Country Music Charts for 9/28/08

And everyone thought I was crazy when I suggested that we go to Coal Country & More...OK, Darius Rucker, we get the message.The former frontman for Hootie & the Blowfish dramatically asserts his hillbilly creds this week by scoring both the top album and top song on Billboard's country charts. The album, which debuted at No. 1 with first week sales of more than 60,000 copies (according to Nielsen SoundScan), is Learn to Live and the song "Don't Think I Don't Think About It."Four other albums make their first chart curtsy: the Elit Young Band's Jet Black & Jealous (at No. 5), Kristy Lee Cook's Why Wait (No. 8), The Imus Ranch Record by various artists (No. 11) and Eric Durrance's Angels Fly Away (No. 70). How Great Thou Art: Gospel Favorites From the Grand Ole Opry, another multi-artist collection, returns to the chart at No. 66.Only two new songs rear their lyrical heads: Dierks Bentley's "Feel That Fire" (No. 49) and Darryl Worley's "Tequila on Ice" (No. 56). Taylor Swift's "Love Story" catapults from No. 25 to No. 18 in just its second week on the chart.Completing the Top 5 albums list in the No. 2 through No. 4 slots are Sugarlands Love on the Inside, Jessica Simpson's Do You Know (which was last week's No. 1) and Taylor Swift.The No. 2 through No. 5 songs are Kenny Chesney's "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven," Jimmy Wayne's "Do You Believe Me Now," Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" and Toby Keith's "She Never Cried in Front of Me." Who knew that the future of country was rock?

Uncle Rock
--"if you wanna make it, you can't fake it...you gotta LIVE IT!!!!"

Back from vacation!!!

Howdy Coal Country! I know it has been a while since my last blog but I have been on vacation and trying to get back to normal in the week returning from the Orient! I won't bore you with all of the details, all I will say is it was a "life changing experience"! I am as American as apple pie, but given the opportunity...I would jump on a plane in a heartbeat for another vacation! Well, lot's of changes in the country music charts since my last post...Fans have given newly-minted hick chick Jessica Simpson a hearty thumbs up by making her country debut effort, Do You Know, the top seller on this week's Billboard country albums chart. And, after falling back for a week, Jimmy Wayne's "Do You Believe Me Now" bounces back to No. 1 on the songs list.Aside from these two noteworthy surges, little else is exploding. Patty Loveless has the only other new album. Her much-anticipated (and roundly praised) Sleepless Nights enters the chart at No. 13.There are three first-time songs, led by Taylor Swift's "Love Story," which bows at No. 25. Also making their entries are Joey & Rory's "Cheater, Cheater" (No. 57) and Whitney Duncan's "When I Said I Would" (No. 59).Falling in behind Simpson within the Top 5 albums are Sugarlandss Love on the Inside, the multi-artist collection NOW That's What I Call Country, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride, all in that order.The No. 2 through No. 5 songs are Brad Paisley's "Waitin' on a Woman," Darius Rucker's "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," Kenny Chesney's "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven" and Kid Rock's "All Summer Long."No songs or albums make chart comebacks this week.If only the stock market could be this calm. Until next time,

Uncle Rock
--"if you wanna make it, you can't fake it...you gotta LIVE IT!!!"