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Weekly August 22 2016, Issue 513

LA: Country Can Survive

When Country Aircheck’s first issue bowed 10 years ago (see next story), the big news was KZLA/Los Angeles’ flip to Rhythmic AC as “Movin’ 93.9,” leaving the nation’s second biggest market without a Country station. A decade on, Country Aircheck takes a deeper look at the L.A. market, now served by Mt. Wilson’s KKGO. At the time of KZLA’s flip, Emmis President/Radio Rick Cummings cited a $28 million revenue peak and declining ratings in an increasingly ethnic market as reasons for the change. “When you’re 20th in a flat or shrinking revenue market, you simply don’t Rick get bought by key advertisers,” he said. “We Cummings do a ton of direct retail business and produce results. But when you’re that far down on the ranker, the direct business can’t compensate for what you lose with agencies.” Go In Country: None of that swayed Mt. Wilson from flipping Tijuana-based XSUR-AM/San Diego to Country two months later (CAW 10/16/06), bringing back KZLA staffers Brian Douglas, Whitney Allen and Paul Freeman. Then-GSM Kane Biscaya said the signal served much of the LA market, and research showed significant listening from southern LA County and Orange County. In December, the company added a simulcast on KKGO-AM (CAW 11/20/06) and in February swapped that with Classical KMZT to bring Country back to FM (CAW 2/26/07). Former KZLA staffers Tonya Campos and Shawn Parr joined as APD/MD/midday personality and morning host, respectively. Ironically, owner Saul Levine cited declining revenues for the Classical station as his reason for the swap, saying he’d be “absolutely Saul Levine (continued on page 11) delighted” with

Let’s Go Meets: SG/Varvatos/Dot’s Zac Brown Band at New York’s Citi Field stop of the Black Out The Sun Tour. ZBB also played Fenway Park over the weekend. Pictured are (l-r) ZBB’s Chris Fryar, Jimmy De Martini, Coy Bowles and Clay Cook, WNSH’s Jesse Addy, Zac Brown, WNSH’s John Foxx and the band’s Matt Mangano, John Driskell Hopkins and Daniel de lose Reyes.

One Week, 10 Years Ago

Two men, a coffee shop and less than a week to create a new radio and music industry trade. So goes the story of the very first issue of the publication you’re now reading, which came out exactly 10 years ago (8/22/2006). The year was 2006 and Billboard acquired Radio & Records, where Country Editor Lon Helton had covered the format for more than 23 years. He and three-year Associate Editor Chuck Aly saw an opportunity. “The idea was to create a publication to continue the radio and records content formula that worked so

© 2 0 1 6 Co u n t r y A i rc h e c k ™ — A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . S i g n u p f re e a t w w w. c o u n t r y a i rc h e c k . c o m . S e n d n e w s t o n e w s @ c o u n t r y a i rc h e c k . c o m

August 22, 2016

well at R&R while carrying the Mediabase charts,” Helton recalls, noting the new R&R replaced Mediabase with BDS charts. “A key moment was Mediabase agreeing we could carry its chart. We worked on our last R&R HotFax on Aug. 14.” Our & Our: Helton and Aly resigned the next day (8/15) and moving out was an all-night job. “We left the R&R building at about 3am,” Helton says. “The bad news was we had to put out our first issue one week later. We couldn’t let the industry get used to us not being around. We settled in at the Edgehill Café the next afternoon because it had internet.” Armed with web access, the two-man company still lacked a name, sales person, graphic designer or immediately apparent story ideas. The latter concern was solved that Thursday (8/17/06) when KZLA/Los Angeles flipped to Rhythmic AC after 25 years in the format (see page 1). “While bad news for the format and industry, a big story like that was an opportunity for us to show our continued commitment to thorough, on-point coverage of the business,” Aly notes. “So Lon got Emmis President/Radio Rick Cummings on the phone, despite the fact that Cummings was on vacation, for that first lead story.” The first lead story ... of what, exactly? The company still didn’t have a name. Brainstorming industry lingo, Aly came up with “aircheck” for its resonance with broadcasters and double meaning. “If you think about it, we are kind of checking the air in the country business,” he explains. “What’s on the air? Check the charts. It’s not genius, but it’s all I had. Lon wasn’t a fan.” Construction Company: Absent better ideas, Helton acquiesced to the name and turned to more pressing matters, including writing the top story, figuring out sales and finding a designer. Former R&R salesperson Jennifer Switzer handled sales the first couple weeks until Mary Forest Findley (née Campbell)

Page 3 joined. Design was proving to be a tougher problem, however. Less than 24 hours from chart day – Monday – there was no solution in sight. “Sunday afternoon, 10 minutes before closing, I stood in the middle of the Apple Store in Green Hills and yelled, ‘Does anybody here know how to layout text and have tomorrow off?’” One store employee, a Vanderbilt student, raised his hand. “I told him, ‘I’ll give you $20 an hour to come to my house tomorrow and do this,’” Helton recalls. “And he did!” Unfortunately the young student had bitten off more than he could chew. “This guy had no idea what he was doing,” Aly says. “I knew more about design than he did, and that’s a pretty low bar.” Design issues were complicated by an amazing response from the record community. Fortunately, advertising clients – and there were many early supporters (see them here) – were submitting their own ads Lon Helton and using freelance designers. and Chuck Aly Design for the first issue ultimately came down to Aly and a lengthy phone consultation with his friend and singer-songwriter Pete Stringfellow. “Luckily, he lives in California, which is two hours behind us. It was after 5am when we got done.” “We walked outside and the sun had come up,” Helton adds. “We just looked at each other and highfived. It was like, ‘Oh my God, we actually did this.’”

August 22, 2016

MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE Wheelhouse’s Runaway June discuss their most influential music: 1. O Brother, Where Art Thou?: (RJ’s Naomi Cooke) When that movie came out, a friend gave me the soundtrack. At the time I was singing classical music. I fell in love with Alison Krauss right then and there. That’s what made me start Runaway June singing country music. 2. Garth Brooks’ “The Dance”: (RJ’s Jennifer Wayne) The song floored me. Of course I love everything Garth does – but that song in particular just did it for me. And he put my grandparents in the music video, so that was really neat for me. 3. Grace Potter And The Nocturnals’ “Big White Gate”: (Hannah Mulholland) When this song came out, I was trying to figure out if I should keep doing music. It’s about her grandmother on her deathbed, and there’s a line that says “Nurse, bring me my guitar. One more song before I go.” And I had an epiphany: if you died tomorrow, it’s so important to have done what you loved every single day. 4. Patty Griffin’s “Rain”: (JW) When I first heard it, I had just moved to town and started songwriting. That song was everything I wanted to be as an artist. I’m a huge fan of hers. 5. Dolly Parton: (NC) I feel like she and I have had similar things happen in our childhood and she’s been a big influence on me. She’s a role model and I love everything about her. • Highly regarded music you’ve actually never heard: (NC) I haven’t heard all of Chris Stapleton’s Traveller. That’s really embarrassing, but I haven’t yet. • “Important” music you just don’t get: (NC) I cannot get on board with any serious rap music made in the last 10 years. The content used to be smart and people had something to say – a message. It doesn’t talk about important issues anymore. I like old-school rap. • An album you listened to incessantly: (HM) Carole King’s Tapestry. Those songs are timeless. • An obscure or non-country song everyone should listen to right now: (HM) The New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give.” You cannot be in a bad mood when you listen to that song. • Music you’d rather not admit to enjoying: (HM) The Rent soundtrack. (JW) Justin Bieber’s Purpose. (NC) One Direction. But I am not ashamed.

UPDATE

Page 5

The new publication still had to be sent, however. Earlier in the week a local web company had built a landing page through which people could subscribe. “Somehow, in the tiny window between the site going live and me testing it, Steve Giuttari (now PD at WFMS/Indianapolis) signed up,” Aly marvels. “So I am subscriber No. 2. Steve is No. 1.” The first issue of Country Aircheck, thought dated for Aug. 21, was pushed out to around 700 subscribers at 9:30am Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2006, six short days after Helton and Aly quit R&R. Rest Is History: Frantic first week aside, Helton and Aly didn’t put much thought into long-term success or failure, focusing primarily on the tasks at hand. “I wouldn’t say we were scared, but we certainly knew we were in the ocean without a life raft,” Helton surmises. “I’d quit a job I’d held for 23 years and Chuck had given up a great job. We had to make this work. Maybe we were just too dumb to think it wouldn’t.” Keeping the transition seamless for readers worked. “We published our last HotFax one week and the first Country Aircheck the next,” Aly says. “Maybe it looked a little different, but our analysis of the big change in L.A., our news coverage and the charts were exactly what people expected and were used to from us. We’ve been striving to meet and exceed that standard ever since.” Reach Helton here and Aly here. Read Country Aircheck Issue No. 1 here and look for the full story of the company’s launch in our 10th anniversary print special, out next month. –Russ Penuell

Chart Chat

Congrats to Shay Mooney, Dan Smyers, Kevin Herring, Chris Palmer, Tom Martens and the whole WAR staff on scoring this week’s No. 1 with Dan + Shay’s “From The Ground Up.” The song is the first single from their album Obsessed, which bowed in June. Dan + Shay And kudos to Bobby Young and the Capitol crew on notching 36 adds for Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” topping this week’s board.

News & Notes

Adams Radio and Bravo Mic Communications have dropped Nielsen and contracted Eastlan as its vendor in Las Cruces, NM. Affected Country stations include Adam’s KGRT and Bravo Mic’s KXPZ. More here. WMZQ/Washington has added Sun’s The Country Club with Dee Jay Silver.

August 22, 2016

DMR/Interactive and Texas A&M University’s Digital Media Research And Development Lab have partnered for The Download On Podcasting, a series of reports based on a study of the podcasting space over the 2016-17 academic year. Contact DMR/Interactive to participate here. Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill and Ashley Monroe are among the artists performing at the 3rd Annual Celebrity Barn Dance to benefit Music Health Alliance Oct. 29 in Thompson’s Station, TN at The Jaeckle Centre. Tickets and info here. Songwriter/producer/musician Nathan Barlowe has signed an exclusive songwriting agreement with Big Machine Music and Red Bull Records. The RIAA has issued platinum certification for Thomas Rhett’s second Valory album Tangled Up. Music promoter Rob Potts launched Fangate Music, a joint label with Sony Music Entertainment Australia.

Seek & Employ Available Jobs

Here’s a list of job seekers and open gigs. Not listed? Send info here and we’ll include you in a future update. Adams’ WKHI/Salisbury, MD has an opening for a PD/air personality. Five years experience with at least two in Country programming is required. Airchecks and resumes here. Cumulus’ KPLX/Dallas has a morning host opening. Materials to PD Mac Daniels here. CBS Radio’s KILT/Houston is searching for an evening talent.

Page 7

One Day: Warner Bros. WAR’s Dan + Shay celebrate their No. 1 “From The Ground Up.” Pictured are (l-r) the label’s Anna Cage, D+S’ Dan Smyers, WAR’s Jessica Rouse, D+S’ Shay Mooney and WAR’s Chris Palmer.

A minimum of two years experience is required along with “the swagger to be Houston’s only local Country night show.” Apply here. Cumulus/Columbia, MO has an opening for an OM. The cluster includes Country KBBM (Nash FM). Materials to VP/MM Phil Lewis here. Cumulus’ KATM/Modesto, CA has an opening for a PD. OM Richard Perry is accepting airchecks and resumes here. Valory has an opening for a Southeast Dir./Marketing & Promotion. Materials to SVP/Promotion George Briner here.

Page 9

August 22, 2016

iHeartMedia/Huntsville has an opening for a PD for Country WDRM and Top 40 clustermate/translator W293AH (Kiss FM). Airchecks and resumes to SVP/Programming Erich West here.

Cumulus’ WKHX/Atlanta is searching for an experienced Executive Morning Show Producer for the station’s Cadillac & Dallas. View an in-depth job description and apply here.

Cherry Creek/Helena, MT has an opening for an OM and PD/ morning host for Country KBLL. Airchecks and resumes to Group PD Mark Elliott here.

CBS Radio KMLE/Phoenix has an opening in mornings, joining existing team Chris & Nina. Submit a resume and video here.

Neuhoff’s WFMB/Springfield, IL has an opening for a morning co-host (CAT 7/28). Airchecks and resumes to PD Dave Marsh here. Cumulus/Grand Rapids is searching for a cluster OM and Country WTNR (Nash FM) PD (CAT 7/22). Three years of cluster management experience is required; airchecks, resumes and ratings history here. Blakeney WBBN/Laurel, MS has an opening for morning cohost. Resume and MP3 aircheck here. Forever WFGS/Murray, KY is searching for a PD. “We need a strong leader who can continue to grow the Froggy brand across all platforms,” says Dir./Programming Jared Mims. Materials to him here. Cumulus’ WFMS/Indianapolis is still searching for a «live and local» midday personality. Airchecks and resumes to OM/ PD Stephen Giuttari here. Consultant Phil Hunt has openings for experienced PDs for future openings at client stations. Materials here.

CBS Radio’s KNCI/Sacramento has an opening for a PD (CAT 6/27). At least five years programming experience is required and a four-year degree in a related field is preferred. Apply here.

Searching

Hannah Martin Former ACM Lifting Lives Manager hnmartin21@gmail.com

Tonya Campos Former Mt. Wilson KKGO/Los Angeles PD t.campos@sbcglobal.net Dean Warfield Former WSM-AM/Nashville PD deanwarfield@comcast.net Kassidy Stewart Former Hart Media/Bullseye Dir./Promotions & Content kassidy@goncc.com Larry “Big Red” Stevens Former KGRT/Las Cruces, NM PD/morning host breakfastwithbigred@gmail.com

August 22, 2016

OFF THE RECORD: Michael Tyler Reviver’s Michael Tyler puts an industry spin on the artist interview: I grew up listening to my hometown station, KAMS/Thayer, MO. The first time I heard myself on the radio was after my second-ever radio station visit at KMLE/Phoenix. I was on my way back to the airport and then, bam – they started talking Michael Tyler about me and played “Crazy Last Night.” My first day of radio tour and they’re playing my song on the radio! Of course I called my mom right after. One of the funniest things that’s happened so far on my radio tour is, my grandma has been calling both Memphis stations – WGKX and WFLP – and requesting my song. They were like, ‘Is this really your grandma?’ She was doing radio promotion for me. My favorite person to travel with is my mom. I’m really close with my family and we like to go on road trips. My mom is full of wisdom, whether I want to believe her or not. But she’s also my least favorite, because she can just talk forever. Just kidding – love you, mom! Every time I’m at a truck stop I get Funyuns. I have this weird obsession with them. The last time I was on the road I picked up the Steakhouse Onions Funyuns. It was a great day. My music travels all over the place. It’s not one sound or idea for the whole record. There are songs that were influenced by growing up in a town of 2,000 people, by a girl I’ve met along the way, and by life experiences. There’s one called “Interstate” about a guy in my hometown who lost part of his farm because the government put a road right through it. And others are just good-time party songs. My last impulse buy was some awesome truck stop pizza. Five dollars for a big slice, or $10 for the whole pizza. I bought the whole pizza. The most redneck thing I’ve done lately was skin a turkey for one of my buddies. This was back in the spring during turkey season, of course. I wish I’d written “Fishing In The Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. I was obsessed with that song when I was younger – and I still am. Every time I hear it, it takes me back to the middle of the summer when I had no responsibilities. It was an awesome time in my life.

Page 11

Kelley Cash Former KVOO/Tulsa personality kelleycashradio@gmail.com Brian Hatfield Former KYGO/Denver APD/MD brianhat@aol.com Rick Kennis Former WGTY/York, PA Dir./Promotions rick@rickkennis.com

LA: Country Can Survive

(continued from page 1)

billing over $20 million. He also said it was the advertising agencies that helped convince him. “Every agency in town has said they’ll be buying us,” he said back then. “A number told us they just didn’t appreciate the Country format, had taken it for granted and didn’t realize how much they would miss it until it was gone. They told us they’d be supporting us because they want us to stay around.” Reached last week, Levine now says, “When we went with the Country format on KKGO in 2007, the outlook for the format in Southern California was dismal. [Despite] KZLA dropping the format and industry experts saying it could not succeed in this market, KKGO has proved that outlook to be mistaken. We have been successful beyond our own expectations.” Right On The Money: According to BIA/Kelsey, Go Country’s earnings have yet to rise to the $20 million level, although they’ve continued to be up from the $7.1 million KMZT billed in its last full year as Classical. Revenues peaked at $13 million in KKGO’s first year, dropping to $12.5 million the following year and averaging close to $10 million since. Last year the station billed $9 million. In the Winter 2006 Arbitron (still in diary at that point), KMZT had a 0.8 (32) with P12+, and KZLA’s last book posted a 1.7. In Spring 2007, KKGO ranked 18th with 1.8. Three years later, the station saw its highest ratings to date in the February 2009 PPM, ranking 11th with a 3.2 (CAW 3/30/09). As noted then, comparing diary to PPM numbers is apples-to-oranges, but the rise was still significant as the station had never ranked higher than 15th. It was the most listened-to in the format nationwide. Still, then-Sr. Mgr./Programming Charlie Cook acknowledged

Perfect 10: Past and present staffers celebrate Country Aircheck’s 10-year anniversary at Nashville’s City Winery. Pictured are (l-r) Jerry Holthouse, Grace Lenehan, Russ Penuell, RJ Curtis, Chuck Aly, Lon Helton, Jennifer Switzer, Jess Wright, April Johnson, Shelby Farrer, Mary Forrest Findley, Wendy Newcomer, Brad Helton and Kelley Hampton. Among those not pictured are Renée Aly, Erin Duvall, Jeff Green, Stephanie O’Donnell and Lauren Tingle.

August 22, 2016

the challenges in building on the 25-54 numbers. “That demo is heavily Hispanic and very rock-oriented,” he said. “And this is a great Rock market with KLOS, KROQ, two CHR stations, KBIG and The Sound (KSWD). A Country station is really at a disadvantage, and there’s only so much you can do that isn’t going to have an impact on your upper demos, too.” Over the last year, KKGO has averaged a 2.3 share P6+ and an 18 rank. In the July 2016 PPM, the station had a 2.4 (17t). Its highest share to date was April 2009’s 3.3 (11t) and it has ranked as high 10th, most recently in Feb. 2014. In July, KKGO was the fourth most listened-to Country station in the U.S., behind KPLX/ Dallas, WUSN/Chicago and WNSH/New York. “At various times the KKGO cume has been No. 1 in the entire USA,” Levine says. “This last week it was the highest in our history.” He adds that the ratings system itself is a challenge. “In my opinion an obstacle has been the erratic performance of Nielsen’s PPM measurements, despite issues with the diary method.” With PD Tonya Campos’ exit (CAT 7/15), the last of the station’s original air staff will be gone once Paul Freeman retires (CAT 8/3). But the “new regime” isn’t really new. Morning host Graham Bunn has been on board for nearly two years; Christine Martindale recently returned for afternoons and previously spent three years with the station in middays, which are now being covered by artists a month at a time. So far Cassadee Pope and Dustin Lynch have had those honors, and Easton Corbin takes over in September. The new PD is longtime Station Mgr. Michael Levine. “In his 11 years with the station Michael proved himself to understand and love the Country format,” says the senior Levine. “For the last several years he has been assisting in selecting new music for our playlist. His picks turned out time after time to be good ones. With his youth he has a feel for the direction country music is going. He knows the challenges radio faces entering a digital world. There is a new young generation listening to Country radio, and he is part of that generation. So Michael became our new PD and I am very pleased with the results.” Flip Flop Not: As for Emmis, even with the benefit of hindsight, Cummings is sure the decision was right for the company. [Ed. Note: The station was eventually LMA’d and sold to Grupo Radio and now carries a Regional Mexican format. ] “Ten years on, it’s a lot less emotional than it was back then, in

Page 13 two regards,” he says. “One, we hated to abandon the Country franchise. Second, we had just cracked the top 10 with Movin when the decision was made to make the deal with Grupo. I vividly remember saying to Jeff Smulyan, ‘But we just hit top 10.’ And he said, ‘Great, how soon do you think you can do $9 million in cash flow, because that’s what I get instantly with this deal?’ I replied, ‘Well, make your deal.’ We just ran out of time. “The information that prompted us to move away from Country was a research study that noted we were first or second in Orange County and No. 21 or 22 in LA County,” he adds. “Unfortunately, LA County is two thirds of the ratings. If we did effective marketing and flawless execution, we had the potential to get to the outer reaches of the top 10. That barely makes it perform well enough to justify staying in the format.” The challenges Country faces in a heavily ethnic market are growing, Cummings contends. And not just in Los Angeles. “In a market the size of New York, there ought to be room for a highperforming Country franchise,” he muses. “So we would do the math and eliminate audience groups who are pretty much out of bounds. Every time, we found you could be somewhat successful, but not top five or top seven.” Fishin’ In The Dark: Cummings regularly presents a “sushi analysis” to other managers. “A quarter of performing well in ratings is how well you execute,” he says. “Three quarters of it is what the brand stands for. If you are not a fan of raw fish, chances are you’re not going to a sushi bar no matter how fresh their ingredients are or how nice the presentation is. If you like raw fish and the sushi bar does a great job, you’ll go with great frequency. But don’t confuse the two.” Cummings isn’t surprised larger radio operators haven’t taken a run at Country in Los Angeles. “My guess is they go through the same math we did and see even if it’s done well, Country is a second or maybe a third tier station. Most big companies have their share of leverage and would need it to perform at a level that is just too challenging. Doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It’s just unlikely. “We like Saul and are big fans of them keeping Country in the market,” he continues. “Perhaps he doesn’t need it to perform in terms of cash flow like we did. I wish we still had that station and were doing Country. We were giving it a really good effort creatively and with marketing. I miss having that brand, but the math and makeup of the market made it extremely challenging. We have a Country station in Indianapolis that is just killing it and has been for a while now. I look at that marketplace and think, ‘Wow, what a difference.’” –Jess Wright, Lon Helton, Chuck Aly CAC

August 22, 2016

Artist/Title (Label)

Chart Page 1 Total Points +/- Points Total Plays +/- Plays Audience +/- Aud Stations ADDS

DAN + SHAY/From The Ground Up (Warner Bros./WAR) ✔

28997

2290

8409

660

56.265 4.099

159

SAM HUNT/Make You Miss Me (MCA)

28112

1319

8129

397

55.923 3.433

159

KELSEA BALLERINI/Peter Pan (Black River) ✔

26649

2444

7737

691

53.131 4.847

159

JAKE OWEN/American Country Love Song (RCA)

25684

950

7650

269

50.961 1.766

159

JUSTIN MOORE/You Look Like I Need A Drink (Valory) ✔

21116

2050

6290

645

4.149

158

DIERKS BENTLEY f/E. KING/Different For Girls (Capitol) ✔

21071

2883

6110

889

40.618 4.191

158

JON PARDI/Head Over Boots (Capitol)

18218

-9965

5267

-3104

38.224 -15.824

159

CHRIS LANE/Fix (Big Loud)

18025

-5649

5250

-1543

35.773 -12.275

157

BLAKE SHELTON/She's Got A Way With... (Warner Bros./WMN)

17977

1268

5193

432

35.564 1.917

155

TUCKER BEATHARD/Rock On (BMLG/Dot)

15471

1568

4637

502

29.357 2.233

150

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN/I Met A Girl (Warner Bros./WMN) 14936

1608

4574

404

28.848 3.098

153

LOCASH/I Know Somebody (Reviver)

14834

1087

4336

331

28.878 2.668

156

BILLY CURRINGTON/It Don't Hurt Like It Used To (Mercury)

14428

1500

4198

432

29.152 3.593

155

ZAC BROWN BAND/Castaway (SG/Varvatos/Dot)

14178

755

4178

192

28.126 2.044

155

KENNY CHESNEY f/P!NK/Setting The... (Blue Chair/Columbia)

13291

2029

3753

640

27.426 4.312

158

COLE SWINDELL/Middle Of A Memory (Warner Bros./WMN)

13225

1731

3707

475

26.869 3.192

157

KIP MOORE/Running For You (MCA)

12907

-1122

3825

-355

24.919 -1.432

157

LUKE BRYAN/Move (Capitol) ✔

12534

2339

3539

687

24.708 4.199

151

BIG & RICH f/TIM MCGRAW/Lovin' Lately (B&R/New Revolution)

12526

723

3826

167

23.586 1.333

152

BRETT YOUNG/Sleep Without You (BMLGR)

12417

1358

3506

404

22.325 2.427

151

MIRANDA LAMBERT/Vice (RCA)

11522

1081

3147

286

23.228 3.244

154

JASON ALDEAN/A Little More Summertime (Broken Bow)

10364

985

3093

292

18.144 1.704

153

DRAKE WHITE/Livin' The Dream (Dot)

10079

498

2917

123

17.716

152

OLD DOMINION/Song For Another Time (RCA)

8459

677

2370

223

15.542 1.309

148

MAREN MORRIS/80s Mercedes (Columbia)

8047

526

2290

121

14.566

152

41.5

0.89

0.82

August 22, 2016

Artist/Title (Label)

Chart Page 2 Total Points +/- Points Total Plays +/- Plays Audience +/- Aud Stations ADDS

GRANGER SMITH/If The Boot Fits (Wheelhouse)

8000

479

2369

105

13.046 0.678

153

TIM MCGRAW/How I'll Always Be (Big Machine)

7925

949

2284

284

15.926 2.121

147

JENNIFER NETTLES/Unlove You (Big Machine)

7710

-1687

2234

-452

13.641 -2.726

154

BROTHERS OSBORNE/21 Summer (EMI Nashville)

6874

148

2116

0.338

146

BRETT ELDREDGE/Wanna Be That Song (Atlantic/WMN)

6198

362

1705

11.203 0.898

132

CHRIS STAPLETON/Parachute (Mercury)

5483

253

1675

7.137

0.372

142

HIGH VALLEY/Make You Mine (Atlantic/WEA)

4984

221

1365

7.574

0.353

112

THOMAS RHETT/Vacation (Valory)

4930

134

1478

8.051

0.394

114

JERROD NIEMANN & LEE BRICE/A Little More Love (Curb)

4700

1377

-1

6.199

0.033

119

CHRIS JANSON/Holdin' Her (Warner Bros./WAR)

3809

153

1163

5.279

0.508

116

1312

1083

384

6.557

2.219

101

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE f/TIM MCGRAW/May We All (BMLGR) 3797

9.285

CHRIS YOUNG f/V. GILL/Sober Saturday Night (RCA)

3463

321

975

5.392

0.724

103

LANCO/Long Live Tonight (Arista)

3422

417

865

115

4.601

0.774

MICHAEL RAY/Think A Little Less (Atlantic/WEA)

3198

210

968

4.886

0.459

DUSTIN LYNCH/Seein' Red (Broken Bow)

3191

203

965

3.7

0.055

105

CRAIG CAMPBELL/Outskirts Of Heaven (Red Bow)

2875

978

4.218

0.409

THE BAND PERRY/Comeback Kid (Mercury)

2810

365

734

3.713

0.897

JOSH TURNER/Hometown Girl (MCA)

2796

144

903

4.17

0.275

101

RUNAWAY JUNE/Lipstick (Wheelhouse)

2763

141

826

2.825

0.079

TRENT HARMON/There's A Girl (Dot/Big Machine)

2455

499

652

119

4.177

0.492

EASTON CORBIN/Are You With Me (Mercury)

2369

731

2.411

-0.01

BRANTLEY GILBERT/The Weekend (Valory)

2193

400

674

127

3.788

0.57

JOSH ABBOTT BAND w/C. PEARCE/Wasn't That... (PDT/1608)

2126

121

490

3.924

0.278

ELI YOUNG BAND/Saltwater Gospel (Valory)

2042

291

561

2.984

0.553

PARMALEE/Roots (Stoney Creek)

2031

106

664

2.364

0.028

Debut 47 48

Debut 49 50

August 22, 2016

Country Aircheck Add Leaders KEITH URBAN/Blue Ain't Your Color (Capitol) LAUREN ALAINA/Road Less Traveled (19/Interscope/Mercury) KANE BROWN/Thunder In The Rain (RCA) FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE f/TIM MCGRAW/May We All (BMLGR) RAELYNN/Love Triangle (Warner Bros./WMN) BRANTLEY GILBERT/The Weekend (Valory) CHASE BRYANT/Room To Breathe (Red Bow) LANCO/Long Live Tonight (Arista) LUKE BRYAN/Move (Capitol) BRETT ELDREDGE/Wanna Be That Song (Atlantic/WMN) CHASE RICE/Everybody We Know Does (Columbia) ERIC CHURCH f/R. GIDDENS/Kill A Word (EMI Nashville) TRENT HARMON/There's A Girl (Dot/Big Machine)

Chart Page 3

Activator Top Point Gainers

Adds 36 33 31 28 22 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers

DIERKS BENTLEY f/E. KING/Different For Girls (Capitol)

1360 ✔

KENNY CHESNEY f/P!NK/Setting... (Blue Chair/Columbia)

1240 ✔

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE f/TIM MCGRAW/May... (BMLGR)

962 ✔

JUSTIN MOORE/You Look Like I Need A Drink (Valory)

938 ✔

LUKE BRYAN/Move (Capitol)

798 ✔

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN/I Met... (Warner Bros./WMN)

781

KEITH URBAN/Blue Ain't Your Color (Capitol)

711

TUCKER BEATHARD/Rock On (BMLG/Dot)

669

BLAKE SHELTON/She's Got A Way... (Warner Bros./WMN)

657

JASON ALDEAN/A Little More Summertime (Broken Bow)

638

Activator Top Spin Gainers

DIERKS BENTLEY f/E. KING/Different For Girls (Capitol)

2883

KELSEA BALLERINI/Peter Pan (Black River)

2444

LUKE BRYAN/Move (Capitol)

2339

DAN + SHAY/From The Ground Up (Warner Bros./WAR)

2290

JUSTIN MOORE/You Look Like I Need A Drink (Valory)

2050

KENNY CHESNEY f/P!NK/Setting The... (Blue Chair/Columbia)

2029

COLE SWINDELL/Middle Of A Memory (Warner Bros./WMN)

1731

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

KENNY CHESNEY f/P!NK/Setting The... (Blue Chair/Columbia) 269 DIERKS BENTLEY f/E. KING/Different For Girls (Capitol)

249

JUSTIN MOORE/You Look Like I Need A Drink (Valory)

198

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE f/TIM MCGRAW/May... (BMLGR)

170

LUKE BRYAN/Move (Capitol)

155

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN/I Met... (Warner Bros./WMN)

151

KEITH URBAN/Blue Ain't Your Color (Capitol)

144

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORG.../I Met A Girl (Warner Bros./WMN) 1608

TUCKER BEATHARD/Rock On (BMLG/Dot)

140

TUCKER BEATHARD/Rock On (BMLG/Dot)

1568

BLAKE SHELTON/She's Got A Way With... (Warner Bros./WMN)

120

BILLY CURRINGTON/It Don't Hurt Like It Used To (Mercury)

1500

JASON ALDEAN/A Little More Summertime (Broken Bow)

Country Aircheck Top Spin Gainers

Country Aircheck Top Recurrents

Points

DIERKS BENTLEY f/E. KING/Different For Girls (Capitol)

889

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE/H.O.L.Y. (BMLGR)

16972

KELSEA BALLERINI/Peter Pan (Black River)

691

ERIC CHURCH/Record Year (EMI Nashville)

15873

LUKE BRYAN/Move (Capitol)

687

CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Church Bells (19/Arista)

13885

DAN + SHAY/From The Ground Up (Warner Bros./WAR)

660

JASON ALDEAN/Lights Come On (Broken Bow)

13535

JUSTIN MOORE/You Look Like I Need A Drink (Valory)

645

KEITH URBAN/Wasted Time (Capitol)

12610

KENNY CHESNEY f/P!NK/Setting The... (Blue Chair/Columbia)

640

DIERKS BENTLEY/Somewhere On A Beach (Capitol)

11827

TUCKER BEATHARD/Rock On (BMLG/Dot)

502

THOMAS RHETT/T-Shirt (Valory)

10806

COLE SWINDELL/Middle Of A Memory (Warner Bros./WMN)

475

BRAD PAISLEY f/DEMI LOVATO/Without A Fight (Arista)

10049

BLAKE SHELTON/She's Got A Way With... (Warner Bros./WMN)

432

C. YOUNG & C. POPE/Think Of You (RCA/BMLGR)

9396

BILLY CURRINGTON/It Don't Hurt Like It Used To (Mercury)

432

OLD DOMINION/Snapback (RCA)

8330

August 22, 2016

Chart Page 4

COUNTRY AIRCHECK ACTIVITY

A D D DAT E S

TRENT HARMON/There’s A Girl (Dot/Big Machine) Moves 49-45* 2,455 points, 652 spins 7 adds: KKBQ, KKIX, WFMS*, WGH, WKLB, WRNS, WXCY

August 29

EASTON CORBIN/Are You With Me (Mercury) Moves 47-46* 2,369 points, 731 spins 2 adds: WNCY, WUSJ

September 6

eric church/Kill A Word (EMI Nashville) Chris Lane/For Her (Big Loud)

CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Dirty Laundry (19/Arista)

September 12

BRANTLEY GILBERT/The Weekend (Valory) Debuts at 47* 2,193 points, 674 spins 8 adds: KAWO, KJUG, KWJJ, KXLY, WAVW, WBEE, WKIS, WKML JOSH ABBOTT BAND w/CARLY PEARCE/Wasn’t That Drunk (PDT/1608) Remains at 48* 2,126 points, 490 spins 2 adds: KUPL, WSOC ELI YOUNG BAND/Saltwater Gospel (Valory) Debuts at 49* 2,042 points, 561 spins 4 adds: KATM*, KNCI, WKML, WMAD PARMALEE/Roots (Stoney Creek) Remains at 50* 2,031 points, 664 spins 2 adds: WDXB, WHKO* GARY ALLAN/Do You Wish It Was Me? (EMI/Nashville) 1,816 points, 534 spins 1 add: KXKT

Brandy Clark/Love Can Go to Hell (Warner Bros./WMN) Send yours to adds@countryaircheck.com

C H E C K

Aug. 26

Florida Georgia Line Dig Your Roots (BMLGR) Duo Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard’s 15-track third studio album was produced by Joey Moi and features “H.O.L.Y.,” plus guests Ziggy Marley (“Life Is A Honeymoon”), Backstreet Boys (“God, Your Mama And Me”) and Tim McGraw on current single “May We All.” Jack Ingram Midnight Motel (Rounder) It’s been seven years since Ingram released new music. He’s back with current single “I’m Drinking Through It.” His eighth studio album also includes “Nothing to Fix,” “Can’t Get Any Better Than This,” and “All Over Again,” among others. Charlie Daniels Night Hawk (CDC) Daniels puts his spin on songs including “Big Balls In Cowtown,” “Stay All Night (Stay A Little Longer)” and “Yippie Ki Yea” in a collection he says “honors the working cowboy and his way of life.”

MICKEY GUYTON/Heartbreak Song (Capitol) 1,733 points, 495 spins 2 adds: WFMS*, WQYK DARIUS RUCKER/If I Told You (Capitol) 1,616 points, 512 spins 2 adds: KKBQ*, WSLC

OUT

Sept. 2

Reba McEntire My Kind Of Christmas (Cracker Barrel) Ryan Follese Self-Titled (BMLGR)

August 22, 2016

Chart Page 5

Artist/Title (Label)

Points +/- Points

Plays

+/- Plays

Stations Adds

SAM HUNT/Make You Miss Me (MCA)

11675

340

2392

KELSEA BALLERINI/Peter Pan (Black River)

11156

368

2318

DAN + SHAY/From The Ground Up (Warner Bros./WAR)

11117

2345

JAKE OWEN/American Country Love Song (RCA)

11042

347

2316

DIERKS BENTLEY f/E. KING/Different For Girls (Capitol) ✔

10352

1360

2122

249

JUSTIN MOORE/You Look Like I Need A Drink (Valory) ✔

9262

938

1907

198

BLAKE SHELTON/She's Got A Way With Words (Warner Bros./WMN)

8478

657

1775

120

JON PARDI/Head Over Boots (Capitol)

7716

-2261

1576

-464

ZAC BROWN BAND/Castaway (SG/Varvatos/Dot)

7186

226

1461

TUCKER BEATHARD/Rock On (BMLG/Dot)

6945

669

1392

140

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN/I Met A Girl (Warner Bros./WMN)

6494

781

1366

151

LOCASH/I Know Somebody (Reviver)

6292

385

1268

BILLY CURRINGTON/It Don't Hurt Like It Used To (Mercury)

5981

182

1183

KENNY CHESNEY f/P!NK/Setting The World On... (Blue Chair/Columbia) ✔

5867

1240

1217

269

KIP MOORE/Running For You (MCA)

5862

-108

1228

-51

COLE SWINDELL/Middle Of A Memory (Warner Bros./WMN)

5650

399

1118

CHRIS LANE/Fix (Big Loud)

5352

-2372

1131

-480

MIRANDA LAMBERT/Vice (RCA)

5302

335

1045

JASON ALDEAN/A Little More Summertime (Broken Bow)

5193

638

1061

LUKE BRYAN/Move (Capitol) ✔

4500

798

920

155

BRETT YOUNG/Sleep Without You (BMLGR)

4445

249

906

BIG & RICH f/TIM MCGRAW/Lovin' Lately (B&R/New Revolution)

4303

852

OLD DOMINION/Song For Another Time (RCA)

3882

176

798

MAREN MORRIS/80s Mercedes (Columbia)

3710

370

760

DRAKE WHITE/Livin' The Dream (Dot)

3488

-314

721

-53

TIM MCGRAW/How I'll Always Be (Big Machine)

3460

453

706

BROTHERS OSBORNE/21 Summer (EMI Nashville)

3438

157

701

JENNIFER NETTLES/Unlove You (Big Machine)

2715

-372

560

-70

GRANGER SMITH/If The Boot Fits (Wheelhouse)

2607

547

BRETT ELDREDGE/Wanna Be That Song (Atlantic/WMN)

2512

123

480

August 22, 2016

Chart Page 6

Artist/Title (Label)

Points +/- Points

CHRIS STAPLETON/Parachute (Mercury)

2086

189

442

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE f/TIM MCGRAW/May We All (BMLGR) ✔

2083

962

413

170

KEITH URBAN/Blue Ain't Your Color (Capitol)

1718

711

317

144

JERROD NIEMANN & LEE BRICE/A Little More Love (Curb)

1601

-36

330

-6

CHRIS JANSON/Holdin' Her (Warner Bros./WAR)

1451

285

HIGH VALLEY/Make You Mine (Atlantic/WEA)

1278

225

-10

THE BAND PERRY/Comeback Kid (Mercury)

996

339

201

EASTON CORBIN/Are You With Me (Mercury)

983

-11

171

-4

ELI YOUNG BAND/Saltwater Gospel (Valory)

939

139

120

DUSTIN LYNCH/Seein' Red (Broken Bow)

854

120

186

JOSH TURNER/Hometown Girl (MCA)

816

-31

176

-11

DARIUS RUCKER/If I Told You (Capitol)

764

156

AARON WATSON/Bluebonnets (Big/Thirty Tigers)

763

-200

175

-28

RAELYNN/Love Triangle (Warner Bros./WMN)

734

111

105

TRENT HARMON/There's A Girl (Dot/Big Machine)

684

123

-1

CRAIG CAMPBELL/Outskirts Of Heaven (Red Bow)

675

106

142

JOSH ABBOTT BAND w/C. PEARCE/Wasn't That Drunk (PDT/1608)

580

151

BRANTLEY GILBERT/The Weekend (Valory)

542

114

LANCO/Long Live Tonight (Arista)

528

111

TOBY KEITH/A Few More Cowboys (Show Dog)

522

CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Dirty Laundry (19/Arista)

511

216

STEVE MOAKLER/Love Drunk (Creative Nation)

500

100

AARON LEWIS/That Ain't Country (Dot)

493

157

BRETT YOUNG/In Case You Didn't Know (BMLGR)

490

Re-Enter 51 57

Debut 53 51

Debut 56

Plays

+/- Plays

Stations Adds

GARY ALLAN/Do You Wish It Was Me? (EMI Nashville)

469

-11

-2

CODY JOHNSON/With You I Am (Cojo)

457

RUNAWAY JUNE/Lipstick (Wheelhouse)

446

101

RYAN FOLLESE/Float Your Boat (BMLGR)

438

-22

-1

JANA KRAMER/Circles (Elektra/WAR)

402

MICKEY GUYTON/Heartbreak Song (Capitol)

402

Debut 60