MIAMI — What would it take to knock Lin-Manual Miranda’s soundtrack for the animated Disney film “Encanto” from the top of the album charts where it’s been encamped for two months?
The new King & Country or Dolly Parton album? Morgan Wallen’s album?
No. No. And no.
Would you believe, a musical album by "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz"?
‘Big Game’ bows at No. 1
In what seems a first — and we’re sure astute chart-watchers will alert us if we’re wrong about this — we can’t think of another musical made as a lark from a sports podcast, by a former Miami Herald sports columnist, about the Miami Dolphins, that has ever hit No. 1 on any album sales chart.
But that’s what the show’s “The Big Game” accomplished on its release date Thursday.
The musical about the NFL season just past called “The Big Game,” featuring music written by JT Daly, and the vocal contributions of Le Batard, Miami Herald sports columnist Greg Cote and Zoo Miami communications director Ron Magill, touched down at No. 1 on Apple Music’s iTunes Top Albums chart.
This means the made-in-Miami musical project was the most downloaded album at the time Apple posted its sale chart, which updates hourly. “The Big Game” held the No. 1 position all day Thursday. (It will take another week to see how, or if, “The Big Game” lands on the Billboard album chart as that music industry magazine is a weekly.)
On Friday, “The Big Game” slipped at first to No. 3 and then to No. 6 by noon — but still two positions ahead of “Encanto.” For those keeping score, “Impera,” the new album by Swedish occult rockers, Ghost, is Apple’s No. 1 album.
That we get. Rock and rap and Wallen’s country album, which somehow has been among the Top 10 bestsellers for more than a year, tend to sell well. But a musical based on a sports podcast? Even if executive producer Mike Ryan’s project features a spectrum of contemporary music tackling R&B, pop and a smidgen of rock opera. And even if “The Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz” is a top national podcast, often No. 1 on the Apple Sports charts, and with a loyal and large following.
Cote, Magill react
“I think folks in and around the show were hoping it might actually chart, somehow, somewhere. I’m not sure anyone expected No. 1. I know I didn’t,” Cote said, joking that he takes full credit for his performance on the track, “Back in My Day,” for driving its brisk sales.
“No, seriously, Mike Ryan and J.T. Daly did a fantastic job turning out so quickly a professionally done, quality album,” Cote quickly added. “Le Batard fans are an army ready to fight, whenever, wherever. ‘Oh, you’re putting out a musical album? We’re there!”
Magill, who, in addition to his national renown as a wildlife expert and photographer can now add vocalist to his skills set, is similarly thrilled.
“Quite frankly, I am blown away that this has debuted at No. 1, bumping away ‘Encanto.’ Having said that, I shouldn’t be surprised because the entire team at the Le Batard Show is amazingly talented and the listeners of the show are the most passionate, loyal and dedicated that I have ever experienced. It is the committed listeners from all around the country that truly drive this amazing train,” Magill said, giving large credit to Ryan for his role in getting the musical from conception to completion.
From zoo to music studio
Cote and Magill have their talents, to be sure. But musical stars?
“I was honored to be asked to be the ‘closer’ for the album and contributed not only in the spoken word, but also with my limited singing ability!” Magill said.
On the recording, Magill uses his zoological expertise to describe the strengths of rams and tigers and how they would fair in a battle with each other, all the while keeping to the musical’s Super Bowl theme.
“I dramatically stated how under normal circumstances, the tiger would have a big advantage over the ram but then went on to sing that this was not taking into consideration ‘Cooooooper Kuuuuuuuup!’” Magill said of the Los Angeles Rams’ MVP receiver.
“When I was first asked to participate, I was happy to do so though I wasn’t quite sure of why other than to entertain the great listeners of the ‘Le Batard Show.’ I certainly wasn’t confident, though I wasn’t nervous either, as these guys have taught me to always have fun and be able to laugh at yourself so I let it loose in my most dramatic fashion,” Magill teased.
Magill added that listeners to his previous appearances on the podcast have donated over $200,000 to his conservation endowment at Zoo Miami to help protect animals in the wild. “Those donations have come from every state in the country plus several other countries including Canada, Australia and Portugal. No other program I have ever done has had that kind of impact,” he said.
Next up for the Miami Beach-based crew of Le Batard’s podcast show? Two live appearances at SXSW in Austin on March 13 and 14, reports All Access.Com.
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