Country Sweep: February 9, 2013...

Hey gang, I'm back with the fourth installment of today's "chart sweeps" sampling the newest music making the singles charts in Billboard magazine. This time out it's the latest on country radio.

On the Hot Country Airplay chart, Gary Allan scores his fourth #1 hit with "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)". His last was back in 2004 with "Nothing On But The Radio". Frankly, I'm actually surprised this did the trick. He's always been one of my favorites, and does it without having to create a press "personality".

Leaping on to the chart at #25 with the high debut of the week is country crossover trio Lady Antebellum with "Downtown", the first single from their upcoming fourth album. The song is definitely twangier and more acoustic than their previous album, and is a welcome detour from pop-ville, without being generic enough to be pop-radio-possible, and it's my pick of the week. Grade: B-

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Newcomer Austin Webb debuts at #53 with "It's All Good", and if you like your country soul-tinged like Jerrod Niemann, you'll be into this. Grade: C+

Country singer/songwriter and runner-up on Survivor: Nicaragua, Chase Rice translates his co-write credit on the former #1 Florida Georgia Line single "Cruise" to chart his first single, "How She Rolls" at #55. Grade: C-

Chris Janson had a minor country hit in 2010 with "Til A Woman Comes Along", and since then he wrote the top-10 "Truck Yeah" for Tim McGraw. He's back at #56 with "Better I Don't". Grade: C

Country rocker Eric Church now has four songs on the country chart, with his featured credit on Jason Aldean's "The Only Way I Know" leading the show, and "Like Jesus Does" in the #32 spot and "Keep On" at #58. "Hungover & Hard Up" is now the seventh song from his #1 album Chief to make the top-60. Wow. Grade: C+

 The last debut of the week is by another newbie (a good week for new acts!) Joel Crouse, who drives in at #59 with "If You Want Some". Grade: C+

That's a wrap on the country side of things, I'll be back with the last "sweep" in an hour and a half with the latest dance jams on the radio and in the clubs. Twang on!