Bucky Covington debuts at #1; biggest debut from a new male country artist in 15 years

Bucky Covington's debut CD is in stores now, and his music video is available for online viewing at CMT.com and Yahoo Music. You can buy Bucky's album at Amazon, Best Buy , iTunes and Target, hear the full version of his single "A Different World" at CMT and GAC, preview his entire CD at Clear Channel Music, or enjoy samples of songs from the CD at Bucky's official MySpace. An autographed copy of Bucky Covington can be ordered while supplies last at his official site or via his official fan club.

(Back when Buckymania first started, we knew we were backing a winner--but we might have underestimated just how far our favorite new country singer was going to go. The press release below summarizes the whole week rather nicely; can you blame us for thinking that this is just the tip of a sweet iceberg? Congratulations to Bucky Covington and to everyone who helped make it all happen, and huge thanks to everyone who dropped by here this past year. More news later...c'mon back!--Winnie)

Bucky Covington’s self-titled debut CD opens at #1 on Nielsen Soundscan’s Country Top 75 chart with 61,000 sold. Covington’s debut CD also enters Nielsen Soundscan’s all genre top 200 chart at #4 and is the only new country act to open inside the top five this year. This puts him in good company as only two other country acts, including Tim McGraw and Martina McBride, have debuted inside the top 4 on Nielsen Soundscan’s Top 200 chart this year.

With 61,000 CDs sold in the first week, this gives Covington the distinction of having not only 2007’s biggest unit debut from a new country artist, but also the best first week sales and highest Top 200 debut for any new male country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992.

The strong sales debut comes as no surprise, as Covington's record has already become not only one of the most critically acclaimed CDs to come out of the Idol franchise, but one of this year's best-reviewed country albums. Here's what some of the nation's toughest critics are saying about Bucky Covington:

Miami Herald: "The most cohesive album to come out of the franchise yet."

Dallas Morning News: "Easily the best country album by an American Idol contestant."

Entertainment Weekly: "The North Carolinian with the throaty drawl could sell everything-from the cheeky to the weepy. And he does."

Associated Press: "Covington delivers. His gritty growl comes alive…[and] he sounds like the star he could evolve into…"

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Bucky Covington bucks the odds, thanks in large part to strong songs. Covington's vocals are something of a revelation, as well, reflecting the positive influence of blues-based Jeff ("Angel Eyes") Healy and R&B-braced Travis Tritt."

Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "Covington may deserve a second look...he shows personality as a singer... and delivers the best stuff with the gritty know-how of John Mellencamp."

Bucky Covington was released April 17 on Lyric Street Records. The current single “A Different World” is poised to break into the top 20 on the country radio charts while the video is climbing CMT and GAC’s countdown shows.

(Speaking of countdown shows--nice segue, no?--there's still time to vote for Bucky at CMT's Pure Country Pure 12-Pack video countdown and at GAC's Top Twenty Country Countdown today. See you later this afternoon!)