1. Mumford & Sons' 'Babel' Makes Grammy-Fueled Return To No. 1 On Billboard 200

    February 20, 2013 10:55 AM EST 1 0 28 0 As forecasted a week ago, Mumford & Sons' Babel returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the wake of their Grammy Award win for album of the year on Feb. 10. The set -- which rises 4-1 on the tally -- sold 185,000 copies in the week endi ...

  2. Mindy McCready and the 'Celebrity Rehab' Curse

    February 19, 2013 12:18 PM EST 1 6 19 0 The late country singer, who shot herself on Feb. 17, is the fifth alum of the six-season VH1 series to die after appearing on the show. “These are hardcore, decades-long f----ups and alcoholics who have decimated their careers and their lives. Y ...

  3. Mindy McCready: Nashville Music Biz -- Joe Galante, David Malloy, More -- Remembers 'Stunning' Talent

    February 18, 2013 6:46 PM EST 2 38 29 0 Mindy McCready may have had many problems in the last years of her life, but those in the country music industry who knew her and interacted with her throughout her years in Nashville remember a sweet but strong woman, dedicated to her career, w ...

  4. Mindy McCready Becomes Fifth 'Celebrity Rehab' Death

    February 18, 2013 12:40 PM EST "Unfortunately it seems that Mindy did not sustain her treatment," Dr. Drew says Dr. Drew Pinsky, who treated Mindy McCready on his VH1 show "Celebrity Rehab" -- which has now experienced five deaths among cast-members over the ...

  5. Mindy McCready's Death: Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Other Stars React on Twitter

    February 18, 2013 2:07 AM EST 1 42 24 0 News of country singer Mindy McCready's apparent suicide saddened the music world on Sunday night (February 17) and prompted Country stars to take to Twitter to share their reactions to the tragedy. Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, John Rich ...

  6. Mindy McCready's Billboard Chart History

    February 17, 2013 11:55 PM EST 1 1 26 0 Mindy McCready, who died Sunday of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound , was known in recent years more for her personal troubles than for her musical career. However, In the mid-'90s she enjoyed a string, albeit relatively brief, of ...

  7. Taylor Swift, Fun. Aiming For Top 10 Return on Next Week’s Billboard 200 Chart

    February 15, 2013 9:56 PM EST 2 6 19 0 In the wake of the Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, few major artists opted to release new albums this past week. So on next week's Billboard 200 chart, expect to see a lot of familiar faces at the top of the list -- with many sporting big sales in ...

  8. Chart Moves: Soundtracks Sales Sizzle Thanks to 'Pitch Perfect,' ‘Les Miserables’

    February 14, 2013 9:10 PM EST 205 22 0 Josh Groban crowned the Billboard 200 this week with "All That Echoes," his third No. 1 album . The pop singer sold 145,000 copies of the set in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Elsewhere in the top 10: Tim McGraw arriv ...

  9. Grammy Awards Send Sales Surging on Billboard Charts

    February 13, 2013 12:01 PM EST 4 12 107 0 Though Nielsen SoundScan's latest sales tracking week ended at the close of business on Sunday night, Feb. 10 -- the same day as the Grammy Awards -- the Billboard charts still feel the force of music's biggest night. While we will se ...

  10. ACM Awards 2013: Eric Church, Hunter Hayes and Taylor Swift Lead Nominees

    February 13, 2013 11:40 AM EST 1 2 32 0 The nominees for the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards were announced today via a digial press conference. When the final nominations were all tallied, it became clear voters went to "Church" -- as Capitol Nashville recording ...

  11. Grammys Spur Early Sales Gains for Mumford & Sons, Lumineers, Frank Ocean

    February 11, 2013 9:40 PM EST 7 14 0 While official numbers aren't in yet, sources suggest that some of the biggest sales winners from the Grammy Awards on Feb. 10 include Mumford & Sons, the Lumineers, Frank Ocean, Rihanna and fun. Music sales for the week ending Feb. 10, ...

  12. Live Nation Country to Launch Faster Horses Country Fest in Michigan

    February 11, 2013 2:08 PM EST 1 65 31 0 This field will be full of country music fans in July. Live Nation Country President Brian O'Connell took this photo with his iPhone from what will be the stage area for the Faster Horses Festival in Michigan Live Nation Country president B ...

  13. Grammys 2013: 15 Things You Didn’t See on TV

    February 11, 2013 1:37 AM EST 2 25 94 0 0 Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z performed in black and white, Elton John dueted with Ed Sheeran, Prince presented an award with a diamond-studded cane, and Bruno Mars was joined on stage by Sting, Rihanna, and Damien Marley as part of an all-star ...

  14. Snoop Dogg Sparks Up While Busta Rhymes, Evan Bogart Share Stories at BMI ‘How I Wrote That Song’ Panel

    February 09, 2013 10:23 PM EST 51 35 0 0 Above, L-R: Luke Laird, B.o.B, Snoop Dogg, BMI VP of writer/publisher relations Catherine Brewton, Evan Bogart and Busta Rhymes. (Photo: Joe Scarnici) This year's edition of BMI's annual “How I Wrote That Song” panel, held Feb. 9 at ...

  15. Tim McGraw Heading for 15th Top 10 Album on Next Week’s Billboard 200 Chart

    February 08, 2013 8:20 PM EST 2 14 0 Country superstar Tim McGraw is on course for his 15th top 10 album on the Billboard 200 chart with his new set, "Two Lanes of Freedom." Industry sources say the effort is set for a No. 2 bow and could sell 100,000 copies by the end of ...

  16. Grammy Readers Poll Results: Fun., Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran in the Lead So Far

    February 08, 2013 4:28 PM EST 52 84 0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Norma ...

  17. Josh Groban's 'All That Echoes' Eyeing No. 1 on Next Week’s Billboard 200 Chart

    February 06, 2013 9:21 PM EST 1 8 24 0 For the moment, it seems as if Josh Groban will collect his third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 next week with his latest release, "All That Echoes." It would follow his chart-toppers "Closer" (2004) and "Noel" (2 ...

  18. Justin Bieber Becomes First Artist With Five No. 1 Albums Before 19th Birthday

    February 06, 2013 10:57 AM EST 182 159 0 As expected, Justin Bieber achieves his fifth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 as "Believe Acoustic" debuts atop the list with 211,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. With the arrival, he becomes the only artist to have notched ...

  19. Bubbling Under: Could Kristina Maria Be The Next Carly Rae Jepsen?

    February 01, 2013 10:58 AM EST 15 0 Each Friday, Billboard presents "Bubbling Under," a weekly look at new and noteworthy acts making their way toward Billboard chart success. Up this week: Kristina Maria, Tom Odell, Blackberry Smoke and T.Rone Kristina Maria Could Kristi ...

  20. Gary Allan Earns First No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart

    January 30, 2013 10:41 AM EST 10 82 19 0 Country singer Gary Allan notches his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart as Set You Free , his ninth studio album, debuts atop the list with 106,000 sold according to Nielsen SoundScan. It grants him his best sales week ever, surpassing the ...

  21. Taylor Swift Scores ‘Long Term Partnership’ With Diet Coke

    January 28, 2013 6:09 PM EST 1 17 22 0 Coca-Cola confirmed Monday reports that Diet Coke has committed to "long-term partnership with" Taylor Swift. As part of Diet Coke’s Stay Extraordinary campaign, Swift will be featured in television, print and digital advertising sched ...

  22. Grammy Awards 2013: Retailers Predict Sales Spikes for Mumford, Underwood, More

    January 27, 2013 1:30 PM EST 2 11 21 0 As the industry awaits the Grammy Awards show on Feb. 10, retailers are hoping that the Recording Academy aligns the show’s performance schedule to optimize sales and produce a show like the past two years, which drove consumers to retail for mo ...

  23. Nash FM Brings Country Back to New York

    January 24, 2013 9:00 PM EST When WXRP New York hit the play button on Randy Houser's "How Country Feels" on Jan. 21, it marked the return of country music to terrestrial radio in the nation's largest market after an absence of more than a decade. It ...

  24. Carrie Underwood, Jack White & the Lumineers to Perform at Grammy Awards

    January 24, 2013 6:49 PM EST 7 0 0 A burst of additional performers for next month's Grammy Awards was announced Thursday morning, with current nominees Carrie Underwood, the Lumineers and Jack White set to take the Staples Center stage on Feb. 10. In addition, there will be d ...

  25. Gary Allan Set for First No. 1 Album on Next Week's Billboard 200 Chart

    January 24, 2013 5:21 PM EST 3 1 0 After a Billboard chart career that dates back to 1996, country singer Gary Allan is on course for his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. Industry sources suggest that his new release, Set You Free , may sell around 80,000 to 90,000 cop ...

  26. What WNSH -- NYC's New Country Station -- Means for the City and the Genre

    January 23, 2013 5:26 PM EST 1 0 0 When WXRP New York hit the play button on Randy Houser's "How Country Feels" on Jan. 21, it marked the return of country music to terrestrial radio in the nation's largest market after an absence of more than a decade. It was a ...

  27. Exclusive: Lionel Richie Signs With Red Light Management

    January 22, 2013 6:43 PM EST Legendary hit maker Lionel Richie has signed with Red Light Management for representation, Billboard.biz has learned. This is the second major signing of the young year for RLM, which recently added Tiesto to its growing list of clients. Best know ...

  28. Cumulus Launches First Country Station in New York City Since 1996

    January 21, 2013 1:36 PM EST After a lengthy period of format stunting that included simulcasting Hot AC WPLJ, Cumulus Media has launched a country format called Nash-FM on the 94.7 frequency in New York. Cumulus acquired the station, WFME, from Family Stations, a nonprofit C ...

  29. Chris Tomlin Scores First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart

    January 16, 2013 4:58 PM EST 3 388 8 0 Singer/songwriter Chris Tomlin claims his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as his "Burning Lights" opens atop the list with 73,000 sold according to Nielsen SoundScan. The Christian music veteran's new set also arrives ...

  30. 2013 Grammy Awards: Best Country Song & Album Nominations

    December 21, 2012 11:24 AM EST from twang and swing to rock and beyond, the best of the genre's diverse offerings had two things in common: heart and soul b est Country Song "Blown Away" Songwriters: Josh Kear, Chris Tompkins Artist: Carrie Underwood From: Blown ...

  31. Florida Georgia Line 'Cruise's To No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, Dethroning Taylor Swift

    December 13, 2012 2:15 PM EST In the first turnover atop Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart since the ranking's formula changed from core country radio audience to a digital, streaming and expanded radio panel hybrid, Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" s ...

  32. Luke Bryan Wins Big at American Country Awards

    December 11, 2012 1:47 AM EST Luke Bryan at the American Country Awards. (Getty Images) Luke Bryan was the top winner at the third annual American Country Music Awards Monday night (Dec. 10) at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Bryan took home nine awards, including Male Artist, Sing ...

  33. Civil Wars Cancel Tour, Cite 'Internal Discord, Irreconcilable Differences'

    November 06, 2012 6:23 PM EST Tuesday afternoon saw a whirlwind of activity in the camp of acclaimed duo The Civil Wars. This afternoon, the duo posted the following on their Facebook page : "We sincerely apologize for the canceling of all of our tour dates. It is somethi ...

  34. Hurricane Sandy Makes Its Mark on CMA Week

    November 02, 2012 7:39 PM EDT Hurricane Sandy left its mark on Nashville during a week filled with awards dinners and the annual CMA Awards. Billboard's FutureSound Conference, takes place November 15-16 in San Francisco. FutureSound will feature keynotes from the top min ...

  35. Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town Win Big at CMA Awards

    November 01, 2012 11:52 PM EDT Once again, tonight's 46th Annual Country Music Association Awards proved to be "Nashville's Night With The Stars." The ABC network telecast, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, was a mix of the old and the new, with m ...

  36. Tim McGraw Sets Feb. Release For First Post-Curb Album

    October 30, 2012 5:05 PM EDT NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tim McGraw has announced a Feb. 5 release date for his first album since leaving Curb Records. "Two Lanes of Freedom" is McGraw's first release since a judge granted him the right to record for Big Machine Re ...

  37. Brad Paisley, Ben Hayslip Win Big at ASCAP Country Awards

    October 30, 2012 3:21 PM EDT From left; ASCAP's Randy Grimmett, Cal IV's Daniel Hill, songwriter Terry Sawchuk, songwriter Eric Paslay, Cal IV's Natalie Harker and Billy Lynn, ASCAP's Michael Martin. Songwriter/artist of the year Brad Paisley and songwrite ...

  38. Is the Rock-and-Pop-ification of Country Good or Bad? Mike Dungan, Radio Execs Weigh In

    October 23, 2012 2:38 PM EDT When the Country Music Assn. unveiled the finalists for its 46th annual awards, the list was met with numerous frowns. It had plenty of room for boundary-challenging acts, but not much space for tradition. Eric Church's "Springsteen,&quo ...

  39. Luke Bryan Signs Marketing, Cross-Promotion Deal With Cabela's

    October 15, 2012 4:53 PM EDT Country star Luke Bryan, managed by Red Light Management, and Cabela's, billed as the World's Foremost Outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, have inked a multi-year partnership centered around a series of cross-promotions and m ...

  40. Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood Honor the Greats At Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction

    October 08, 2012 5:37 PM EDT Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Marc Cohn, Bekka Bramlett and J. Fred Knobloch were among those paying tribute Sunday night (Oct.7) as Larry Henley, Kim Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Tony Arata were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hal ...

  41. Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Band Perry Added To CMA Awards Lineup

    October 08, 2012 10:27 AM EDT Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church and the Band Perry have joined the roster of performers at the 46th Annual CMA Awards on November 1. Register today for the Billboard Touring Conference & Awards November 7-8 in New York City and Sa ...

  42. Mark Johnson, Banjo Player, Wins Steve Martin Bluegrass Prize

    September 21, 2012 5:29 AM EDT Banjo player Mark Johnson, who combines a clawhammer style with the three-finger style of bluegrass picking to create a unique hybrid sound, is the recipient of the third annual Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. Johnson wil ...

  43. Taylor Swift's 'Never': Country Song With Most Weeks at No. 1 Since 1980

    September 12, 2012 2:18 PM EDT 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' rebounds 2-1 for a third week on top, marking the longest command for a country song since Kenny Rogers' 'Lady.' Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together&q ...

  44. Taylor Swift, Dean Brody Take Home Canadian Country Music Association Honors

    September 10, 2012 10:33 AM EDT While Toronto has been buzzing with the 37th Toronto International Film Festival and music stars from Selena Gomez to Rob Zombie and Natalie Maines descending on the city to help promote certain films, two provinces west in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ...

  45. Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert Lead CMA Award Nominations

    September 05, 2012 10:36 AM EDT Eric Church grabbed five nominations for this year's CMA Awards -- including nods for Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for Chief , and three nominations for hit song "Springsteen -- to lead all artists, with husband and wife ...

  46. Taylor Swift Vs. Carrie Underwood: Who's Country's Chart Queen?

    September 04, 2012 11:55 AM EDT When it comes to which women dominate country music today, it seems most would answer either Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood. But, between them, whose star shines brighter? Let's run some numbers. Take a look and then vote for your favorite ...

  47. Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum To Announce CMA Awards Noms in NYC

    August 21, 2012 2:52 PM EDT NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Country Music Association Awards will be bringing a little twang to the big city when nominations are announced next month. Country superstars Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum plan to reveal nominees in five categories ...

  48. Alison Krauss, Russell Moore Lead Bluegrass Nominations

    August 17, 2012 7:15 PM EDT Many of the top stars in bluegrass music were in attendance Wednesday at Nashville's Loveless Barn as the nominations were announced for the 23rd Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards. Figuring prominently in the mix were Russell Moore ...

  49. Taylor Swift Announces 'Red' Album, New Single

    August 13, 2012 8:35 PM EDT Taylor Swift is one artist who knows how to make a splash, and that was apparent in her YouTube webcast on Monday night. She interacted with her legion of fans, answering plenty of questions and dropping the news that the music world has been wait ...

  50. Florida Georgia Line, Parmalee, Sarah Darling: How SiriusXM Is Helping Break New Country Acts Terrestrial Radio Won't Touch

    August 07, 2012 3:30 PM EDT Florida Georgia Line sold 162,000 downloads of "Cruise," according to Nielsen SoundScan, and got a recording deal with Republic Nashville to boot. Parmalee has amassed 76,000 downloads of "Musta Had a Good Time" and is receivin ...

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