The Next “Need You Now”
It was a year ago this week that Lady Antebellum performed “Need You Now” on the Country Music Association (CMA) awards show, and we all know what happened after that. Fun fact…the song went top 10 in seven other countries beside the United States. I can’t think of a country artist that has done something close to that since Shania Twain ruled the pop and country charts in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
In the music business, it’s all about finding the next (fill in the blank). So where do you go when you have a country song that becomes such a smash that it goes 4x Platinum on sales of well over 4 million singles? I’ve been wrong before, but my money right now is on the next single from Jason Aldean’s fourth CD My Kinda Party entitled “Don’t You Wanna Stay”. And go figure, the song was performed on the CMA awards this past week…
I’ve been a fan of Jason Aldean’s way back since “Hicktown,” but it was “Amarillo Sky” that cemented the idea that this guy could connect with a country song with some depth. It is very clear that Aldean connects with “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” and big props to him for having the vision to ask Kelly Clarkson to take a song written for a solo artist and turn it into a killer duet. While I don’t know if this song will go worldwide, I don’t think it’s a big stretch to hear this song on Adult Pop stations, with an outside chance of Top 40 stations coming along for the ride. I saw the song get as high as #18 on iTunes, but it currently sits at #31.
The arrangement from the live performance buried almost every trace of “country” in the song, allowing the song to stand on its own as a well-written and well-sung song. You can call it country, country pop, modern country, whatever. At the heart of the song, it’s a pop song, and I mean that with as much respect as I can gather. Let’s see how John the Swami does this time around.
Nov 15, 2010
Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson - " Don't You Wanna Stay" Country Meets Pop For Jason Aldean's First Pop Crossover
About.com Rating 4.5 /5 stars
The success of Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" on pop charts around the world caught people off guard in 2010 , but a success that big often prompts people to ask "who's next." The next country song to experience that level of success may possibly come from Jason Aldean, who topped the country charts early in 2011 duetting with Kelly Clarkson on "Don't You Wanna Stay." Does this song have what it needs to be a pop smash? Read on for our review of Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's "Don't You Wanna Stay."
A Match Made in Nashville As one of the most consistent performers in country music, Jason Aldean is fortunate to get first dibs on some of the best-written songs available in Nashville and beyond. When he was presented with "Don't You Wanna Stay," Jason Aldean told Nashville.com that Kelly Clarkson was the first person he thought of to join him on his first duet. To many music lovers, that might seem like an unusual pick, but Kelly Clarkson is no stranger to Country music after having scored a number two hit in 2007 duetting with Reba McEntire on a country version of "Because of You." In addition, Kelly's manager is Reba's husband Narville Blackstock. Country Exposure Just like [b]"Need You Now" in 2009 Stay" received its first public exposure at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards in November 2010 and instantly digital sales of the song skyrocketed, causing the song to debut on both the Billboard Country and Hot 100 charts before it was officially a single. Once the song was officially released, it wasted no time reaching number one, where it camped out for three weeks in March 2011. Country chart was conquered, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson set their sights on a more pop audience, which they targeted on shows like Ellen and American Idol. Their appearance on the Top 8 immediately sent the single back up the iTunes chart that evening. So What About the Song? At the heart of "Don't You Wanna Stay" is a classic power ballad. Whether you want to call the song country, pop, or something in between doesn't matter because the chorus is so catchy that it doesn't matter if you use an electric guitar or a steel guitar. Much credit goes to Jason Aldean's inspired idea of turning the song into a duet and asking Kelly Clarkson to join him, because when their voices mesh and soar on the chorus, they take the listener right along with them. The listener feels the longing in both of their voices and roots for them to work things out. No doubt there will probably be a pop version of the record that changes the instrumentation a bit to make it more pop radio friendly, but most listeners are more than capable of hearing a song like "Don't You Wanna Stay" in whatever form it is offered because it is a quality song with perfectly matched vocals.
http://top40.about.com/od/kellyclarks......-wanna- stay.htm
http://popmusicnotes.com/2010/11/14/the...d-you-now/
Two Grammy experts :
David's Commentary
Among the five frontrunners, Katy Perry would be the only first-time nominee. Further down the list of possibilities and spoilers, Drake, Kid Rock, Nicki Minaj, Pink and Britney Spears have all yet to contend for Record of the Year.
Darrin's Commentary:
Adele’s rollicking, blues tinged gospel number "Rolling in Deep" is exactly the kind of tune that wins Record and Song of the Year. The fact that it contains live instruments further helps its chances. T
he Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay” is a huge hit on the country charts right now and could contend in either or both categories if the song continues to pick up steam. Disposable pop songs from the likes of Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Katy Perry could fill up the last three spots. However, with the exception of Adele, all of these songs could be forgotten by year’s end.
RECORD/SONG OF THE YEAR
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David's Frontrunners
"Rolling In Deep," Adele
"Rope," Foo Fighters
"Born This Way," Lady Gaga
"Grenade," Bruno Mars
"Firework," Katy Perry
Darrin's Frontrunners
“Rolling In the Deep,” Adele
“Don’t You Wanna Stay,” Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson
“Born This Way,” Lady Gaga
“Grenade,” Bruno Mars
“Firework,” Katy Perry
http://www.goldderby.com/music/news/...-the-year.html
#1 Country (three weeks)
#1 Canada Country (four weeks)
Currently #1 for most played song on mediabase country end of the year charts .
After it's explotion on the country charts it got HAC/AC add date and is blowing up !! Added by the biggest AC/HAC stations as well.
Getting great spins amount on pop without a adds date !!
65 57 JASON ALDEAN/KELLY CLARKSON Don't You Wanna Stay 284 230 54 0.860
HAC
16 JASON ALDEAN/KELLY CLARKSON Don't You Wa... 1632 220 8.826
+58 Spins
+50 Bullet
+0.365 AI
AC
28 JASON ALDEAN/KELLY CLARKSON Don't You Wa... 83 44 2.893
+3 Spins
-2 Bullet
+0.076 AI
Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson, Don't You Wanna Stay (26,000, -4%, 1.26 million)
Is this the next need you now ? Or is it just doing well because of Kelly's history on the HAC/AC/Pop chart ?
Discuss
I never heard it on the Dutch radio so.
I'm hoping for top 5 on HAC and anywhere in the top 40 on pop.
