +215 7.298

3 1 23 HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR Capitol Nashville Jon Pardi 4450 -422 7.435

l4 5 25 WHAT IFS Zone 4/RCA Nashville Kane Brown Feat. Lauren Alaina 4337 +201 6.807

l5 6 31 MORE GIRLS LIKE YOU MCA Nashville Kip Moore 4264 +158 6.496

l6 9 15 WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS River House/Columbia Nashville Luke Combs 3929 +399 6.211

l7 8 25 EVERY LITTLE THING Big Machine Carly Pearce 3831 +182 5.991

l8 7 37 IT AIN’T MY FAULT EMI Nashville Brothers Osborne 3728 +14 5.438

9 3 29 SMALL TOWN BOY Broken Bow Dustin Lynch 3671 -845 6.321

l10 10 9 UNFORGETTABLE Valory Thomas Rhett 3486 +247 5.436

l11 11 19 FIX A DRINK Warner Bros./WAR Chris Janson 3387 +188 5.202

l12 13 26 ROUND HERE BUZZ EMI Nashville Eric Church 3088 +150 4.895

l13 12 28 I COULD USE A LOVE SONG Columbia Nashville Maren Morris 3047 +78 4.647

l14 17 5 LIGHT IT UP Capitol Nashville Luke Bryan 2728 +292 4.250

l15 18 29 GREATEST LOVE STORY Arista Nashville LANCO 2612 +218 3.818

l16 14 27 ASK ME HOW I KNOW Pearl Garth Brooks 2579 +70 4.067

l17 15 24 LAST TIME FOR EVERYTHING Arista Nashville Brad Paisley 2568 +59 3.731

l18 16 45 OUTTA STYLE BIG Label Aaron Watson 2506 +50 3.612

l19 19 34 A GIRL LIKE YOU Mercury Easton Corbin 2222 +34 3.030

l20 21 8 SMOOTH BMLG Florida Georgia Line 2197 +229 3.327

l21 20 44 RING ON EVERY FINGER Reviver LOCASH 2154 +39 3.270

l22 28 3 I’LL NAME THE DOGS Warner Bros./WMN HH Most Increased Plays/Most Added HH Blake Shelton 1896 +741 2.927

l23 22 18 LOSING SLEEP RCA Nashville Chris Young 1894 +133 2.531

l24 24 10 LIKE I LOVED YOU BMLG Brett Young 1846 +286 2.444

l25 23 29 CALIFORNIA B$R/New Revolution Big & Rich 1614 +10 2.196

l26 27 14 YOURS Triple Tigers Russell Dickerson 1367 +187 1.857

l27 25 25 TIN MAN Vanner/RCA Nashville Miranda Lambert 1311 +45 1.671

l28 26 14 LEGENDS Black River Kelsea Ballerini 1280 +66 1.420

l29 29 12 THE ONES THAT LIKE ME Valory Brantley Gilbert 882 +42 0.973

l30 36 4 ALL ON ME Atlantic/WEA Devin Dawson 875 +254 1.100

Country Indicator

CHARTS LEGENDRANKINGSCountry Airplay is ranked by total audience impressions for the week ending Sunday based on monitored airplay of 147 stations by Nielsen BDS. Audience totals on the chart are derived, in part, using certain Arbitron Inc. copyrighted Persons 12+ audience estimates (under license © 2017, Arbitron Inc.) Country Indicator is tabulated using reported playlists and Nielsen BDS-monitored airplay at 106 stations, ranked by total plays.

BULLETSl�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.

TIESOn 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.

RECURRENTSOn 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

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 DEBUTAwarded to the highest-ranking new entry on Country Airplay and Country Indicator, respectively.

MOST ADDEDThe 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/PLAYSMost 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.

AIRPOWERAwarded 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.

BREAKERAwarded on Country Airplay to titles achieving airplay (at least one detection) at 60% of reporting stations for the first time.

© 2017 Prometheus Global Media, LLC

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 19 OF 22

THIS WEEK

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l31 30 9 BROKEN HALOS Mercury Chris Stapleton 871 +63 1.210

l32 31 13 WHEN SOMEONE STOPS LOVING YOU Capitol Nashville Little Big Town 870 +77 0.795

l33 32 7 ROOTS Southern Ground/Elektra/WAR Zac Brown Band 835 +51 1.302

l34 35 7 YOU BROKE UP WITH ME Monument/Arista Nashville Walker Hayes 795 +137 0.933

l35 33 24 WILD AS YOU CoJo Cody Johnson 774 +3 0.891

l36 34 15 HAPPENS LIKE THAT Wheelhouse Granger Smith 748 +29 0.942

l37 38 13 BOY Curb Lee Brice 567 +13 0.788

l38 39 13 SINGLES YOU UP MCA Nashville Jordan Davis 565 +58 0.621

39 37 18 DOIN’ FINE 19/Interscope/Mercury Lauren Alaina 536 -32 0.611

l40 41 19 ALL ABOUT YOU MCA Nashville Josh Turner 505 +64 0.611

l41 44 5 THE LONG WAY Atlantic/WMN Brett Eldredge 500 +99 0.587

l42 42 8 FOR THE FIRST TIME Capitol Nashville Darius Rucker 489 +67 0.632

l43 40 7 ROAD TRIPPIN’ Warner Bros./WAR Dan + Shay 475 +24 0.539

l44 43 13 DIRTY SOUTH Rebel Engine/Star Farm Lucas Hoge 461 +40 0.558

l45 45 8 FIVE MORE MINUTES Triple Tigers Scotty McCreery 412 +23 0.533

l46 46 3 STAY DOWNTOWN Warner Bros./WMN Cole Swindell 357 +5 0.467

l47 51 3 WRITTEN IN THE SAND RCA Nashville Old Dominion 340 +72 0.406

l48 47 3 KINDA DON’T CARE Valory Justin Moore 315 +16 0.333

l49 49 8 SHE’S WITH ME Atlantic/WEA High Valley 313 +34 0.443

l50 48 8 TOO BAD Deep Frey’d Kylie Frey Feat. Randy Rogers 296 0 0.269

l51 56 4 GOOD TIMES & SUMMER DAYS BigBig Eric Chesser 252 +41 0.249

l52 53 3 SPEAKERS, BLEACHERS AND PREACHERS EMI Nashville Brandon Lay 248 +16 0.221

53 50 6 GET TO YOU Atlantic/WEA Michael Ray 246 -27 0.260

l54 54 6 WHAT GUY WOULDN’T Show Dog Nashville Waterloo Revival 236 +11 0.262

l55 NEW HEART BREAK Capitol Nashville HH Hot Shot Debut HH Lady Antebellum 234 +111 0.206

l56 55 6 WHERE WE’D BE 3AM Vibe/Nine North Linde LaChance 227 +15 0.232

l57 60 2 SWAY Big Machine Danielle Bradbery 208 +51 0.150

l58 57 3 19 Amerimonte Shane Owens 206 +24 0.245

l59 NEW MAKE A LITTLE Big Machine Midland 204 +71 0.175

l60 59 2 BACK TO US Big Machine Rascal Flatts 182 +14 0.188

Country Indicator

Country Airplay IndexA

ALL ABOUT YOU Round Hill Songs Big Loud Songs, ASCAP/Big Loud Shirt Industries, ASCAP/Red Toe Rocker, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Music Of The Corn, ASCAP (C.Wiseman, J.Weaver) 52

ALL ON ME Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/JJ Music Inc., BMI/Neon Cross Music, BMI/Magic Mustang Music Inc., BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Two Sixteen Publishing, ASCAP (D.Dawson, J.Durrett, A.Smith) 26

ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Girl Named Charlie, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/SWMBMGBMI, BMI/Once In A Blue Tune Music, BMI/Anderson Fork In The Road Music, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP (N.Galyon, T.L.James, J.Osborne) 2

ASK ME HOW I KNOW Roy Rivers Publishing, BMI (M.Rossell) 13

B

BACK TO US Castle Bound Music, Inc., SESAC/We Be Pawtying, SESAC/3 Weddings Music, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Big Music Machine, BMI/Two Laine Collections, BMI (C.R.Barlowe, D.H.Hodges, J.Thompson) 53

BETTER ME Not Listed (Not Listed) 60

BOY EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Jon Mark Nite Music, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Girl Named Charlie, BMI (J.M.Nite, N.Galyon) 32

BROKEN HALOS WB Music Corp., ASCAP/House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l./Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/Straight Six Music, BMI (C.Stapleton, M.Henderson) 33

C

CALIFORNIA J Money Music, ASCAP/Big Loud Proud Crowd, BMI/Magic Mustang Music Inc., BMI/Victown Music, BMI (J.D.Rich, R.Clawson, V.McGehee) 29

D

DOIN’ FINE Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Lylas Music, BMI/Better Boat Music, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/Jam Writers Group, BMI/Hello I Love You Music, BMI (Lauren Alaina, E.Shackelton, busbee) 49

DRINK A LITTLE BEER Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten by Rhettro, BMI/Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Pinetucky Road Publishing, ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP (R.Akins, J.Frasure, B.Hayslip) 57

E

EVERY LITTLE THING BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/For The Kids Platinum, BMI/7189 Music Publishing, BMI/Better Boat Music, BMI/Songs Of Endurance, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (C.Pearce, bus-bee, E.Shackelton) 9

F

FIVE MORE MINUTES Dagum Music, BMI/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l./Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Dixey Bar Music, BMI (S.McCreery, R.Rogers, M.Criswell) 34

FIX A DRINK ole Red Vinyl Music, BMI/Buckkilla Music, BMI/New House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP (C.Janson, C.DuBois, A.Gorley) 10

FOR THE FIRST TIME Sony/ATV Accent, ASCAP/GrowingMusic, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Funky Friar Music, ASCAP/Scrambler Music, ASCAP/Abbotts Creek Music Two, ASCAP (D.Rucker, D.George, Scooter Carusoe) 45

TITLE Publishing-Licensing Org. (Songwriter) Chart Position

G

GET TO YOU Year Of The Dog Music, ASCAP/ole Green Vinyl Music, ASCAP (A.Stoklasa, P.Dovgalyuk) 39

A GIRL LIKE YOU Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/Telemitry Productions, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI (A.Gorley, J.Frasure, R.Akins) 23

GREATEST LOVE STORY Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Concession 114 Music, BMI/Neon Cross Music, BMI (B.Lancaster) 15

H

HAPPENS LIKE THAT Climbing Windmills Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/We-Volve Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Freshy Music, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Round Hill Works, BMI/T Hubb Publishing, BMI/Legends Of Magic Mustang Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC (G.Smith, J.M.Schmidt, A.Albert, T.Hubbard, J.Wilson) 35

HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR Golden Vault Music, BMI/Rancho Fiesta Music, BMI/Bill Butler Music, BMI/Blongsongs, SESAC/Wordspring Music, LLC, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Songs Of Song Factroy, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI (J.Pardi, B.Butler, B.Long) 3

HOOKED WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Songs From The Rose Hotel, ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Koala T Tunes, BMI/SongsbyME, BMI (L.Rimes, S.Ennis, M.Evans) 46

I

I COULD USE A LOVE SONG International Dog Music, BMI/Round Hill Songs Jimmy Robbins, ASCAP/Jammy Rabbins Music, ASCAP/Extraordinary Alien Publishing, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Oh Denise Publishing, BMI/Big Music Machine, BMI (M.Morris, J.Robbins, L.Veltz) 11

I’LL NAME THE DOGS Round Hill Songs BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud Proud Songs, ASCAP/Matt Drag Music, ASCAP/Pinetucky Road Publishing, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/Big Music Machine, BMI/Two Laine Collections, BMI (M.Dragstrem, B.Hayslip, J.Thompson) 18

I SHOULD GO TO CHURCH SOMETIME Sixteen Stars Music, BMI/HoriPro Entertainment Group, Inc., BMI/Harding Road Music, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Watsky Music, ASCAP/Dixie Stars Music, ASCAP/HoriPro Entertainment Group, Inc., ASCAP/Dead Ahead Music, ASCAP (B.Addington, M.Hardy, S.Turner) 59

IT AIN’T MY FAULT WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Trampy McCauley, ASCAP/All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Songstein Publishing, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/The Country And Western Music, BMI (J. Osborne, T.J. Osborne, L.T.Miller) 12

L

LAST TIME FOR EVERYTHING New House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Songs For Margo, ASCAP (B.Paisley, S.Ahnquist, B.Anderson, C.DuBois, M.Ryan) 20

LEGENDS Songs Of Black River, ASCAP/KNB Music, ASCAP/Write Me Like You Mean It, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Rezonant Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP (K.Ballerini, F.G.Whitehead, H.Lindsey) 30

LIGHT IT UP Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Peanut Mill Songs, BMI/Big Deal Notes, ASCAP/Wooden Ships, ASCAP (L.Bryan, B.Tursi) 14

LIKE I LOVED YOU Super Big Music, ASCAP/Caliville Publishing, ASCAP/Big Machine Music, BMI/ole Purple Cape Music, BMI/Honey Lee Music, BMI (B.Young, J.Lee) 22

THE LONG WAY Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Paris Not France Music, BMI/ole Canalco Publishing, ASCAP (B.Eldredge, M.Rogers) 38

LOSING SLEEP EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Goodbye Pants Music, BMI/EMI Foray Music, SESAC/Write 2 Be Free Music, SESAC/CDS Words And Music, ASACP/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP (C.Young, J.Hoge, C. DeStefano) 21

LOVE IN A BAR Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Lake Allegan Pub Club, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI (R.Hurd, J.Hyde) 58

M

MAKE A LITTLE Not Listed (Not Listed) 54

MORE GIRLS LIKE YOU WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Point Break Publishing, ASCAP/Music Of The Corn, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Jack 10 Publishing, BMI/Songs Of Cornman, BMI/Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Publishing, ASCAP/D Soul Music, ASCAP/Capitol CMG Genesis, ASCAP (K.Moore, S.L.Olsen, J.Miller, D.A.Garcia) 6

N

NEVER GETS OLD Creative Pulse Music, BMI/These Are Pulse Songs, BMI/Highway 76 Songs, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Great Day At This Music, BMI/Watch This Girl Publishing, BMI (S.Moakler, C.Harrington) 56

O

ONES THAT LIKE ME Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Indiana Angel Music, BMI/Parallel Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP/Bobby’s Lyrics, Land And Livestock, BMI/Do Write Music, LLC, BMI (B.Gilbert, B.Chaffin, B.Pinson) 36

OUTTA STYLE Tunes From HTK, BMI (A.Watson) 24

R

RING ON EVERY FINGER Big Yellow Dog Music, ASCAP/Major Bob Music, Inc., ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI (Thomas Rhett, J.Kear, J.Frasure) 16

ROAD TRIPPIN’ WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Beats And Banjos, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Shay Mooney Music, ASCAP/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Twintipskier Music, ASCAP (D.Smyers, S.Mooney, M.Johnson) 42

ROOTS Day For The Dead Publishing, SESAC/Reach Music Tunes, SESAC/Siva Moon Publishing, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Simonetti Music Publishing, SESAC/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, SESAC/Poppsolotamus Music, SESAC (Z.Brown, N.Moon, B.Simonetti, C.Bowles) 41

ROUND HERE BUZZ 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) 17

S

SHE’S WITH ME Spruce Road Publishing, GMR/Capitol CMG Zenith, GMR/Sony/ATV Tunes, GMR/Centricity Tunes, GMR/CentricSongs, SESAC/The Stennis Mightier Music, BMI/Young Guns Publishing, LLC, BMI/Dead Aim Music, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Capitol CMG Amplifier, SESAC (B.Rempel, S.Mosley, B.Stennis) 31

SINGLES YOU UP Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Word Music, LLC, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Wordspring Music, LLC, SESAC/Memory Days, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC (J.Davis, S.D.Jones, J.Ebach) 37

SMALL TOWN BOY EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/Play It Again Entertainment, BMI/Round Hill Works, BMI (R.Akins, B.Hayslip, K.Fishman) 1

SMOOTH Big Loud Mountain, BMI/T Hubb Publishing, BMI/Pranch Ringle Music, BMI/Round Hill Works, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Girl Named Charlie, BMI/Freshy Music, ASCAP/We-Volve Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP (T.Hubbard, B.Kelley, N.Galyon, J.M.Schmidt) 19

STAY DOWNTOWN Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/No Bridge Publishing, ASCAP/Round Hill Songs Big Loud Songs, ASCAP/Big Loud Proud Songs, ASCAP (C.Taylor, M.Dragstrem) 44

SUNDAY MORNING Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Songs By JMT, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Rezolant Music, BMI/Anderson Fork In The Road Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP (M.Thomas, R.Copperman, J.Osborne) 43

SWAY Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/One Voice Global Publishing, BMI/Canal Music Publishing BV, BUMA/Warner/Chappell Music Scandinavia AB, STIM/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP (D.Bradbery, J.Fransson, E.Weisband) 51

T

THEY DON’T KNOW Peertunes, Ltd., SESAC/Jaron Boyer Music, SESAC/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Music Of The Corn, ASCAP/This Is Magic Mustang Music, ASCAP (J.Boyer, J.Mirenda, K.Allison) 5

THREE CHORDS & THE TRUTH Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Dack Janiel’s Publishing, BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Rezolant Music, BMI/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP (C.Rice, R.Copperman, J.M.Nite) 48

TIN MAN Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Pink Dog Publishing, BMI/Beat Up Ford Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/SWMBMGBMI, BMI/Lonesome Vinyl Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI (M.Lambert, J.Ingram, J.R.Stewart) 28

U

UNFORGETTABLE EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Smack Hits, GMR/Smack Songs LLC, GMR/Kobalt Songs Publishing American, Inc., GMR (Thomas Rhett, J.Frasure, A.Gorley, S.McAnally) 7

W

WAITING ON YOU Magic Mustang Music Inc., BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Lindsay Ell Music, BMI/Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Red Like The Sunset Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Lanercost Publishing, ASCAP (L.Ell, A.Hambrick, A.DeRoberts) 50

WAKE ME UP One Little Indian Creek Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Black River, ASCAP/Extraordinary Alien Publishing, ASCAP/Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP (J.Osborne, J.Robbins, A.Gorley) 55

WHAT IFS Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Kane Brown Music, BMI/Smackworks Music, SESAC/Smack Blue, LLC, SESAC/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, SESAC/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Freshy Music, ASCAP/We-Volve Music, ASCAP (K.Brown, M.McGinn, J.M.Schmidt) 4

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS Big Machine Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/Works Of RHA Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/Extremely Combustible Music, BMI/PAJ Music, BMI (L.Combs, R.Fulcher, J.Walker) 8

WHEN SOMEONE STOPS LOVING YOU HillarodyRathbone Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Plum Nelly, BMI/Maps And Records Music, BMI/Creative Pulse Music, BMI/These Are Pulse Songs, BMI (H.Lindsey, C.McGill, L.McKenna) 47

WRITTEN IN THE SAND ReHits Music, Inc., ASCAP/MeGusta Music, ASCAP/Smacktown Music, ASCAP/Unfair Entertainment, ASCAP/Big Deal Notes, ASCAP/Wooden Ships, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP/Carrot Seed Songs, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP/Smack Hits, GMR/Smack Songs LLC, GMR/Kobalt Songs Publishing American, Inc., GMR (M.Ramsey, T. Rosen, B.Tursi, S.McAnally) 40

Y

YOU BROKE UP WITH ME Songs Of Smack, BMI/Spark In Your Pocket, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Razor And Tie, APRA/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI (W.Hayes, K.Sackley, T.Archer) 27

YOURS Hillbilly Science And Research Publishing, SESAC/Trailerlily Music, SESAC/So Essential Tunes, SESAC/Not Just Another Song Publishing, SESAC/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/Kailey’s Dream, BMI (P.Welling, C.Brown, R.Dickerson) 25

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 20 OF 22

Hot Country Songs IndexA

ALL ON ME Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/JJ Music Inc., BMI/Neon Cross Music, BMI/Magic Mustang Music Inc., BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Two Sixteen Publishing, ASCAP (D.Dawson, J.Durrett, A.Smith) 27

ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Girl Named Charlie, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/SWMBMGBMI, BMI/Once In A Blue Tune Music, BMI/Anderson Fork In The Road Music, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP (N.Galyon, T.L.James, J.Osborne) 7

ASK ME HOW I KNOW Roy Rivers Publishing, BMI (M.Rossell) 22

B

BETTER ME Not Listed (Not Listed) 40

BODY LIKE A BACK ROAD Universal Music Corp., ASCAP/Sam Hunt Publishing, ASCAP/Highly Combustible Music, ASCAP/I Love Pizza Music, ASCAP/Songs Of Southside Independent Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Who Wants To Buy My Publishing, ASCAP/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/Anderson Fork In The Road Music, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP/Smack Hits, GMR/Kobalt Songs Publishing American, Inc., GMR (S.Hunt, Z.Crowell, J.Osborne, S.McAnally) 1

BOY EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/Jon Mark Nite Music, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Girl Named Charlie, BMI (J.M.Nite, N.Galyon) 36

BROKEN HALOS WB Music Corp., ASCAP/House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l./Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/Straight Six Music, BMI (C.Stapleton, M.Henderson) 31

C

CALIFORNIA J Money Music, ASCAP/Big Loud Proud Crowd, BMI/Magic Mustang Music Inc., BMI/Victown Music, BMI (J.D.Rich, R.Clawson, V.McGehee) 37

CRAVING YOU BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Lawnwranglers, ASCAP/Dragon Bunny Music, BMI (D.M.Barnes, J.Bunetta) 11

E

EVERY LITTLE THING BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/For The Kids Platinum, BMI/7189 Music Publishing, BMI/Better Boat Music, BMI/Songs Of Endurance, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI (C.Pearce, bus-bee, E.Shackelton) 10

F

FIVE MORE MINUTES Dagum Music, BMI/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l./Spirit Two Nashville, ASCAP/House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Dixey Bar Music, BMI (S.McCreery, R.Rogers, M.Criswell) 33

FIX A DRINK ole Red Vinyl Music, BMI/Buckkilla Music, BMI/New House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP (C.Janson, C.DuBois, A.Gorley) 17

FOUND YOU Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Kane Brown Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Don’t Be A Gypsy, BMI/Big Deal Beats, BMI (K.Brown, B.Berryhill, J.Mullins, T.Phillips) 29

G

A GIRL LIKE YOU Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/Telemitry Productions, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI (A.Gorley, J.Frasure, R.Akins) 30

TITLE Publishing-Licensing Org. (Songwriter) Chart Position

GRAVE EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP/CDS Words And Music, ASACP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Rezonant Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Songs Of The Corn, BMI/Jack 10 Publishing, BMI (C. DeStefano, H.Lindsey, J.Miller) 46

GREATEST LOVE STORY Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Concession 114 Music, BMI/Neon Cross Music, BMI (B.Lancaster) 9

H

HAPPENS LIKE THAT Climbing Windmills Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/We-Volve Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Freshy Music, ASCAP/Downtown DLJ Songs, ASCAP/Big Loud Mountain, BMI/Round Hill Works, BMI/T Hubb Publishing, BMI/Legends Of Magic Mustang Music, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC (G.Smith, J.M.Schmidt, A.Albert, T.Hubbard, J.Wilson) 43

HEARTACHE ON THE DANCE FLOOR Golden Vault Music, BMI/Rancho Fiesta Music, BMI/Bill Butler Music, BMI/Blongsongs, SESAC/Wordspring Music, LLC, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC/Songs Of Song Factroy, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI (J.Pardi, B.Butler, B.Long) 5

I

I COULD USE A LOVE SONG International Dog Music, BMI/Round Hill Songs Jimmy Robbins, ASCAP/Jammy Rabbins Music, ASCAP/Extraordinary Alien Publishing, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Oh Denise Publishing, BMI/Big Music Machine, BMI (M.Morris, J.Robbins, L.Veltz) 15

I’LL NAME THE DOGS Round Hill Songs BLS JV, ASCAP/Big Loud Proud Songs, ASCAP/Matt Drag Music, ASCAP/Pinetucky Road Publishing, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/Big Music Machine, BMI/Two Laine Collections, BMI (M.Dragstrem, B.Hayslip, J.Thompson) 14

IT AIN’T MY FAULT WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Trampy McCauley, ASCAP/All The Kings Pens, ASCAP/Songstein Publishing, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/The Country And Western Music, BMI (J. Osborne, T.J. Osborne, L.T.Miller) 16

L

LAST TIME FOR EVERYTHING New House Of Sea Gayle Music, ASCAP/Songs For Margo, ASCAP (B.Paisley, S.Ahnquist, B.Anderson, C.DuBois, M.Ryan) 28

LEAVE RIGHT NOW EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Dragon Bunny Music, BMI/Big Deal Beats, BMI/Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Ltd., PRS/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/Bob Erotik Music, BMI/The Family Songbook, BMI/Music Of Big Deal, BMI (Thomas Rhett, J.Bunetta, E.Drewett, J.H.Ryan) 49

LEGENDS Songs Of Black River, ASCAP/KNB Music, ASCAP/Write Me Like You Mean It, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Rezonant Music Publishing LLC, ASCAP (K.Ballerini, F.G.Whitehead, H.Lindsey) 32

LIFE CHANGES EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten by Rhettro, BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP (Thomas Rhett, R.Akins, J.Frasure, A.Gorley) 39

LIGHT IT UP Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Peanut Mill Songs, BMI/Big Deal Notes, ASCAP/Wooden Ships, ASCAP (L.Bryan, B.Tursi) 13

LIKE I LOVED YOU Super Big Music, ASCAP/Caliville Publishing, ASCAP/Big Machine Music, BMI/ole Purple Cape Music, BMI/Honey Lee Music, BMI (B.Young, J.Lee) 19

THE LONG WAY Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI/Paris Not France Music, BMI/ole Canalco Publishing, ASCAP (B.Eldredge, M.Rogers) 47

LOSING SLEEP EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Goodbye Pants Music, BMI/EMI Foray Music, SESAC/Write 2 Be Free Music, SESAC/CDS Words And Music, ASACP/EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP (C.Young, J.Hoge, C. DeStefano) 18

M

MARRY ME EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Rio Bravo Music, Inc., BMI/Telemitry Productions, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/Smack Hits, GMR/Smack Songs LLC, GMR/Kobalt Songs Publishing American, Inc., GMR (Thomas Rhett, J.Frasure, A.Gorley, S.McAnally) 34

MORE GIRLS LIKE YOU WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Point Break Publishing, ASCAP/Music Of The Corn, ASCAP/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Jack 10 Publishing, BMI/Songs Of Cornman, BMI/Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Publishing, ASCAP/D Soul Music, ASCAP/Capitol CMG Genesis, ASCAP (K.Moore, S.L.Olsen, J.Miller, D.A.Garcia) 12

O

ONES THAT LIKE ME Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Indiana Angel Music, BMI/Parallel Music Publishing, LLC, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP/Bobby’s Lyrics, Land And Livestock, BMI/Do Write Music, LLC, BMI (B.Gilbert, B.Chaffin, B.Pinson) 48

OUTTA STYLE Tunes From HTK, BMI (A.Watson) 35

R

RING ON EVERY FINGER Big Yellow Dog Music, ASCAP/Major Bob Music, Inc., ASCAP/EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI (Thomas Rhett, J.Kear, J.Frasure) 24

ROUND HERE BUZZ 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

S

SHE’S WITH ME Spruce Road Publishing, GMR/Capitol CMG Zenith, GMR/Sony/ATV Tunes, GMR/Centricity Tunes, GMR/CentricSongs, SESAC/The Stennis Mightier Music, BMI/Young Guns Publishing, LLC, BMI/Dead Aim Music, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Capitol CMG Amplifier, SESAC (B.Rempel, S.Mosley, B.Stennis) 45

SINGLES YOU UP Ole Red Cape Songs, ASCAP/Word Music, LLC, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Wordspring Music, LLC, SESAC/Memory Days, SESAC/W.B.M. Music Corp., SESAC (J.Davis, S.D.Jones, J.Ebach) 41

SIXTEEN EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Sony/ATV Ballad, BMI/Eastman Pond Publishing, BMI/Big Deal Beats, BMI/Brodsky Spensive Publishing, BMI/Nice Life, BMI (Thomas Rhett, S.M.Douglas, Joe London) 42

SMALL TOWN BOY EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Thankful For This Music, ASCAP/Play It Again Entertainment, BMI/Round Hill Works, BMI (R.Akins, B.Hayslip, K.Fishman) 3

SMOOTH Big Loud Mountain, BMI/T Hubb Publishing, BMI/Pranch Ringle Music, BMI/Round Hill Works, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/A Girl Named Charlie, BMI/Freshy Music, ASCAP/We-Volve Music, ASCAP/WB Music Corp., ASCAP (T.Hubbard, B.Kelley, N.Galyon, J.M.Schmidt) 21

SWEETHEART EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Sony/ATV Ballad, BMI/Eastman Pond Publishing, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Ritten by Rhettro, BMI/Big Deal Beats, BMI/Brodsky Spensive Publishing, BMI/Nice Life, BMI (Thomas Rhett, R.Akins, S.M.Douglas, J.Spargur) 50

T

THEY DON’T KNOW Peertunes, Ltd., SESAC/Jaron Boyer Music, SESAC/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Music Of The Corn, ASCAP/This Is Magic Mustang Music, ASCAP (J.Boyer, J.Mirenda, K.Allison) 8

TIN MAN Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, BMI/Pink Dog Publishing, BMI/Beat Up Ford Publishing, BMI/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/SWMBMGBMI, BMI/Lonesome Vinyl Music, BMI/Sony/ATV Countryside, BMI (M.Lambert, J.Ingram, J.R.Stewart) 26

U

UNFORGETTABLE EMI Blackwood Music Inc., BMI/Cricket On The Line, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Songs Of Roc Nation Music, BMI/Telemitry Rhythm House Music, BMI/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Sadie’s Favorite Songs, ASCAP/Combustion Engine Music, ASCAP/Smack Hits, GMR/Smack Songs LLC, GMR/Kobalt Songs Publishing American, Inc., GMR (Thomas Rhett, J.Frasure, A.Gorley, S.McAnally) 6

W

WHAT IFS Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Kane Brown Music, BMI/Smackworks Music, SESAC/Smack Blue, LLC, SESAC/Kobalt Group Music Publishing, SESAC/WB Music Corp., ASCAP/Freshy Music, ASCAP/We-Volve Music, ASCAP (K.Brown, M.McGinn, J.M.Schmidt) 2

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS Big Machine Music, BMI/Straight Dimes Publishing, BMI/Works Of RHA Music, BMI/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI/Atlas Music Publishing, ASCAP/Extremely Combustible Music, BMI/PAJ Music, BMI (L.Combs, R.Fulcher, J.Walker) 4

WHEN SOMEONE STOPS LOVING YOU HillarodyRathbone Music, ASCAP/BMG Gold Songs, ASCAP/Songs Of Universal, Inc., BMI/Plum Nelly, BMI/Maps And Records Music, BMI/Creative Pulse Music, BMI/These Are Pulse Songs, BMI (H.Lindsey, C.McGill, L.McKenna) 44

WRITTEN IN THE SAND ReHits Music, Inc., ASCAP/MeGusta Music, ASCAP/Smacktown Music, ASCAP/Unfair Entertainment, ASCAP/Big Deal Notes, ASCAP/Wooden Ships, ASCAP/Smackville Music, ASCAP/Smack Songs LLC, ASCAP/Carrot Seed Songs, ASCAP/Kobalt Songs Publishing America, Inc., ASCAP/Smack Hits, GMR/Smack Songs LLC, GMR/Kobalt Songs Publishing American, Inc., GMR (M.Ramsey, T. Rosen, B.Tursi, S.McAnally) 38

Y

YOU BROKE UP WITH ME Songs Of Smack, BMI/Spark In Your Pocket, BMI/Songs Of Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., BMI/Razor And Tie, APRA/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI (W.Hayes, K.Sackley, T.Archer) 25

YOURS Hillbilly Science And Research Publishing, SESAC/Trailerlily Music, SESAC/So Essential Tunes, SESAC/Not Just Another Song Publishing, SESAC/BMG Platinum Songs, BMI/Kailey’s Dream, BMI (P.Welling, C.Brown, R.Dickerson) 23

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 21 OF 22

On Sept. 27, 2003, “What Was I Thinkin’,” singer-songwriter Dierks Bentley’s launch single, rose 2-1 on Hot Country Songs, marking his first leader on his first try.

Penned by Bentley, Deric Ruttan and Brett Beavers, “Thinkin’ ” recounts a date gone south featuring

“a beauty from South A labama” named Becky, a shotgun-wielding dad a nd ca r chases. Bent ley’s beloved dog Jake, who died in 2016, co-starred in the video.

“Thinkin’ ” introduced Bentley’s self-titled first LP, which debuted and peaked at No. 4 on Top Country

Albums (Sept. 6, 2003) and yielded additional singles “My Last Name” and “How Am I Doin’,” which peaked at Nos. 17 and 4 on Hot Country Songs, respectively.

Bentley has notched 35 Hot Cou nt r y Songs appea ra nces — including 11 No. 1s among 21 top 10s — and six Top Country Albums No. 1s, including his most recent, 2016’s Black. Now 41, he won the Horizon Award for best new artist at the 2005 Country Music Association Awards. He is up for the male vocalist trophy at this year’s show, which is set for Nov. 8. —JIM ASKER

14 Years AgoDierks Bentley Rolled To His First No. 1

“What Was I Thinkin’ “ became Bentley’s first of 11 Hot Country Songs leaders

Bentley with Jake in December 2003

in Chicago.

CODA

R EW I N D I N GT H E

C O U N T RY C H A R T S

PA

UL

NA

TK

IN/W

IRE

IMA

GE

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 | PAGE 22 OF 22