Lezli's Blog

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Nielsen BDS List of the Most Played Radio Acts of the Decade

This is a list of all radio acts - yet it is dominated by Country Music! Whoo Hoo!

1. Tim McGraw
2. Toby Keith
3, George Strait
4. Alan Jackson
5. Nickelback
6. Kenny Chesney
7. Rascal Flatts
8. Brooks & Dunn
9. Garth Brooks
10. Green Day

Tim McGraw has logged more than 7.8 million spins in the last 10 years!

Faith Hill Gets a Shock!

10 years ago today Faith Hill hit the top of the charts with a song that would become the 4th most played song of the past decade.

The honor goes to..."Breathe."

She also has the 6th most played song of the past decade.

That song is "The Way You Love Me."

Faith was left speechless with the news, then found her voice and said, "I was absolutely floored. The idea that these songs have connected the way that they have, with so many people, is just magical t me - it's a tremendous honor. It's what inspires me to continue to make music."

Each song has played more than one-million times.

The only other song to have more than a million spins for the country genre?

Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance."

Both songs had extensive play on other formats to boost their spins.

Nielsen BDS List of the Songs Receiving More Than One-Million Spins in the Past Decade
1. Nickelback, "How You Remind Me"
2. Train, "Drops of Jupiter"
3. Lifehouse, "Hanging By a Moment"
4. Faith Hill, "Breathe"
5. 3 Doors Down, "Kryptonite"
6. Faith Hill, "The Way You Love Me"
7. Lee Ann Womack, "I Hope You Dance"

Taylor Swift - 2009 The Year Of

"People" magazine's annual "25 Most Intriguing People of 2009" issue (available Friday) has Taylor on the cover. In the mag Taylor talks about her unprecidented year saying "So many moments have happened this year where I sti there and I say to myself, 'REALLY?'"

Taylor is the 7th Most Played Artist of the Year in all formats - she is the 4th most played artist on the Adult-Contemporary Chart. In Country she is #3. (look for the full list in another posting)

In a "Rolling Stone" year-end poll readers voted Taylor in at #10 on the list of Top Artists of 2009. (Adam Lambert is #1)

She is at #35 on the Billboard Hot 100 Artist of the Decade - Country Artist list. She is the highest country artist on the list (look for that in a future posting), which is very impressive as she has only been around 3 1/2 out of those 10 years.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Yowza Reba!

Do you remember the dress Reba wore at the CMA's in 1993 when she sang her duet with Linda Davis? It was a hot little number that has quite a plunging neckline. (I'm sure she had some double sided tape in use that night to make sure the "girls" stayed put!) Well, the Sandy Spika dress will be featured at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum through June 13th in a new exhibit called "Reba McEntire: Put On Your Red Dress, Baby." (lol) That dress caused quite a stir that night in 1993. Vince Gill won Entertainer of the Year that night, but Reba said she, "got more press off that dress than if I'd won Entertainer of the Year."

Here's the video from that night for your enjoyment.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Grammy Nominations

The big announcements came last Wednesday. Of course, country stars ::cough Taylor Swift cough:: showed up in the non- country categories.

Grammy Country Nominiees:

Best Female Country Vocal Performance:
Miranda Lambert, "Dead Flowers"
Martina McBride, "I Just Call You Mine"
Taylor Swift, "White Horse"
Carrie Underwood, "Just A Dream"
Lee Ann Womack, "Solitary Thinkin'"

Best Male Country Vocal Performance:
Trace Adkins, "All I Ask For Anymore"
Billy Currington, "People Are Crazy"
Jamey Johnson, "High Cost Of Living"
George Strait, "Living For The Night"
Keith Urban, "Sweet Thing"

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal:
Brooks & Dunn, "Cowgirls Don't Cry"
Zac Brown Band, "Chicken Fried"
Lady Antebellum, "I Run To You"
Rascal Flatts, "Here Comes Goodbye"
Sugarland, "It Happens"

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals:
Dierks Bentley & Patty Griffin, "Beautiful World"
Kenny Chesney & Mac McAnally, "Down The Road"
Brad Paisley & Keith Urban, "Start A Band"
Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis, "I Told You So"
Lee Ann Womack & George Strait, "Everything But Quits"

Best Country Song:
"All I Ask For Anymore," Casey Beathard & Tim James, songwriters (Trace Adkins)
"High Cost Of Living," Jamey Johnson & James Slater, songwriters (Jamey Johnson)
"I Run To You," Tom Douglas, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum)
"People Are Crazy," Bobby Braddock & Troy Jones, songwriters (Billy Currington)
"White Horse," Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)

Best Country Album:
Zac Brown Band, "The Foundation"
George Strait, "Twang"
Taylor Swift, "Fearless"
Keith Urban, "Defying Gravity"
Lee Ann Womack, "Call Me Crazy"

Non-Country Categories:

Record Of The Year:
Beyonce, "Halo"
Black Eyed Peas, "I Got A Feeling"
Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody"
Lady GaGa, "Poker Face"
Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me"

Album Of The Year:
"I Am...Sasha Fierce," Beyonce
"The E.N.D.," Black Eyed Peas
"The Fame," Lady GaGa
"Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King," Dave Matthews Band
"Fearless," Taylor Swift

Song Of The Year:
Lady GaGa, "Poker Face"
Maxwell, "Pretty Wings"
Beyonce, "Single Ladies"
Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody"
Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me"

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Gretchen Wilson Online

December 8th is the day Gretchen will be featured on CMT's online series "Studio 330 Sessions." It's an intimate, unplugged performance that is also an interview.

Songs we'll hear.

"When I Think About Cheatin'"
"The Earring Song"
Work Hard, Play Harder"
"I Got Your Country Right Here" - the title cut to her upcoming album

During the interview portion Gretchen talks about her first live performance and how she feels about launching her own record label - Redneck Records (hint - excited).

For a backstage preview of Gretchen performing her latest single "Work Hard, Play Harder" (which you can request for Lunchtime with Lezli) head over to CMT.com.