Little Big Town Earns Fourth Top Country Albums No. 1 With ‘Nightfall,’ Dustin Lynch’s ‘Tullahoma’ Starts in Top Five

Little Big Town‘s ninth full-length album Nightfall opens at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart (dated Feb. 1). In its first week ending Jan. 23, the set earned 31,000 equivalent album units, with 26,000 in album sales, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

On the all-genre Billboard 200, Nightfall begins at No. 13. The 13-song set was co-produced by Little Big Town, Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian.

For Little Big Town – the foursome of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook – Nightfall marks the group’s fourth Top Country Albums No. 1, all of which have debuted at the pinnacle.

“We’ve been blown away by the incredible response to this record,” Fairchild tells Billboard. “The connection people are having with the songs is what we could have only hoped for. Thanks to our team for the most exciting launch we’ve ever had.”

Nightfall follows the act’s The Breaker, which bowed at No. 1 on Top Country Albums in March 2017. The set followed 2016’s pop release Wanderlust, a collaboration with star pop/R&B writer-producer Pharrell Williams. Before The Breaker, LBT charted on the survey with Pain Killer, which debuted and peaked at No. 3 in November 2014.

The act’s first two Top Country Albums leaders, Tornado and The Reason Why, opened on top in September 2012 and September 2010, respectively. The band first hit the chart with its debut self-titled set (No. 40, 2002), followed by The Road to Here (No. 12, 2006) and A Place to Land (No. 10, 2007), the first of the group’s five top 10s.

Nightfall lead single “Over Drinking” bumps 56-55 on Country Airplay, up 19% to 1.3 audience impressions in the week ending Jan. 26.

Related

Dustin Lynch Finds His Lane On Hometown-Inspired Album 'Tullahoma'

01/16/2020

LYNCH LAUNCHES Dustin Lynch‘s Tullahoma starts at No. 4 on Top Country Albums with 16,000 equivalent album units (7,000 in album sales). Lynch produced the 11-song set, which is named after his Tennessee hometown, with Zach Crowell.

The album marks Lynch’s fourth total and consecutive top five entry on Top Country Albums, all of which have debuted in the region. Lynch’s self-titled first LP opened at the apex in 2012, followed by Where It’s At (No. 2, 2014) and Current Mood (No. 2, 2017).

Tullahoma arrives already boasting two Country Airplay No. 1s: “Good Girl” led the list dated Jan. 19, 2019, and sophomore single “Ridin’ Roads” ruled the Jan. 11, 2020, tally. On the Hot Country Songs chart, which blends airplay, streaming and sales data, the tracks reached Nos. 8 and 5, respectively.

‘BACK’ UP Jason Aldean rolls up his 31st Country Airplay top 10 as “We Back” lifts 11-10 (22.1 million impressions, up 2%).

Aldean ties Rascal Flatts for the 12th-most top 10s since the chart began in January 1990. George Strait leads with 61 top 10s.

KNIGHTS, TRITT BOW Hot Country Knights – the brainchild of Dierks Bentley and fronted by his mullet-sporting alter ego, Doug Douglason – earn the week’s highest debut on Country Airplay, as “Pick Her Up,” featuring Travis Tritt (Capitol Nashville), soars in at No. 41 with 2.1 million in audience. The song enters after just four days of airplay; it was released and received hourly plays on Jan. 23 on participating iHeartMedia stations.

As a soloist, Bentley has scored 17 Country Airplay No. 1s, among 25 top 10s.

Tritt tallies his first Country Airplay entry since 2007’s No. 27-peaking “You Never Take Me Dancing” (written by Richard Marx). Tritt charts his 47th title – a sum that includes five No. 1s, among 19 top 10s – and second-highest debut, after “Anymore” opened at No. 36 in September 1991 and went on to lead for two weeks that October and November. He most recently reigned with “Best of Intentions” in 2000 and last hit the top 10 with “Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde” in 2002.