Tyler Childers Sees Career High Debut for “Snipe Hunter”
Tyler Childers has set a personal best debut with his new album Snipe Hunter, released on July 25th.
The album debuts at #2 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, disrupting the Morgan Wallen party at the top of country, and also comes in at #7 on the all-genre Billboard 200—a personal best for Tyler. His album Country Squire from 2019 hit #1 in country upon its debut, but debuted on the Billboard 200 at #12. This means this is the best showing for a Childers title on the all-genre charts.
Snipe Hunter also has the best debut showing of any of Tyler’s albums in regards to raw numbers. The album sold 47,585 total units in physical albums and streaming equivalents, beating his previous high of 32,000 for Country Squire. Tyler’s 2022 album Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? debuted with 27,000 units sold, and #3 in country. 2023’s Rustin’ in the Rain debuted at #4 in country.
Snipe Hunter sold 26,935 in physical album sales, along with 25.5 million audio streams. This gives Childers top honors in physical sales in country, and puts him at #2 all genre behind Korean band Tomorrow X Together.
In equivalent album sales, Childers was beaten out in country by Morgan Wallen’s mammoth I’m The Problem with its 37 tracks. Wallen occupies the #3 and #4 spots on the Billboard Country Albums chart as well. Shaboozey helps round out the Top 5 with Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going.
Produced by Rick Rubin with assistance from Nick Sanborn, Snipe Hunter has stimulated great conversation if nothing else. Though many critics have lauded the record, reception among country fans has been mixed, making Saving Country Music to declare it the most polarizing album of Tyler Childers’ career.
But sometimes conversation can be the best thing for a record. It also helps that Snipe Hunter includes 13 tracks, where his last albums only had eight, and then seven songs respectively.
The strong debut comes on the 8th Anniversary of Tyler’s best selling album of all time, 2017’s Purgatory, which sits at #32 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, surpassing many newer titles in country, including Tyler’s own. Purgatory is a good reminder that the proof of an album’s success often isn’t measured in weeks, but years. Purgatory debut at #17, but ended up rising to #9 over time, and still remains one of the most popular albums in all of country music.
The story of Snipe Hunter is just getting started. But so far, it’s off to a good start.
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August 4, 2025 @ 6:20 pm
Another great album! Who wants to hear the same sounding album each time?
August 4, 2025 @ 7:23 pm
Good question. I’ve never heard anyone ever say they do. Yet somehow, I see this claim all the time made on the behalf of others.
August 4, 2025 @ 6:53 pm
The sales were largely pre-sales.
The fans were tricked by “Grindstone” and “Oneida” into buying before hearing.
Otherwise, why those two songs?
Yeah.
Fuck Tyler Childers.
August 4, 2025 @ 7:27 pm
A lot of cope in this comment.
Remember, the first thing we heard about this album was from the head honcho of Tyler’s label touting how Rick Rubin produced it. That in itself was probably worth a sales boost. The you had the whole “Feathered Indians” kerfuffle, which put Childers front and center in everyone’s mindset. I agree releasing two songs that didn’t exactly represent the album was a lame move, and yes, pre-sales were strong. But he also created a curiosity/car crash factor that worked in his favor.
We’ll see if in three weeks it’s still ahead of “Purgatory” in the charts.
August 4, 2025 @ 6:59 pm
From the beginning I’ve said the same thing about Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan: There are moments of absolute songwriting brilliance, but too many times I’m left with no hook to hang my hat on, a meandering mess of a melody, and bizarre songs about his favorite lotion or koalas with STDs. Maybe I miss Harlan Howard and Cowboy Jack too much.
That being said, I’m a HUGE fan of what these guys have done for commercial country music and the fact that they’ve brought organic sounds back into mainstream consumption. Tyler Childers gets a hearty “atta boy” from me. I’m also a big fan of artists doing what they want, regardless of public perception and reception. I love when artists try stuff and experiment, even when it’s not to my liking in the end.
I started listening to this album, but the production was a little hard for me to swallow. I’m going to give it another go sometime soon.
August 4, 2025 @ 7:48 pm
I don’t think the backlash will occur until later. Even without all that the album will fall swiftly and won’t be in the top 10 next week. Think it will likely be like Cowboy Carter.
The woke country fans all streamed this album for a week. The vast majority of us aren’t woke and won’t be streaming it or his other albums.
I think his other albums have suffered as a result of conservatives refusing to stream any of his albums.
Morgan returns to number 1 where he will stay.
Fuck Tyler Childers and all the woke dirt bags. Its MAGA szn not politically correct virtue signaling summer
I’m no longer a Tyler fan. Won’t stream him now, next week, or this year. I’m done with him. He doesn’t want conservative fans like Isbell? He made my decision for me, not interested.
August 4, 2025 @ 7:59 pm
I’ve never heard Tyler Childers say he doesn’t want conservative fans, or implied anything similar. You don’t like the album or Childers, fair enough. But let’s not assign opinions to him he hasn’t shared.