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Swift doubles up

Thursday, November 29, 2012 – Taylor Swift continued her chart double of leading both the Billboard Country Songs (We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together) and album ("Red") chart for the week ending Dec. 8.

On the song chart, Florida Georgia Line stayed second with Cruise. Cassadee Pope, from season three of the TV show "The Voice" and with the band Hey Monday, debuted in third with Over You. Luke Bryan was fourth with Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye and Hunter Hayes fifth with Wanted. George Strait debuted at 25 with Give It All We Got Tonight.

Jason Aldean was second on the albums chart with "Night Train." Carrie Underwood moved up five to third with "Blown Away." "Cheers, It's Christmas" by Blake Shelton was fourth with "On This Winter's Night" from Lady Antebellum fifth.

Shelton also jumped from 21 to 8 with "Red River Blue." "Welcome to the Fishbowl" by Kenny Chesney moved from 14 to 9.

Lionel Richie skyrocketed from 34 to 15 with "Tuskegee," while "Icon: George Strait" jumped from 48 to 16. Kip Moore's "Up All Night" was at 17, up 6. The biggest mover by far was "Playlist: The Very Best of Alan Jackson" going from 73 to 19. "Icon: Gary Allan" went from 54 to 20. Jake Owen's "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" jumped from 35 to 23 with Josh Turner's "Punching Bag' at 24, up 16. Easton Corbin held the 25th spot up 7, with "All Over the Road."

Eli Young Band was 27, up 11, with "Life At Best." Toby Keith's "Clancy's Tavern" moved from 43 to 29. Uncle Kracker debuted at 33 with "Midnight Special." Chris Young was at 34, up 7, with "Neon." Love And Theft's self-titled disc was up 22 to 36. Tim McGraw enjoyed a surged, going from 70 to 38 with "Emotional Traffic."

On the bluegrass albums chart, Old Crowd Medicine Show was first with "Carry Me Back." Trampled By Turtles was second with "Stars and Satellites." "Slidawg's Redneck Christmas" by Slidawg was third. The Punch Brothers' EP "Ahoy!" was fourth, while "The Goat Rodeo Sessions" by Yo-Yo Ma/Stuart Duncan/Edgar Meyer/Chris Thile was fifth.

On the overall top 200, Swift was 2nd, Aldean 8th, Underwood 12th, Shelton 18th and Lady A 19th.

More news for Taylor Swift

CD reviews for Taylor Swift

Journey to Fearless DVD
Part Behind The Music style documentary and part concert film, Taylor Swift's new Blu-ray release offers an interesting hybrid approach to the typical live performance video - an approach that hits more than it misses. "Journey To Fearless" focuses on Swift's meteoric rise from aspiring grade-school singer/songwriter to award-winning country and pop megastar while sprinkling in live performances. Hardcore Swift fans will find a lot to love on this single-disc set (which is also »»»
Speak Now CD review - Speak Now
Taylor Swift has made the best CD of her young career with her fourth CD. The biggest difference is that Swift's singing, spotty on previous releases and live performances, is far far superior here. Swift wrote all 14 songs here, which like her other albums tend to deal with relationships that have gone south. Swift's songwriting always has been one of her strengths, and that continues to be the case here - both lyrically and musically. Put simply, Swift knows a lot about penning »»»
Fearless CD review - Fearless
Taylor Swift took the county world by storm with her huge selling debut and its five hit singles. With a huge marketing push and myspace, Swift was on her way. Kind of like an Avril Lavigne for the teen female country set. Sophomore slump? There's no indication of that. Swift once again writes her material - all 13 songs here with help sometimes from Liz Rose, Colbie Caillat and John Rich. Swift writes of what she knows about - relationships and teen love come and gone in songs speak to her fans. »»»
Editorial: Walking the talk – When names like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Waylon and the Hag are invoked, you're talking hard core country. These are the touchstones of country , the guys who made country music what it was and still is (or maybe can be). When these folks would sing about being down-and-out and the rough-and-tumble, they knew of what they were singing about. Fast forward a few years to the country singers of today. »»»
Concert Review: Music City goes (Boston) Pop(s) – On the face of it, the idea of top shelf country songwriters coming up from Nashville to play with the Boston Pops may seem incongruous. The idea of the venerable Boston institution and fixture on the July 4 scene, playing patriotic songs doesn't have all that much to do with country. The idea isn't without precedent, of course.... »»»
Concert Review: O'Donovan goes home – Aiofe O'Donovan had plenty of reason to be filled with good cheer. This was a hometown gig, after all, and only three days before the release of her first full-length solo debut, "Fossils." Joking that the audience was filled with people she knew from high school and her parents' friends, O'Donovan made it clear that Boston... »»»
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