New Acts Fuel Country Sales Surge

By Deborah Evans Price

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - A combination of barnstorming newcomers and surging veterans has spurred country music sales during the first half of 2004, raising hopes that the format is on the verge of a boom comparable to that of the early '90s.

Most agree it is too early to start the celebration. Still, it's hard not to feel good about the format's first-half numbers.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, U.S. country album sales for the half-year are up 14.4% to 32.6 million units from 28.5 million in the same period last year.

That is substantially ahead of the 6.9% growth the U.S. industry at large enjoyed in the first half. What's more, it's country's best midyear performance since 1994, when half-year sales reached 33.1 million units.


STRIKING A CHORD

Ask anyone in Nashville and they'll tell you the artists are leading the way.

"When you look at artists like Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich, nobody formed that in a test tube," Sony Music Nashville president John Grady says. "The quality of the music striking a chord with people is the reason we're selling more records."

R.J. Curtis, operations manager at KZLA Los Angeles, also credits the new crop of country artists. "They are different than some of the cookie-cutter, AC -sounding music we've had for the last few years."

Since its release in May, Wilson's Epic Records debut album, "Here for the Party," has sold 973,000 units, powered by the single "Redneck Woman." At a time when female acts have been languishing on country radio, Wilson has been enthusiastically embraced by programers and consumers.

In recent years, country labels have had a hard time launching new artists. But in the first half of 2004 there has been an onslaught of new talent.

Wilson is hailed as country music's biggest breakthrough artist since the Dixie Chicks. Warner Bros. duo Big & Rich are at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart this week with their debut album, "Horse of a Different Color," which has notched sales of 315,000 units.

In addition, Lyric Street's Josh Gracin recently bowed at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart and at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and has sold 97,000 units in just a few weeks. Mercury's Julie Roberts has become a media darling and has sold 104,000 units of her self-titled debut album -- released six weeks ago.

"For the first time in a long time we've delivered some new acts that are having sales impact," Country Music Assn. executive director Ed Benson says. "It has been tough to get new artists through the pipeline."


SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

As much attention as the new acts are drawing, they are not the only reason country album sales are up.

"A lot is attributed to the new artists," Benson says, "but the fact is that our established artists haven't died out and gone away either."

Toby Keith remains a powerhouse in the format. His DreamWorks album "Shock'n Y'All" has sold 3.5 million units to date.

At the same time, Kenny Chesney's career keeps escalating, with a hot-selling tour fueling his current BNA album, "When the Sun Goes Down." The disc has sold 2.2 million units since its February release.

Grady also cites strong sales for the two latest Sony releases by Montgomery Gentry, both of which are in the top 40 of Top Country Albums.

Universal South artist Joe Nichols' sophomore effort, "Revelation," went on sale June 29 and sold more than 43,000 units in its first week, landing at No. 3 on the current country chart.

The Lyric Street label and act Rascal Flatts combine for another success story. A year ago, the trio accounted for almost all of Lyric Street's sales. This year, as the label approaches its seventh anniversary in August, "we're sitting here with three albums in the top 15," label president Randy Goodman says, referring to releases by SheDaisy and Gracin in addition to Rascal Flatts.

"It seems like the business has never been harder, tougher or more competitive," Goodman says. "But the bottom line is if you find compelling artists and cut great songs on these compelling artists then, shazam, things work."

The second half of 2004 looks to be even stronger than the first. Nearly every major country act is slated to release either a new album or a greatest-hits package, including Keith, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, George Strait and Shania Twain.

Reuters/Billboard
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- Tommy