Country's STARS Of 2005

Who sold the tickets..
Kenny Chesney - $63 million - 99% capacity, 71 shows
Toby Keith - $32.4 million - 83% capacity, 58 shows
Rascal Flatts - $26.3 million, 89% capacity, 83 shows
Brooks & Dunn - 14.8 million, 63% capacity, 48 shows
George Strait - 14.0 million, 95% capacity, 18 shows

Who sold the albums..
1. "Greatest Hits" - Shania Twain
2. "Feels Like Today" - Rascal Flatts
3. "Greatest Hits 2" - Toby Keith
4. "Here for the Party" - Gretchen Wilson
5. "Live Like you Were Dying" - Tim McGraw
6. "50 Number Ones" - George Strait
7. "Be Here" - Keith Urban
8. "Honkytonk University" - Toby Keith
9. "Horse of a Different Color" - Big & Rich
10. "Twice the Speed of Life" - Sugarland

2005 in country will be remembered for two main topics, independence from major labels and relationships.

1. Both Toby Keith and Garth Brooks left their labels and set out on their own. Keith, with the opening of Show Dog Records and Brooks with his exclusive deal with Wal-Mart for his label Pearl Records. Craig Morgan had the #1 most-played radio song of the year on Broken Bow, as well as Jason Aldean having a very successfull year with his debut on the same label.

2. The marriage of Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, the engagment of Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, and the marriage in May followed by the divorce four months later of Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney all made mainstream entertainment news stories in 2005.

Country music lost KOCH Nashville and Dreamworks Nashville labels, leaving several artists including David Lee Murphy, Cledus T Judd from Audium, and Darryl Worley, Jimmy Wayne, and Jessica Andrews from Dreamworks without a major label. Sony BMG downsized with letting Tracy Byrd, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Bobby Pinson and Rachel Proctor being cut from the label's roster.

Country made the big move to New York City for the CMA Awards, "Walk the Line" stregthened the legacy of Johnny Cash, and many highly antcipated album were released such as Martina McBride, Gretchen Wilson and Faith Hill. Sales were slightly off in 2005 by 3% this year for country music, though better than the industry as a whole in which was off by 4%. Note that 2004 sales were up 12% in country music, one of the best years EVER for country music retail sales.

-- Country Music Alive fansite