Martina McBride, "Wrong Baby Wrong"

Martina McBride was a hit making machine from 1997 until about 2003. Since then she’s only had one top ten hit (2006’s “Anyway”) and has struggled to regain that hit-making status. Is her newest single off her Shine album, “Wrong Baby Wrong,” good enough to get her back to the top of the charts?

After going through a phase where she was known as the queen of inspirational ballads, Martina McBride finds herself dabbling in more uptempo, fun songs much like her earlier hits “Life #9” and “Wild Angels.” On “Wrong Baby Wrong,” McBride combines a song with a strong message with an uptempo production and, in my opinion, she strikes gold.

The song – written by Brad and Brett Warren, Robert Ellis Orrall, and Stephan Barker Liles (from Love and Theft) – tells the story of a female trying to lift the spirits of her friend who has just been dumped by her boyfriend. While doing so, she reminds her friend that everyone has to experience these lowpoints in their lives and that you just have to pick yourself up. The production is primarily composed of electric guitar and an infectious drumbeat which altogether makes an enjoyable single. McBride’s outstanding vocal performance allows her to show off the bluesy tone of her voice while delivering the message with a bit of sass that resembles songs like “Ride” and “When God-Fearin’ Women Get the Blues.” 

As of this week, “Wrong Baby Wrong” finds itself at number 19 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart and I think it’ll only get higher. This is Martina’s best shot at once again cracking the top five and, maybe, at another number one single.

If you’d like to download Martina McBride’s “Wrong Baby Wrong,” click on the image below.

ACM Spotlight Series: Vocal Event of the Year

Today’s ACM Awards Spotlight Series features the Vocal Event of the Year category. This award was first handed out back in 1997. Want to know who the first award went to? Who won last year? Read the spotlight to find out!

2009

• “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins
• “Honky Tonk Stomp” – Brooks & Dunn featuring Billy Gibbons
• “I’m Alive” – Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews
• “I Told You So” – Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis
• “Seeing Stars” – Jack Ingram and Patty Griffin

This year’s nominees include four songs that hit the top ten on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart and one that’s been critically acclaimed. Usually, the Academy likes to choose songs that have been chart successes so look to one of the four songs that fit the criteria to win.

2008

• “Another Try” – Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood
• “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” – Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire
• “Down the Road” – Kenny Chesney featuring Mac McAnally
• “Life In A Northern Town” – Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen
• “Start A Band” – Brad Paisley and Keith Urban

Out of the five nominees, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban’s duet was the highest charting single, peaking at number two, which led to it being chosen the winner at 2008’s ceremony. This was Brad’s third win in four nominations in this category.

2007

• “Because of You” – Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson
• “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” – Tracy Lawrence featuring Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw
• “Shiftwork” – Kenny Chesney and George Strait
• “Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore” – Bon Jovi featuring Leann Rimes
• “What You Give Away” – Vince Gill featuring Sheryl Crow

Earlier in the year, Vince Gill took home the Grammy for his album, These Days, which included his nominated song. However, in ACM fashion, they ignored it and chose the Tracy Lawrence tune instead.

2006

• “Building Bridges” – Brooks & Dunn featuring Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow
• “I Don’t Want To” – Ashley Monroe featuring Ronnie Dunn
• “Me and God” – Josh Turner featuring Ralph Stanley
• “Politically Uncorrect” – Gretchen Wilson featuring Merle Haggard
• “That’s How They Do It In Dixie” – Hank Williams Jr featuring Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Van Zant

Only one of the nominated songs, which happens to be the winner, cracked the top ten on the singles chart. It was no surprise the Brooks & Dunn song walked away with the trophy; though, the Josh Turner/Ralph Stanley song was the best in the category.

2005

• “I Play Chicken With the Train” – Cowboy Troy with Big & Rich
• “Like We Never Loved At All” – Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
• “When I Get Where I’m Going” – Brad Paisley featuring Dolly Parton
• “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” – Bon Jovi featuring Jennifer Nettles

This was the battle of the number ones as the Paisley/Parton and Bon Jovi/Nettles hits topped the country singles chart. However, it was Brad and Dolly’s brilliant performance on “When I Get Where I’m Going” that scored the win, making it two years in a row Brad Paisley took home the award. On a side note, this was Tim and Faith’s fourth nomination in this category together.

2004

• “Creepin’ In” – Dolly Parton with Norah Jones
• “Hey Good Lookin'” – Jimmy Buffet featuring Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, George Strait
• “Party for Two” – Shania Twain featuring Billy Currington
• “When The Sun Goes Down” – Kenny Chesney featuring Uncle Kracker
• “Whiskey Lullaby” – Brad Paisley featuring Alison Krauss

“Whiskey Lullaby” was both critically acclaimed and a chart success, reaching the top spot on the singles chart, there wasn’t any doubt it would take home the ACM. This was Brad’s first win in this category, though he’d take it home two more times following this win.

2003

• “How’s the World Treating You” – James Taylor and Alison Krauss
• “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” – Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet
• “The Truth About Men” – Tracy Byrd, Andy Griggs, Blake Shelton, Montgomery Gentry
• “Workin’ For A Living” – Phil Vassar and Huey Lewis
• “Young Man’s Town” – Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill

It was a surprise to see the Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill song nominated, but it was the smash hit from Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet that took home the award.

2002

• “Beer For My Horses” – Toby Keith and Willie Nelson
• “Designated Drinker” – Alan Jackson and George Strait
• “Mendocino County Line” – Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack
• “Picture” – Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow
• “Whiskey River” – Willie Nelson and Trick Pony

In what has become an ACM rarity, the Academy chose “Mendocino County Line” over the smash hit, “Beer for My Horses.” Also, in an interesting turn of events, Willie Nelson was nominated three times in this category.

2001

• “Beer Run” – Garth Brooks and George Jones
• “Bring on the Rain” – Jo Dee Messina featuring Tim McGraw
• “I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow” – Soggy Bottom Boys
• “Out of Control Raging Fire” – Patty Loveless featuring Travis Tritt
• “Too Country” – Bill Anderson, George Jones, Buck Owens, Brad Paisley

There was no stopping the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack during 2002 as it swept most of the awards it was nominated for. So it was no surprise that the Soggy Bottom Boys track took home the ACM.

2000

• “Buy Me A Rose” – Kenny Rogers with Billy Dean and Alison Krauss
• “I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert
• “Let’s Make Love” – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
• “Murder On Music Row” – George Strait and Alan Jackson
• “That’s the Beat of a Heart” – Sara Evans and the Warren Brothers

The career defining song of Lee Ann Womack’s career took home the award during the 2001 ACM award show beating out the husband/wife team in McGraw and Hill as well as the traditionalists Jackson and Strait.

1999

• “A Country Boy Can Survive (Y2K Version)” – Hank Williams Jr, George Jones and Chad Brock
• “After the Gold Rush” – Trio
• “God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You” – Alabama and NSYNC
• “My Kind of Woman/My Kind of Man” – Patty Loveless and Vince Gill
• “When I Said I Do” – Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black

This year’s nominees included plenty of veterans in country music along with one of the most successful pop groups in history. However, it was Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black’s sappy love song that took home the award, making it three straight years a husband and wife duet took home the award.

1998

• “Burnin’ The Roadhouse Down” – Garth Brooks and Steve Wariner
• “If You See Him/If You See Her” – Brooks & Dunn and Reba McEntire
• “Just to Hear You Say that You Love Me” – Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
• “No Place That Far” – Sara Evans and Vince Gill
• “Same Old Train” – Various Artists

For the second year in a row, country music’s most powerful couple, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, took home the award for their song “Just to Hear You Say that You Love Me.” Although they’d be nominated two more times after this win, this would be their last win in this category to date.

1997

• “I’m So Happy” – Toby Keith and Sting
• “In Another’s Eyes” – Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood
• “It’s Your Love” – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
• “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me” – Patty Loveless and George Jones
• “What If I Said” – Steve Wariner and Anita Cochran

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s smash hit was named the first ever ACM Vocal Event of the Year and was their first nomination together. They’d later receive three more nominations together in this category.

Most Wins

• 3 – Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley
• 2 – Faith Hill

Most Nominations

• 6 – Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw
• 5 – Ronnie Dunn
• 4 – Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, George Strait
• 3 – Garth Brooks, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Clint Black, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris

Most Nominations without a Win

• 4 – George Strait, Patty Loveless
• 3 – Garth Brooks, George Jones, Emmylou Harris
• 2 – Toby Keith, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Bon Jovi, Gretchen Wilson, Hank Williams Jr.

ACM Spotlight Series: Video of the Year

This is the first spotlight in our ACM Awards Spotlight series and will be spotlighting the ACM Video of the Year category. We will begin with this year’s Video of the Year nominees and work our way back to when the first Video of the Year award was given out in 1984. So let’s get started.
2009

•  “Boots On” – Randy Houser
•  “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum
•  “Welcome to the Future” – Brad Paisley
•  “White Liar” – Miranda Lambert
•  “You Belong With Me” – Taylor Swift

This is Brad Paisley’s eighth nomination in eleven years and he has taken home the award four times including each of the past two years. This year marks the first nominations in this category for newcomer Randy Houser and this year’s most nominated artist, Lady Antebellum. Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift are enjoying their second nominations in this category

2008

•  “Waitin’ on a Woman” – Brad Paisley
•  “Troubadour” – George Strait
•  “Love Story” – Taylor Swift
•  “Just a Dream” – Carrie Underwood
•  “Johnny & June” – Heidi Newfield

Brad Paisley won for his fourth time in this category in the last five years with one of his best videos featuring the legendary Andy Griffith.

2007

• “Online” – Brad Paisley
• “Watching You” – Rodney Atkins
• “Stay” – Sugarland
• “Don’t Blink” – Kenny Chesney
• “Lost In This Moment” – Big & Rich

Going into the ceremony, this was a toss up between Sugarland’s emotional “Stay” and Paisley’s hilarious and cameo-driven “Online.” It was Paisley who edged out Jennifer and Kristian.

2006

• “Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood
• “Hillbilly Deluxe” – Brooks & Dunn
• “The Seashores of Old Mexico” – George Strait
• “Amarillo Sky” – Jason Aldean
• “8th of November” – Big & Rich

There was no contest this year. The biggest hit of 2006 and one of the biggest of the decade rightfully took home the award.

2005

•  “When I Get Where I’m Going” – Brad Paisley featuring Dolly Parton
• “Kerosene” – Miranda Lambert
• “I May Hate Myself in the Morning” – Lee Ann Womack
• “Believe” – Brooks & Dunn
• “As Good As I Once Was” – Toby Keith

Brad Paisley scored his second straight win in this category with another duet, this time with Dolly Parton.

2004

• “Whiskey Lullaby” – Brad Paisley featuring Alison Krauss
• “Redneck Woman” – Gretchen Wilson
• “Save a Horse (Ride A Cowboy)” – Big & Rich
• “Live Like You Were Dyin’” – Tim McGraw
• “Girls Lie Too” – Terri Clark

In his fourth nomination, Brad Paisley finally took home his first ACM for Video of the Year for his emotional “Whiskey Lullaby.” In a category filled with four weaker videos, it was clear Brad and Alison would win.

2003

• “Beer For My Horses” – Toby Keith featuring Willie Nelson
• “Concrete Angel” – Martina McBride
• “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” – Alan Jackson featuring Jimmy Buffet
• “Celebrity” – Brad Paisley
• “Hurt” – Johnny Cash

In a year where five fantastic videos were nominated, most favored Johnny Cash’s video to take the win. However, Toby Keith’s duet with Willie Nelson took it home and Keith took home three other awards that night. It was his first win in six nominations.

2002

• “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” – Alan Jackson
• “Who’s Your Daddy” – Toby Keith
• “Just What I Do” – Trick Pony
• “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song)” – Brad Paisley
• “Courtesy of Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” – Toby Keith

After receiving critical acclaim for his single “Drive,” Alan Jackson was the clear favorite to take home the award and come awards night he did.

2001

• “Only In America” – Brooks & Dunn
• “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly” – Aaron Tippin
• “I’m Tryin’” – Trace Adkins
• “I Wanna Talk About Me” – Toby Keith
• “Angels In Waiting” – Tammy Cochran

After the events of the past September, all eyes were on the patriotic videos to win and it was the Brooks & Dunn hit that the Academy chose.

2000

• “Goodbye Earl” – Dixie Chicks
• “When It All Goes South” – Alabama
• “The Way You Love Me” – Faith Hill
• “I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack
• “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This” – Toby Keith

2000 was the year of the Dixie Chicks as this was one of their three wins that night including Entertainer of the Year.

1999

• “Breathe” – Faith Hill
• “He Didn’t Have to Be” – Brad Paisley
• “How Do You Like Me Now” – Toby Keith
• “Single White Female” – Chely Wright
• “Ready to Run” – Dixie Chicks

Hands down Faith Hill’s “Breathe” was the best video of the year. How could the Academy ignore the satin sheets? This was Faith’s third straight win for Video of the Year.

1998

• “This Kiss” – Faith Hill
• “I’ll Go On Loving You” – Alan Jackson
• “Drive Me Wild” – Sawyer Brown
• “Getcha Some” – Toby Keith
• “Holes in the Floor of Heaven” – Steve Wariner

Faith Hill captured her second straight, and first solo, Video of the Year award after sharing a win the year before with her husband, Tim McGraw.

1997

• “It’s Your Love” – Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill
• “A Broken Wing” – Martina McBride
• “455 Rocket” – Kathy Mattea
• “Did I Shave My Legs For This” – Deana Carter
• “How Your Love Makes Me Feel” – Diamond Rio

The powerhouse couple of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill not only took home the Video of the Year award but also the Single, Song, and Vocal Event awards.

1996

• “I Think About You” – Collin Raye
• “The Change” – Garth Brooks
• “My Maria” – Brooks & Dunn
• “More Than You’ll Ever Know” – Travis Tritt
• “She Never Looks Back” – Doug Supernaw

In a bit of an upset, Collin Raye defeated favorites Garth Brooks and Brooks & Dunn to win his only ACM award.

1995

• “The Car” – Jeff Carson
• “My Wife Thinks You’re Dead” – Junior Brown
• “Sold” – John Michael Montgomery
• “Not That Different” – Collin Raye
• “Tell Me I Was Dreaming” – Travis Tritt

In his one and only ACM nomination, Jeff Carson defeated veterans Raye, Tritt, and Montgomery in a massive upset.

1994

• “The Red Strokes” – Garth Brooks
• “How Can I Help You” – Patty Loveless
• “Independence Day” – Martina McBride
• “Standing Outside the Fire” – Garth Brooks
• “This Time” – Sawyer Brown

In what I think is an upset, Garth Brooks’ “The Red Strokes,” which was the better of his two nominated videos, beat Martina McBride’s brilliant video for the 1994 award. This was Garth’s third win in this category.

1993

• “We Shall Be Free” – Garth Brooks
• “What Might Have Been” – Little Texas
• “Does He Love You” – Reba McEntire and Linda Davis
• “Chattahoochee” – Alan Jackson
• “Cleopatra, Queen of Denial” – Pam Tillis

The Reba/Linda Davis powerhouse was the clear favorite coming in but the Academy continued their love for Garth Brooks by selecting him as the winner.

1992

• “Two Sparrows in Hurricane” – Tanya Tucker
• “The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia” – Reba McEntire
• “Take it Back” – Reba McEntire
• “Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man” – Travis Tritt
• “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away” – Vince Gill

Tanya Tucker walked into the 1992 ceremony with four nominations and was able to beat out both Reba videos for her second ACM award of her career and her first since 1972.

1991

• “Is There Life Out There?” – Reba McEntire
• “Brotherly Love” – Keith Whitley and Earl Thomas Conley
• “Anymore” – Travis Tritt
• “Mary & Willi” – K.T. Oslin
• “The Thunder Rolls” – Garth Brooks

This year pitted the king and queen of videos, Reba and Garth, against each other for the first year. It was Reba’s inspirational video that pulled off the win for her second Video of the Year trophy.

1990

• “The Dance” – Garth Brooks
• “Pass It On Down” – Alabama
• “Love Can Build A Bridge” – The Judds
• “Come Next Monday” – K.T. Oslin
• “Here I Am” – Lyle Lovett

This was one of Garth’s six wins during the 1990 awards show, he almost swept all the awards he was nominated for but he was nominated two times in the Song of the Year category, which he won for “The Dance.”

1989

• “There’s A Tear in my Beer” – Hank Williams Jr.
• “Planet Texas” – Kenny Rogers
• “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That” – Dolly Parton
• “Cathy’s Clown” – Reba McEntire
• “High Cotton” – Alabama

Hank Williams Jr’s groundbreaking music video was the clear favorite to win. After all, it was one of the most technologically advanced videos of its time allowing him to sing with his father, Hank Williams.

1988

• “Young Country” – Hank Williams Jr.
• “Hold Me” – K.T. Oslin
• “The Old Man No One Love” – George Jones
• “Sunday Kind of Love” – Reba McEntire
• “I’ll Always Come Back” – K.T. Oslin

Hank Williams Jr. won his second Video the Year award for his hit, “Young Country,” beating legends George Jones and Reba.

1987

• “80’s Ladies” – K.T. Oslin
• “Santa Fe” – Bellamy Brother
• “Tar Top” – Alabama
• “My Name Is Bocephus” – Hank Williams Jr.
• “Forever and Ever, Amen” – Randy Travis
• “Little Sister” – Dwight Yoakam

For just the second year, there were a total of six nominations in this category. It was K.T. Oslin’s video that came out on top for her first ACM win.

1986

• “Whoever’s In New England” – Reba McEntire
• “I Only Wanted You” – Marie Osmond
• “Born Yesterday” – Everly Brothers
• “Birth of Rock ‘N Roll” – Carl Perkins
• “100% Chance of Rain” – Gary Morris

Reba won her third ACM award, and her first non-Female Vocalist award, at the 1986 ceremony for her brilliant video for “Whoever’s In New England.”

1985

• “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” – George Jones
• “Country Boy” – Ricky Scaggs
• “Forty Hour Week” – Alabama
• “Lost in the Fifties (In the Still of the Night)” – Ronnie Milsap
• “Highwayman” – The Highwaymen

George Jones’ movie-like video was awarded the ACM for Video of the Year this year, which would turn out to be his final ACM award win.

1984

• “All My Rowdy Favorites Are Comin’ Over Tonight” – Hank Williams Jr
• “America” – Waylon Jennings
• “Mama He’s Crazy” – The Judds
• “Second Hand Heart” – Gary Morris
• “The Left Side of the Bed” – Mark Gray
• “What She Wants” – Michael Martin Murphey

Hank Williams Jr’s cameo filled video for “All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin’ Over Tonight” was the first video to be award the ACM award for Video of the Year, his first of three.

Most Nominations

• 8 – Brad Paisley, Toby Keith
• 6 – Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire
• 5 – K.T. Oslin, Alabama

Most Wins

• 4 – Brad Paisley
• 3 – Hank Williams Jr., Garth Brooks, Faith Hill
• 2 – Reba McEntire

Most Nominations Without a Win

• 5 – Alabama
• 4 – Travis Tritt
• 3 – Martina McBride
  

Most Consecutive Wins

• 3 – Faith Hill (1997 – 1999)
• 2 – Hank Williams Jr. (’88-’89), Garth Brooks (’93-’94), Brad Paisley (‘04-’05 & ’07-’08)

Academy of Country Music Awards Spotlight Series

Starting tomorrow until the week of the ACM Awards show, All Things Country will spotlight each category and its nominees. Every few days a spotlight will be posted on the blog. Each spotlight will consist of this year’s nominees and will run down the list of past nominees and winners since the ACM’s began handing out awards. The ACM Spotlight series will eventually lead up to my final predictions for this year’s awards show which will air live on CBS on April 18th.

Brad Paisley, "Water"

Brad Paisley has been a force to be reckoned with on country radio for the last ten years. He’s racked up 16 number one songs (10 of which were done consecutively) and none of his singles have failed to hit the top 20. However, his two previous singles failed to reach the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Can his newest single, “Water,” climb to the top?

“Water” is the third single off of Brad Paisley’s 2009 album, American Saturday Night. The song – written by Paisley, Chris DuBois, and Kelley Lovelace – is another one of Brad’s less-than-serious songs that we’ve become accustomed to this past few years. It describes many scenes that all revolve around water. From the narrator admitting he fell in love with water back when he played in an inflatable pool to him and his friends jumping in the river. The most humorous verse is definitely the third verse which talks about spring break and girls in white t-shirts (Daytona Beach on spring break/eighteen girls up on stage/white t-shirts about to be sprayed/with water). This is probably one of Paisley’s strongest songs that fit into the humorous, witty mold; heck, anything would probably be better than “Ticks” or “I’m Still A Guy.” Though it lacks the stellar creativity the previous singles, “Welcome to the Future” and “American Saturday Night,” have, it still showcases Paisley as a fine country artist.

The production sticks to Brad’s mixture of traditional country and mainstream country. It’s filled with plenty of Brad’s famous guitar playing along with a great steel guitar melody. Throw in a little bit of fiddle and you got yourself the perfect mixture. It’s a perfect summer song and will no doubt find itself being played at backyard barbeques and river outings throughout the season.

It’s hard to imagine this song not reaching number one, seeing as radio loves to eat these singles up during the summer. I think it’s safe to say this will continue his streak of top five singles.

To purchase “Water,” click on the image below.

Billboard Chart Flash: Week of March 15 – 21

For an eigth straight week, Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now sits atop the Country Albums Chart and returns to the top of the Hot 200 chart. On the Hot Country Songs chart, a newcomer claims his first number one song of his career. Find out who it is in the week’s Billboard Chart Flash.

It’s no surprise that Lady A’s sophomore disc, Need You Now, remains atop the Country Albums chart after selling a little less than 100,000 copies this week. The album also returns for the fourth non-consecutive week to the top of the Hot 200 chart. The trio’s sales to date reach 1.4 million copies after this week’s sales. Their smash hit single of the same name, “Need You Now,” remains atop the Adult Pop Songs chart and reaches number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Following Lady Antebellum on the Country Albums chart is the Zac Brown Band’s The Foundation, which vaults up three spaces to the number two spot. Slipping to number three is Gary Allan’s latest, Get Off on the Pain, while Taylor Swift returns to the top five as Fearless climbs up to number four. Rounding out the top five is Blake Shelton’s EP Hillbilly Bone. 

Over on the singles chart, Easton Corbin’s debut single, “A Little More Country Than That,” climbs up to the top spot and becomes the singer’s first number one song. Right on his heels is Carrie Underwood with her tearjerker single, “Temporary Home,” which climbs up one to number two. Slipping down to the third spot is last week’s number one, “Hillbilly Bone” by Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins. The Zac Brown Band’s “Highway 20 Ride” climbs up a notch and lands in the number four spot while Keith Urban scores another top five hit with “Til’ Summer Comes Around.”

Leading the week’s debut songs is the ACM’s Top New Vocal Group, Gloriana, with its single “The World is Ours Tonight” which comes in at number 51. The other debut song this week is Randy Montana’s “Ain’t Much Left of Lovin’ You” which bows in at number 59.

All eyes will be on the singles chart next week to see if Easton Corbin can spend another week at number one or if Carrie Underwood will score yet another number one single. Oh and I guess we’ll see if Lady Antebellum falls from the top of the Albums chart, but we won’t hold our breath. Find out on next week’s Chart Flash.

To purchase Lady Antebellum’s album Need You Now click on the cover below. You can also click on Easton Corbin’s cover below to download his number one smash, “A Little More Country That That.”

Court Yard Hounds Release Song and Video on Amazon.com

Have you been curious as to how Marty and Emily of the Dixie Chicks are going to sound as the Court Yard Hounds? Now you have a chance to listen…for FREE!

The duo, Court Yard Hounds, have released a song and video on Amazon.com and the best part is it is absolutely FREE! Click the image below to download the song and video!

George Strait, "I Gotta Get to You"

Living legend George Strait has been a constant figure at country radio since his debut single, “Unwound,” hit the charts back in 1981. Since that single, Strait has had over 50 number one singles and 90 singles that have charted on the Billboard charts. The “King” hopes to keep his radio streak going with his latest single, “I Gotta Get to You.” Does the new song have what it takes to reach number one?

Written by Blaine Laresen, Jim Lauderdale, and Jimmy Ritchey, “I Gotta Get to You” is an upbeat song that is hard to resist. Strait narrates a story about a man trying to romance a woman like how she’s romanced him. The song’s lyrics are very average, the two verses are each only two lines long and add nothing substantial to the song. The rest of the song is basically the chorus over and over again (it’s repeated three times).

The production stays true to what Strait and Tony Brown have been doing for the better part of Strait’s career. It’s a mixture of traditional country and mainstream which will make it a perfect fit for country radio. As to be expected, King George delivers a solid vocal performance and proves that he’s one of the best “troubadours” in country music.

There have been plenty of George Strait songs that have been better than this song, but that won’t stop country radio and country fans from falling in love with it.

To download the song, click on the image below.

Reba McEntire, "I Keep On Loving You"

Among today’s leading ladies in country music, you’ll find hot young stars like Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and Miranda Lambert. However, veteran/superstar Reba McEntire is still proving she can hang with the young women. In fact, Reba’s last single, “Consider Me Gone,” spent four weeks at number one. Reba hopes to follow that success up with her latest single, “I Keep On Loving You.”

On “Keep On Loving You,” Reba returns with another ballad off of her album of the same title, Keep On Loving You. This ballad contains a storyline about a couple which has had plenty of turbulence throughout its time together. The lyrics, written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride, paint a picture of couple who is on the verge of calling it quits, but the individuals still find a way to keep on loving each other. The chorus is filled with some smart phrases that deal with what a couple might say to one another during or after an argument (“…I keep on loving you/through the baby-don’t-leave-mes/and never-will-agains/and I-promise-tos...”).  

The song’s weakness is definitely the production, which starts out fantastic but then all but drowns Reba’s vocals out in the end. The best part of the song is the beginning where the softer production blends perfectly with the softer vocals. However, that’s all lost as soon as the second verse and chorus is reached. That’s when the steel guitar is met with the drum beats and electric guitar. Then once the bridge comes the production is drowning out the vocals. Usually Reba and her producer Tony Brown avoid over-production but it was somehow missed on this song.

Fortunately, Reba’s emotional performance and vocals save the song from being mediocre and instead elevate it to a fantastic song that country radio will no doubt love.

To support Reba and her song, click the image below to buy “I Keep On Loving You”

2010: The Year of Lady Antebellum??

With the year 2010 almost a quarter of the way through, no country artist has even come close to having the amount of success that trio Lady Antebellum has had. Which leads me to ask, is this the year of Lady Antebellum?

Nearly two years ago, an unknown group released their self-titled debut album which debuted at number one on the Country Albums chart. A month later, the trio had their first top five single with “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” and embarked as the opening act for Martina McBride.

Fast forward to the end of 2009 and Lady Antebellum seemingly found its way to the top of the country music industry. The trio – made up of Charles Kelly, Dave Haywood, and Hillary Scott – was named the CMA’s Vocal Group of the Year (ending Rascal Flatts’ six year reign) and their first number one song, “I Run to You,” was named Single of the Year. Also in late November, their single “Need You Now” started a five week run at number one. The group also scored two Grammy nominations.

Now fast forward to mid-January when Lady A released their sophomore album, Need You Now. The album debuted atop both the Hot 100 and Country Albums charts by selling 480,000 copies. The album has yet to fall from number one on the Country Albums chart and out of the top five on the Hot 100 and has sold 1.4 million copies. A few days after the release of the album, the trio picked up their first Grammy award in the Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for their hit “I Run to You.”

This week, Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” rose to number one on the Adult Pop Songs chart becoming only the second number one country song to reach number one on the pop chart (Faith Hill’s “Breathe” was the first). The group’s second single, “American Honey,” is already a top ten hit and on its way to becoming their third straight number one song. The group also earned seven nominations in five categories when the Academy of Country Music released the nominations for this year’s awards show.

By the end of 2010, Lady Antebellum could have their first double platinum album as well as at least two number one singles. Not to mention, they could have several ACM and CMA award wins. Unless other country superstars step up, there’s no stopping Lady Antebellum. Look for 2010 to be Lady A’s breakthrough to superstardom.