Country Countdown: Zac Brown, Eli Young Bands Top Charts 

 

With 234,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, Zac Brown Band ropes its second No. 1 on Country Albums and the Billboard 200, as "Uncaged" arrives with the group's best one-week sum to date. Their previous best was noted when You Get What You Give opened with 153,000 two years ago. The handsome debut was goosed by appearances on "The Late Show With David Letterman" and a July 13 stop at "Today" on NBC.

At least one retailer offered "Uncaged" for $3.99 during its first week out. Only one country album, Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away," has sold more in any given week this year (267,000 sold, May 19). Zac Brown Band boasts a total of three albums in the top 20 on the Billboard 200 this week, the first time a country act has had that many in the top 20 since Garth Brooks had a trio on Nov. 7, 1992.
Meanwhile, Eli Young Band celebrates its second No. 1 -- seven weeks faster than its first -- as "Even If It Breaks Your Heart," steps 2-1 in its 31st week on Country Songs. The group first topped the radio tally with "Crazy Girl," which reigned in its 38th week on the chart dated Nov. 19, 2011. With 36,000 downloads during the SoundScan tracking week, "Heart" ranks at No. 10 in its 21st week on Country Digital Songs following a No. 7 peak two weeks ago (666,000 total downloads). Both of the band's No. 1 radio hits are from their third full-length album, Life at Best, which bullets at No. 30 in its 48th week (4,000 sold) on Country Albums (279,000 total sales).

Little Big Town's "Pontoon" spends a second week at No. 1 on Country Digital Songs (84,000 sold), and vaults 20-15 in its 10th week on Country Songs. The track is the quartet's fastest-rising single to date on the radio chart, surpassing the 19 weeks it took "Little White Church" to reach the top 15 two years ago. The summertime anthem is the lead single from the group's fifth album, "Tornado," set for release on Sept. 11. Also noteworthy on Country Songs is the 15th top 10 achievement for "The Voice" vocal coach Blake Shelton, as "Over" jumps 11-9 -- eleven of the artist's previous top 10's also did time at No. 1. Shelton's "Red River Blue" set gets a 107% sales spike and shoots 24-17 on Country Albums.

Keep an eye on Billboard's country singles charts next week, as Jason Aldean is likely to post career-high bows with "Take a Little Ride" on Country Songs and Country Digital Songs. The new tune is from Aldean's fifth studio album, due this fall.

 

Eli Young Band’s Even If It Breaks Your Heart Hits No. 1

Eli Young Band’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” Hits No. 1

 

Eli Young Band’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” has reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart and the USA Today/Country Aircheck powered by Mediabase Chart. The song took 26 weeks to climb the charts, 10 weeks faster than their award-winning hit “Crazy Girl.” The track was penned by Eric Paslay and Will Hoge.
“It means the world to us to have back to back number ones,” Jon Jones said. “This one is especially meaningful to us because the song resonated with us like nothing before. The song is our story and that it has been embraced by country fans and country radio is proof that dreams really do come true.“
“The message that is in ‘Even If It Breaks Your Heart’ lives in every one us,” Jimmy Harnen, President of Republic Nashville, “said. “We all have dreams that we strive to achieve regardless of how challenging the journey. In many respects this song is reflective of EYB’s drive, hard work and incredible talent to be where they are today! Back-to-back No. 1 singles with ‘Crazy Girl’ and ‘Even If It Breaks Your Heart,’ sold out shows, platinum and gold records and millions of fans. I have said it before and I will say it again, this could not happen to a nicer or more deserving group of people.”
Eli Young Band is nominated for three Teen Choice Awards for Choice Breakthrough Group (all genre), Choice Country Song and Choice Country Group. The awards will air this Sunday, July 22 on FOX at 8/7 p.m. CT.  The band is currently on the road with Rascal Flatts’ Changed Tour.

 

Eli Young Band, Justin Moore

Eli Young Band, Justin Moore & Thomas Rhett Reveal July 4th Plans

The 4^th of July is the perfect holiday to bring together family and fun. Eli Young Band’s Mike Eli remembers the holiday as being a big party while growing up, thanks to his very large family. “My mom’s side of the family, she had nine brothers and sisters, there were 10 of them so family get-togethers were huge,” he said.
Every year, Mike’s grandparents hosted a party on Independence Day. “My grandparents always had everyone over for 4th of July and so 4th of July was always a huge event, especially because there were so many of us,” he said. “There were a lot of cousins, so that house was full of people, that’s for sure.”
This year, Eli Young Band will be the center of one of the many, many patriotic celebrations taking place across the country on July 4th. They will be headlining the Independence Day celebration in Rogersville, Tennessee.
Anyone looking for Justin Moore this 4^th of July will likely find him on the lake. “Summer’s my favorite time of the year,” he said. “I hate cold weather and so summer is awesome, the best time of the year for me. My favorite way to spend a day in the summer is on the lake, whether I‘m fishin‘ or tubin‘ or just kind of hanging out on the boat having a cold Bud Light.”
Growing up, Thomas Rhett spent his 4^th of Julys with his family on Amelia Island, just off the coast of northern Florida. He confessed that he used to get in a little bit of mischief during his summers on the island. “There was a year in Florida that it was really dry and they banned fireworks,” he said. “But we’d bought fireworks in Nashville anyway and we shot’em off and the cops came and we lied about it. They were searching houses and houses.”
Thomas lets the professionals handle the fireworks these days. “We usually go downtown [in Nashville],” he said. “Ever since I got in high school we’d go downtown and watch’em from the bridge.”