Country
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Rising singer-songwriter Megan Moroney earns a host of honors on Billboard’s charts dated May 20.
The Savannah, Ga., native’s first full-length, Lucky, arrives at No. 10 on Top Country Albums. The 13-song set, released May 5, earned 18,000 equivalent album units through May 11, according to Luminate. The set marks the first top 10 debut for a woman’s first title on the chart since Gabby Barrett’s debut LP, Goldmine, arrived at No. 4 in July 2020. (Moroney previously released the six-song EP Pistol Made of Roses, in July 2022.)
Moroney, a graduate of the University of Georgia, concurrently claims her first top 10 on Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart, as her rookie entry, the new set’s lead single “Tennessee Orange,” bounds 15-10. The song holds at its No. 10 high on Country Airplay, up 5% to 18.5 million audience impressions. It also drew 9.7 million official streams (up 56%) and sold 2,000 downloads (up 11%) in the United States in the May 5-11 tracking week.
“Orange” marks the first freshman entry by a female artist to reach the Hot Country Songs top 10 since Lainey Wilson’s “Things a Man Oughta Know” hit No. 3 in September 2021. The latter also became her first of two Country Airplay leaders to-date.
Additionally, Moroney tops Billboard’s Emerging Artists survey for the first time. (The chart ranks the most popular developing artists of the week, using the same formula as the all-encompassing Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across multiple Billboard charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200.)
Moroney is the fifth solo country female artist to rule Emerging Artists, after Barrett, Carly Pearce, Ingrid Andress and Lainey Wilson.
Moroney co-authored “Tennessee Orange” with David Fanning, Paul Jenkins and Ben Williams. She recently told Billboard of songwriters that she idolizes, including John Prine, “I think their songwriting carried their careers. That influence came from my dad.”
Moroney is currently opening shows on Brooks & Dunn’s Reboot Tour 2023, before launching her 22-city headlining The Lucky Tour this fall.
Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning are set to co-host the 2023 CMA Awards, which will air live on ABC from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 8. The country star and the former football great also fronted last year’s show.
Bryan and Manning are just the fourth hosting team to repeat as CMA Awards hosts. Mac Davis and Barbara Mandrell co-hosted three years running, 1980-82. Brooks & Dunn also co-hosted three years in a row, 2004-06. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood fronted the show 11 years in a row, 2008-18.
Before teaming up with Manning, Bryan was the solo host of the 2021 show.
While Bryan and Manning are a great pairing, they are not quite in the same league as the hard-to-top pair of country legends that co-hosted the recent ACM Awards: Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton.
The CMA Awards, which likes to call itself “Country Music’s Biggest Night” (and has trademarked that phrase), will air live Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. ET.
The CMA Awards have aired on ABC since 2006. The show has aired on all three legacy networks. It aired on NBC from 1968-71 and on CBS from 1972-2005.
Luke Combs, Cody Johnson and Lainey Wilson each won two awards at last year’s CMA Awards. Combs took entertainer of the year for the second year in a row and album of the year for the second time in three years. Johnson took single of the year and music video of the year, both for “Til You Can’t.” Wilson took female vocalist of the year and new artist of the year.
Viewership for the 56th annual CMA Awards grew to three-year highs in 2022, with 9.7 million total viewers and a 1.79 rating among adults 18-49, after seven days of viewing across linear and digital platforms. The show was the No. 1 most social TV program that evening and the No. 1 most social entertainment program season-to-date. The event earned 3.7 million total social interactions (+71% above 2021) and 5.3M video views (+119% over 2021). (All figures provided by the CMA; Source: Talkwalker SCR)
The first CMA Awards Banquet and Show was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast for the first time – making it the longest running annual music awards program on network television. The Grammys first aired as a live telecast in 1971. The ACM Awards first aired in 1972. The American Music Awards debuted in 1974.
ABC is also the network home of CMA’s two other television properties, CMA Fest and CMA Country Christmas.
Dolly Parton gets a little political on her new song “World on Fire,” the first release from her upcoming debut rock album Rockstar (out Nov. 17). Parton wrote the song herself, and in an interview with NBC’s Today, the singer-songwriter discusses the song’s lyrics — particularly, a few lines that take aim at “greedy politicians, […]
BBR Music Group hosted a brunch at the 2023 ACM Awards under sunny skies at the Briarstone Country Club in Frisco, Texas. Held the morning of the ACM Awards on May 11 for more than 200 people and sponsored by Heineken and Billboard, the event was presided over by BMG Nashville president Jon Loba, who […]
When it comes to music, Ed Sheeran knows how to do just about anything, from selling out stadiums around the world to writing an endless string of hit songs for himself and his friends. But when it comes to chugging beers, the “Bad Habits” singer definitely had a steep learning curve when his “Life Goes On” singing partner Luke Combs recently gave him a life lesson in the quintessential American art of suds-based party tricks.
In a beery bromance Instagram video posted on Monday (May 15), Combs taught Sheeran how to shotgun a beer. “Alright, for context, Luke is… what is it, shooting?” Sheeran asks in the clip as the pair stand on a patio at sunset holding cans of Miller Lite. “Shotgunning,” Combs politely corrects his English friend.
With holes punched into their respective cans, Sheeran proudly announces, “Luke is teaching me how to shotgun a beer.” Bryan then provides a basic tutorial, explaining, “You wanna be mindful of where your top is. Cuz once that opens beer is coming out of that if it’s pointing at the ground. So you want this pointing at the sky.” Combs then offers to go first as Sheeran wonders if they should just try it in tandem.
“I think we go together, right,” Sheeran suggests. And then, after a quick countdown, they raise their cans, pop the tops and chug-a-lug, with Combs guzzling his can in just a few seconds. Sheeran — who famously has his own fully stocked pub at home — meanwhile, gamely tries to down the whole beer before tossing it to the ground with a noticeable thud that indicates he may have left some in the tank.
“That’s really impressive,” Sheeran says as Combs and the crew burst out laughing. In another show of transcontinental good cheer, Combs later commented on the clip, writing, “Cheers, mate! (Did I do that right? Haha.)”)
Though it was their first tandem pop and shoot, the stunt was not the pair’s first rodeo. Combs and Sheeran performed Ed’s “Life Goes On” together at the 2023 ACM Awards last week and in 2021 Combs invited Sheeran to join him on stage at the Country 2 Country Festival for a run through Ed’s “Dive.”
Watch the gun show below.
On May 16, 1998, Faith Hill’s “This Kiss” began a three-week reign on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It became her fifth of nine leaders on the list, among 24 top 10s. The song was penned by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner and Annie Roboff. Hill co-produced it with Byron Gallimore. “This Kiss” was released as […]
Maren Morris is not ready to make nice. The country star took another swipe at her ultra-conservative nemesis, Tucker Carlson, on Saturday night during the 2023 GLAAD Media Awards, where she drew loud cheers from the room packed with LGBTQ rights supporters while accepting the Excellence in Media Award.
“Maybe I felt a little badass taking Tucker Carlson’s calling me a lunatic for standing up to transphobia, turning it into a T-shirt and raising $150,000 for LGBTQ+ charities,” Morris said while accepting the award that recognizes allies who have “made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people” in their work. “That made me feel a little cool, but I don’t want to gloat. I would never insult the recently unemployed.”
According to The Huffington Post, the swipe at the former Fox News prime time host known for his xenophobic and homophobic rants inspired the crowd to erupt in applause. Carlson was unceremoniously fired, reportedly with little warning, last month in the wake of the conservative network’s $787 million loss in the Dominion Voting lawsuit.
“The crowds at my shows are a sea of diversity, from race, identity to age,” Morris added in her GLAAD acceptance speech. “It is a loving, safe space for my band, crew, venue staff and most notably, my fans. This community stood up for me and made me feel safe when I felt alone and I’ll never be able to repay them, but I hope I get to spend the rest of my life and career settling up.”
Morris’ ding of Carlson was a reference to the host dubbing her a “lunatic” and a “fake country music person” last year when “The Bones” singer was in the midst of a public spat with Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany Aldean, after the latter posted comments deemed offensive to the transgender community. “I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life,” Brittany Aldean wrote in a makeup video. Morris initially reacted to Carlson’s firing in late April by posting an Instagram Story in which she wrote “Happy Monday, MotherTucker.”
Morris decided to turn Carlson’s haterade into sweet tea last fall by selling t-shirts with Tucker’s “lunatic” insult that raised more than $150K for Trans Life and GLAAD’s Transgender Media Program. Morris wasn’t done after that, either, going on to join the loud chorus of stars denouncing Tennessee’s anti-drag legislation during a performance at March’s Love Rising benefit concert for LGBTQ causes in Nashville.
Check out a portion of Morris’ speech below.
Alexis Gale is celebrating Mother’s Day, despite the allegations made against her estranged husband, Jimmie Allen.
Gale took to her Instagram Stories on Sunday (May 14) to share an ultrasound photo of the former couple’s upcoming third child, revealing the sex of the baby with the caption, “My baby boy [heart emoji].” See her post before it disappears here. Gale and Allen are also parents to two daughters: three-year-old Naomi and one-year-old Zara.
Last month, the former couple revealed that they are expecting their third baby together, but also that they are parting ways. “After much thought and reflection in recent months, Lex & I have made the decision to separate,” the country star wrote, with Gale posting a similar statement to her page. “Our number one priority is and always will be ensuring that our children are healthy, happy and loved, and we remain committed to co-parenting with love and respect for one another. In light of our growing family, we respectfully request privacy during this time.”
Shortly after, a woman on his management team filed a civil lawsuit in Tennessee federal court, in which the anonymous “Jane Doe” accused Allen of sexual assault. The accuser claimed that Allen “manipulated and used his power” over her job as a day-to-day manager in order to “sexually harass and abuse her” over a period of 18 months from 2020 to 2022.
“Plaintiff expressed in words and actions that Jimmie Allen’s conduct was unwelcome, including pushing him away, sitting where he could not reach her, telling him she was uncomfortable and no, and crying uncontrollably,” the woman’s lawyers wrote in the complaint. “However, Allen made clear that plaintiff’s job was dependent on her staying silent about his conduct.”
In a statement to Billboard, Allen admitted to a sexual relationship with his accuser but denied all allegations of assault. “It is deeply troubling and hurtful that someone I counted as one of my closest friends, colleagues and confidants would make allegations that have no truth to them whatsoever,” he said. “I acknowledge that we had a sexual relationship — one that lasted for nearly two years. During that time she never once accused me of any wrongdoing, and she spoke of our relationship and friendship as being something she wanted to continue indefinitely.”
Allen has since been suspended by his label BBR Music Group, management company The Familie and booking agency UTA following the allegations.
A civil lawsuit filed in Tennessee federal court — first reported by Variety and independently obtained by Billboard — on May 11, 2023, accused Jimmie Allen of sexual assault. A Jane Doe, who was a day-to-day manager at Allen’s former management company Wide Open Music, alleged that the country singer had “harassed” and “sexually abused her” over 18 months from 2020 to 2022, and that she was fired after she complained.
“Plaintiff expressed in words and actions that Jimmie Allen’s conduct was unwelcome, including pushing him away, sitting where he could not reach her, telling him she was uncomfortable and no, and crying uncontrollably,” her attorneys stated in the complaint. “However, Allen made clear that plaintiff’s job was dependent on her staying silent about his conduct.”
Allen responded to the allegations in a statement shared with Billboard, admitting to a sexual relationship with his accuser, but denied all allegations of wrongdoing. “I’ve worked incredibly hard to build my career, and I intend to mount a vigorous defense to her claims and take all other legal action necessary to protect my reputation,” he said.
The complaint also names management firm Wide Open Music and founder Ash Bowers as defendants, claiming they did not do enough to protect their employee from Allen’s alleged abusive behavior. The lawsuit alleges that after she revealed she had been “raped and sexually abused” by Allen, Wide Open Music and Bowers fired her in retaliation.
In his own statement sent to Billboard, Bowers strongly denied Jane Doe’s assertion that her position was terminated in retaliation. He said that Wide Open Music learned of Allen’s abuse on Oct. 4, 2022, and “immediately ended our professional relationship” at that point, and that “any assertion she ever raised the existence of a sexual or physical relationship” with the country singer before then “is patently and objectively false.”
Since the allegations against Allen surfaced in the lawsuit, he has been suspended by his label, dropped from a performance slot at CMA Fest and more. See the timeline of the fallout since the lawsuit was filed against him.
May 11: Jane Doe Files Civil Lawsuit Against Allen
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” claims a sixth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.
SZA’s “Kill Bill” holds at No. 2 on the Hot 100, three weeks after it became her first No. 1, and ties for the longest command – 20 weeks – in the history of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Plus, Toosii’s “Favorite Song” jumps from No. 11 to No. 8 on the Hot 100, becoming his first top 10 on the chart.
The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data. All charts (dated May 20, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (May 16). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Wallen’s “Last Night,” released on Big Loud/Mercury/Republic Records, drew 60.2 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 8%) and 34.3 million streams (up 6%) and sold 9,000 downloads (down 2%) in the May 5-11 tracking week, according to Luminate.
The song, which first led the Hot 100 in March, becoming his initial leader on the list, rebounds from No. 2 for an eighth week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart; holds at No. 2 on Digital Song Sales, following a week on top; and keeps at its No. 5 best on Radio Songs.
A week after becoming the first song ever to top the Hot 100 and the Country Airplay chart simultaneously, “Last Night” adds a second week atop the latter list. It also pushes 13-12 on Pop Airplay, 15-14 on Adult Pop Airplay and 22-19 on Adult Contemporary.
“Last Night” concurrently leads the Hot Country Songs chart, which uses the same methodology as the Hot 100, for a 14th week.
As previously reported, parent album One Thing at a Time tops the Billboard 200 for a 10th week. As Wallen’s last LP, Dangerous: The Double Album, also reigned for 10 frames, he becomes the first male soloist ever with back-to-back 10-week No. 1s, dating to the chart’s 1956 launch.
SZA’s “Kill Bill” keeps at No. 2 on the Hot 100, three weeks after it became her first No. 1. It rules the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs charts for a 20th and 21st week, respectively.
On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, “Kill Bill” makes history, as it ties Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, for the longest No. 1 run since the chart became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958.
Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs:
20, “Kill Bill,” SZA, 2022-23
20, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
18, “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, 2021-22
18, “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla, 2016
16, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, 2013
15, “Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige, 2006
Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” repeats at No. 3 on the Hot 100, after eight weeks at No. 1 beginning upon its debut in January. It posts a 13th week atop Radio Songs (91.5 million in audience, up 1%).
“Flowers” ties for the 10th-longest reign since Radio Songs began in December 1990. (It also matches Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” for the second-longest domination for a Columbia Records single, after only Adele’s “Easy On Me.”)
Most Weeks at No. 1 on Radio Songs:
26, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, 2020
18, “Iris,” Goo Goo Dolls, 1998
16, “Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B, 2018
16, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, 2005
16, “Don’t Speak,” No Doubt, 1996-97
15, “Easy On Me,” Adele, 2021-22
14, “High Hopes,” Panic! At the Disco, 2018-19
14, “No One,” Alicia Keys, 2007-08
14, “Because You Loved Me,” Celine Dion, 1996
13, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, 2023
13, “No Scrubs,” TLC, 1999
13, “I Love You Always Forever,” Donna Lewis, 1996
13, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, 1995-96
13, “The Sign,” Ace of Base, 1994
13, “End of the Road,” Boyz II Men, 1992
Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” repeats at its No. 4 high on the Hot 100, the best rank ever for a regional Mexican song in the chart’s history. The collaboration notches a sixth week at No. 1 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart.
Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” rounds out the Hot 100’s top five, holding at its No. 5 best. It tops the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for a 37th week, extending the longest rule since the ranking began just over a year ago (in partnership with music festival and global brand Afro Nation).
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage’s “Creepin’ ” is steady at No. 6 on the Hot 100, after hitting No. 3, and Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny’s “Un x100to” is stationary at No. 7, after reaching No. 5.
“Favorite Song” surges from No. 11 to No. 8 on the Hot 100, where it becomes the first top 10 for Toosii, born Nau’Jour Grainger in Syracuse, N.Y., where he was raised before relocating to Raleigh, N.C., and pursuing a music career. The melodic rap song ascends with 28.5 million in airplay audience (up 11%), 20.7 million streams (up 6%) and 3,000 sold (down 2%). Aiding its counts, a remix featuring Khalid arrived May 5 (the first day of the tracking week). The single also tops the multimetric Hot Rap Songs chart for a second week.
TikTok has been key to the track’s profile, thanks to both its original and sped-up versions. Between the two, the song has soundtracked over 1 million clips on the platform. (Activity on TikTok does not directly contribute to Billboard’s charts.)
Top 10 ‘song’s: “Favorite Song” is the whopping 43rd Hot 100 top 10 with the word “song” in its title. The list began with The Chipmunks’ “The Chipmunk Song” with David Seville (No. 1 for four weeks in 1958-59), and was most recently bolstered by … a fellow Yuletide standard, Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You),” which reached the region for the first time over the latest holiday season (No. 9). Just before that, Post Malone’s “I Like You (A Happier Song)” featuring Doja Cat, hit No. 3 last October.
The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Die for You” dips 8-9 on the Hot 100, following a week at No. 1 in March.
Capping the Hot 100’s top 10, Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” keeps at No. 10. The song became her sole longest-leading No. 1, for eight weeks in November-January. It adds a 27th week in the top 10, likewise extending her longest stay in the tier.
Again, for all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram and all charts (dated May 20), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (May 16).
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.