Meghan Linsey’s powerful rendition of “Girl Crush” did more than simply secure an iTunes multiplier bonus. It also generated considerable commercial interest in the original version.
Up to #10 on the all-genre sales chart, the buzzworthy Little Big Town single is selling more than twice as quickly as it was prior to Linsey’s performance on Monday’s “The Voice.”
Linsey’s cover is #4.
In addition to benefiting from Linsey’s performance–and the associated rave reviews–“Girl Crush” also received a powerful endorsement from “The Voice” coach Blake Shelton. In introducing his contestant’s weekly song selection, the hitmaker referred to “Girl Crush” as his favorite song currently on country radio.
Worth noting: his own “Sangria” and his wife Miranda Lambert’s “Little Red Wagon” are currently on country radio.
A fan and critical favorite since its release, “Girl Crush” was recently thrust into the music industry limelight.
Aware of its sluggish performance at country radio, a DJ alleged that the song’s run was being derailed by listener complaints who took issue with its lyrics. Even though they are designed to demonstrate the female narrator’s love for the song’s male subject, lines like “I want to taste her lips/yeah, ’cause they taste like you” supposedly prompted complaints that the song was promoting a gay agenda (and thus unsuitable for the traditionally conservative country format).
Major media outlets picked up and expanded upon the story. Other outlets denied the prominence of such complaints and instead noted that feedback from both listeners and radio programmers was stellar.
Valid or overblown, the controversy ultimately served to benefit the song. Sales and airplay surged.
The sales pace had been cooling off in recent days, but Linsey’s performance has reignited interest in the acclaimed Little Big Town recording.
— As of press time, fellow contestants Sawyer Fredericks (#2) and Kimberly Nichole (#3) were actually charting higher than Linsey with their respective covers of “Imagine” and “House of the Rising Sun.”
They have not, however, driven the same caliber of interest in alternative versions of their song selections.
John Lennon’s original “Imagine” is currently #314 on iTunes. The Animals’ famous version of “House of hte Rising Sun” is #265, while Five Finger Death Punch’s recent cover is #1060.
