Newcomer Jerrod Niemann knocks Lady Antebellum out of the number-one spot on Billboard's Country Albums chart this week with Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury. Jerrod is only the third artist to score a number-one country album in 2010, and his new set sits at number seven on the overall Billboard Top 200 Albums chart as well. Jerrod is also the first male country artist to hit number one on the Country Albums chart this year.

It must be noted that Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury sounds different than any other country album out there today. There are funny skits throughout the project, and the first song is an Electric Light Orchestra-inspired ballad titled "They Should Have Named You Cocaine."  Jerrod points to his pals Jamey Johnson and Zac Brown Band as artists who found success with music that was a little left-of-center and paved the way for him to take some risks.  He says, "Without those groundbreaking records of Zac and Jamey, I don't think we would've been able to have that luxury."

In light of Zac Brown Band and Jamey Johnson actually selling a lot of records, Jerrod thinks the record labels in Nashville are letting the artists have a bit more control of their music. He adds, "Labels say, 'You know what? Maybe it might not be so bad just to trust the creative process that these guys do in the studio." Jerrod Niemann is now taking his act on the road. You can keep up with his tour schedule at JerrodNiemannOfficial.com.

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