Over the past several weeks, a clear reality has emerged: when people hear Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush,” they buy it.
Last month, controversy related to its position at country radio — and the impact of its lyrical content on that position — sent the song into the top 20 on the iTunes all-genre single sales chart.
Last Monday, exposure in the form of Meghan Linsey’s “The Voice” cover helped the song rocket into the iTunes store’s top ten.
As the week progressed, the impact of that boost started to fade. Sunday’s performance at the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony more than compensated.
The west coast ACM Awards broadcast has not even concluded, but “Girl Crush” is already up to #2 on iTunes’ all-genre chart. By 2AM ET, it was selling more than twice as fast as it was prior to Sunday evening’s performance.
Only Wiz Khalifa’s smash “See You Again (featuring Charlie Puth)” is selling at a faster rate.
Obviously the country genre’s best iTunes performer, “Girl Crush” is not the only song in the Top 10. Sam Hunt’s “Take Your Time,” which has maintained a Top 25 position for the past several weeks, is up to #8 in the wake of his brief ACM Awards performance.
While it already held a Top 15 position prior to the broadcast, Nick Jonas’ “Chains” has improved its pace slightly in the wake of Sunday’s mash-up with Dan + Shay. It is currently #12 on the chart.
As of press time, other prominently positioned ACM-related songs include Florida Georgia Line’s “Sippin’ on Fire” (#19), Miranda Lambert’s “Little Red Wagon” (#23), Cole Swindell’s “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey” (#24), George Strait’s “Let it Go” (#27) and Blake Shelton’s “Sangria” (#29).
A more extensive list of where ACM-related songs are charting follows:
2) Little Big Town – Girl Crush
8) Sam Hunt – Take Your Time
12) Nick Jonas – Chains
19) Florida Georgia Line – Sippin’ on Fire
23) Miranda Lambert – Little Red Wagon
24) Cole Swindell – Ain’t Worth the Whiskey
27) George Strait – Let it Go
29) Blake Shelton – Sangria
34) Reba – Going Out Like That
37) Kenny Chesney – Wild Child (featuring Grace Potter)
55) Jason Aldean – Tonight Looks Good on You
59) Keith Urban – Raise ‘Em Up (featuring Eric Church)
60) Rascal Flatts – Riot
68) Nick Jonas – Jealous
69) Thomas Rhett – Make Me Wanna
76) Lee Brice – Drinking Class (**Brice did not perform this at the ACMs, but its sales pace has improved following his exposure on the show)
83) Dierks Bentley – Say You Do (**Bentley did not perform this at the ACMs, but its sales pace has improved following his exposure on the show)
84) Little Big Town – Day Drinking (**LBT did not perform this at the ACMs, but its sales pace has improved following the group’s exposure – and Vocal Group of the Year win – on the show)
89) Dierks Bentley – Riser
=====Note: From this point forward, only songs performed or given an award will be listed=====
109) Brad Paisley – Crushin’ It
127) Lee Brice – I Don’t Dance (**Single Record of the Year)
141) Miranda Lambert – Mama’s Broken Heart
158) Florida Georgia Line & Luke Bryan – This is How We Roll (**Vocal Event of the Year)
181) Miranda Lambert – Automatic (**Song of the Year)
183) Brooks & Dunn – My Maria
194) Jason Aldean – She’s Country
