Shelton’s “God’s Country” is Fastest Country Single in Past Year to Reach
1 Million Track Equivalents as it Returns to No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Songs
This weekend, God’s Country was Boise, ID and its residents included Warner Music Nashville superstar Blake Shelton and country legend Garth Brooks. Shelton joined the sold-out show at Albertsons Stadium on Friday (7/19) for the first-ever live performance of the duo’s “anthemic” (Billboard) new smash, “Dive Bar.” He then treated the 40,000-plus crowd to a solo acoustic rendition of his multi-week No. 1 single “God’s Country” – a performance that the Idaho Statesman praised as “passionate” and “showcasing his booming voice” (read HERE) and inspired Variety to declare one of the night’s highlights (read HERE).
“Garth Brooks, 40,000 fans and me!” Shelton said. “What a hell of a way to perform ‘Dive Bar’ for the first time. Thanks to Garth and everyone for a night I’ll never forget.”
“God’s Country” is the fastest country single in the past year to reach one million track equivalents, a milestone now in the rearview as sales numbers continue to climb rapidly by the thousands. The song, penned by Devin Dawson, Hardy and Jordan Schmidt, became Shelton’s 26th country radio chart-topper and has returned to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for its seventh week. With more than 150 million streams, the “southern rockin’ foot-stomper” (Rolling Stone) continues to rank No. 1 in consumption, sales and streams among this week’s Mediabase Top 50.
In addition to his collaboration with Brooks, Shelton is teaming up with “King of Country” George Strait this summer for several special stadium performances. After joining Strait for the Buckeye Country Superfest in Ohio last month, he will again team up with the legendary star in Foxborough, MA later this summer. A consummate headliner himself, Shelton’s “Friends & Heroes 2019” tour earned the Platinum-selling entertainer a spot on Pollstar’s “Top 100 Tours in Q1” list. Featuring special guest Lauren Alaina and with special appearances by the Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson and Trace Adkins, the arena run sold out all 18 dates and was one of the only nine country tours to make the list.
Between select tour dates, working on his forthcoming album and filming for the next season of The Voice, Shelton remains focused on his Ole Red partnership with Ryman Hospitality. He recently opened a new location in Gatlinburg, TN and in May celebrated the grand opening of The Doghouse, a music hall and events venue expansion, at the original Ole Red location in Tishomingo. The $144,500 fundraising proceeds from both his and friend Luke Bryan’s set benefitted the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Foundation.
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