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2021 CMT Awards: The Complete Recap – Winners, Performances & More

June 10, 2021/in Blog, News /by Dylan Bestler

The 2021 CMT Music Awards show took place on Wednesday, June 9th live from Nashville. Hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the annual show is a celebration of country music and its fans. The special event is the only entirely fan-voted award show in the country music world honoring the genre’s best and most fan-favorite artists.

Courtesy CMT

Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert were the most nominated artists, and Carrie Underwood and John Legend’s collaboration on “Hallelujah” won the most prestigious award of the night, Video of the Year. In addition, there were thirteen first-time nominees this year, including HARDY, Mickey Guyton, Niko Moon, Blanco Brown, Lainey Wilson, and Dylan Scott, among others.

Actual fans were in attendance from the show’s main location in Nashville. Lady A kicked off the night with a performance of “Like A Lady.” Fellow female artists, including Carly Pearce, Lindsay Ell, and The Shindellas joined them on stage as well. This energetic performance set the tone for an exciting show full of first-time collaborations. Chris Stapelton followed this with a fiery performance of “Arkansas” from the Bonnaroo Farm.

Little Big Town won the first award of the night, Group/Duo Video of the Year for “Wine, Beer, Whiskey.” Newcomer, Hailey Whitters was the first to perform on the Ram Truck Stage, singing “Fillin’ My Cup,” which features Little Big Town.

Luke Combs kept the party going with “Cold As You” from Assembly Hall. After, Mickey Guyton announced the CMT Equal Play award, which was given to the first black woman in country music, Linda Martell.

After an intimate performance from Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram of “Tequila Does” around a campfire, Ballerini took home her first CMT Award for Performance of the Year with Halsey for “The Other Girl” from last year’s CMT Awards. In her award speech, she addressed the “chatter” that occurred after this performance last year.

“The fact that you voted this as the winning performance tells me that you know where my roots are and that you know who I am, Ballerini explained. “But it also tells me that you hear music as music, and it also tells me that you love when people push boundaries and explore their artistry and as I make a new record that means the absolute world to me.”

After the rocking performance from Brothers Osborne and Dierks Bentley of the duo’s song “Lighten Up,” Thomas Rhett slowed it down, singing the title track from his new album, Country Again. Ballerini and the lead singer of the group LANY, Paul Klein, debuted their new cross-genre song “I Quit Drinking.”

Right before Ingrid Andress performed her current single “Lady Like” on the piano, Chris Young and Kane Brown were awarded the Collaborative Video of the Year for “Famous Friends.” Another first-time collaboration took place after; Guyton and trap-country artist Breland, sang “Cross-Country” together. Both are fresh faces making a name for themselves in the genre.

Brett Young announced the Breakthrough Video of the Year, which was given to Dylan Scott for his song, “Nobody.” Scott performed this song on the Ram Truck stage earlier in the show. This was not only his first CMT Award, but his first-ever mainstream country award. Lauren Alaina and Jon Pardi followed this announcement with their fun breakup collaboration “Getting Over Him.”

Little Big Town came back on stage to announce the Male Video of the Year, which was awarded to Kane Brown for “Worship You.” The video was directed by Alex Alvga, which Brown said was the third award he has won with him. The video features Brown’s wife, Katelyn, and daughter, Kingsley, who he thanked in his speech.

“Everyone knows that I love family, and the merch that I sell is not just for my family at home, but my family that works for me and everyone in country music,” Brown confessed.

Later, Gladys Knight announced the Female Video of the Year to Gabby Barrett for her hit song, “The Good Ones.” After Luke Bryan sang his latest number-one hit, “Down to One.” Fireworks went off behind him at Assembly Hall in Nashville when the song concluded.

The show ended with the announcement of Video of the Year, which was awarded to Carrie Underwood and John Legend for “Hallelujah.” She gave a shoutout to the video’s director, Randee St. Nicholas in her acceptance speech. This is Underwood’s highly impressive 23^rd CMT award, and Legend’s first. Brown and Young came back on stage and closed out the show with an epic performance of their CMT Award-winning song, “Famous Friends.”

Click here for the full list of winners from the show.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music, ticket giveaways, merch, and more.

To keep up with CMT, follow along here on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Here Are The 2021 CMT Music Awards Winners (Full List)

June 9, 2021/in Blog, News /by Team Country Swag

The CMT Music Awards Winners are below!

CMT Music Awards 2021

Hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the 2021 CMT Music Awards show kicked off on Wednesday, June 9th at 8PM ET / 7PM CT on CMT. The annual show is a celebration of country music and its fans. Honoring country music’s biggest stars, the special event is the only entirely fan-voted award show in the country music world honoring the genre’s best and most fan-favorite artists.

HERE ARE THE 2021 CMT MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Carrie Underwood with John Legend – “Hallelujah” ** WINNER
Kane Brown – “Worldwide Beautiful”
Keith Urban with P!nk – “One Too Many”
Kelsea Ballerini – “hole in the bottle”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

Carly Pearce – “Next Girl”
Gabby Barrett – “The Good Ones” ** WINNER
Kelsea Ballerini – “hole in the bottle”
Maren Morris – “To Hell & Back”
Mickey Guyton – “Heaven Down Here”
Miranda Lambert – “Settling Down”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

Chris Stapleton – “Starting Over”
Darius Rucker – “Beers and Sunshine”
Kane Brown – “Worship You” ** WINNER
Luke Bryan – “Down To One”
Luke Combs – “Lovin’ On You”
Thomas Rhett – “What’s Your Country Song”

DUO/GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists

Brothers Osborne – “All Night”
Lady A – “Like A Lady”
Little Big Town – “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” ** WINNER
Old Dominion – “Never Be Sorry”
Parmalee and Blanco Brown – “Just The Way”
Runaway June – “We Were Rich”

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)

Dylan Scott – “Nobody” ** WINNER
Hailey Whitters feat. Little Big Town – “Fillin’ My Cup”
HARDY – “Give Heaven Some Hell”
Lainey Wilson – “Things a Man Oughta Know”
Mickey Guyton – “Black Like Me”
Niko Moon – “GOOD TIME (Ride Along Video)”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists

Carrie Underwood with John Legend – “Hallelujah”
Chris Young and Kane Brown – “Famous Friends” ** WINNER
Elle King and Miranda Lambert – “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”
Keith Urban with P!nk – “One Too Many”
Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris – “Chasing After You”
Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard – “Undivided”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs “1, 2 Many”
From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Dan + Shay “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Jimmie Allen and Noah Cyrus “This Is Us”
From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Kelsea Ballerini and Halsey “The Other Girl” ** WINNER
From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Little Big Town “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
From CMT Crossroads – Nathaniel Rateliff and Margo Price “Twinkle Twinkle”

Fans can also join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about the upcoming performance announcements in the coming weeks.

To keep up with CMT, follow along here on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Luke Combs’ “Forever After All” Lands Him His 11th Number One Song

June 8, 2021/in Blog, News, Number One Songs /by Erica Zisman

Luke Combs’ song “Forever After All” rises to the top of the country music charts, marking the 11th consecutive number one single of his career.

There is truly no stopping country music superstar Luke Combs! With each and every release, fans have fallen in love with song after song and album after album. Earlier this year Combs’ scored his tenth consecutive number-one single with Better Together,” now he is celebrating again. Luke Combs’ “Forever After All” is officially the number one song on the country charts.

“They say nothing lasts forever // But they ain’t seen us together // Or the way the moonlight dances in your eyes // Just a t-shirt in the kitchen // With no make-up and a million // Other things that I could look at my whole life // A love like that makes a man have second thoughts //Maybe some things last forever after all”

Co-written by Combs with Drew Parker and Robert Williford, “Forever After All” is an epic love song. The romantic tune had listeners swooning almost immediately. The track completes the trilogy of songs that have become hits, such as “Beautiful Crazy” and “Better Together.”

Additionally, the singer-songwriter shared his own personal wedding clips with fans in the music video for “Forever After All,” proving that he is a man for the fans. The single is romance wrapped up in a bow! We are so happy that Combs decided to share his fairytale with his country music family and fans!

Combs continues to break records with his hits, and there is no end in sight. Congratulations to Luke and his team on their eleventh number one song!

Join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Luke Combs announcements and releases.

To keep up with Luke Combs, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Forever After All” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music‘ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Who Is Kasey Tyndall? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

June 8, 2021/in Blog, News, Swag Spotlight /by Erica Zisman

Who is Kasey Tyndall? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

Kasey Tyndall

The Beginning:

There are few things we love more than supporting women in the music industry. Today, we get to share our lovely interview with the extremely talented Kasey Tyndall. The songstress may be a new name to country music fans, but she has staying power for years to come.

Tyndall grew up in North Carolina, the oldest child of divorced parents. Despite the split, the singer recalls having an incredible childhood and supportive family and extended family. She credits her mother and father for her early love of music. “Growing up, both of my parents listened to lots of music. I would ride in the car back and forth to their houses and my mama would listen to rock, and my daddy would listen to whatever was on country radio.”

Picking up the guitar at an early age, it could only be her access to music and divine intervention that cultivated her unique talent. “Music was kind of a calling for me. It just kind of happened. I felt like myself getting lost in song and music,” shared the singer. Tyndall was inspired by rock legends like Joan Jett and Pat Benatar and bluegrass/country singers like Alison Krauss and Miranda Lambert. Avril Lavigne and Brantley Gilbert are also two of her long-time favorites.

Currently, the singer finds inspiration amongst her fellow women in country music and newcomers on the scene. Artists like HARDY and her friends, Lainey Wilson, and Ashland Craft are some fellow singer-songwriters that she really enjoys right now. “I feel like some of the best music in a while has come out in the last couple of years, and it makes me super excited.”

The Turning Point:

Despite an early love for music and a natural gift, Tyndall never really considered playing music for a living. “I didn’t feel like it was an option as a career,” she tells us, “To chase being a country singer, that felt just so out of reach.” It was not until her friends convinced her to enter a local contest that she realized her potential.

A local radio station hosted a contest in Raleigh, North Carolina. The winner got to sing with superstar Keith Urban. Tyndall ultimately went on to win the contest and proved to herself that her dream could be a reality. This led Tyndall to finally make the decision to move to Nashville to pursue her dreams.

“After I won the contest, it was either move to Nashville or go to nursing school and I picked Nashville and I haven’t looked back since.”

Today:

Today, the singer finally feels like she has found her footing as an artist with her recent release, “Middle Man.” “Just seeing the reaction from the Nashville community and the fans, it’s like nothing I have experienced with my previous music that I have released,” shares Tyndall, as she reflects on the success of her newest single. “It’s the first time in my career that I’m like ‘wow’ this is who I am as an artist.”

Of course, “Middle Man” was not a song the singer had intended on writing. It happened organically, during a back-porch-hang with fellow singer-songwriter, Lainey Wilson. “We just got to talking about our families, and I happened to start talking about mine being divorced,” she begins, “and I was like it was great, I was the middle man because I was the oldest sibling and she goes ‘go get a guitar right now.’”

Although Tyndall shares she had a great experience growing up with divorced parents, she realizes not everyone does. “Like I said, I had a great experience with it, but I didn’t realize [at the time] all the lives that I was touching, hitting it on the head for others that didn’t have the best experience.”

The song was not supposed to be the next single, but Tyndall knew it had to be after seeing the reaction from fans at a writer’s round. The singer even credits God as a “co-writer,” due to how effortlessly the song unfolded on that fateful night with her friends.

As “Middle Man” continues to touch the hearts of music lovers everywhere, Tyndall shows no signs of slowing down. She will be heading on tour with Jamey Johnson and Whiskey Myers through the rest of this month. She also promises that new music is on the horizon for this Fall.

Kasey Tyndall’s brand new song “Middle Man” is available now on all streaming platforms.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Kasey Tyndall announcements and releases.

To keep up with Kasey Tyndall, follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Middle Man is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Nate Barnes: You Ain’t Pretty – EP Review

June 4, 2021/in Blog, First Impression, New Music, News /by Nicole Piering

Nate Barnes’ debut EP, “You Ain’t Pretty,” including the viral title track and others co-written by Steve Moakler, Jason Sellers, and more, is out now, June 4th. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the new music.

As the flagship artist on Quartz Hill Records, country newcomer Nate Barnes is off to a strong start. Following the late 2020 release of his acclaimed single “You Ain’t Pretty,” the singer/songwriter released his debut EP of the same name today, June 4th.

Featuring five new tracks, including songs co-written by Steve Moakler, Jason Sellers, Neil Thrasher, and more, the You Ain’t Pretty EP is a solid batch of music to introduce Barnes to the country music world. “This collection of songs is near and dear to my heart. There are some up-tempo barnburners as well as some soulful ballads. Whether I wrote them or not, each song tells a story that I can personally relate to and each song is a little piece of me,” says Barnes in a recent statement. “We had a lot of fun making this project and I feel so fortunate to have worked with some of the best songwriters and producers in the business to craft my first-ever EP!”

The EP is focused around the title track, which has garnered quite a bit of attention, including 15 million TikTok impressions and over 1.2 million streams since its release, and rightfully so. Co-written by Barnes, Jimmy Yeary, and Sellers, “You Ain’t Pretty” is a stirring romantic track celebrating a woman that’s always pretty in his eyes. “I ain’t ever seen you looking any less than a ten // Every time it’s like an angel walked in // Stealing my heart, again and again, baby,” he croons. “I’ve seen your hair up girl, and I’ve seen it fall // Makeup on, and makeup off // Inside out, I’ve seen it all, believe me // But I ain’t ever seen you girl // When you ain’t pretty.”

On the You Ain’t Pretty EP, the theme of “ain’t” carries through three of the five songs, including the collection’s opener, “Ain’t Got a Shot” and “If This Ain’t Heaven.” While the latter is a romping celebration of love for a beautiful place, the former puts a spin on the typical country breakup song. Written by Ron Hatch, Moakler, and Aaron Eshuis, “Ain’t Got a Shot,” opens with a bluesy guitar riff, Barnes’ soulful voice crooning of love lost. Like many country songs, he’s seeking solace at the bottom of the bottle to heal his broken heart, but even that’s not enough. “If Tennessee straight // Can’t make her memory fade // Tell me what kind of chance do I got,” He laments, “Even whiskey ain’t got a shot.”

One of the EP’s highlights is “Right About Me,” a catchy song about opposites attracting. Written by Michael Delaney, Thrasher, and Sellers, “Right About Me” celebrates the kind of love that may not make sense on paper, but somehow, works. The song is a throwback to early-2000s country with a perfect chorus crafted for a live show call out. “Right about me, wrong about you,” Barnes sings in a way that’s just begging for a microphone to be outstretched to an adoring audience.

Although Nate Barnes may be a relative newcomer to the country music scene, the You Ain’t Pretty EP is a solid introduction to the rising star. With over 15 million TikTok impressions on his first single, it’s clear that the singer-songwriter has hit a chord with country fans, and we expect even bigger things in his future.

You Ain’t Pretty EP Track List:

Ain’t Got a Shot (Rob Hatch, Steve Moakler, Aaron Eshuis)
Right About Me (Neil Thrasher, Michael Delaney, Jason Sellers)
You Ain’t Pretty (Nate Barnes, Jimmy Yeary, Jason Sellers)
If This Ain’t Heaven (Taylor Davis, Wendell Mobley, Jason Sellers)
I Love You Too (Lance Miller, James McNair, Brandon Day, Jason Sellers)

Nate Barnes debut EP, ‘You Ain’t Pretty’, is available now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Nate Barnes announcements and releases.

To keep up with Nate Barnes, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You Ain’t Pretty is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Andrew Jannakos: Gone Too Soon – EP Review

June 4, 2021/in Blog, First Impression, New Music, News /by Caleigh DeCaprio

Andrew Jannakos’ debut EP, Gone Too Soon, is out now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms. With 6 tracks, including the breakout single and title track, take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the new music.

From a contestant on ‘The Voice’ to an overnight TikTok sensation, Andrew Jannakos is now a signed recording artist with Sony Music Nashville who just released his 6-track debut EP, Gone Too Soon.

The EP shares a title with his debut single and the song that launched his career thanks to an overnight viral TikTok posted almost a year ago, in July of 2020. When Jannakos released the studio version of the song, it reached #12 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. If you want to know more about Jannakos’ journey into country music, check out our Swag Spotlight we did back in December of 2020 that shares everything about his childhood and musical influences, to his family and support system, as well as his career growth beginning with his time on The Voice and continued through his social media exposure.

Since our interview with Jannakos, he has released two more singles: Wine Country, released in March, and Somebody Loves You, released just last month. Gone Too Soon includes three new songs in addition to the three pre-released singles and each song on the collection was co-written by Jannakos.

This collection is an excellent introductory project for Jannakos as a singer-songwriter. He shares his soft and vulnerable side and can’t help but show the immense love he has for his family. “Like Yesterday” reflects on how quickly time can flies since the moment you meet your person, but how it can also feel like you’ve been together for a lifetime.

“A lifetime ago // When I picked you up then dropped you off back home // Fifty years could pass our hearts beat just as close as they did on that night when we first kissed // Ain’t it crazy babe the way love moves fast and slow // Feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago”

“Somebody Loves You” is about finding that someone that you want to spend the rest of your life with while “We’ve Always Loved” acknowledges the ups and downs of a relationship but also the strength to always stay by each other’s side through it all.

“the hot, the cold, the lows, the highs // from better days to harder nights // the one thing that ain’t ever changed about us // we’ve always loved”

Andrew Jannakos’ debut EP, ‘Gone Too Soon’ is out now, June 4th

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Andrew Jannakos announcements and releases.

To keep up with Andrew Jannnakos, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Gone Too Soon is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Walker Hayes: Country Stuff – EP Review

June 4, 2021/in Blog, First Impression, New Music, News /by Nicole Piering

Walker Hayes’s new EP, Country Stuff, including the title track with Jake Owen, “Fancy Like,” and “What If We Did” featuring Carly Pearce, is out now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the new music.

There’s something uniquely Walker Hayes about Walker Hayes. While some are quick to criticize his quirky style as not country enough, there’s an undeniable quality to his music that allows the listener to immediately realize they are listening to Hayes. This is evident on his new EP, Country Stuff, out today, June 4th.

The new EP features Hayes trading verses with the likes of Jake Owen, Carly Pearce, and country singer/songwriter extraordinaire, Lori McKenna. He shows his fun side on tracks like “Country Stuff” and “Fancy Like,” while showing his more serious and introspective side on songs like “What If We Did” and “Briefcase.”

For Hayes, the Owen duet holds special significance. “Having Jake Owen on ‘Country Stuff’ is a full-circle moment for me” Hayes shares in a statement. “When I got my first publishing deal in town, Jake was one of the first artists to put a hold on one of my songs. That moment meant so much to me. To now be releasing a song with him on it… that’s just mind-blowing.”

“Fancy Like” celebrates the simpler things in life, in a tongue-in-cheek way, Hayes musing about all the ways he’s fancy. The song is a super catchy bop, name-dropping everything from Wendy’s and Applebees to Tesla, Natty Ice, and Vespa. “Yeah we fancy like Applebees // On a date night,” He sings in that patented style. “Got that Bourbon Street Steak // With the Oreo Shake // And some whipped cream on the top too // Two straws, one check // Girl, I got you.”

Hayes shows his softer side on “Make You Cry” and “I Hope You Miss Me.” On “Make You Cry,” he celebrates all the ways he makes his wife cry, out of happiness. It’s such a clever take on making someone tear up. “I know I hit the right emotion,” He sings, “When your eyes fill up with ocean.” Meanwhile, “I Hope You Miss Me” sounds like it could easily be about the one that got away. However, Hayes has previously shared that the special song is actually dedicated to his daughter who he knows is destined for Hollywood when she’s older. While he may wish her the best, he can’t help but hope that she remembers him. “People like you don’t get old with people like me,” He sings over twangy guitars on the catchy and relatable track. “I hope you find yourself,” He admits. “But selfishly, I hope you miss me.”

The EP ends with a one-two punch of female collaborations, starting off with the Carly Pearce duet, “What If We Did.” The track finds the one-night-stand pair musing that they may not make it long term, but what if they did? “That only happens never,” Hayes sings as they consider a possible future together, Pearce’s angelic voice adding a beautiful richness of layers to the already dreamy track.

For the album’s final track, “Briefcase,” Hayes called in Nashville heavy-hitter Lori McKenna (“Girl Crush,” “Humble and Kind.”) On the track, Hayes paints a brilliant parallel between his father’s briefcase and his own guitar. He sings about how he resembles his father in all aspects, and how “a guitar doesn’t fall too far from a briefcase.” The brutal honesty on display here shows Hayes at his finest.

As a singer-rapper, Walker Hayes fills a certain niche with undeniably catchy songs like “Country Stuff” and “Fancy Like.” However, he truly shines on deeper material, as evidenced on tracks like“Briefcase” and “Make You Cry.” The Country Stuff EP allows Hayes to flex both sides of his personality, and there’s something for everyone here.

Walker Hayes’ EP, ‘Country Stuff’, is available now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Walker Hayes announcements and releases.

To keep up with Walker Hayes, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Country Stuff is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Brett Young: Weekends Look A Little Different These Days – Review

June 4, 2021/in Blog, First Impression, New Music, News /by Caleigh DeCaprio

Brett Young’s Weekends Look A Little Different These Days is available now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the collection of new music.

Reflecting on his own life and its recent changes, Young delivers some of his most authentic and honest music yet in his 8-track collection, Weekends Look A Little Different These Days. The project serves as the follow-up to his multi-platinum hitmaker’s gold-certified sophomore record Ticket to L.A. and his platinum self-titled debut album.

This new collection is appropriately titled for the recent life changes he has experienced both in his career and family life, as a rising country star and soon-to-be father of two. He explores the professional and personal life-changing moments that explain just why his Weekends Look A Little Different These Days. The entire project is co-written by Young and produced by Dann Huff. It includes his pre-released song, “You Got Away With It”, his most recent single, “Not Yet”, and his hit single and seventh consecutive No. 1, “Lady”.

Young perfectly portrays the widespread emotions that come with love, family, and loss in this self-reflective and honest collection. The authenticity of the album’s title track feels like a sequel to Young’s song “Chapters”, and sets the tone for the project. Acknowledging the growth that he’s made since his younger days and realizing that when he thought he knew and had it all, it was actually nothing compared to all he knows and has now.

“I used to stay up late and sleep in all day long // Now it’s bed by nine and wake up with the dawn // I used to need the world to spin around me // Used to think that I had everything // Now I thank // God that everything has changed // My weekends look a little different these days”

Young reflects on all the highs and lows of a relationship in “This” in a very ‘everything happens for a reason’ take on life that makes you appreciate every moment good or bad that got you to exactly where you are now. “Dear Me” follows that same idea, wishing he could tell his 23-year old self not to worry about the girl he can’t move on from because she will end up with him in the end.

“Don’t even worry it’ll be alright // There’s a light at end of these lonely nights // And it’s worth all the hell you’re going through // What if I told you // This ain’t the end you’re just halfway // You’ll look back and you’ll thank God one day // When it’s clear in your rearview // Dear me // She ends up with you”

“Leave Me Alone” and “You Didn’t” are two different takes on a similar scenario of someone leaving you. “Leave Me Alone” has a classic Young sound and couples an upbeat tune with a ‘shake it off/move on’ attitude about someone leaving you and you not wanting them to come back around like they always do. While “You Didn’t” slows things down and offers a vulnerable yet realistic take on letting someone go because they didn’t fall in love like you did.

“There’s nothing I could say // To make you wanna stay // Your heart made up its mind // I don’t want you to lie one more minute // You ain’t done nothing wrong // I’m not where you belong // Don’t let one teardrop fall // Girl you think it’s your fault but it isn’t // I fell in love and you didn’t”

“Not Yet” and “You Got Away With It” were both pre-released singles off the album and offer the familiar Young-sound and the kind of flirty love stories that we know and love from the singer-songwriter.

“‘Cause you still got a lot of kisses left on your lips // Yeah you still got a lot of time to take away my breath // You still got a lot of driving me wild left // With that smile // With those eyes // I ain’t done loving you tonight // Not yet”

Brett Young's new song, "Weekends Look A Little Different These Days" is available now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms

Brett Young’s “Weekends Look A Little Different These Days” is available now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Brett Young announcements and releases.

To keep up with Brett Young, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Weekends Look A Little Different These Days is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

ERNEST Releases Brand New Song, “American Rust”

June 4, 2021/in Blog, New Music, News /by Dylan Bestler

ERNEST’s new song “American Rust” is available now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms, take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the new song.

Ernest Keith Smith, known professionally as ERNEST, is one of Big Loud’s predominant songwriters, penning hits for country music’s biggest stars including Morgan Wallen, Chris Lane, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt, Mitchell Tenpenny, and more. ERNEST co-wrote 11 tracks on Wallen’s 10 week-number one project Dangerous: The Double Album. Simultaneously, the successful songwriter is building his own solo career as an artist with his new song “American Rust,” out today on all platforms. The new track serves as the follow-up to his latest single, “Cheers,” which came out just before the New Year.

In “American Rust,” written by himself with Rodney Clawson and Jordan Reynolds, he gets nostalgic and pays homage to small-town life. Behind classic fiddle and steel guitar, he admits that some things get better with age, including beer, country songs, trucks, and love. Produced by ACM Producer of the Year nominee Joey Moi, ERNEST expresses the joy of life’s little pleasures.

ERNEST scored a 3x platinum smash with Diplo and Wallen’s hit “Heartless,” plus the Young Thug and Mason Ramsey remix of Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ 14x platinum “Old Town Road.” He recently celebrated another number-one hit with Sam Hunt’s “Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90’s.” Along with songwriting, ERNEST stays busy with his podcast, Just Being ERNEST, where he talks music, life, current events, and more with old and new friends. He has had several fellow country artists on, including HARDY, Jason Aldean, Lauren Alaina, Mason Ramsey, Lainey Wilson, and more.

As ERNEST continues to release new music, he looks to have a promising career as an artist as his songs resonate with country fans everywhere.

ERNEST’s new song, “American Rust” is available now, June 4th, on all streaming platforms

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming ERNEST announcements and releases.

To Keep up with ERNEST, follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“American Rust” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Ross Ellis Releases Brand New Song, “I Wish You Would”

June 4, 2021/in Blog, New Music, News /by Erica Zisman

Ross Ellis dropped a brand new song, “I Wish You Would” available now, June 4th on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new track here and take a look below as we dig a little deeper in the new song.

One of our 2020 Artists to Watch, Ross Ellis is one of the most innovative singer-songwriters in the country music genre. Last year, Ellis mesmerized us with his beautiful song “Love Blind.” Today, the singer shows off another side of his talent with a brand new song called “I Wish You Would.”

The song starts off with a funky and jamming instrumental. When Ellis’ voice finally enters, you automatically find yourself swooning. The romantic and sensual song is as enticing as the songs get. Although the lyrics are poetic, the melody of the song is what stands out. The song is catchy without feeling like something we have heard before.

“And I wish you would // Burn me down to ashes baby // Send me up in smoke // Make it feel so good // Roll me off the mattress baby // to the hardwoods // I wish you would”

Song and song again, Ellis finds a way to deliver music that feels new and fresh. He is constantly reinventing the wheel. It is hard to listen to a playlist and hear a song by the singer and not stop and listen twice. It is no wonder why he teased the song on his socials prior to release.

Overall, we are so excited about this next chapter for the rising star. “I Wish You Would” is one of his best yet!

Ross Ellis’ new song, “I Wish You Would” is available now, June 4th

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Ross Ellis announcements and releases.

To keep up with Ross Ellis follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“I Wish You Would” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.