Maddie & Tae’s “Girl In A Country Song” Makes History By Hitting #1
“Girl In A Country Song” becomes:
- First #1 song on radio by a female act in over 2 years.
- First #1 debut song on radio by a female act in nearly 5 years.
- First #1 debut song not by Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, or Taylor Swift in 10 years.
- First #1 song on radio for DOT Records in 40 years.
- Only second #1 debut song from a female duo in Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart 25 year history.
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When Big Machine Label Group’s President and CEO Scott Borchetta signed a completely unknown 18-year-old singing duo based seemingly on the strength of one song, it seemed like a risky move, and one betting on the fact that the country music public was tiring of the Bro-Country trend and heading towards a backlash. Though the rise of “Girl In A Country Song” has been very slow (which is customary with many premier singles from previously-unknown artists in country), Scott Borchetta’s gamble has paid off, and the song is now #1 on country radio according to Mediabase. The distinction shatters a slew of dubious distinctions for the country format, and helps to slay the absolute dearth of female representation on country radio.
“Girl In A Country Song” received 7,986 spins from November 30th to December 6th according to Mediabase, besting its nearest competition, Tim McGraw’s “Shotgun Rider” by an impressive 684 spins. The song also gained 502 spins week over week. These numbers are good enough to land Maddie & Tae at #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart to be published Monday afternoon.
What does this all mean? It means that country radio has its very first female-led act to hit number one on country radio in over 2 years. “Girl In A Country Song” is the first to top the chart since Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” in October of 2012. That was a whopping 26 months ago. That’s right, not even the Carrie Underwood / Miranda Lambert collaboration “Somethin’ Bad” went to #1 on radio, nor did any of those Taylor Swift blockbusters.
You have to go back even farther, nearly five years ago to January of 2010, to find the last time a country female artist had her first #1 hit on radio. It was Miranda Lambert’s “White Liar.” Even more stunning, you have to go all the way back to 2004—over-10 years ago— to find the last time a woman that wasn’t Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, or Taylor Swift celebrated a debut #1. That would be Gretchen Wilson according to the tabulations of country writer Billy Dukes. This doesn’t take into consideration groups with females in them like Sugarland or Lady Antebellum, but deals solely with solo artists or acts exclusively consisting of females.
Also the super duo The Wreckers made up of Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp had a “debut” #1 single in country called “Leave The Pieces” in 2006, but since both of these women had major singles as part of pop careers previous to their country success, it wasn’t a debut for the artists, just for the artists in the country format.
“Girl In A Country Song” also happens to be the first #1 for Big Machine’s DOT Records imprint in 40 years—which is where Maddie & Tae reside—but that is more of a symbolic victory since the label was mothballed for a majority of that time.
“Girl In A Country Song” has already gone gold, denoting over 500,000 digital downloads, and the video has already received over 13 million views. And all of this from a duo who when listening to their EP, leans more towards the traditional side, and for a song that overtly challenges the role females are cast in with many of country music’s other big hits.
If you needed yet another sign that Bro-Country is on it’s way out, the airplay success of “Girl In A Country Song,” which is a better barometer of the industry compared to metrics that factor in sales and streams, is a pretty good indication. Like the song or not, Maddie & Tae have have just etched an indelible mark on the country music timeline that will be very important for both women and the content of country moving forward.
December 8, 2014 @ 2:19 pm
YES!!! This means people realize the sexism in country! Hopefully this is a sign of imminent change.
December 8, 2014 @ 2:48 pm
What chart are u basing the first fact off. I know miranda lambert automatic went #1 as did mamas broken heart in the last two years. Something bad only went number one on billboard hot country songs no airplay so I understand that one.
December 8, 2014 @ 2:54 pm
These numbers are based off of Airplay aggregated by Mediabase. These are usually pretty different from Billboard’s “Hot Country Songs” chart which factors in sales and streaming data, and cross-genre Airplay on pop radio. Because there’s so many charts now, some songs can be officially claimed as #1, even if they only hit the distinction on one of the multiple charts. The reason this #1 is so significant is because radio is the one thing the industry controls, and is not up to the whims of the consumer. The concern has been that the industry has not been showing enough support to females lately, and the fact that there has been songs go #1 on the “Hot Songs” chart but still falter on radio lends to this theory.
December 8, 2014 @ 2:56 pm
I missed your post by a few moments, but I believe you’re conflating the fact that Maddie & Tae’s song was named #1 at Mediabase w/ historical data from Billboard Airplay.
Miranda Lambert’s “Automatic” went #1 at MB this year but not BB.
This will, of course, all be moot – because M&T is about to be named #1 on Billboard Country Airplay as well.
December 8, 2014 @ 3:13 pm
I’m not saying anything anywhere about #1’s on Mediabase CHARTS. What I did say in both this article and my comment was that Mediabase is the entity which AGGREGATES the airplay numbers. I’m not making any claims about any song’s performance on Mediabase charts.
December 8, 2014 @ 3:32 pm
There are two major airplay monitoring services.
Mediabase.
Nielsen/BDS.
Mediabase’s data fuels the Mediabase country chart.
Nielsen/BDS data fuels the Billboard Country Airplay Chart.
Ever notice how some songs hit #1 on Billboard Country Airplay but not #1 on Mediabase Country Airplay? This is why.
December 8, 2014 @ 3:57 pm
Ugh. See, this is why I hate running chart stories. Because they invariably bog down in people either getting confused by minutia, or perpetuating the minutia with stuff that in the end really doesn’t matter about the cultural impact which is the foundation of what I’m trying to highlight here. I don’t publish charts. I publish opinion and insight. Or at I least attempt to.
The reason I quoted Mediabase numbers is because those were the only numbers I had access to when I was composing this article, and I wanted a specific illustration of the impact “Girl In A Country Song” is having on radio. I am not the first, nor the only individual saying these numbers will lend to Maddie & Tae having the first #1 on country radio in over 2 years on Billboard’s Airplay chart. I’m probably the 4th or 5th. What I concerned myself with here is a greater discussion on the cultural impact all of this might have on country music.
December 8, 2014 @ 4:07 pm
And by the way Daw, I really do appreciate you trying to clarify these matters because they can be quite confusing. But in the end if the facts are correct, then I personally prefer to focus on the issues behind the numbers.
December 8, 2014 @ 2:55 pm
I believe the stats above would hold true for Billboard Country Airplay (which “Girl” will top, but that #1 technically won’t be revealed for a few minutes). Miranda has had some #1s on Mediabase, but she hasn’t hit #1 on Billboard since Over You.
December 8, 2014 @ 2:58 pm
Miranda’s “Automatic” was #3 on the Airplay chart, for example. It was actually #4 on Hot Country Songs as well.
December 8, 2014 @ 2:59 pm
It hit #1 on Mediabase Airplay:
http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/130394/miranda-lambert-automatic-is-1-single
December 8, 2014 @ 3:26 pm
I’m not talking about Mediabase CHARTS. I’m talking about Mediabase NUMBERS. Mediabase is what some industry insiders pay attention to, while Billboard is what many consumers pay attention to. As I said in the article:
“These numbers are good enough to land Maddie & Tae at #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart to be published Monday afternoon.”
This is one of the reasons the charts are so confusing for consumers, because there’s so many of them, and their metrics are mostly different. An artist can claim a #1 if they get it on a certain chart, even if the song really hasn’t had the traditional impact of a number #1 song in culture.
Overall, the charts are symbolic. What should be focused on here is how this song from an unknown female duo has made a big impact, and what this all means for country music at large. That’s where the minutia of chart jargon fail to tell the whole story many times. Even if “Automatic” had been #1 on Billboard Country Airplay, I still would consider the reception of “Girl In A Country Song” historic, because it’s not from Miranda, Carrie, or Taylor.
Country music has FINALLY launched another female act, or so it appears that way. This is very significant given the current environment.
December 8, 2014 @ 4:06 pm
I understood what you mean by that. And yeah I am confused.
So what constitutes an official #1 song. Is there a certain chart that the industry focuses on more than the other? Like Something Bad for instiance, in an article I read recently it said a Billboard #1 song. So does that mean Miranda can’t claim it as her 9th number one song? And you said Mediabase AGGREGATES the airplay numbers. What is the difference between charts and numbers?
sorry just so confused. I see artist claim number 1s all the time but some claim media base some billboard some neilson
December 8, 2014 @ 4:18 pm
In my opinion, Mediabase is a chart that more of the industry pays attention to, while Billboard is the more globally-recognized chart released for consumers and the greater consciousness. What seems to constitute an “official” #1 song these days seems to be it hitting #1 on ANY charts from ANY entity. Part of this, in my opinion, was caused when Billboard changed their chart rules in 2012 and muddied their “Hot Country Songs” chart to where now more people pay attention to the ancillary charts as opposed to the one that’s supposed to be the “be all, end all.” As Daw Johnson explained below:
“There are two major airplay monitoring services.
Mediabase.
Nielsen/BDS.
Mediabase”™s data fuels the Mediabase country chart.
Nielsen/BDS data fuels the Billboard Country Airplay Chart.”
I completely agree it is very confusing, and that is why I do my best to avoid the whole exercise of talking about charts unless I can’t help it. Even if I get it, communicating chart info to others is difficult, yet it seems easier for others, and they love to pipe in and tell you you’re wrong. That’s why I like to focus on the bigger issue as opposed to getting bogged down in chart talk. Charts are supposed to simply the information and offer insight into the impact of music, not complicate matters.
December 8, 2014 @ 3:02 pm
Well, I’ll be darned. Good for them! 🙂
December 8, 2014 @ 3:15 pm
Excellent. I imagine Cole Swindell et al. are feel a bit precarious currently, what with there being a song at #1 that rubbishes everything that their public image consists of.
December 8, 2014 @ 3:37 pm
I don’t understand why you guys are so jacked up about this. Its probably one of the most annoying songs I’ve ever heard by two dumb sluts who are not country whatsoever. This is coming from a traditional country fan. Figure it out idiots.
December 8, 2014 @ 3:45 pm
“Dumb sluts.” Such a great ambassador for traditional country.
But if you want an honest answer, there are two trends deemed unappealing in country music right now:
1) Loss of signature country sounds, sensibilities and lyrics.
2) Lack of female artists topping the charts.
This might not solve 1, but it solves 2, and that’s better a Cole Swindell ascent to #1 that would solve neither.
December 8, 2014 @ 3:46 pm
“two dumb sluts”? So, we are to take your opinion seriously? You might want to hide your misogyny better next time. You are no better than the douche’s in the bro-country matrix.
December 8, 2014 @ 4:04 pm
“two dumb sluts”
What’s your foundation for this assertion? How do you know Maddie & Tae are either stupid, or promiscuous? Because you don’t like their music? Would you want people making similar assumptions about your own daughter/granddaughter/niece/sister/mother?
“who are not country whatsoever”
Huh, because I listened to their EP, and it was one of the most traditional country-sounding records I’ve hear all year out of the mainstream.
If you don’t like Maddie & Tae, hey, that’s your right, and I respect that opinion. Honestly, I don’t particularly think “Girl In A Country” song is that great either. But that doesn’t mean it’s impact is not important, that it may not open the door for better songs and artists, and isn’t better than whatever it is replacing on the country charts.
I don’t appreciate you calling me an “idiot” just because I felt the subject was important to broach.
December 8, 2014 @ 4:20 pm
Have another vinegar&water and call it a night.
December 8, 2014 @ 3:54 pm
We have two mainstream country stations here in Charlotte, NC. Both have been playing the hell out of “Girl in a Country Song”! I love the song, but I am sorta of getting sick of hearing it. But that’s a good thing, after hearing “Ready Set Roll” (Chase Rice) ad nauseam for the whole year. No, it’s not everything I want from a country song, but it is very refreshing. It had a slow start when it was first released, so I was worried that it would suffer the same fate as Maggie Rose’s “Girl in Your Truck Song” and Meghan Linsey’s “Try Harder Than That,” both of which are very modern in their production. So, I am happy to see Maddie & Tae break through, especially since the quality of their EP is also refreshing. They are very much in the Shania Twain style of modern country, but I can handle that.
December 8, 2014 @ 4:54 pm
Their EP was traditional? If you call fake drum beats in the background and fake country accents traditional. I’ve taken shits more country than these two. Lyrics are brutal as well. Obviously just two teenage princesses trying to make it large. Everyone will eat it up and buy their stuff anyways as with all the other new garbage out these days.
We need Alan and George to release new albums like I can’t even settle for this stuff. Maybe some new Josh Turner? That’d be nice.
You guys might be getting desperate.
December 8, 2014 @ 5:39 pm
They are infinitely more country than these Bro-Country douchewads are. They actually have somewhat traditional instrumentation on most of their songs, and I think the overdone accents on “Girl In a Country Song” were supposed to sound fake as a way to make fun of the bros. I am exactly their age and I think they are cute, but that doesn’t have much to do with it. I myself dream of bringing back way more traditional sounds in a modern context, to make it appeal greatly to traditional fans and pop country fans alike,as hard as that is. But my depression is currently keeping me from going out and acting on these dreams at all. After college maybe. I aplaud these young ladies for their success, and while they are not purely traditional, they make better music than any other mainstream artist. I hope they release another single soon. And you need to keep your loud mouth to yourself Donny. Insulting two young women singing a funny, anti-bro song and honest, thoughtful music is shameful.
December 9, 2014 @ 7:55 am
“Their EP was traditional?”
Do you have issues with reading comprehension, or is your ADHD so sever that you just can’t focus long enough to read an entire sentence? This is what was said:
“….it was one of the most traditional country-sounding records I”™ve hear all year out of the mainstream.”
“One of the most”, “all year”, and “mainstream” are the key points here. He’s not saying that it’s traditional in the sense that Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family are traditional; just that these ladies are a surprising breath of fresh air in the hog confinement-like environment of modern country radio ruled by the likes of FGL, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan.
December 8, 2014 @ 5:02 pm
Thank you Trigger!
December 8, 2014 @ 6:58 pm
I actually love this song a lot. I probably listen to it once a day since it’s on my latest playlist. Glad it’s doing well.
December 8, 2014 @ 7:19 pm
The wreckers debut single “Leave the pieces” went #1 in 2006 so that makes it 8 years not 10. Still an amazing accomplishment non the less.
December 8, 2014 @ 10:37 pm
I’ve updated this story with The Wreckers information, and the freshly unearthed fact that Maddie & Tae are only the second female duo in Billboard’s Country Airplay chart history to have a debut #1. But I feel like saying The Wrecker’s #1 single was a “debut” is a little disingenuous since Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp both had successful pop careers (and singles) previous to the duo. They were well known names to both the industry and the public, so I’m not sure if I want to count that as a “debut” per se.
December 8, 2014 @ 8:06 pm
Being associated with Scott Borchetta really kills it for me.
It would be like opening the front door to a brand new Gibson guitar with a bow on it and then noticing a big Obama signature on the body.
December 11, 2014 @ 12:36 pm
For once in a non sarcastic tone: THANKS OBAMA!!
*shreds on his new les paul.*
December 8, 2014 @ 10:01 pm
“Fly” has just been announced as their follow-up single, and I’m not exactly sure what I think about that.
On one hand, there’s absolutely no doubt “Girl In A Country Song” has been an unmitigated success on all fronts except one (which I’ll explain that one exception in a moment). As you mention in the header of this article, it is a decisive milestone moment for not only females of the format, but also for debut artists (although, in fairness, I think Florida-Georgia Line and Darius Rucker both qualify as those who reached #1 off their debut single on this format). So, if the “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!” motto applies here, I would actually argue “Sierra” would resonate better as a proper follow-up in that it’s very much in the same playful, wry vein as “Girl In A Country Song” was in its clever attempts to skirt profanity in the song’s lyrics.
On the other hand, there was a sole metric where “Girl In A Country Song” may not quite have succeeded as was hoped: mirroring the magnitude of Florida-Georgia Line’s debut and giving them a run for their money in the Best Duo category for future awards shows. The single undoubtedly sold quite well for a debut in that it just attained a Gold certification, but it’s also not exactly a dominating release (it is currently #21 on the iTunes Top 100 Country Songs chart). My educated guess is that when it comes to listener callout, the track scored reasonably well in radio surveys, but there was a notable divide between females and males regardless of median age.
So, with the latter taken into consideration, it’s arguably wise for the duo to see where this ballad takes them. They’ve got little to lose at this point especially considering one song doesn’t exactly make a trend and they have yet to prove to casual listeners they are more than just a gimmick act. Even if it underperforms, they have a powerful label that can quickly buoy them back towards the top with “Sierra” or another energetic cut off of their forthcoming full-length debut.
December 8, 2014 @ 10:22 pm
I really wish Music Row would just put me in charge of all single release decisions. I swear this is where the female artists are being fumbled by the industry. I know they have metrics and focus group data to go off of, but sometimes you have to go with your gut. “Sierra” is the only logical followup, and then maybe “Fly,” though maybe they’re thinking they don’t want them to comes across as a gimmick. But I see “Fly” faltering in the upper 20’s of the chart, then making Big Machine’s radio people and Program Directors reluctant to give a 3rd single a try.
But you’re right, “Sierra” might be good for once the LP hits.
December 8, 2014 @ 11:12 pm
I’d personally prefer “Sierra” to “Fly” too, and I was just trying to speculate a possibility as to why they’re attempting a bold play with a ballad this early in their career.
Where we can agree is that “Your Side of Town” doesn’t stand out as anything particularly distinctive and while not a bad song by any means, what they crucially need most of all at this point is something that make listeners tell them apart from the likes of Miranda Lambert. “Your Side of Town” errs too closely to the style of Lambert’s fiery rock-leaning barnstormers.
I’ve also heard live cuts of tracks that have yet to see studio treatments including “Smoke”, “Takin’ It Easy”, “Shut Up and Fish” and “After the Storm Blows Through”. Granted all of them were acoustic performances, but my raw reaction with each of them is that “Sierra” still stands out as the most likely track to make the broadest impression on listeners in that all of these tracks aside from “Shut Up and Fish” are laid-back, breezy and/or introspective offerings.
If I were Maddie & Tae, I would look to the strategy the Zac Brown Band followed in carving out a breakout major label debut era. Much like the Zac Brown Band, they have emerged onto the scene with something that’s energetic and also panders or at least flirts with the zeitgeist. Then, the Zac Brown Band released a breezy mid-tempo love song followed by a laid-back but fun-loving beach song and, finally by their fourth single, would go on to release two consecutive ballads that enjoyed massive success the group otherwise may not have pulled off if they had jumped the gun.
December 9, 2014 @ 8:43 am
It’s amazing how Miranda started doing better on the charts when Joe Galante left Sony and started getting nominated with boat loads of award and at the very same time Carrie stopped winning.
December 9, 2014 @ 10:45 am
I just don’t get why this is a big deal, it’s a disgrace to country music. Yes I get it’s witty and about making fun of cliches in the genre’s male-dominated charts. What I don’t get is why this is called a country song.
It has a drum machine. Just like Cole Swindell’s chillin it and Jason Aldeans burnin it down. They’re pop songs, and as soon as you throw in that drum machine, it’s no longer country.
Make it number one on the pop charts and tell Cole and Jason to join them.
December 9, 2014 @ 11:57 am
While I’m not a fan of drum machines myself, I hardly think the use of synthesized percussion is the dividing line between what is and is not country.
Shoot, it hasn’t been all that long ago that drums themselves weren’t considered country. The Grand Ole Opry didn’t allow the use of drums at all for many years, and full drums sets weren’t allowed onstage until it moved to Opryland in 1973.
I think the disco-esque synthesized hand-clapping on Thomas Rhett’s “Make Me Wanna” crosses the line, though. Not that that even a mandolin and guest vocals from Roy Acuff could do anything to make that song anywhere close to country.
December 9, 2014 @ 1:25 pm
Well said Adrian, Tom lose your mangina bud
December 10, 2014 @ 8:03 am
Yes, it was well said by Adrian (though I disagree) because he thought about it critically, made points that supported his opinion, and didn’t resort to personal pejoratives. Imagine that.
December 9, 2014 @ 2:48 pm
How is this song Country? Sounds like the other BS people complain about plus it is getting overplayed I get the message but I doubt it is how they really feel.
December 9, 2014 @ 2:54 pm
RIP Bro Country…Welcome B* well I won’t put that
December 9, 2014 @ 10:02 pm
I like the message of the song whether the girls really believe what they’re singing or not. The underlying problem I see with this song and all the other pop-country offerings is that there isn’t any varying time signatures. Being a bluegrass musician myself, I understand that you can have a song that is in 2-4, 3-4, or 4-4 timing which a lot of the earlier country music had; plus swing and Gospel influences. All of these songs are pretty much the same time signature and to me this song though the message is clear enough sounds identical to everything else on country radio.
December 13, 2014 @ 1:07 am
Tyler you make an excellent point about the time signature rut country is stuck in and I’ve mentioned it myself several times here in the threads. Its like the writers can’t even think outside of that box anymore, either . Waltzes , Shuffles , straight 4 , 2/4’s , Texas Swing/Jives ….there are so many options and they USED to put people on a dance floor . No one dances to country music today . Yes there’s a lot of arm waving and swaying …but no one at those shows is actually dancing and most certainly not with a partner . Over the years , we’ve noticed this in the clubs. If we try to play those newer cut time rhythms , no one gets up . The dancers in clubs will ask for older standards just because they know they can have a good time dancing to them ( Boot Scootin Boogie- actually most of Brooks and Dunn’s stuff was dance music , Chatahoochie , Old Time R and Roll , The Dance , any kind of swing …Alseep At The Wheel ,..etc… ) I’ve always found it interesting that country music seems to have deliberately killed the dancing aspect of the genre while chasing the younger demographic’s dollars .
December 10, 2014 @ 10:33 am
It’s definitely a step in the right direction, I just wish it was for a better song. This song is terrible, it has the same hip-hop related loop beat bro-country has used for success. The idea of the song is great; however, the delivery doesn’t capture it. Maybe it’s just me, but this song is as pop as anything on the radio.
December 12, 2014 @ 11:04 pm
Agree, the production, on top of the poor lyrics, ruins it as well.
December 12, 2014 @ 11:03 pm
I think the song pretty much sucks. Not country, lyrics are cringe worthy, etc. I think some people are overlooking a lot of this just because the song isn’t bro-country, which has dominated the charts lately.
I don’t see these girls becoming stars. They’re what, 18 years old, and they get a record deal based on what exactly? I think they’ve skipped some steps in artist development because Borchetta couldn’t wait to market them to the anti-bro country crowd. Nice for them to cash in now, but I have a little more respect for the artist that plays shows and builds a following naturally.
December 14, 2014 @ 6:31 pm
The video is superb. They deserve the recognition.
There should be golden trumpets and cheering crowds to mark their good choice in selecting this song. You Go, Girls.
It’s so seldom to see women lavished with praise. In fact, few notice all of the quiet sacrifices women are making in their thankless corners of desperation to be heard.
This is what success looks like. Immediate gratification for long term sacrifices.