It’s Here! Thomas Rhett’s Next Single “Look What God Gave Her”

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Look What God Gave Her

Multi-platinum selling performer, Thomas Rhett dropped his new romantic but groovy single “Look What God Gave Her” today. Fans can expect to hear this song, as well as some more highly anticipated music from Rhett this weekend on Saturday Night Live.

“Look What God Gave Her” is the perfect example of Rhett’s take on fusing other genres with country, which is described in a recent press release as “electro-country”. “I think I played this song 2,000 times in a month after we first wrote it,” he said in a recent press release. “It makes me want to dance. It makes me want to move.”

Rhett blows us away with another song inspired by his wife Lauren but this time with a more up-tempo vibe. “My wife is so beautiful, but at the same time she’s inwardly beautiful, she’s funny, she’s kind, she’s the best mom I know…and she’s hilarious. It’s really just about thanking God for the human being he made, and singing it in a fun way.”

The single is also a perfect first taste of what’s to come from Rhett. He describes the new upbeat tune as “the perfect song to take fans into summer.” The song was co-written by Rhett, alongside his talented, hit-making father Rhett Akins, as well as Julian Bunetta, John Ryan, and J Cash.

Fans also got the news today that we can expect a fourth album titled Center Point Road from the singer in May and it is available for pre-order here.

More info is expected to be revealed soon about the forthcoming studio album. The title Center Point Road was inspired by the street in his Tennessee hometown that shaped and influenced much of his life experiences. The singer-songwriter also stated in the press release that he finds himself “getting back to his roots.”

Once Rhett wraps up his current Life Changes tour in Canada, the Very Hot Summer Tour will begin. New Yorkers can catch Rhett, along with openers Dustin Lynch, Russell Dickerson, and Rhett Akins in Holmdel, New Jersey at PNC Banks Art Center, and New York at Madison Square Garden. For tickets and more info click here.

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[Listen] David Ray Releases New Single “Here For The Weekend”

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David Ray Here for the Weekend

Several years ago, country artist, David Ray won Kenny Chesney’s ‘Next Big Star’ singing competition and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. The singer-songwriter often plays at some of the most popular bars on Broadway in Nashville, including Tootsies and Honkey Tonk Central. After debuting his first radio single, “Light It Up,” back in 2016 and finding success as a songwriter on Jake Owen’s smash hit “I was Jack (You Were Diane),” Ray is back with music of his own, releasing a new song, “Here for the Weekend” today.

The up-tempo track features ‘90s country and ‘90s to early 2000’s rock influences, fusing the two genres together in the catchy song. “Here for the Weekend” relies heavily on Ray’s gritty vocals, head-banging drums, and guitar instrumentals. The song has potential to be a summer anthem, making it the perfect tailgate song that is sure to get stuck in your head in no time with the catchy chorus, “They’re only here for the weekend / they’re only here for the weekend / they’re only here for the drinking.”

It’s clear that for his newly released song that Ray wanted to deliver a party song with his own vibe and flavor. As he mentions in the song the goal is to, “get lost in the music and lose track of time.” With the singer’s unique sound and vocal ability, as well as, his creative songwriting skills, it will be interesting to see where he takes his career next.

After promoting the song for the last few weeks, “Here for The Weekend” is available across all streaming platforms. Take a listen below, and make sure to follow us on our  New Country Music Spotify playlist for your new song fix. Don’t forget to keep up with Ray via social media on both Instagram and Twitter, as well as, his website at davidray.com. Also, look out for a music video to accompany the song in the near future.

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Tenille Townes Releases Her Twist on a Love Song Titled “White Horse”

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Tenille Townes White Horse

One of our 2019 Artists to Watch, Tenille Townes has released her second single today and “White Horse” is not only relatable but shows a different side to the “Somebody’s Daughter” singer-songwriter.  The track, penned by Townes along with Jeremy Spillman and Daniel Tashian is a twist on love songs and managing expectations that we are taught as a child. Although it may not turn out as the fairytales do, the song is uplifting and the female is thankful that she is not looked at as a prize, rather a mystery, proving her self worth.

“I’d been waiting on a white horse, to take me away on a sunset ride /  But you showed up on a dark horse / At the Cinderella midnight—just in time  / Maybe, not the way I was dreaming of  / But you rode in and won my love  / And now I’m finally on the right course / Who needs a white horse?”

“White Horse” is a song about how love can look a little bit differently than we might expect it to. I think we grow up in our society completely surrounded by that fairy tale idea of what love should be, but maybe love is even bigger than that,” Townes says of the song. “I think it’s important to be open hearted and to push the boundaries of what society might build up in our expectations. I love that this song stands strongly in the idea that love isn’t always about the ivory towers and the roses.”

Townes is currently traveling the country as support on Dierks Bentley’s ‘Burning Man Tour’ which most recently made its stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and will head to the New York City area on August 2nd, at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Amphitheater. Tickets and more information about Tenille Townes available at https://tenilletownes.com/

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NYCS First Impression: Smithfield ‘We Make Our Own’ EP

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Smithfield EP

While country duo Smithfield may be best known for their dark 2018 single, “Hey Whiskey,” the rising stars are back with a much sunnier EP, We Make Our Own. The EP, released today (March 1), is the first project the duo has released in three years, reflecting a more mature and polished pair. The seven-track collection is a feelgood mix of songs, highlighting the special and harmonic bond between childhood friends Jennifer Fielder and Trey Smith.

While releasing music without a major record label may possess its challenges, Smithfield embraced it with their new EP, revealing, “Achieving what we have without a major record label is something we (and our team) are very proud of, and is why we named the EP: We Make Our Own. We wanted to make a project that moved and had hooky melodies, but still stayed true who we are as artists. It’s also been 3 years since we released an EP, so we wanted to do this for the fans, as much as ourselves.”

When it came to creating the EP, the duo worked diligently to craft a varied and diverse project, reflected through various tempos, themes, messages, and emotions over the course of the tracks. There’s the declarative and uptempo title track, “We Make Our Own,” the nostalgic “Still A Few,” and the wistful if “If You Were Mine.” Of the collection, Smithfield reveals to us in a recent interview, “Our criteria for choosing songs is first always: do WE love this song as a listener? Then we have to look at the project as a whole and say, ‘Have we said everything we wanted to?” We also feel like you need to have a good mix of emotions and feeling throughout the journey as you’re listening to an EP. For instance: you don’t want all slow sad songs, but you also don’t want all upbeat party songs. It’s a long process of listening to what you’ve recorded over and over to visualize the body of work as a whole.”

While listening to the EP, an immediate standout track is “Still A Few,” which Smith lists as his favorite. “It reminds me of my grandpa, and just truly moves me when we sing it.” The song is a melodic blast from the past, celebrating nostalgia and the things that are still around today, albeit few and far between. While Smith veers to the sentimental, Fielder points to “Me No You” as her favorite track, saying, “I just love how the chorus hits you; it was one that actually surprised me when we were done with the project, and listening back. It’s such a jam!”

Other highlights of the album include the title track and the closing track, “Our World,” which shows Smithfield trading off vocals and celebrating the unique ways in which they grew up. They shine on the nostalgic midtempo, harmonizing as they sing, “We knew it all back when we didn’t have a clue” and “Everyone else was just living in our world.” The duo also shines on “If You Were Mine,” which celebrates the glory of the chase. The duo trades off lead here, starting with the guy pursuing the girl before Fielder sings, “If you were my best friend, you’d be the kind with benefits, If you were my radio, I’d turn you on and on and on.”

As for what’s next for Smithfield? The duo revealed to NYCountrySwag that they have some big shows coming up this year, including Stagecoach, CMA Fest, and the Grand Ole Opry. They also revealed that they’ll be touring all over this summer as well, and hope to have some exciting Fall tour announcements coming soon!

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Luke Combs Sells Out New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom

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ACM and Grammy-nominated Luke Combs brought his headlining Beer Never Broke My Heart tour to a sold-out crowd last night in New York City. Opening up for Combs was singer-songwriter and one of our Swag Spotlights, Jameson Rodgers, who was playing in the big apple for the first time ever.

Rodgers kicked off the unforgettable evening after a quick introduction from Nash FM’s Kelly Ford and Jesse Addy. His half-hour long set started with a few of his own songs including “Midnight Day Dream”, “Girls That Smoke”, and “Some Girls”. He also shocked the crowd when he played two big hits he wrote for Florida Georgia Line and Chris Lane. This was Rodgers first time playing for a crowd in NYC and he definitely impressed, leaving the stage with new fans. Rodgers announced that he will be back in the city this year at Mercury Lounge.

Luke Combs took the stage with a red solo cup in hand and the crowd went wild. Combs started his set with boot stomping, right out of the 90’s song “Honky Tonk Highway”. The intense energy from Combs and the crowd continued as he performed hit songs from his debut album “Out There” and “When It Rains It Pours” and “Must’ve Never Met You”.

Combs then interacted with the crowd to talk about how insane his year has been already. He told fans that he has new music coming out this year and the crowd went wild. He played a few of those songs and excited to hear new music, the fans were taking in every moment. The songs aren’t even released yet, but it is apparent that they will definitely be smash hits for the singer-songwriter.

Before the next song, Combs talked to the crowd about how he won a CMA Award for Best New Artist, being nominated for 2 ACM Awards, and a Grammy. Most recently, he made history when his 5th single, “Beautiful Crazy” hit the top of the charts. After all of the success he has seen, he lovingly explained that the most important part of the year last year was getting engaged. “You know it doesn’t matter what you look like, doesn’t matter if you’re short or tall, fat or skinny, black or white. If you’re a guy out there with a girl you’re trying to impress, you should write her a song. Cause that’s what I did. The song went number one and she’s going to be my wife now,” he said. “I would love for you to be the first ones to sing it since it went number one”. Check out our exclusive video clip from the beautiful song on our Instagram below.

It wasn’t only the major singles that have hit the number one spot that the fans were singing, every single the audience knew every word, including album cuts. It is a true testament to the artist, his songwriting ability and how relatable his lyrics are. Combs continued to play songs off of his debut album including “This One’s for You” where Combs pays homage to his family, friends, and fans for supporting him on this crazy ride.

“I want you to sing this so loud that there is no way they won’t put me in Madison Square [Garden] next year,” the singer exclaimed and did his audience listen, it was the loudest crowd we’ve heard in a long time when he performed his first single “Hurricane”.  He closed out his encore with Brooks and Dunn’s “Brand New Man” which he sings as a duet with the duo on their forthcoming album, Reboot, and his own “She Got the Best of Me”.

We’ve watched Luke Combs’ career blossom since first seeing him back in January 2017, just after naming him a NYCountry Swag 2017 Artist to Watch. Click here to throwback to a piece we wrote about Combs’ very first NYC show back in 2017 and head to lukecombs.com for remaining tour dates.

 

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Jimmie Allen Drops ‘Best Shot The Remixes’ EP

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Jimmie Allen The Remixes

 

One of our favorite Artists to Watch, Jimmie Allen, just released a project like no one ever has. ‘Best Shot The Remixes’ is an ep of 4 versions of the singer’s debut #1 hit. Allen posted earlier this week on Twitter “In 3 days I’m releasing remixes of ‘Best Shot’. A few different DJs from different countries took my song and gave it their own twist.” How cool is that? The list includes Mushroom People, Aligee, and Heyder alongside a pop mix.

The pop remix is your classic addition to the trendiest sounds including beatbox noises, kickdrums, and new guitar parts. We would not be surprised if this makes its way to the radio! Mushroom People’s remix takes it to a whole different level. Stretching the vocals and adding well-placed pauses makes the song have a whole new vibe. The Aligee remix is definitely a hit! With echos, kick beats, and more, the song sounds like its familiar self with a great twist. Heyder took a new approach and added new pitch tones to Allen’s vocals and in certain parts of the song, you can hear faint background vocal tracks. After the second verse/chorus, that new voice you could previously hear comes into play to sing the bridge and nails it at the end.  This project should prove to be successful, as it will resonate more and more with each genre of music that is currently popular today. The remixes do a great job of still keeping the original message and feel of the song alive,  just adding their own styles.

Still launching off of the success Allen found in 2018, 2019 is looking no different. Reaching fans across the country, Allen has been an opening act on Scotty McCreery’s Seasons Change Tour that began late last year and is set to take off on tour Kane Brown on the Live Forever Tour this month. If you are looking for more details about upcoming shows, new music, and more check Allen’s website.

 

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New Country Music Friday – The Playlist 3/1/19

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It’s that time of the week again… New Music Friday! Today, we see the highly anticipated release of Thomas Rhett’s latest single “Look What God Gave Her”. Additionally, we have new tracks from Tenille Townes, Chase Rice, Dylan Scott, LOCASH, Smithfield and so much more.

Check out our Spotify New Country Music Playlist below and be sure to follow for updates each and every Friday:

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10 Places to Catch Live Music in Nashville

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Whether you are a local or a tourist, everyone knows that Nashville is the place to be especially for the amazing music scene it offers. This town is crawling with aspiring artists trying to make a name for themselves and if you’re lucky, you may just catch your favorite artist singing at a local bar. New York Country Swag has compiled a list of the 10 best places to hear live music while you are in town.

1. The Bluebird Cafe

You’ve probably seen The Bluebird Café in almost every episode of the hit television show Nashville and let me tell you, it did not do the place justice. When you arrive at the café, you can expect a mile-long line. But don’t let that intimidate you. The wait is so worth it. This is the place to hear your favorite billboard hits performed by the people who wrote them. Their passion for music is what makes this place so special. For more info click here.

 

2. Ascend Amphitheater

Ascend has become the “it” venue in Downtown Nashville. This outdoor venue is located on the edge of the Cumberland River and it is beautiful. You can expect to see all of your favorite artists here in the warmer months. Alongside Bridgestone Arena, this has become the place for headlining tours. The amphitheater holds a huge capacity with seats and a lawn and they even have VIP boxes available. Check out their events here.

 

3. The Listening Room

The Listening Room is one of Nashville’s staples in the music world. This is where songwriters perform their own work before it gets passed on to established artists, meaning you get to hear the next-big-thing before anyone else. There is just something so special and beautiful hearing music performed by the songwriters themselves. For more information on upcoming shows click here. 

 

4. Ryman Auditorium

This is an obvious pick on our list. The Ryman is one of the most “Nashville” places you will ever step foot in. Located in the heart of downtown, you can find just about every genre of music here. Artists that perform here find themselves humbled on the stage of so many great musicians who came before them. The rich history of this venue and the stained glass windows make it very unique and a must-visit when in Nashville. For upcoming shows and tickets click here.

 

5. Winners Bar & Grill

This bar is a favorite by all locals and has some of the best grub in town. If you didn’t know, Winners is the home of Whiskey Jam. Whiskey Jam has been around for over 8 years and they have hosted some of the best names in the music industry. Some artists that have been featured at Whiskey Jam are Lee Brice, Michael Ray, Chris Young, Old Dominion, and Kip Moore. If you are a local or ever in town, this is a must. For more info on Winners click here and for more info and upcoming Whiskey Jam nights click here

 

6. 3rd and Lindsley

3rd and Lindsley is definitely the place to hear new, up and coming artists before they make it big. Groups like Lady Antebellum and Train have played to welcoming crowds. This venue is great because there is a dance floor, but if that’s something that doesn’t float your boat, there is a balcony that offers seating, food, and drinks. Check out upcoming events here.

Places to hear Live Music

7. Grand Ole Opry

This venue needs no introduction. Although The Opry is outside of Downtown Nashville, it is 100% worth the trip. It’s a country music fan’s dream and it also attracts non-country music fans as well. The history of this place and all of the artists to walk that stage truly make this place special, read more about our VIP backstage tour that we took in 2017 here and for upcoming shows and tickets click here.

 

8. Marathon Music Works

If you are looking for a more laid-back vibe and non-Nashville themed venue, then this is your place. Located in the old Marathon Motors Work Factory, this industrial chic venue has 2 full service bars and great views of the stage no matter where you are standing. The venue is standing room only so be prepared to stand for long periods of time. It is worth it once you get to see your favorite artist. Check out the upcoming shows here.

 

9. Exit/In

This venue will definitely make you feel young at heart. Exit/In offers every music genre and will please the tastes of every music lover. It has a longstanding history and a diverse list of artists that keeps people coming back. Inside there’s not a bad seat in the house, but the balcony has the best view. Check out the list of all the legacies who have passed through here and the upcoming shows here.

Places to Hear Live Music

10. Broadway Bars

You cannot go wrong walking down Broadway in the heart of music city and stepping foot into any bar. There is live music everywhere. Some places include, Rippy’s, Wildhorse Saloon, FGL House, Acme Feed and Seed, and Ole Red. You will not be disappointed with the music you hear.

 

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Anonymous Group out of Nashville Release “beYoutiful”

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Neon PPL

A group of anonymous talented creators from Nashville, Tennessee recently released a touching song called “beYoutiful.” The group calls themselves ‘neonPPL,’ and consists of songwriters, producers, and musicians that have yet to share their individual identities.   A female singer from neonPPL collaborated with rising county artists, Lindsay Ell, Danielle Bradbery, and Joy Williams on the empowering track.

From the first verse, the heartfelt song lyrically paints the important message of staying true to who you are and not allowing outside pressures to influence your self-esteem or self-worth. The empowering message of self-love comes across effortlessly as the members of neonPPL, Bradbery, Ell, and Wiliams blend their voices effortlessly. “You don’t have to be a hero / Back in your hometown / You ain’t gotta be a shooting star / When the sun goes down / Or an angel, or an outlaw, or the next John Wayne / Don’t gotta be the right size in the bright lights with the right last name / BeYOUtiful / Be YOUtiful / You’re the only one who can be you, so do you the best you can.””

 The song is available across all streaming platforms. Take a listen below.

Although not much is known yet about neonPPL, the collective group has been said to be comprised of talented musicians, songwriters, producers, and others, stemming from Nashville’s country music scene. Fans can expect neonPPl to continue collaborating with other artists, as they continue to release more songs.

The groups’ goal is to be a light and spread positive messages to music lovers like they have in “beYOUtiful,” a self-love anthem. One of the founders of neonPPL shared with Billboard about the uniqueness of the group in a recent interview, “We are already an established group of individuals and could have easily used that to our advantage. Instead, we wanted the singular voice of awesomeness to be heard. That doesn’t mean that we are awesome, but that positive message is. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook that in a competitive environment to get the ‘next big hit.’”

We look forward to seeing what neonPPl does next. Keep up with the group via Twitter.

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EDM DJ Diplo Added to the Bill at Stagecoach Late Night

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Diplo

As country music continues to evolve, fans have seen more and more cross-genre collaborations happening. It seems only fitting that one of the biggest country music festivals, Stagecoach, just added famous DJ, Diplo to the bill. Diplo, an EDM DJ is the first DJ to perform at the festival, which takes place in Indio, California on April 26th, 27th, and 28th.

The superstar DJ is slated to host an afterparty in the Palomino tent on the last day of the festival (April 28th), named ‘Late Night in Palomino featuring Diplo.’ This is the first after party thrown as a part of Stagecoach. It’s possible that prior to April, a country music artist may announce a collaboration with the electronic DJ, such as past duets with EDM duo, ‘The Chainsmokers’ with Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris’ collaboration with Zedd and Grey.

In a special video announcement above, a Stagecoach representative sat down with Diplo asking what was next for him. Donning a cowboy hat, the Grammy winner humorously and slyly responded “ It’s Stagecoach,” and later confirmed, “I’m actually going to play it.”

Fans and concertgoers can expect to see cross-genre collaborations as country music becomes more diverse and innovative. Diplo joins superstar country artists such as Cole Swindell, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan, as well as, rising talent Russell Dickerson, Lauren Alaina, Mitchell Tenpenny, and many more artists. For tickets and more information head to stagecoachfestival.com for the three-day festival taking place April 26th, 27th, and 28th.

 

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