LUKE BRYAN #1

LUKE BRYAN'S "DO I" DOES IT, UP ONE TO #1 THIS WEEK AS...

LADY ANTEBELLUM'S "NEED YOU NOW," slips one out of the top spot to #2 and...

REBA's "CONSIDER ME GONE" HOLDS FAST to #3 again this week...while

CRAIG MORGAN's "BONFIRE" Continues to simmer in 4th place...leaving...

DIERKS BENTLEY'S  "I WANNA MAKE YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES"

opens its eyes still at #5 this week.



 
GARTH BROOKS BEGINS LAS VEGAS GIG, A SMASHING SUCCESS

PHOTO BY Henry Dilts

By now everybody knows that Garth Brooks came out of retirement for a 5 year contract to perform weekend shows at the Wynn Resorts Encore Theater in Las Vegas, on the condition that he could return home on a private jet to continue parenting his daughters on a full time basis as he's done for the last 10 years. The new gig began last Friday and Saturday as fans showed up from thousands of miles away to be as "one-on-one intimate" with Garth Brooks and his talent as you can be without having him singing in your living room.

The big question was, could the star whose show was so big and broad it entertained a million people in New York City's Central Park..be just as compelling by himself, with acoustic guitar and microphone in a venue that held about a thousand people?  
The answer, a resounding yes!
 
Anybody that saw his show over the years experienced moments when he and his guitar would take over the show for a few songs,... but, could Garth and his guitar for an hour and a half, be as riveting and joyful?

The press was invited for the 8 and 10 o clock shows on Saturday night and a song or two into the first show, the answer was quick to come...he can do this, after all, he's Garth Brooks! His voice is still so strong and in tune, so powerful in the joy and emotion that made him great, you don't  miss the big production on is records or the great band he had with him on the road.

PHOTO BY Henry Dilts

Garth took the stage dressed in a hooded sweat shirt, baseball cap,  jeans and hiking boots. No fancy sets or audio visuals of any kind, just a stool for him to sit on, which he used only to hold his bottle of  water. Then, the tour-du-force of this master raconteur, humorist and vocalist  begins.

Prior to the show we asked Garth how he had been preparing for this unique experience, whether he been writing notes, recollecting stuff he thought he could use in the show?   But he says, "No, it's pretty easy to remember...and thank God I'm only 47, instead of 87, so it's pretty easy to remember the big milestones of my life."

Of course, it's one thing to have a good memory, but few people can recall the range of personal stories and tell them with such humor and pith that  Brooks does so amazingly well. It was a wonderful night of humor and great music from the guy who will likely go down as one of the greatest performers America has ever produced. It's also interesting  to hear the stories of his how his unique music was shaped by his being a fan of pop icons like James Taylor and Billy Joel.  Their songs were included as well as the songs of his greatest country music influences, "The two Georges, George Jones and George Strait."

TRISHA JOINS IN ON THE FUN

At Friday's press conference Garth was asked if Trisha would ever join him during these shows. He said, not that night because she wasn't feeling good. But , about an hour and 20 minutes into the  Saturday  8 o'clock show, Trisha came on stage to such a thunderous welcome, Garth exclaimed, "All of the sudden I'm 'Mr. Yearwood!''  

Trisha looks great and sang her debut hit "She's In Love With The Boy.'" Then Garth suggested "Walk Away Joe," and ended up singing some sweet harmonies with her on the song." She performed on the later show as well.


GARTH TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS WITH FAMILY

cf.com

Friday Garth provided an example of how the concerts and his family life will work. He flew in for the press conference and first show with his oldest daughter, Taylor," and Trisha. "We're flying out in the morning so that she can participate in a soccer match in Memphis."

Bottom line, the "Only Garth" shows at Wynn Resorts are a resounding success with the first audiences that managed to grab up the tickets to see this uniquely talented performer prove that "Only Garth", is plenty enough for a great night of music and memoirs from an American music superstar.

YEAR-END STATS & DECADE-END STATS

Big Machine Records enjoyed a great year in 2009, thanks to all of our great radio, retail, management and marketing partners.  Year-end and decade-end chart recaps from Billboard and Mediabase/Country Aircheck are outlined below:
 
Billboard [Year-End Stats]
#1 Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (17 charted titles)
#1 Female Pop Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (17 charted titles)
#1 Billboard Top 200 Albums Artist – Taylor Swift (3 charted titles)
#1 Billboard Top 200 Album – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#24 Billboard Top 200 Album – self-titled / Taylor Swift
#1 Billboard Top 200 Albums – Female Artists – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift (3 charted titles)
#4 Pop Imprint of the Year (Big Machine)
#3 Billboard Top 200 Imprint of the Year (Big Machine) (4 titles)
#9 Billboard Top 200 Label of the Year (Big Machine) (4 titles)
#2 Comprehensive Albums Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (3 titles)
#1 Comprehensive Album of the Year – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#27 Comprehensive Album of the Year – self-titled / Taylor Swift
#4 Comprehensive Imprint of the Year (Big Machine) (4 titles)
#9 Comprehensive Label of the Year (Big Machine) (4 titles)
#3 Internet Album Sales Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (1 title)
#1 Internet Album of the Year – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#3 Digital Albums Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (2 titles)
#3 Digital Album of the Year – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#4 Hot 100 Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (14 titles)
#11 Hot 100 Song of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#76 Hot 100 Song of the Year – “White Horse” / Taylor Swift
#3 Hot 100 Female Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (14 titles)
#4 Hot 100 Imprint of the Year (Big Machine)
#8 Hot 100 Producer of the Year – Taylor Swift
#1 Hot 100 Airplay Song of the Year – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#2 Hot 100 Airplay Song of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#4 Hot Digital Songs Artist – Taylor Swift (16 titles)
#8 Hot Digital Song of the Year – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#25 Hot Digital Song of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#67 Hot Digital Song of the Year – “White Horse” / Taylor Swift
#8 Hot Digital Imprint of the Year (Big Machine)
#15 Hot Master Ringtones Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (3 titles)
#5 Mainstream Top 40 Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (4 titles)
#5 Mainstream Top 40 Song of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#8 Mainstream Top 40 Song of the Year – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#7 Mainstream Top 40 Imprint of the Year (Big Machine)
#1 Country Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (9 titles)
#36 Country Artist of the Year – Jack Ingram (4 titles)
#1 Country Female Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (9 titles)
#2 Country Imprint of the Year (Big Machine) (17 titles)
#4 Country Label of the Year (Big Machine) (17 titles)
#1 Country Albums Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (3 titles)
#1 Country Album of the Year – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#6 Country Album of the Year – self-titled / Taylor Swift
#1 Country Album Imprint of the Year (Big Machine) (5 titles)
#2 Country Album Label of the Year (Big Machine) (5 titles)
#5 Country Songs Artist – Taylor Swift (6 titles)
#26 Country Songs Artist – Jack Ingram (3 titles)
#13 Country Song of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#27 Country Song of the Year – “White Horse” / Taylor Swift
#47 Country Song of the Year – “Barefoot And Crazy” / Jack Ingram
#5 Country Songs Imprint of the Year (Big Machine) (12 titles)
#6 Country Songs Label of the Year (Big Machine) (13 titles)
#17 Country Producer of the Year – Taylor Swift (6 titles)
#1 Country Songwriter of the Year – Taylor Swift (7 titles)
#1 Hot 100 Songwriter of the Year – Taylor Swift (15 titles)
#1 Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year (2 titles)
#2 Adult Contemporary Song – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#14 Adult Contemporary Song – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#2 Adult Contemporary Imprint of the Year (Big Machine) (2 titles)
#7 Hot Adult Top 40 Artist – Taylor Swift (3 titles)
#11 Hot Adult Top 40 Song – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#15 Hot Adult Top 40 Song – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#8 Hot Adult Top 40 Imprint of the Year (Big Machine) (2 titles)
#1 Hot Videoclips Artist – Taylor Swift (5 titles)
#1 Hot Videoclips of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#5 Hot Videoclips of the Year – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#3 Hot Videoclips Imprint of the Year (Big Machine) (7 titles)
#16 Music Video Sales of the Year – CMT CROSSROADS / Taylor Swift & Def Leppard
#8 Canadian Hot 100 Song of the Year – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#14 Canadian Hot 100 Song of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#4 Canadian Hot 100 Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift (13 titles)
#2 Canadian Album of the Year – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#9 Canadian Hot Digital Song of the Year – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#28 Canadian Hot Digital Song of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#94 European Hot 100 Songs – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#89 European Hot 100 Albums – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
 
Billboard [Decade-End Stats]
#38 Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#53 Top 200 Album of the Decade – self-titled / Taylor Swift
#56 Top 200 Album of the Decade – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#48 Top 200 Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#11 Internet Album of the Decade – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#3 Top Digital Album of the Decade – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#3 Top Digital Albums Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#2 Top Digital Songs Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#6 Top Digital Song of the Decade – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#98 Top Digital Song of the Decade – “Teardrops On My Guitar” / Taylor Swift
#30 Hot 100 Airplay Song of the Decade – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#64 Hot 100 Airplay Song of the Decade – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#40 Hot 100 Airplay Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#35 Hot 100 Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#73 Hot 100 Song of the Decade – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#29 Mainstream Top 40 Song of the Decade – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#37 Adult Contemporary Song of the Decade – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#12 Country Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#55 Country Song of the Decade – “Our Song” / Taylor Swift
#23 Country Songs Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#10 Country Songwriters of the Decade – Taylor Swift
#9 Country Album of the Decade – self-titled / Taylor Swift
#10 Country Album of the Decade – FEARLESS / Taylor Swift
#11 Country Albums Artist of the Decade – Taylor Swift (3 titles)
#48 Country Albums Artist of the Decade – Trisha Yearwood (3 titles; 1 BMR)
#72 Hot Master Ringtone of the Decade – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
 
Mediabase/Country Aircheck [Year-End Stats]
#22 Song of the Year – “You Belong With Me” / Taylor Swift
#30 Song of the Year – “White Horse” / Taylor Swift
#43 Song of the Year – “Love Story” / Taylor Swift
#54 Song of the Year – “Barefoot And Crazy” / Jack Ingram
#72 Song of the Year – “That’s A Man” / Jack Ingram
#76 Song of the Year – “Fifteen” / Taylor Swift
#1 Female Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift
#3 Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift
#5 Label of the Year (Big Machine – 5.9 share)
 


Below this is impressive and should be one of the BIG stories in Country Music now beside Taylor.

From Billboard Magazine's Decade/Year End Review Issue: Top selling artist of the decade in actual sales.

** Country artists
MCGRAW TOP SELLING COUNTRY ARTIST OF THE DECADE
01 Eminem 32,241,000
02 The Beatles 30,182,000
**03 Tim McGraw 24,769,000
**04 Toby Keith 24,469,000
05 Britney Spears 22,969,000
**06 Kenny Chesney 22,034,000
07 Linkin Park 21,421,000
08 Nelly 21,232,000
09 Creed 20,594,000
10 Jay-Z 20,424,000
11 Nickelback 19,817,000
**12 Rascal Flatts 19,408,000
13 Josh Groban 19,348,000
**14 Alan Jackson 18,857,000
15 N'Sync 18,303,000
**16 Dixie Chicks 18,178,000
**17 Johnny Cash 18,143,000
18 Kid Rock 17,614,000
19 Metallica 17,403,000
20 Celine Dion 17,363,000
**21 George Strait 17,275,000
22 Michael Jackson 17,261,000
23 Norah Jones 17,087,000
24 U2 16,817,000
25 Elvis Presley 16,486,000
26 Usher 16,329,000
27 Dave Matthews Band 16,025,000
28 AC/DC 15,935,000
29 50 Cent 15,868,000
30 Alicia Keys 15,561,000
31 Rod Stewart 15,561,000
32 Santana 14,975,000
33 Destiny's Child 14,878,000
34 Coldplay 14,604,000
35 Mariah Carey 14,341,000
36 Pink Floyd 14,164,000
**37 Shania Twain 13,850,000
38 Ludacris 13,442,000
39 Enya 13,422,000
40 Green Day 13,363,000
41 Andrea Boccelli 13,353,000
42 Outkast 13,277,000
43 R. Kelly 13,234,000
**44 Faith Hill 12,899,000
45 Mary J. Blige 12,614,000
46 3 Doors Down 12,551,000
47 Christina Aguilera 12,380,000
48 Limp Bizkit 12,378,000
49 Bon Jovi 12,378,00
50 Frank Sinatra 12,221,000

Source: Nielsen Soundscan for the period of January 2000 through the week ending Nov. 29, 2009.




JUSTIN MOORE NAMED BILLBOARD’S TOP NEW COUNTRY ARTIST OF 2009 ALSO GEARS UP FOR PAISLEY TOUR

 With a self-titled debut album debuting in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, a breakthrough #1 smash “Small Town USA”, a follow-up single cracking the Top 30 (“Backwoods”), and a coveted opening slot on Brad Paisley’s 2010 American Saturday Night Tour, it not surprising that  Billboard has named Justin Moore as their 2009 Top New Country Artist!  “There are a lot of great artists that never get to experience this feeling.  I am forever indebted to everyone at country radio, and all the fans for this year.  This record has changed my year, my career, and ultimately...my life!  Thanks to all!  And I’m so excited to get out on the road with Brad after the New Year,” exclaims Justin.  “We got lucky last year to get in the arenas and open for Trace Adkins and Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Jr., but that was before the success of ‘Small Town USA’.  I can’t wait to bring our new stage show to Brad’s fans, and I think the mix of our music with Brad and Miranda’s should be a good mix for the fans.  I can’t stress what a huge opportunity this is, and I can’t thank Brad enough.  We love playin’ the clubs, but there is nothing like stepping on stage in front of thousands of people.  I think we’ll have a great time out there, and heck, Miranda and I both love to hunt, so maybe we’ll find time to go hunting if Blake doesn’t kick my butt!”

 
JIMMY WAYNE JOINS DARYL HALL FOR POPULAR WEB SERIES:

Jimmy Wayne’s cover version of Daryl Hall and John Oates’ 1976 hit single, “Sara Smile,” which he recorded with the duo earlier this year, is a country hit, and now serves as the centerpiece for the 26th installment of the acclaimed web series, Live From Daryl’s House, available starting Dec. 15 at www.lfdh.com.

CRAIG MORGAN THROWS A YULE LOG ON THE “BONFIRE”
NEW CHRISTMAS VERSION OF HIT SINGLE RECORDED IN HOTEL BATHROOM --REALLY

“But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night..."
Craig Morgan is throwing a fresh Yule log on the bonfire this season, releasing an all-new holiday-themed version of his current Top 5 smash hit single “Bonfire.” “Bonfire,” from Craig’s BNA Records CD That’s Why, is in its fourth week as country radio listeners’ current favorite song, topping all radio research surveys and heading for the top of the country radio charts. The new version of the song shipped to country radio last week and will be digitally available for purchase beginning December 21st.
 
“This song is getting huge crowd response at all of my shows, and I’ve played it live A LOT over the past few months,” says Craig. “When you tour like I do, you spend a lot of hours on the bus, and one day I was just playing around with this song and also riffing on some Christmas stuff I was thinking about putting in the show, and then I started messing with the lyrics. Within about ten minutes I had this new version, and everyone got a kick out of the idea...my band, family, even management and the label, so we decided to run with it!”
 

PHIL VASSAR RELEASES VIDEO FOR “EVERYWHERE I GO”

Phil Vassar has released the video for “Everywhere I Go,” his current single from his new album Traveling Circus, in stores December 15.  Written by Phil and Jeffrey Steele, “Everywhere I Go” is a touching, emotional song about healing and remembrance that appeals to many situations and is gaining momentum on country radio.  The video has been ad
ded to rotation on CMT and GAC and can be seen here.

JAMES OTTO TO PERFORM NATIONAL ANTHEM AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS GAME
Warner Bros. Records’ recording artist, James Otto, will perform the national anthem this Sunday, Dec. 13 for the Minnesota Vikings home game in Minneapolis, Minn. The Vikings will play the Cincinnati Bengals at 1:00 p.m. EST, airing on CBS. Otto will return to Minnesota to perform at the Grand Casino Hinckley on Jan. 17th.