G-a-a-a-r-r-r-th!

The very name sounds like a rocket launching. And Garth Brooks did launch in a big way this week, boosting his new single, "More Than a Memory," straight out of the box to No. 1 with no stops along the way. This is the first time that's ever happened in country music history, says Joel Whitburn's Records Research, the company that tallies all the Billboard charts.

Compounding the joy is the fact that Brooks' song happens to be promoted by the Big Machine label (but released by Brooks' own Pearl Records). Folks at Big Machine must be dancing in the streets since another star on its impressive roster, Taylor Swift, continues to occupy the No. 1 spot on the country albums chart -- a position her eponymous CD has held for the seventh consecutive week.

New to the albums chart are Lyle Lovett's It's Not Big It's Large (coming in at No. 2), Sarah John's Big Love in a Small Town (No. 31), Cledus T. Judd's Boogity Boogity: A Tribute to the Comic Genius of Ray Stevens (No. 47), the various artists compilation, Life's a Dance (No. 50), Charlie Daniels' 16 Biggest Hits (No. 68), Ronnie Milsap's 16 Biggest Hits (No. 69) and Crystal Gayle's Greatest Hits (No. 74).

Entering the songs chart -- besides Brooks -- are Jake Owen's "Somethin' About a Woman" at No. 54 and Rascal Flatts' "Revolution," which returns at No. 57.

The remaining Top 5 songs are Rodney Atkins' "These Are My People" (last week's No. 1, which now drops back to No. 2), Rascal Flatts' "Take Me There" (No. 3), Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You" (No. 4) and Brooks & Dunn's "Proud of the House We Built" (No. 5).

Kenny Chesney's "Don't Blink" edges from No. 16, its entry point last week, to No. 14. Keith Urban's "Everybody" climbs from No. 37 to No. 28. Swift's "Our Song" skips from No. 49 to No. 42, and Little Big Town's "I'm With the Band" advances from No. 60 to No. 53.

Rounding out the Top 5 albums are Tim McGraw's Let It Go (No. 3), Brad Paisley's 5th Gear (No. 4) and Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts (No. 5). Joe Nichols' Real Things, last week's big album splash, drops from No. 2 to No. 10.

Maybe the summer doldrums are over.