On this day (November 26) in 2015, Chris Stapleton was in the middle of a two-week run at No. 1 with his debut solo album Traveller. Before reaching No. 1, it fell off the chart. Then, after a stunning televised performance, the LP’s sales skyrocketed, launching it to No. 1 on the country chart and the Billboard 200.
Videos by American Songwriter
Stapleton released Traveller in May 2015, and it did well. It debuted at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart and No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and sold around 27,000 copies in its first week. The LP didn’t continue to climb the charts, though. Instead, it steadily descended until it dropped off both surveys in September. Then came the 2015 CMA Awards, which aired on November 4.
[RELATED: Chris Stapleton Hits No. 1 Again With This Country Music Firebrand]
Chris Stapleton Takes the World by Storm
Traveller and Chris Stapleton were already popular with country music fans. His debut disc took home Album of the Year at the 2015 CMA Awards. That night, Stapleton teamed up with pop superstar Justin Timberlake for a duet performance of “Tennessee Whiskey.”
The performance introduced Stapleton to a new audience who rushed out to purchase his album. Sales for Traveller jumped 6,000% and it re-entered the charts. It quickly reached No. 1 on both the Top Country Albums and Billboard 200 charts. It retained the top spot on both charts for two consecutive weeks.
Stapleton never released “Tennessee Whiskey” as a single. However, that didn’t stop it from spending two weeks atop the Hot Country Songs chart. It also peaked at No. 20 on the Hot 100.
More than chart success, the CMA Awards performance brought Chris Stapleton recognition for fans who weren’t already familiar with him from his time in the Steeldrivers. It also introduced his award-winning voice to countless fellow artists and industry professionals alike. In short, “Tennessee Whiskey” helped launch him to the top of the country music world.
Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.