Wynonna's Sales Soar After Oprah Appearance
Female Artists Enjoying a Strong Presence on Country Charts
by Craig Shelburne 5/21/2004
Wynonna's latest album has skyrocketed back into the Top 10 of Billboard's country albums sales chart following her appearance on Oprah. Logging a 787 percent increase with sales of more than 21,000 albums last week, What the World Needs Now Is Love bolts to No. 6 from No. 60. After spending most of the Oprah episode talking about her weight and her self-confidence, she wrapped the show by delivering her version of Foreigner's classic rock hit "I Want to Know What Love Is." The track has reached the Top 20 at adult contemporary radio but has not been released to country radio as a single.
All in all, women are coming back around on the sales chart. As previously reported at CMT.com, Gretchen Wilson's Here for the Party debuted at No. 1 on the country albums chart and is followed by the latest albums from Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and Toby Keith. Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose rounds out the Top 5. Immediately after Wynonna, Lee Ann Womack's Greatest Hits appears at No. 7 in its second week of release. Tracy Lawrence's Strong, Big & Rich's Horse of a Different Color and Alan Jackson's Greatest Hits, Volume 2 close out the Top 10.
Not far below the Top 10 are Martina McBride's Martina (No. 12) and Shania Twain's Up! (No. 13). Mary Chapin Carpenter's Between Here and Gone slips to No. 17. Carolyn Dawn Johnson's Dress Rehearsal falls from No. 9 to No. 25 in its second week.
On the bluegrass chart, Alison Krauss & Union Station remain at No. 1 with Live, followed by Jerry Garcia & David Grisman's Been All Around This World. Old Crow Medicine Show move up to No. 3 with O.C.M.S. while Mountain Heart's Force of Nature bows at No. 5.
On Billboard's country singles chart, Wilson's "Redneck Woman" finally inches up to No. 1 in its 12th week on the chart. John Michael Montgomery's "Letters From Home" rises to No. 2, as last week's No. 1, Rascal Flatts' "Mayberry," falls to No. 3. Entering its eighth month on the singles chart, Lawrence's "Paint Me a Birmingham" moves to No. 4 but loses total spins. At fifth through seventh place, respectively, Urban's "You'll Think of Me," George Strait's "Desperately" and Chesney and Uncle Kracker's "When the Sun Goes Down" also lose momentum this week. Montgomery Gentry's "If You Ever Stop Loving Me," Lonestar's "Let's Be Us Again," and Keith's "Whiskey Girl" complete the Top 10.
The all-star single "Hey Good Lookin'," which features Jimmy Buffett singing the Hank Williams chestnut with Chesney, Jackson, Keith, Strait and Clint Black, debuts at No. 36. Australian newcomer Jedd Hughes arrives at No. 60 with "High Lonesome."
Craig Shelburne
Tags: Alan JacksonAlison KraussBig & RichCarolyn Dawn JohnsonGretchen WilsonJohn Michael MontgomeryKeith UrbanKenny ChesneyLee Ann WomackLoretta LynnMartina McBrideMary Chapin CarpenterShania TwainToby KeithTracy LawrenceWynonna Judd