The latest Roots Music Report is out, with data on roots bands getting airplay over radio stations in 2011. A lot of great women artists made top billing, including Alison Krauss & Union Station, Gillian Welch, and Lucinda Williams.
But before we get to the rankings, here is how RMR describes itself:
We compile radio airplay data from radio stations around the globe that play all forms of roots music, so that each week you can see which independent artists are being played the most by what stations. Unlike some charts out there we do not alter, accept payment for, or manipulate the airplay data to give rankings for our charts. Stations reporting their play list is the only way for artist to appear on our charts.
On that basis, bring on the drum roll, followed by the first three listings of each of RMR’s Top 100 categories (by artist, title, and label):
The top three Bluegrass albums:
| 1 | ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION | PAPER AIRPLANE | ROUNDER |
| 2 | STEVE MARTIN & THE STEEP CANYON RANGERS | RARE BIRD ALERT | ROUNDER |
| 3 | JOE DIFFIE | HOMECOMING THE BLUEGRASS ALBUM | ROUNDER |
The top three Blues albums:
| 1 | GREGG ALLMAN | LOW COUNTRY BLUES | ROUNDER |
| 2 | TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND | REVELATOR | SONY |
| 3 | MARCIA BALL | ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS | ALLIGATOR |
The top three Folk albums:
| 1 | THE CIVIL WARS | BARTON HOLLOW | SENSIBILITY |
| 2 | PAUL SIMON | SO BEAUTIFUL OR SO WHAT | HEAR MUSIC |
| 3 | BRUCE COCKBURN | SMALL SOURCE OF COMFORT | TRUE NORTH |
The top three Jazz albums:
| 1 | COREA, CLARKE & WHITE | FOREVER | CONCORD |
| 2 | BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES | ROCKET SCIENCE | EONE |
| 3 | JEFF HEALEY | LAST CALL | STONY PLAIN |
The top three Roots Country albums:
| 1 | GILLIAN WELCH | THE HARROW & THE HARVEST | ACONY |
| 2 | EMMYLOU HARRIS | HARD BARGAIN | NONESUCH |
| 3 | KASEY CHAMBERS | LITTLE BIRD | LIBERATION |
The top three Roots Rock albums:
| 1 | LUCINDA WILLIAMS | BLESSED | LOST HIGHWAY |
| 2 | DAVE ALVIN | ELEVEN ELEVEN | YEP ROCK |
| 3 | RAY MANZAREK / ROY ROGERS | TRANSLUCENT BLUES | BLIND PIG |
Last, but not least, the top three True Country albums:
| 1 | ZOE MUTH & THE LOST HIGH ROLLERS | STARLIGHT HOTEL | SIGNATURE SOUNDS |
| 2 | WHITEY MORGAN & THE 78S | WHITEY MORGAN
& THE 78S |
BLOODSHOT |
| 3 | JOHNNY CASH | BOOTLEG VOL. 2
FROM MEMPHIS TO HOLLYWOOD |
COLUMBIA / LEGACY |
