While Blake Shelton's status as a touring artist and performer continues to soar forward (despite a performance at the American Music Awards with wife Gwen Stefani that attracted controversy), his fortunes on the charts could potentially tell a different story.
The country music star, 48, most recently released his 13th studio album, For Recreational Use Only, his first record in almost four years, following 2021's Body Language.
The album ended up opening on May 9 to positive reviews, with many praising it as a return to form for Blake and a reflection on his place in the industry at present.
© Getty ImagesHowever, commercially speaking, the album has not fared as well as expected. Despite being touted as his big comeback, it only debuted at number 46 on the Billboard 200 and has failed to chart outside the US save for subsidiary charts in both the UK and Australia.
As of the Billboard 200's previous charting week, May 31, the album dropped sharply from 46 to 190, and is predicted to exit entirely in the latest charting week of June 7. This would make the record his quickest exit from the Billboard charts over the course of his entire career, shorter than the six weeks Body Language spent.
Blake's longest stints on the chart have come from his compilation albums Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits and Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton, both of which have amassed over three years on the chart since their release (with the former racking up more than four years). His 2011 LP Red River Blue is his longest charting collection of original material, staying on the Billboard 200 for 166 weeks.
© InstagramFor Recreational Use Only is also his lowest charting full-length record on the Billboard Country Albums chart, despite being a top 10 hit with its no. 8 peak, falling lower than the no. 7 peak of 2008's Startin' Fires.
The album did, however, become Blake's 18th top 10 on the country charts, plus achieved a no. 6 peak on the Top Album Sales chart the week of its debut with 10,500 copies sold, his 18th top 10 on that chart as well.
However, a part of the album's low performance could be attributed to change in record deals. This is Blake's first album not to be released by Warner Bros. Nashville since his 2001 eponymous debut, which was released by Giant Records (a subsidiary of Warner Music).
© Getty ImagesThe record was instead released under Wheelhouse Records, a subsidiary of the BBR Music Group (under BMG Rights Management), whose biggest names include the likes of Jelly Roll, Dustin Lynch, Chayce Beckham and Lainey Wilson.
Blake announced his decision to sign with BBR Music last September after amicably parting ways with Warner Bros. Nashville. Jon Loba, President, Frontline Recordings, Americas, BMG, shared in a statement then: "Blake is one of the biggest personalities and presences in media."
© NBC"America first got to know him through incredible, timeless songs and live shows and then fell in love with him and his sense of humor through TV. We are so excited he's joining the BMG Global family and cannot wait to share his incredible new music with the world."
Blake added with his own statement: "A huge thanks to Jon, Peter [Strickland], JoJamie [Hahr], Katie [Kerkhover] and the BMG family for being as excited as me about this new chapter we will write together. I felt their passion and love for music when I met with them, and I knew I was home. I am READY TO GO!"
