ZZ Top's New Documentary Spurs Rock Chart Debuts, Streaming & Sales Gains

"La Grange" and "Sharp Dressed Man" enter Hot Rock Songs.

Two ZZ Top classics reach Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart dated March 21, sparked by a new documentary chronicling the band's half-century history.

"La Grange" leads the way on the streaming-, sales- and airplay-based tally, where older songs are allowed to enter if in the top half and with a meaningful reason for their resurgence. Originally a No. 41 hit for the trio on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974, it debuts on Hot Rock Songs at No. 12.

In the tracking week running Feb. 28-March 5, the song collected 1.4 million U.S. streams, up 16%, and sold 2,000 downloads, a boost of 85%, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

Additionally, "Sharp Dressed Man" bows on Hot Rock Songs at No. 14, with 1.6 million streams, up 13%, and 1,000 sold, up 42%. The track hit No. 8 on the Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart and No. 56 on the Hot 100 in 1983.

The gains follow the release of the documentary ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas. Originally premiered in a limited theater run in 2019 (the 50th anniversary of the band's founding), the film received a home video and digital release on Feb. 28, including on Netflix.

Overall, ZZ Top's catalog, which includes 15 studio albums (the most recent of which, La Futura, arrived in 2012), garnered 7.7 million on-demand streams in the tracking week ending March 5, a vault of 80%. Album-wise, the act earned 11,000 equivalent album units (up 89%), with 5,000 of those units via album sales. The band sold 12,000 song downloads, a boost of 78%.

---