MAREN MORRIS’
HERO
DEBUTS NO. 1 ON BILLBOARD COUNTRY ALBUMS CHART
NO. 5 ON BILLBOARD TOP 200
NEW SINGLE “80s MERCEDES” AT COUNTRY RADIO NOW
Nashville, TN – Columbia Nashville singer/songwriter Maren Morris’ label-debut album, HERO, arrives at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart with 37,000 in sales after one week of being available from its June 3 release. HERO also closes out the Top-5 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, which spans across all genres, with 45,000 of total units (of which 37,000 are pure album sales).
The album chart position for HERO marks the first debut album to open at No. 1 on the Country chart this year.
For Columbia Nashville, Morris’ label imprint, today’s news makes her the FIRST ARTIST in history of the imprint to open at No. 1 with a debut in the Soundscan era.
Furthermore, as it pertains to the Nashville label group that Columbia Nashville falls under, Sony Music Nashville, Maren is the first female artist to debut at No. 1 with a debut album since Kellie Pickler in 2006.
A week after HERO released, reviews of the album that Morris co-wrote and co-produced have begun to pour in.
The New York Times calls HERO an “outstanding major label debut” adding that it’s the “canniest country record in recent memory.” Esquire adds that HERO is an “unapologetic in both its attitude and the way it brings reggae and power-pop influences into its mix.” The Huffington Post exclaims that HERO is “an adrenaline rush of a record that serves as her [Morris] official introduction to the capital of country music,” and about the songs that comprise HERO, Garden & Gun says that “Morris’ songs are tighter than a big hug from grandpa with no lyrical clichés.”
The music industry trades have also stood in salute to HERO. HITS zipped Morris to No. 1 on their Vibe-Raters chart while All Access calls HERO the “best album of 2016.”
Today Morris’ fan-favorite song, “80s Mercedes,” the second single off HERO and the follow-up to her RIAA GOLD-certified debut hit, “My Church,” goes to Country Radio. The song that Billboard says “will set the mood for summertime” was written by Morris and busbee, who also co-wrote “My Church.”
Morris takes to the road again this week for the third weekend of the Keith Urban ripCORD World Tour 2016 with shows in Orange Beach, AL, Tampa and West Palm Beach, FL.
