Sam Hunt’s new single “Downtown’s Dead” ranks as the top debut on this week’s Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase country radio singles charts.
The single earns #18 on the former. In doing so, it becomes Hunt’s highest-charting debut on the listing.
“Downtown’s Dead” meanwhile begins at #29 on the Mediabase country radio singles chart.
There are two factors driving the stronger Billboard position:
— Different tracking weeks: Whereas Mediabase uses a Sunday-Saturday tracking period, Billboard charts songs from a Monday-Sunday vantage point. Since “Downtown’s Dead” premiered on Wednesday, May 16, it received an extra day of tracking on this week’s Billboard chart.
— Different methodologies: Mediabase ranks songs based on a proprietary scoring system (spins are awarded point values based on the markets in which they were received), while Billboard relies on audience impressions. New, high-profile songs (especially those that receive “on the hour” premiere airplay from iHeartMedia stations) tend to receive a disproportionately substantial amount of audience impressions during their opening week.
