Brantley Gilbert Lands At #2 On Country Album Charts After Weeklong Retail Tour

Brantley entertained over 4,000 fans in six major retail stores in just six days

 

 

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE (September 21) – Valory Music Company recording artist Brantley Gilbert’s HALFWAY TO HEAVEN DELUXE debuted at # 2 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart and came in at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 All-Genre Chart for the week ending September 19. According to Soundscan, 50,822 copies of HALFWAY TO HEAVEN were purchased last week.

 

For the album’s launch Brantley partnered with mass retailers Best Buy and Walmart to create a weeklong in-store tour that allowed Brantley to engage with over 4,000 fans in six stores in four different cities. Hundreds of fans rolled out to the stores in Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, and Indianapolis to see Brantley perform acoustic sets and sign autographs.

 

“Last week I saw firsthand that Country Music really is ‘Country Wide.’  From my hometown in Athens, Georgia, all the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma, I met many fans and saw a lot of friends,” said Gilbert. “I am so excited about how well everyone has responded to this album. It means the world to me.”

 

While the in-store events provided Brantley with a unique platform to meet with fans and talk about his inspiration behind its songs, the events also proved very fruitful for the retailers involved.

 

“There was a great time had by all at our store here in Indianapolis. We had over 700 fans come out to the store! I have done these events for Best Buy dating back to Sheryl Crow's first CD release,  yet I have never seen this big of a crowd for any of them! Not only did we have a huge turnout but we also sold over 300 units of product!” said Jim Davis, Assistant Manager of Best Buy store #230 in Indianapolis.

 

Brantley performing at a Best Buy store in Indianapolis on Sunday, September 18, 2011.
(Photo courtesy of Ernie Mills)

 

ABOUT BRANTLEY GILBERT: At the young age of 26, Gilbert already has a list of impressive industry accolades. The rising star’s second album – the independently-released HALFWAY TO HEAVEN -- reached #1 on the Billboard Heat Seekers Album Chart and #2 on the iTunes Country chart. The DELUXE version of HALFWAY TO HEAVEN released this September debuted at # 2 on the Country Albums Chart and Top 5 in the Top 200. Gilbert’s current single on The Valory Music Co., “Country Must Be Country Wide,” is a Top 15 hit and rising. In addition, the original HALFWAY TO HEAVEN, has spent 61 weeks on the Top 75 Country Albums Chart. Gilbert’s first album, A MODERN DAY PRODIGAL SON, also spent 35 weeks on the Top 75 Country Albums Chart. A celebrated songwriter, Gilbert penned “My Kinda Party,” the hit title track on superstar Jason Aldean’s latest album as well as his latest #1 single, “Dirt Road Anthem.”

LISTEN & MORE: www.brantleygilbert.com

WATCH:  http://www.vevo.com/watch/brantley-gilbert/country-must-be-country-wide/USLXJ1106027 (Country Must Be Country Wide)

 

ABOUT THE VALORY MUSIC CO.: The second of three labels established under the Big Machine Label Group umbrella, The Valory Music Co. opened in November 2007. The label celebrated its first #1 album with Jewel’s Perfectly Clear only 7 months after launching and then celebrated its first #1 single just 3 months later when Jimmy Wayne’s “Do You Believe Me Now” spent 3 weeks atop the Country singles charts. In November 2008 the label signed multimedia superstar Reba McEntire who saw her first Valory Music Co. album release, KEEP ON LOVING YOU, debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and spend two consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart. Since Reba has enjoyed the two biggest chart hits of her illustrious 30+ year career when “Consider Me Gone” spent a historic 4 weeks at #1 and “Turn on the Radio” followed, allowing Reba to both begin and end 2010 at #1. Southern stylist Justin Moore’s poignant anthem “Small Town USA” reached #1 in October of 2009 and he has quickly become a Country Radio airplay staple as well as a touring force to be reckoned with. His new record, OUTLAWS LIKE ME, features the #1 smash hit “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away.” New to the label is Southern Country-Rock sensation Brantley Gilbert who has already topped the Country Singles Charts by writing “My Kinda Party” and “Dirt Road Anthem” for Jason Aldean. Brantley’s new album, his first on The Valory Music Co., is out now and includes his Top 15 hit, “Country Must Be Country Wide”. The Valory Music Co. possesses an exclusive, in-house promotion and branding team while utilizing the existing Big Machine Records backroom service and is distributed by UMGD.