CMAS SET SALES FOR COUNTRY ARTISTS

The 46th Annual CMA Awards, televised live last night on ABC, sent album and single sales soaring, with artists like Broken Bow’s Jason Aldean, Capitol Nashville’s Luke Bryan, Eric Church and Little Big Town, and 19/Arista Nashville’s Carrie Underwood among the night’s big chart winners.

That despite the fact the telecast was the lowest rated ever, scoring 3.8 adults 18-49, down 21% from its 4.8 last year, even though ABC ended up winning the night, beating out runner-up CBS in total viewers by 7%. Insiders cited the effect of Hurricane Sandy on East Coast viewing habits, as well as the move from Wednesday to Thursday night for the year-to-year drop.

Aldean, who opened the show with Bryan and Album of the Year winner Church, saw sales nearly double overnight for Night Train, which is now at #4 on the iTunes chart. It was a big night as well for Capitol Nashville, now consolidated with UMG Nashville under its former chief Mike Dungan, with Little Big Town nabbing Single of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year honors and showing a whopping 260% increase day to day. The label’s Bryan and Church saw their most recent albums soar back into the iTunes chart at #5 and #6, benefiting from a $7.99 Great Country Albums promotion along with Underwood, who was also up by a significant amount. Church sold more than three times the amount of the previous day, while Bryan was up four times.

Performers including Republic Nashville’s The Band Perry (“Better Dig Two”) and Atlantic New Artist winner Hunter Hayes (“Wanted”) also climbed into the iTunes Top 10 singles chart at #3 and #9, respectively.

Even Taylor Swift’s Red showed a boost from her appearance, with a 60%.increase in digital sales.

Blue Chair/Columbia artist Kenny Chesney, who took home Musical Event of the Year honors with Tim McGraw for “Feel Like a Rock Star,” saw sales of his Welcome to the Fishbowl also double overnight.

Show Dog’s Toby Keith, who earned Video of the Year for his smash hit, “Red Solo Cup,” is looking to capitalize with his just-released Hope on the Rocks.

Meanwhile, both WB Nashville Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton, who co-hosted the show with Underwood, and his wife, Columbia Nashville Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert, saw overnight sales spikes.