Lo and Behold: Chris Stapleton Is Making an Impact on Mainstream Country Radio
No bet against Chris Stapleton is a safe one at this point. First he swept through the CMA Awards, winning New Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year, despite being a major underdog in all three categories. Then he shocked the world by having one of the biggest post-awards sales bumps on record when sales of his album Traveller spiked 6,400%. And now, despite all the odds, and the incredibly collusive and backwards nature of American country radio, he’s now having a major impact there too.
That was the big question coming off of Stapleton’s big CMA wins: would radio respond? And now that we have the new numbers from Mediabase, the answer is “Yes.” There’s still a long way to go before Chris Stapleton’s success translates fully to the radio format, but he’s off to a running start.
Last week, Chris Stapleton’s song “Nobody To Blame” was the 2nd-most added song on country radio from reporting stations, with a total of 64 adds according to Mediabase. The only artist and song to beat Stapleton was Eric Church’s “Mr. Misunderstood” from the surprise album of the same name that came in with 72 adds.
According to Neilsen’s Soundscan—a different monitoring company, and the one Billboard uses for its charts—Chris Stapleton’s “Nobody To Blame” received 283 new spins during the reporting period, up from a nominal 45 spins from the week before. This was good enough to come in at #46 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, which is not a bad showing for any new single.
But the news just keeps getting better for Stapleton. Now Billboard is saying the songwriter could sell an additional 100,000 equivalent albums this next week, which again would be good enough to keep him at #1 all genre for a second straight reporting period. There seems to be no stopping Stapleton, and radio is having no choice but to react. It’s also important to note that Stapleton’s big CMA moment didn’t come until later in the week, so it may take some more time before we see the full impact on radio. Same goes for the huge sales numbers, which just impacted in full on Monday (11-9). Radio, which is always slow to react on the country side, is just now digesting the Stapleton surge.
Duane Shannon, the Program Director at WGKX in Memphis told Country Aircheck this week, “On Chris Stapleton, he wasn’t getting any [airplay] before this, but that doesn’t mean he won’t. Unless I missed something, the programmers who vote in the CMA’s weren’t playing him. As for me, I don’t base my music decisions on who wins awards or not. [Stapleton] deserves a better look if consumers respond and the market demands it.”
Stapleton selling 177,000 accumulative albums last week was the consumer demand that got country radio’s attention.
Nikki Thomas, the Program Director at KATM in Modesto California said, “‘Traveller’ is such honest music and yes we’re playing it. Believe it or not, the audience leans traditional out here, so they love it. And he sold 177,000 copies since that performance, so somebody likes him. The thing is, I love Sam Hunt and I love Chris Stapleton. And if you can make room for Sam Hunt, you can make room for something more traditional, too. There’s no shame in playing a country record on country radio.“
Meanwhile, Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey”—the song he performed with Justin Timberlake on the CMA awards, sits at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart at the moment, and it’s not even the single impacting radio or receiving points for spins. That was all the power of streams and downloads after Stapleton’s performance.
Where this ball stops rolling, nobody knows. Now the buzz is turning to the fast approaching Grammy Awards, and how Stapleton could have an impact on a stage much bigger than the CMA’s.
November 10, 2015 @ 9:47 am
That is what happens when the mainstream fans hear a little bit of talent.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:24 am
These mainstream fans will listen to whatever is spoon feed to them. The idea is to keep spoon feeding them good stuff.
November 10, 2015 @ 5:17 pm
NO. Spoon feed them bad stuff so they get fat and look like idiots together and don’t know it so I can laugh at them and show them how stupid they are and make the few others like me realize it too.
November 10, 2015 @ 3:16 pm
Exactly Brandon . My own experience with young students , young co-writers , club-goers leaves NO DOUBT in my mind that REAL country in capable hands appeals to any demographic if a listener has the opportunity to be exposed to it . There’s no question in my mind that the AJ’s the George Straits ,The Toby Keith’s , the Clint Blacks , Chris Stapletons….all of those GREAT artists would appeal to ANY demographic as purveyors of a classic country sound and message given more exposure. NO question .
November 10, 2015 @ 6:08 pm
I just turned 19 and I am from Atlantic Canada so I am in a minority. Country music is a major part of my life.
November 10, 2015 @ 9:50 am
I still worry this Stapleton support will die out the further we get from the CMA’s. I love the album and generally Stapleton himself (could do without the hideous Thomas Rhett and Gary Allan songs he had a part in lately), but I just feel it’s going to be awfully tough to keep up this momentum without some other major artists joining the train.
Having songs by Chris Stapleton on the radio is a good thing. Same goes for “Mr. Misunderstood”, but Old freaking Dominion has the #1 song at radio for the second week in a row with their shit on a CD. It’s positive steps and all that, but I worry that much like Kacey Musgraves stint on Country radio that it will end as soon as the fever and hype from the CMA’s die down.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:15 am
I’d say another 100,000 in album sales this upcoming week would go a long way to extending the momentum.
Also, I’ve been talking about putting together an article looking at the counterpoints against Stapleton, and I’m still planning on doing that. The problem is, he keeps winning and that becomes the predominant narrative. However when doing research for it, though he did write a few crappy songs for a few crappy artists, when you zoom out and look at the body of his songwriting work, those bad songs are just a blip.
As far as Old Dominion, that was all in the cards well before the CMA’s. Every male artist gets a #1 on radio these days. That’s the way the system is structured. Chris Stapleton however could symbolize a change in that current strategy. Radio is the one right now looking flat footed and out of touch, and I think they know it.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:50 am
Upon further review, I’ve personally calmed down the songwriting blame rhetoric. Although his bro songs constitute more than a “blimp,” he’s written some really good songs for some really good artist that I really like, but was unaware he had a hand in writing: “Either Way,” Lee Ann Womack and “Higher than the Wall,” Patty Loveless (to name a few).
A man has to eat is the new stance I’m taking.
November 10, 2015 @ 12:17 pm
“A man has to eat…” abso-freaking-lutely right hoptowntiger and good for you.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:53 am
He’s gonna win Grammy’s in the winter & ACM’s (fan voted) after that. He’s a songwriter w/ plenty of (money making) original material. His label will be dry humping him for years. He’s gonna do just fine. The worst thing that can happen is them trying to screw him over & him finding out.
November 10, 2015 @ 1:45 pm
Trig you’re not gonna review Meat and Candy? I was loooking forward to your take on them.
November 10, 2015 @ 2:13 pm
It’s on the list. Been a crazy week after the CMA’s. Doing everything I can to get to as many topics as possible and the news keeps coming.
November 10, 2015 @ 3:01 pm
Oh ya, that’s true. Didn’t even dawn on me.
November 10, 2015 @ 6:44 pm
Old Dominion is garbage. Break Up With Him is an OK song, but i found it very ignorant and generic, and hardly even pop country let alone country. I heard the new single they released today called Snapback….I had to turn it off less than halfway through….I honestly thought it was Fall Out Boy being played on country radio at first until i used Soundhound. They are not country music or even pop country in any way, they would fit right in on pop radio. I’d say they are less country than Sam Hunt which is saying alot.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:24 am
I think we’re looking at the closest thing to a sustainable, traditional-leaning breakout commercial phenomenon since “O Brother Where Art Thou?” a decade ago.
The fact “Tennessee Whiskey” is STILL at #3 on the all-genre iTunes chart after five days suggests his highly-publicized performance was no fluke whatsoever. This isn’t like a performance on “The Voice” or, prior, a “Glee”-cast cover that debuted high on the iTunes chart but collapsed just as quickly after a couple of days. These are sustaining trendlines only Adele is outpacing.
I think Stapleton could very well outsell Aldean’s current album, with an outside shot of even outselling Bryan’s newest album, when all is said and done. Especially if he garners success at the Grammys.
November 10, 2015 @ 9:51 am
Never saw this coming! So glad I saw him at Forecastle this past summer. Couple hundred people watching maybe..
And as good as this album is I still can’t get over Musgraves Pageant Material. It may be my favorite country album of the year. So solid from front to back.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:17 am
Yeah, the days of touring intimate venues are numbered for this cat. Be happy if you’ve seen him in one, because the last few he plays will be the last time you get a chance.
November 10, 2015 @ 2:16 pm
Maybe so, maybe not….I’ve seen Stapleton 3 times, all in intimate venues, all three times blown away. Sounds the same playing live as he does on the record. However, all of the 2016 tours for the traditional headliners are already pretty well set. I bet a few of them regret not adding Stapleton for direct support like Little Big Town did earlier this year. Does he have enough cache to sell our arenas as a headliner, just due to the CMA performance and subsequent spike in record sales? I don’t know, but I kindly doubt it at the moment. When and where and with whom Chris Stapleton plays live shows in 2016 is a pretty big mystery at the moment in my opinion.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:26 am
He was at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA in August. I was out of town on vacation. I imagine he’ll be playing a much bigger venue the next time he comes to the DC area.
November 10, 2015 @ 12:53 pm
I love both albums Brent. In fact, when Spotify does my “Year in Review,” I wouldn’t be surprised to see them #1 and #2. They are equal in my opinion, but Stapleton was better live. Kacey interacts more and puts on a better “show,” but Stapleton’s voice live is a thing to behold. I’ve seen him 3 times in intimate venues for under $20. I doubt that’s the case any longer.
November 10, 2015 @ 9:51 am
I hope his newfound fame doesn’t cause this song to be lived out in real life.
November 10, 2015 @ 9:57 am
I heard Mister Misunderstood for the first time on the Radio in Boston. They freaking edited out the ending of the song. So disappointed.
Heard some Stapleton too. Good for him. Curious to see where it goes for him.
Also curious where it goes for Church. Not sure he is right for crappy radio anymore. And it is crappy.
November 10, 2015 @ 9:59 am
No sign of any Chris Stapleton spins here in Northern Cali.
“The thing is, I love Sam Hunt and I love Chris Stapleton.” -Nikki Thomas
I completely understand having to play the Sam Hunt type crap to make money off the mindless drones listening out there in radio land. But saying that you love it puts you in the same mindless drone category.
Sorry Nikki, with this statement, your credibility as a “program director” is absolutely and completely decimated in my book. Not that had any to begin with.
November 10, 2015 @ 12:55 pm
Why? She’s a program director and spokesperson for a radio station. If she said she hated one of the most popular artists that’s played on her radio, that would ruin her credibility a lot more. And how do you know she doesn’t like Sam Hunt, but is just saying so to appease the masses?
November 10, 2015 @ 1:57 pm
Or, she could have not said it all.
She was trying to make a point that if they made room for Sam Hunt, why not Chris Stapleton. As a radio programmer, she should have left her personal “feelings” out of it. It was a poor choice of words and unprofessional, whether or not she was telling the truth.
November 10, 2015 @ 2:30 pm
“Or, she could have not said it all.”
Huh? The entire article is a piece where a handful of radio spokespeople gave their opinion of the CMAs and Stapleton. Do you suggest they leave her section blank? It’s pretty obvious she’s making a point that country radio is dominated by pop-country, but that there’s room for actual country. In fact, her last statement “There”™s no shame in playing a country record on Country radio” leads me to think she’s well aware of the lack of actual country on the radio and was being snarky. That apparently went over a lot of heads.
For reference:
https://www.countryaircheck.com/pdfs/current110915.pdf
November 10, 2015 @ 2:42 pm
I hate Sam Hunt, but I’m glad she said what she said. Basically, she was calling out country radio, only she did it in a savvy way.
November 10, 2015 @ 3:08 pm
Ditto Trigger. She’s well aware of the disconnect between actual country music and country radio.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:01 am
We all knew that when people were finally introduced to good country music they’d like it. Depending on if they own the rights, if I’m Atlantic Records I’m releasing and promoting the hell out of a song like “Life of Sin” right now.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:20 am
Not sure the logistical hoops that would take. Basically they would be spending radio promo on a song released on another label, so it’s likely not to happen. What I would be doing is getting Sturgill’s new album to print to try and feed off of this momentum. Not sure what the hold up is, but my guess would be it’s going to be an early 2016 release.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:37 am
I think it is a great opportunity for Jason Isbell, too. While he is huge to the “in the know” types already, he could explode onto the mainstream with the right opportunity, imo.
November 10, 2015 @ 12:25 pm
I think he could too. The thing is I don’t think he has any desire too and that’s fine by me.
November 10, 2015 @ 2:00 pm
I would’ve thought that, but his recent overtures lead me wonder if that’s changing. I know he’s mostly an “art for art’s sake” kind of guy, but if there’s a current wave of interest in original songwriters and people outside of the mold, he might be able to reach a larger audience without compromising his art.
November 11, 2015 @ 6:27 am
This is pretty much completely untrue. Millions of people who love George Strait and Garth Brooks, or people who grew up on blues-influenced music will love it. That’s it. I’m 22, and my friends range from 17-30. I’ve spent the last 6-7 years trying to show my friends better music, and it just doesn’t work.
Young people who don’t already listen to this type of music do not like it and are not going to. Every now and then a song will catch on with some, but, for the most part, it’s just not what they want to hear. They complain about it being boring, sad, or too serious.
The best analogy I’ve seen on SCM comments is real country music is like craft beer. Nobody is oblivious to it’s existence, yet tasteless macros like Bud Light are infinitely more popular. Some light beer drinkers might pick up a six-pack of Blue Moon or Leine, and even occasionally Shiner, but they won’t look further than that.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:02 am
Boring. Re-treaded country. Not innovative. Outlaw Costume. Singing about fishing poles, trucks and same things everybody else does. Bought & paid for”¦.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:06 am
brett Colsen: what you”™ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
November 10, 2015 @ 12:08 pm
Fuzzy, I live for this reply from you whenever I spot a troll, and you never let me down. I do not know you personally, but may you live a long and prosperous life with many wives and offspring.
*hats off*
November 10, 2015 @ 10:18 am
“Outlaw costume”? Oh good, I thought it was just me who thought that.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:25 am
The reason I posted a video for “Nobody To Blame” is because there’s this whole misguided backlash brewing about how Stapleton isn’t country and it’s all a big act. If you watch that video and say it isn’t country, then you don’t know what country is. That’s Waylon half-time, Stapleton playing his own leads with incredible twang through a vintage Fender sunburst Mustang, Mickey Raphael blowing on the harmonica, and singing harmonies with your wife.
There’s a lot of people who are angry over this because their entire identity is wrapped around being REAL country, and if everyone jumps on the bandwagon, they’re worried it will ruin what makes them unique. Can’t we be happy for victories for true country music?
November 10, 2015 @ 10:59 am
In that video, is that Mickey from Willie Nelson’s band on hamarnica? And is that his wife singing backup? She’s rather animated (rather distracting) compared to Stapelton.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:16 am
Yes it’s Mickey.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:14 am
“There”™s a lot of people who are angry over this because their entire identity is wrapped around being REAL country, and if everyone jumps on the bandwagon, they”™re worried it will ruin what makes them unique.”
You cannot please everyone, no matter how hard you try. There will be those who will always have a dislike of others who are different from themselves. But these are small mean creatures who do not matter in the general scheme of things, so long as they are not given the time of day when they speak of such things, so long as they are ignored when they talk of their hatred for those in red, or for those in grey, or when they harp on about silly differences in taste or culture. These shallow animals are frightened and insecure, worried that their way of life will be changed by the nearness of others who do things differently, they are not to be heeded, not to be given any importance.
November 10, 2015 @ 12:55 pm
“There”™s a lot of people who are angry over this because their entire identity is wrapped around being REAL country, and if everyone jumps on the bandwagon, they”™re worried it will ruin what makes them unique.”
I call these people hipsters.
November 11, 2015 @ 7:10 am
Maybe a few, but I think most ultra-traditionalists identify more as rural, libertarian rebels than hipsters, given the comments I see here and on other sites. There seems to be more sense of a way of life under attack than a sense of artistic superiority (which what I would define as hipster.)
November 11, 2015 @ 7:35 am
I grew up a very intense New York Yankee fan. My Dad is from the Bronx and I was born there, although we left when I was a toddler, eventually for the northern suburbs. My most intense years as a fan would have been the late 60’s/ early ’70s (The Horace Clarke Years), when they were typically a mediocre team and the Mets were clearly the best team in town. Then, they started winning again in the late ’70s and people started jumping on the bandwagon. And I didn’t much care for those people. I was a REAL Yankee fan! And the ones that really irritated me were people who weren’t even from the NY area. I figured they probably rooted for the Lakers and Cowboys, too.
November 10, 2015 @ 8:33 pm
Also, have you heard Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore or Whiskey and You? I don’t know how that’s NOT country and damn good country at that.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:14 am
So what you’re saying is you haven’t actually listened to him. You should do that before opening your yap.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:05 am
I only listen to the radio when I forget my ipod so I haven’t heard any of his music but they are promoting his new show to an unheard of level. A week before the radio stations weren’t even mentioning he was coming to town (he plays Thursday), now not only has his show sold out, but their promoting the tickets their giving away like they would for Taylor Swift.
This is just proof that fans do want traditional country music. How many times have radio stations used the cliched “if there was a demand for traditional stuff we would play it”
November 10, 2015 @ 10:17 am
Trig,
Also important to point out that Tennessee Whiskey managed to jump to #23 on Billboard Hot 100, which is pretty remarkable. He also has 4 other songs from ‘Traveller’ in the top 50 on the Hot Country songs chart which is also great!
November 10, 2015 @ 10:26 am
Yes, he’s having an impact all over the place. At some point, I just get tired of rattling off stats (and so do readers). But yes, his success is wide and sweeping.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:57 am
That performance might have been a low point for country radio credibility.
DJs on social media had no idea who he was. It was Justin Timberlake and some guy with a beard. When the camera cut to Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush, they had no idea who they were.
When they were pressed about why they never play Chris Stapleton, they had no answer. Because the answer is, “nobody told me to play him…I play no role in deciding what songs I play.”
More people in sports radio know about Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson than in country radio. Most people in music radio are hollow. Empty vessels.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:00 am
I strongly agree.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:58 am
yep. This is a small step for Main-stream Country radio, but I like it all the same. I can only hope this means Grammy nomination in the coming yr. For Chris Stapleton once again. Let this pull Jason Isbel and Strugil Simpson with this good news. They also are very talented artists who need a little time on mainstream country radio. IMO. I do think Chris Stapleton will pass sales of
Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean by Yr. End…
There is no hiding the quality of talent this man has.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:21 am
While that is all good and dandy for those who hope to win back country music, I personally don’t give 2 shits how much radio plays Chris now, or if they ever play isbell and sturgill for that matter. The fact that they’re playing his music now only shows how shortsighted they are and how dumb they think you are. I prefer my musical interests to stay as far the fuck away from country radio as possible because there is no good that can come from it. Fuck country radio. Seriously.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:46 am
Amen brother.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:38 am
Regardless of how much sales strength Stapleton has between now and the Grammy Awards, what is already plain to see is that the post-CMA bump he has enjoyed is a huge aberration from the norm.
Even Kacey Musgraves didn’t have a post-CMA boost nearly as large as Stapleton’s. Granted “Same Trailer, Different Park” was buoyed by a near-unprecedented amount of hype right out of the gate so few could dare to say “Who is Kacey Musgraves?” with a straight face then……………but it seems quite obvious that Stapleton has succeeded in tapping into a deeper cultural nerve ending than Musgraves didn’t quite as much.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out to be much the exact same vein that has propelled Adele to record-shattering stardom. I’m certainly not saying that Stapleton is going to go Diamond with “Traveller” and garner multiple Billboard Hot 100 #1 hits like Adele, but I do think there is a strong chance we’re looking at solid consistent sales that few artists can replicate on a weekly basis like Adele because they let their music speak for itself.
I dare predict, by the time the Grammys come around in February, “Traveller” will have shifted enough copies to go Platinum. And if he generates even moderate success at the Grammys (i.e. sweeping the country/Americana categories), “Traveller” has a great chance at outselling “Old Boots New Dirt” and “Kill The Lights” by mid-2016.
November 10, 2015 @ 11:55 am
Chris Stapleton’s notoriety is nothing short of wonderful. He really has the whole package going on from where I sit… great f’ing voice (blues, country, RB, rock… ya he can sing it all!) , he can write, he can play, and I totally dig his appearance too. Hell since I found out about cats like him, Whitey Morgan, and Blackberry Smoke right here on SCM I’ve adopted the whole seventies outlaw look myself. Quit cutting my hair, tossed on Henley felt, pulled on my beat up Justin’s and KMA if you don’t like it. Feels good to be true to yourself hoss.
November 10, 2015 @ 5:14 pm
Chris Stapleton is a sellout. stop giving him a blowjob and make decisions for yourself.
November 10, 2015 @ 6:42 pm
Oh I am sorry I couldn’t understand what you were saying there with your lips on my ass.
November 11, 2015 @ 2:44 pm
I have no recollection of my lips being on your ass. You’re just upset because I’m smart enough to see through the games that CMA puts on and not dumb enough to jump out at every hook that comes in front of me offering some since of false satisfaction that things are getting better.
November 10, 2015 @ 12:36 pm
I seem to remember “Man of Constant Sorrow” having huge sales figures with zero airplay. Didn’t it win awards? The PD in Memphis pretty much says how radio feels. They do what they want. And what their corporate boss in a city 1000 miles away says. No matter if they are familiar with the market or not. I will believe the revolution when it happens.
November 10, 2015 @ 12:54 pm
That’s what I was saying above in this thread.
“O Brother Where Art Thou?” was an unprecedented success that I’m still in awe over. It went six-times Platinum last time I checked, and absolutely no promotion outside of the film itself up until the Grammys.
I honestly think “Traveller” will wind up being the closest thing we’ll see to the phenomenon of “O Brother Where Art Thou” nearly a decade ago. It won’t sell as much as that album, but I actually think it has an outside shot of out-selling Luke Bryan’s current album (“Kill The Lights”) and likely will if he even merely sweeps the Country/Americana categories at the Grammys and is afforded a performance slot.
November 10, 2015 @ 1:12 pm
And just like “Man of Constant Sorrow” did not lead to bluegrass taking over country music radio, neither will Chris Stapleton’s success. First, people who like quality country music don’t listen to country music radio (who the hell listens to radio period???). Second, most male country music performers are popular because they are cute, not because their music is great. Third, I’ve said it before and will say it again, most people love common denominator crap. Not because they are ignorant, but because they like crap. They shop at Walmart and they drink Coors and they eat MacDonalds. Why would country music be the one place in their lives they seek quality?
Anyway, I love Stapleton and Isbell and love the level of success they have achieved. I hope it continues forever. They deserve it, as do so many other quality performers mentioned regularly on this site. Hope I am wrong, but I do think there is a ceiling on quality music of all kinds, subject to the occasional exception.
November 10, 2015 @ 5:25 pm
Look I know I don’t know you at all and for the most part we agree on music but you kinda sound like an elitist.Everyone can’t afford to shop at trendy boutiques ,drink $20 a 4-pack craft beer and eat prime-rib everynight.None of these factors affect a person’s taste in music.Alot of people listen to mainstream music because they don’t know of any other alternative ,but I’m with you a lot of people just don’t care and are happy with whatever is on the radio.
November 11, 2015 @ 7:25 am
“Oh Brother” did not lead to mainstream radio play, but it did lead to play on independent stations and, more generally, to a rise in interest in traditional Appalachian music. That, in turn helped give Americana a huge boost in popularity. It wasn’t mainstream success, but it made it possible for Old Crow, the Avetts and Gillian Welch, as well as many lesser known (and sometimes better) acts to live quite comfortably. So while Chris’s success may only make a few cracks in the mainstream wall, it could lead to an increase in traditional country fans, allowing more artists to focus on their music without the stress of scraping by and, overall, a healthier scene.
November 10, 2015 @ 1:20 pm
At the beginning of the year, do you think Dean Dillon expected to have “Tennessee Whiskey” light up his bank account again!?
Awesome. $!
November 10, 2015 @ 1:25 pm
But the only Grammy he wins is Best Country Album, right?
With an outside shot at Best Album?
Right? Or not?
November 10, 2015 @ 1:55 pm
While I don’t think he is a shoo-in, I do think Stapleton’s chances of both Best New Artist and Album of the Year category nominations have risen exponentially since his CMA domination…………..and I dare say it’s more likely than not he’ll get nominated in BOTH categories.
As for his actual chances at winning, it’s a toss-up. It’s a toss-up because we need to wait and see who gets nominated. Stapleton obviously needs to land nominations, but I’m also curious to see whether BOTH Dr. Dre’s “Compton” and Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly” do too.
If only one or the other do, Stapleton’s chances are akin to a 98-yard Hail Mary completion in gusty wind conditions. I think this because Dr. Dre will be backed by enormous goodwill from the academy due to this being his last album (thus the sentimental factor) and also having a hit film coupling this hit soundtrack (just like “O Brother Where Art Thou” previously). Kendrick Lamar, too, must be looked at as a favorite on paper because of his high-selling, unanimously acclaimed “To Pimp A Butterfly”, and the academy may feel motivated to award him especially after denying him anything before with the also outstanding “good kid m.A.D city”.
On the other hand, if BOTH get nominated, then Stapleton’s chances improve greatly due to these two critically praised rappers siphoning off support from each other. At that point, it will come down to a toss-up likely between Stapleton and Hozier in the Album Of The Year category, while he already stands strong in Best New Artist
November 10, 2015 @ 2:30 pm
Is 1989 not in contest for Album of the Year?
November 10, 2015 @ 3:35 pm
It may at least be in contest, but I don’t think it has a good shot. I explain why below in a post that I meant to go here in direct response to you.
November 10, 2015 @ 2:15 pm
I’ll defer to Nadia on this one, but like I said, I’m done putting limits on what Chris Stapleton is capable of. Nothing would surprise me at this point.
November 10, 2015 @ 1:48 pm
Imagine if all this leads to the mainstream artists putting out more traditional, meaningful material, and then out comes Sturgill Simpson next year with an EDM album.
November 10, 2015 @ 2:12 pm
HA! This is not completely out of the realm of possibility. Though I don’t think Sturgill will make a totally EDM album. I just think he MIGHT include some synthesizers and such since he’s pretty much already told us that in interviews.
November 10, 2015 @ 5:14 pm
wouldn’t a bluegrass album be more likely from sturgill than an edm one?
November 10, 2015 @ 8:18 pm
I saw him not too long ago and yes, he had synthesizers (and a theremin!) but at the same time, he did it in way that was both tasteful and innovative. I thought it actually helped flesh out the sound of a few songs. I was lucky enough to see a full album-style version of “It Ain’t All Flowers” and it was wonderfully trippy space rock, the likes of which I haven’t heard since Pink Floyd’s “Echoes.” Country? Nah, not really; the song never was. But it was certainly damn good
November 10, 2015 @ 8:47 pm
I’m not making any preconceptions about Sturgill Simpson’s new music. We’ll just have to wait and see.
November 10, 2015 @ 3:42 pm
Though I am sure Simpson will continue to strive for quality, I’ve nonetheless never viewed him as an artist who is content on sticking in genre parameters for long.
If we approach Simpson’s work without the expectation he’ll be the righteous heir to Waylon Jennings, then it’s all good and awesome. But if you do, you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment because Simpson has already repeatedly mentioned he is curious to tackle other territory musically.
That’s underscored by signing to a label bolstered by indie rock artists. I’m betting we’re much more likely to see Simpson gradually transition much like Neko Case has from something resembling alternative country to a sound that’s more purely singer-songwriter centric and weaves modestly from other musical styles.
November 10, 2015 @ 2:03 pm
I hate to be a downer, but I really don’t think this will have a big impact on mainstream country.
We can’t forget that 7 years ago, Jamey Johnson scored a platinum album, a gold-selling top 10 hit, and massive critical acclaim. He even managed a gold-selling #1 follow up album.
Or Kacey Musgraves, who also won big and was supported by platinum selling top 15 hit.
Until Stapleton puts together a string of top 10 hits, I don’t think this will shift country music very much.
However, if we’re lucky, Stapleton will score hits and radio will also pick up Jon Pardi, William Michael Morgan, Mo Pitney and Kacey Musgraves.
Surprisingly, there are enough major label artists currently signed to start a revolution. The question is whether or not the country music industry wants a revolution.
November 10, 2015 @ 2:09 pm
I think the reason Mo Pitney, William Michael Morgan, Sturgill Simpson, and Brandy Clark got major label deals is because there’s murmurings on Music Row that a traditional country resurgence is building. Whether they want to try and stimulate it with these new artists or they’re just hedging their bets, we’ll have to see. But Chris Stapleton’s success might be the catalyst for this resurgence that was already beginning to brew well before last Wednesday.
November 10, 2015 @ 3:32 pm
One thing I’m curious about:
Most of the people that bought his album last week were CMA viewers. Most CMA viewers are mainstream country fans who tuned in to see Luke Bryan, FGL and Tim McGraw. They may have just bought the album because of all the excitement. They might not actually like it that much after they’ve listened through it.
And thus, they’ll go back to listening to Luke and FGL. If they’re still listening to Stapleton 5 months from now, that would be great. I’m scared that many just got caught up in the excitement and will go back to normal country once the CMA’s are old news.
November 10, 2015 @ 6:18 pm
I think that’s entirely possible, but as with Kacey Musgraves, every time one of these perceived neotraditionalists makes a splash of any sort, the door cracks open a little more for others. For the sake of argument, let’s say Stapleton and Musgraves were to both drop off, give up music entirely, and decide to move to outer Siberia to open a yak farm.
Even if they’re gone, maybe they (and others) made enough splash that some of the bigwigs see dollar signs in introducing other people “like them.” Well, one can hope.
November 10, 2015 @ 6:20 pm
Mainstream country fans don’t buy records. The people who do buy whole records tend to be more attentive listeners. Don’t underestimate the demographics the CMA’s pulled, especially for the Timberlake performance.
Stapleton’s success is very good news for country music. At some point, there will be bad news again. Chances are, there will be more bad news than good. So let’s soak these moments up instead of trying to explains reasons why it all won’t matter in the long run. It does matter, and if Stapleton sells another 100,000 albums next week, there will be no sign that any of this is slowing down.
November 10, 2015 @ 3:32 pm
I highly doubt it. In fact, I see Swift being one of the weaker nominees this time around in the Album Of the Year field (assuming she doesn’t get snubbed altogether)
She may have, by far, the highest sakes of any of her peers. But more often than not, larger-selling nominees don’t walk away with the accolade. Beck demonstrated this last year, for instance.
Besides that, this has arguably been the single most polarizing era for Swift. I think she has a sizable faction of support, but I can easily see just as much, if not more, a faction in the Academy who are inclined not to back her up because they’ll view the album as more a commercial collection of hits as opposed to a definitive artistic achievement. They won’t view it as essential in spite of its massive commercial yields.
No, I think should she get nominated, SHE will face the higher odds.
November 10, 2015 @ 4:04 pm
WSIX in Nashville just played “Nobody to Blame.” Hell yeah!
I decided to flip on the radio for a little while and leave it on the background out of curiosity, just to see if I would hear Stapleton. Sure enough, they played him. They even left in the cool jamming part on the end of the track. The “DJ” introduced the song and babbled on about the CMA performance after it ended.
The grit and non-digitally processed nature of Stapleton’s vocal, combined with the actual live instruments on the track make it stand out in a positive way. It sounded really cool on the radio.
In other news, that song by Old Dominion is the most lame, bland retread of bro-country ever. I’m now turning my radio off.
November 10, 2015 @ 4:54 pm
Portland, Oregon’s (my residence) 98.7 The Bull has started playing both “Nobody to Blame” and “Tennessee Whiskey” since his big CMA wins as well.
What remains to be seen is whether most of these stations will continue to support him well after the CMA afterglow dissipates. I think it’ll depend on a combination of where he’ll be at with sales (I predict “Traveller” will remain a consistent seller through the Grammys) and listener callout (he may face stiff resistance on that front)
November 10, 2015 @ 4:36 pm
Whether or not radio plays it, Traveller is a fantastic album that’s destined to become a classic. The more people that hear it, the better the world is. I don’t know what, if any, repercussions this will have in the cause of saving country music, but I’ll take this as a victory and stay hopeful.
November 10, 2015 @ 5:01 pm
It isn’t even one of my favorite albums released this year in country music (I explained in the official review of the album that while I thought both the vocals and instrumentation are home runs, lyrically a number of tracks lacked much detail or context and could have been considerably more complete, and gave it a score that was still solid but notably lower than how most regard it here)………………but there’s absolutely no question I’m absolutely delighted this has become a breakout success story.
Stapleton is among the single most nicest males in music of any genre from all I’ve read and heard, and this kind of success couldn’t come to a more down-to-earth, hard-working man. This is a beautiful story to behold, and he has my full support regardless of my personal opinion at least ten better country albums have been released in 2015.
November 10, 2015 @ 6:39 pm
Hey Nadia,
Just curious… what albums are at the top of your personal list at this point?
Whitey Morgan? Wade Bowen?
Personally, I’m waiting with bated breath for Haley Georgia to release her first full length. 😉
November 10, 2015 @ 8:22 pm
Just a few I can think of:
Whitey Morgan – Sonic Ranch
Eric Strickland – Revelate
Ashley Monroe – The Blade
Lee Ann Womack- The Way I’m Livin (2014)
November 10, 2015 @ 9:45 pm
I’m curious too. I’m in the mood for some good current country I might not have heard.
Oh Lord, Haley Georgia, don’t remind me. Sounds like a one-horse town, or a one-cell brain.
November 11, 2015 @ 1:23 pm
Melissa,
Ha ha. Yeah, Haley Georgia is even worse than Kelsea Ballerini, if that’s even possible. I pray that she has no discernible impact on the country music genre, and goes back to her day job, which judging by her music, I assume involves performing as a cut-rate Kesha impersonator on Carnival cruise ships.
November 11, 2015 @ 1:34 am
Whitey Morgan’s “Sonic Ranch” tops my list still, with Gretchen Peters’ “Blackbirds”, James McMurtry’s “Complicated Game”, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen’s “Hold My Beer, Volume 1” and Don Henley’s “Cass County” rounding out my Top Five right now.
That’s just my preference. I genuinely like both Stapleton’s album and Isbell’s “Something More Than Free”. I just don’t consider either at the pinnacle of all that’s been released this year. But I’m certainly cheering both on in their rising fame and accolades.
When it comes to Mainstream albums, I have to say Ashley Monroe amd Kacey Musgraves get top honors, while both Maddie & Tae and Eric Church’s new album (not country necessarily, but damn solid heartland rock) would rate next in line. Kip Moore deserves an honorable mention though his album isn’t country at all.
November 11, 2015 @ 8:53 am
A high tide lifts all boats. I am currently posting from San Marcos, Texas and the Randy Rogers Band got its start here and has a huge following around here. Here’s a great interview with Randy Rogers:
http://www.theeagle.com/entertainment/randy-rogers-band-returns-to-play-hurricane-harry-s-tonight/article_82ddfd6e-7ec3-11e5-a52e-8348e27dc6ef.html
November 10, 2015 @ 5:06 pm
Ew. Yuck underground country is becoming not underground anymore. Chris Stapleton is a sellout. He can go and make love to CMA and the stupid fascists of Nashville. He is now playing their games and is going to be their next marketing technique. Stop praising him he doesn’t write half his songs anyway so that automatically means he lacks any creativity. He will just become like the rest of them. All the sheep who just discovered him are now going to think they’re so special and found a new gem. They can keep their shitty radio that they have already trashed and want people like sellout Stapleton to clean up for them. Let Nashville and top 40 “country” FM radio die.
November 10, 2015 @ 5:29 pm
Hipster.
November 11, 2015 @ 2:52 pm
How does that make me a hipster? I just see through all their stupid games and tricks. I’m an outcast in society for a reason. They know what they have did but chose not to accept it. I am hated for my knowledge that consciously holds power over them and can see their next moves..
November 10, 2015 @ 8:42 pm
So you can’t appreciate good quality music simply because it’s not “underground”? I feel sorry for you. And what exactly did he do to sellout? Accepting three awards that were given to him? I guess he should have walked up on stage and told everyone there to go to hell and then thrown the awards at the audience? Also, he wrote or co-wrote 12 out of 14 songs on Traveller. Now I’m no math expert, but I’m pretty sure that comes out to 6/7’s of his songs, not half. Not to mention he co-wrote every single song on the first two Steeldriver’s albums.
November 10, 2015 @ 5:16 pm
I’m glad Chris Stapleton has a #1 hit and 2 top 40 hits but He needs them on country airplay chart as well.
November 10, 2015 @ 6:21 pm
Sorry to pour cold water, BUT…you gotta read between the numbers. Yes, CS got +284 spins this week, which was add week for ‘Blame’. Adds reported on a Monday, CMA’s on Wed, chart closes Sunday. 284 spins on 64 stations equals 4.5 spins per station in one week. To add perspective, the #1 song this week got over 8,000 spins in one week.
Now look at the day parts that 284 spins came from. It’s in 2 areas: 2a-6a (overnight graveyard) and 6a-10a (morn drive). Graveyard doesn’t count and the morning drives, while awesome, were curiosity plays by morning jocks or syndicated shows (Bones) post-CMA’s.
I guess any spins are good spins for this artist, but let’s hold off the parade for now.
November 10, 2015 @ 6:31 pm
That’s typically how non A-list artists/entertainers start out in chart runs for any respective single release, though.
Hell, Dierks Bentley is about as established as someone who is regularly subject to debate over whether he’s an A or B-lister can possibly be, and his current single “Riser” started off slowly with the early spins coming overwhelmingly from early morning hours and/or after 10 PM. Brantley Gilbert has to be considered an A-lister, yet his two most recent singles have started ridiculously slow and even now, “Stone Cold Sober” is only heard after hours here.
I don’t view these early results as unique in the case of Stapleton. It isn’t about how you start, but how you finish, and so we’ll just have to wait and see if Stapleton succeeds in having his single graduate to medium and perhaps even heavy rotation on key stations or not.
I think listener callout will reveal strong clues regarding its broader fate. Stapleton’s raw sound may just prove too much for a sizable fraction of listeners to where they translate as Heavy Dislike scores that also doomed The Band Perry’s “Live Forever” and Jake Owen’s “Réal Life” (and, if the trend holds up, Easton Corbin’s “Yup” and Billy Currington’s “Drinkin’ Town With A Football Problem” too). But if it’s countered by a large Passionate Like score, he may go all the way near the top.
November 10, 2015 @ 6:24 pm
I’ve just learned that Stapleton’s CMA successes are now rippling across both the Atlantic and Pacific onto other charts as well.
In the United Kingdom, “Traveller” is ALREADY #6 on their country album chart after one day of sales. Stapleton is also enjoying a surge in Australia in as short of time, though to a somewhat lesser extent (#23 presently).
The record for highest general chart peak for a country album in the United Kingdom is #10 for The Shires, with Kacey Musgraves close behind at #11 recently with “Pageant Material”. It will be interesting to see if Stapleton’s sales continue accelerating to where he can break that record as well.
November 10, 2015 @ 8:33 pm
Bobby Bones has been claiming that he “discovered” Stapleton pretty hard these days. He even played a live version of him singing on his morning show. He proceeded to immediately cleanse the pallets of the masses from the great music by shoving bullshit down america’s throats with FGL, Sam Hunt, and Swindell. In that order. I hate the radio.
November 12, 2015 @ 8:15 pm
Bobby Bones is a skid mark in the underpants of society.
I heard Nobody to Blame on 104.9 out of Great Falls, MT today, it was awesome.
November 10, 2015 @ 8:33 pm
I’m going to say some prayers he doesn’t change. The Country Music industry has a way of changing people for the worse when they realize money can be made off of them.
November 10, 2015 @ 8:54 pm
Just thought this would be a good thread to share this on. This is an awesome bluegrass band called Balsam Range doing a Chris Stapleton/Mike Henderson co-write called Better Days. I wonder if it was written for one of the Steeldriver albums and didn’t make the cut. It’s an outstanding song. I’d love to hear Stapleton record it.
https://youtu.be/QNa0QI-vxwI
November 10, 2015 @ 10:36 pm
Balsam Range is great. They’re huge in the bluegrass IBMA circuit.
November 10, 2015 @ 10:50 pm
Yes, I’ve loved their music since I heard Trains I Missed a few years ago. Buddy Melton’s voice is incredible.
November 11, 2015 @ 9:07 am
Interesting. I have heard Balsam Range, but didn’t know about the writing credit. I do know that some of the people Stapleton has written with are still out there doing some pretty interesting and varied stuff – Henderson still does the blues things around Nashville, as far as I know. Bowman’s “Band of Ruhks” is bluegrass. Jerry Salley is now taking bookings – doing more gospel and old-time things, from what I can tell. He and Larry Cordle and Carl Jackson are all together at the Frank Brown Songwriter Festival in Orange Beach, Alabama. That festival is really a great place to see tremendous talent and originality on display. Dean Dillon was there last year.
November 11, 2015 @ 11:53 am
I’m happy to see Chris receive the recognition he so deserves. I knew this album was special when I played on it (and not because I played on it). I toured w/Chris for several months & he gives the people that comes to his shows 200% night after night. His talents are amazing along w/his band & wife (Morgane). I’ve worked w/many legendary artists through out the years & he is at the top of the list. He sings w/such conviction & it seems effortless, but I know it’s a task to deliver such feel in the lyrics, night after night. It’s exciting for me & I couldn’t be more proud to see great things happen for such a great artist.
November 11, 2015 @ 12:05 pm
I’m happy for you, I’m happy for Stapleton, I’m happy that over the last week, Robby Turner, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Tami Nelison have all left comments here.
November 12, 2015 @ 9:06 am
The irony of a country radio programmer saying “There”™s no shame in playing a country record on country radio.“ That pretty much sums up country radio today.