CMC Rocks performers see album sales spike

The success of CMC Rocks in Ipswich earlier this month has had a ripple effect on the Top 100 of our national Albums Chart with seven of the performers seeing a rise in album sales.

Saturday saw albums from Australian country artists take out two of the Top 5 Albums on the ARIA Chart with Lee Kernaghan’s Spirit Of The Anzacs at #2 and Troy Cassar-Daley’s Freedom Ride at #4.

Both albums hold significant importance to Australian history; Kernaghan teamed with ABC Music and producer/Sherbet backbone Garth Porter to pay tribute to Australian and New Zealand diggers on the 100th Anniversary of the ANZAC’s landing at Gallipoli. Collaborative album Spirit Of The Anzacs features 16 tracks, each inspired by letters penned by diggers to their loved ones at home. Cassar-Daley’s collaborative LP to honour the 50th anniversary of Freedom Ride, became his highest ever ARIA debut.

Along with Kernaghan and Cassar-Daley, five other acts who performed at CMC Rocks QLD (held March Fri 13 - Sun 15), saw a rise in album sales.

Festival headliners and seven-time Grammy Award winners Lady Antebellum saw their latest album, 747, return to the Top 20 at #20. Meanwhile their LP Need You Now, which entered the ARIA Chart at #5 in 2010 and took out a Grammy in 2011, re-entered the chart at #81.

Kristian Bush (of Sugarland), who presented an award at the CMC Music Awards on March 12, made his ARIA Album Chart debut at #31 with solo release Southern Gravity; Saturday night CMC Rocks headliner, Chris Young re-entered the Albums chart at #72, with his 2013 release A.M.; Kacey Musgraves made her ARIA Album Chart debut at #77, with her 2013 release, Same Trailer, Different Park and Lee Brice makes his ARIA Album Chart debut at #91 with 2014 release I Don't Dance.

:: Q&A – Tim Daley discusses the evolution of the CMC Music Awards

"There is no denying the strong fan base for country music in Australia - and the impact of the massive international presence in the market, driven by CMC Rocks QLD," said CMC Rocks co-promoter Rob Potts, who is also CEO of Rob Potts Entertainment Edge.

CMC Rocks attracted 30,000 fans over the three days.

In 2013, TMN published a long-form feature on the rise of Australian country music. Part one can be read here. Part two can be read here. Part three can be read here.