Music

Maddie & Tae Top Country Airplay Chart With “Girl in a Country Song”

Garth Brooks’ Man Against Machine Spends Its Fourth Week as No. 1 Album
by 12/13/2014

Roll out the red carpet for Maddie & Tae, whose first single, “Girl in a Country Song,” arrives at the top of Billboard’s country airplay chart after an arduous 23-week ascent.

And thumps on the back for the Garth Brooks, as well. His Man Against Machine remains the bestselling country album for the fourth week in a row. By Nielsen SoundScan’s count, the G-man’s comeback collection has now sold well over 300,000 copies.

New to the album rankings are Sundy Best’s Salvation City (bowing in at No. 22), Willie Nelson and Sister Bobbie’s December Day: Willie’s Stash. Vol. 1 (No. 26) and Corey Smith’s Maysville in the Meantime (No. 37).

Returning to action are these former drop-offs — Home Free’s Crazy Life (No. 43), Joey & Rory’s Country Classics: A Tapestry of Our Musical Heritage (No. 45) and Sturgill Simpson’s High Top Mountain (No. 48).

Alas, only one new song rears its lonely head this week. It’s Katie Armiger’s “One Night Between Friends,” which hops aboard at No. 60. Chris Lane’s “Broken Windshield View” re-enters the fray at No. 59.

Bunched up directly behind Brooks in the Top 5 albums array are, in descending order, Jason Aldean’s Old Boots, New Dirt, Darius Rucker’s Home for the Holidays, Florida Georgia Line’s Anything Goes and George Strait’s The Cowboy Rides Away: Live From AT&T Stadium.

The No. 2 through No. 5 songs are Tim McGraw’s “Shotgun Rider,” Keith Urban’s “Somewhere in My Car” (last week’s No. 1), Brad Paisley’s “Perfect Storm” and Kenny Chesney’s “Til It’s Gone.”

Now that Maddie & Tae have given women a voice and the prospect of some decent clothing, who will speak out against the objectification of pickup trucks in country songs? Don’t they have feelings too?

Edward Morris is a veteran of country music journalism. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a frequent contributor to CMT.com.