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hardy-quit

HARDY ‘Quit!!’ – Album Review

HARDY’s new album, Quit!! is out now, July 12th on all streaming platforms. Take a listen and read our full review below.

While HARDY has always expertly toed the line between country and rock music, his new album, QUIT!!, out now, is his first full foray into rock. There isn’t much twang or pedal and steel here, the singer-songwriter trading those for heavier guitar riffs, metal screams, and Fred Durst.

Produced by Joey Moi, the Big Loud Records/ Big Loud Rock LP positions HARDY quite differently than his previous offerings. On QUIT!!, he’s no longer a country singer dabbling in rock, but a rock singer who got his start in country. From the spoken word nature of the title track to the driving guitars and screaming choruses of “Psycho,” the album takes listeners on a new and sometimes unexpected ride.

The LA Times previously called HARDY “Nashville’s nü-metal king,” and this thirteen track collection allows him to claim that throne. It’s the follow up to 2023’s The Mockingbird & THE CROW, which featured the mega-hit, “Wait In the Truck,” and still found the singer-songwriter dabbling in both genres. At the time of that release, he told American Songwriter, “There’s always a struggle between do I do the full-on rock thing, or do I keep writing country songs and do the country thing?”

On QUIT!!, he’s doing the “full-on rock thing,” kicking the album off with the Eminem-meets-Linkin-Park-esque title track, which details his journey through the music industry, rising above adversity with a heavy and grinding chorus. “Somebody wrote ‘quit!!’ on a napkin, I took it outta my tip jar laughing,” He proclaims. “Like damn what an a**hole, Man I’m just a flat broke boy with a guitar asking for anybody to pay attention.”

“Rockstar” is an immediate ear worm, laced with tints of early-2000’s pop-punk as he muses about all of the songs with similar themes, musing over the winding path of his career. “Started out with rifles, trucks and huntin’ season,” He sings, tongue-in-cheek. “Now, I got my middle finger up like a kid again.”

“Everybody’s got a song called, “Rockstar” // Runnin’ up the pop charts, talkin’ all the shit they do // I been Houdini with my commas, pissin’ off my momma, gettin’ all these new tattoos // And I ain’t sayin’ that I’m Nickelback, kickin’ it in Cali with today’s who’s-who // Everybody’s got a song called, “Rockstar” // Lately, I been feelin’ like one, so I wrote one too”

“Good Girl Phase” and “PSYCHO” are HARDY at his absolute best, combining clever hooks with unique lyrics. The latter is endlessly catchy and features the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith on the tune about a “bad, bad girl” who is “just going through a good girl phase.” Meanwhile, “Psycho” is a dark promise of what may happen when a relationship ends, the facade dropping and the good guy turning crazy.

“I pray you never go, there’s something you should know // I hope you stay forever ’cause If you ever leave me, // girl, I’ll get a face tattoo // Steal a truck, end up on the six o’clock news // If you say goodbye, hell, I’ll dye my hair // Crash your birthday party in my underwear // Hey, I hope you never have to see the day // But if you ever walk away, well // Everybody you know, everybody I know’s // Gonna know you fell in love with a psycho”

Similarly, the previously-released “Jim Bob” is the album’s heaviest track, embracing the sounds of fiery electronic rock as he tells the tale of a man with some demons in his life. “We all know a Jim Bob,” said HARDY in a statement of the titular character of the wild and roaring track. “That boy’s got some demons, he’s a heathen Put him at a pew, he needs some Jesus now… All I know’s I’m gonna live this redneck life until it kills me.”

Both “I Don’t Miss” and “Happy Hour” are cleverly written mid-tempos, with “I Don’t Miss” providing an anthemic proclamation on the chorus that can easily be imagined as a theme song for athletes, politicians and sports teams. Meanwhile, “Happy Hour” finds him struggling with the title given to day drinking, musing that everyone is sad to be drinking when the sun is still out.

“Orphan” finds him grappling with his place in Nashville, declaring himself “the orphan of this country music town,” while “SOUL4SALE” pairs him with Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst as they admit they’ll sell their souls for success, which builds to a roaring climax. 

While HARDY’s heavier side is on full display on QUIT!!, he still manages to show his softer side on songs like the poignant “WHYBMWL” and “Six Feet Under (Caleigh’s Song).” While the former finds him wondering where someone’s been his whole life, the latter is HARDY at his best, grappling with his own mortality as he struggles with the aftermath of an accident and wondering where things end up.

 “Where do you go when you die? // How do you know when you’re there? // If Heaven’s a moment you wish never ended // Then I’m six feet under somewhere // But I’m six feet under somewhere // I swear to God, I thought I was dead // On the side of the road with glass in my head // Ah, but death ain’t what scared me to death in the end // It was thinking I’d never see you again”

For HARDY, QUIT!! definitely shows a side of the acclaimed singer-songwriter that’s been bubbling just below the surface for years, and while it’s not quite country, it still shows why he’s become one of the genre’s most recognizable stars.

Quit! Track List:

  1. QUIT!! (Michael Hardy, Jacob Durrett)

  2. ROCKSTAR (Michael Hardy, Jacob Durrett, Blake Pendergrass)

  3. GOOD GIRL PHASE (feat. Chad Smith) (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps)

  4. I DON’T MISS (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps)

  5. PSYCHO (Michael Hardy, Zach Abend, Jax, Tyler Hubbard

  6. HAPPY HOUR (feat. Knox) (Michael Hardy, Smith Ahnquist, Nick Donley, Jacob Mitchell, Cameron Montgomery, Hunter Phelps)

  7. JIM BOB (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps)

  8. WHYBMWL (Michael Hardy, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps)

  9. TIME TO BE DEAD (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)

  10. SOUL4SALE (feat. Fred Durst) (Michael Hardy, Zach Abend, Fred Durst, Ryan Hurd, Ernest Keith Smith)

  11. LIVE FOREVER (Michael Hardy, Zach Abend, Smith Ahnquist)

  12. ORPHAN (Michael Hardy, John Byron, David Garcia, Blake Pendergrass)

  13. SIX FEET UNDER (Caleigh’s Song) (Michael Hardy)

Country Swag Picks:

  1. Psycho
  2. Rockstar
  3. Good Girl Phase
  4. Six Feet Under (Caleigh’s Song)
hardy-quit

HARDY shares his brand new rock album, ‘Quit!!,’ out now on all streaming platforms.

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

To keep up with HARDY, follow him on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

For tour dates and more, visit his website.

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

HIXTAPE VOL. 3: DIFFTAPE Featuring HARDY & Famous Friends

HARDY and friends honor Joe Diffie in the brand new collaborative album, HIXTAPE VOL. 3: DIFFTAPE, out now on, March 29th. Listen to the new songs here!

HARDY is the most in-demand songwriter in Nashville and is slowly becoming one of the most popular recording artists as well. However, his flourishing singing career has not stopped him from continuing the fan favorite HIXTAPE series. HIXTAPE started out as a 10-track project curated by HARDY in 2019 (before his debut album, A Rock) that featured 18 artists. Vol. 1 produced the chart topper, “One Beer” with Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson. Vol. 2 took it up a notch, containing 14 tracks with 33 features. Vol. 3 took a different route, paying tribute to the late Joe Diffie on the fourth anniversary of his passing. The album contains 17 songs, all Diffie covers, including one unreleased track. The record was produced by Joey Moi.

The project came about at the CMA Awards when rap/pop star Post Malone joined HARDY and Morgan Wallen on stage to perform Diffie’s “John Deere Green” and “Pickup Man” as an homage to the GRAMMY and CMA Award-winning country star. Both songs charted in the top-5 with the latter spending five weeks at number one between 1994-1995. 

Aside from those two songs, the project contains other number one hits such as “Home,” “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets),” “Third Rock from the Sun,” and “Bigger Than The Beatles.” First-time HIXTAPE features include legends such as Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn, and the late Toby Keith. Rising country stars include Kameron Marlowe, Nate Smith, Lauren Watkins, and Larry Fleet. While HARDY played more of a supporting role on the record, only providing his vocals for three tracks, he got to sing the chorus on the unreleased song “Life Had Plans For Me,” alongside Diffie and his son, Parker. The tune tells the tale of someone whose plans of becoming a football star were halted when he received the news that he was going to be a dad. Listen to the reflective, heart-warming story below!

“When something more important comes along // And you’re forced to give up // What you’ve been workin’ toward // Waitin’ for, chasin’, slavin’, cravin’, and prayin’ for // The chance to live your dreams // He said I had plans for life // Oh but life had plans for me”

“As someone who had the profound privilege of performing alongside my father, it fills my heart with immense joy to witness his enduring legacy continued with the same passion and fervor that he embodied,” Parker Diffie shared in a recent press release. “The release of HIXTAPE: Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE is an opportunity to not only celebrate the past but also to embrace the future with reverence and enthusiasm.”

Finding artists for this record must have been an easy task for HARDY and Big Loud. Diffie will always be remembered as an icon who transcended the genre in the 90s. We could imagine, it would be an honor to cover one of Diffie’s hits and be a part of such a memorable project. 

HIXTAPE VOL. 3: DIFFTAPE. Track List:

  1. John Deere Green (Joe Diffie, Morgan Wallen & HARDY)
  2. Pickup Man (Joe Diffie, Post Malone)
  3. Ships That Don’t Come In (Joe Diffie, Toby Keith & Luke Combs)
  4. Third Rock From The Sun (Joe Diffie, Blake Shelton, HARDY & Brooks & Dunn)
  5. Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox (If I Die) (Joe Diffie, Tracy Lawrence, Lainey Wilson & The Difftones)
  6. Bigger Than The Beatles (Joe Diffie, Jon Pardi & Old Dominion)
  7. Honky Tonk Attitude (Joe Diffie, Luke Bryan & Randy Houser)
  8. Is It Cold In Here (Joe Diffie, Reba McEntire & Jake Worthington)
  9. Texas Size Heartache (Joe Diffie, Clint Black & Larry Fleet)
  10. Home (Joe Diffie, Darius Rucker & Hailey Whitters)
  11. C-O-U-N-T-R-Y (Joe Diffie, Aaron Tippin & ERNEST)
  12. So Help Me Girl (Joe Diffie, Mark Wills & Nate Smith)
  13. New Way (To Light Up An Old Flame) (Joe Diffie, Randall King & Sammy Kershaw)
  14. If The Devil Danced In Empty Pockets (Joe Diffie, Jack Ingram & Koe Wetzel)
  15. A Night To Remember (Joe Diffie, Lauren Watkins & Kameron Marlowe)
  16. In Another World (Joe Diffie, Chris Young)
  17. Life Had Plans For Me (Joe Diffie, HARDY & Parker Diffie)
hardy-hixtape-3

HARDY shares HIXTAPE VOL. 3: DIFFTAPE, out now on all streaming platforms.

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

HIXTAPE VOL. 3: DIFFTAPE  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.

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HARDY Goes Number One at Country Radio with “TRUCK BED”

HARDY goes number one at country radio this week with his song, “TRUCK BED.” Learn all the details here and listen to the song below!

HARDY is an absolute superstar in every sense of the word. He has earned many number one singles at country radio as a writer, and now the singer-songwriter is adding a third number one to the mix as a solo artist, not including his two number ones at Rock radio. This week, HARDY’s country-rock song, “TRUCK BED” officially hit the top spot on the country charts.

“TRUCK BED,” off of the singer’s sophomore record, the mockingbird & THE CROW was a standout for day one. The song samples a lyric from HARDY’s fan-favorite song, “BOOTS,” and speaks to the singer’s talent as both a rockstar and a country music mainstay.

“Yeah, she meant business this time // I can’t believe my bloodshot eyes // I woke up on the wrong side of the truck bed this morning // With a bone dry bottle of Jack I was pouring // Damn, she got some nerve, when she kicked me to the curb // Guess you can say I got what I deserve // ‘Cause I woke up on the wrong side of the truck bed this morning, yeah”

Congratulations to HARDY and his team on landing another number one song at country radio! HARDY’s talent truly knows no limits, and we are here for anything HARDY puts out, country or otherwise.

Join our Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming HARDY and Lainey Wilson announcements and releases.

To keep up with HARDY, follow him on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

“TRUCK BED” 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.

hardy-rockstar

HARDY Drops New Rock Single “Rockstar” + Announces New Album

HARDY’s new song, “ROCKSTAR” is out now, February 9th on all streaming platforms. Listen to the brand new track below and learn more about the upcoming album.

HARDY is a musical trailblazer, bringing a heavy dose of heavy metal to lower Broadway and giving country music some uninvited edge. Penned with Jacob Durrett and Blake Pendergrass, “ROCKSTAR” is a self-reflective track that summarizes the current state of his career. As we all know, halfway through his sophomore album, the mockingbird & THE CROW, HARDY transformed from a copycat songwriter into a modern-day outlaw. While he acknowledges that country music put him on the map, it’s his new persona that’s garnering the fan’s admiration. 

“Everybody’s got a song called Rockstar // Runnin’ up the pop charts // Talking all the shit they do // I’ve been Houdini with my commas // Pissing off my momma // Getting all these new tattoos // And I ain’t saying that I’m Nickelback // Kickin it in Cali with today’s who’s who”

“‘ROCKSTAR’ is my ‘REDNECKER’ for rock ‘n roll. I feel like it’s the first rock song I’ve released that doesn’t take itself seriously and the music video follows suit,” HARDY said in a recent press release. “Some of my favorite music videos from back in the day were the ones that showed humor, so here’s my tip of the hat to that.”

HARDY is really digging his boots (if he kept them on this time) into his so-called “CROW” era and the fans are fully embracing it. He just released his short film, “becoming THE CROW” on YouTube, which explained his motivation to cross genre lines. 

HARDY recently announced his QUIT TOUR, named after a note on a napkin someone stuck in his tip jar while playing a small bar in Nashville during the early stages of his career. This tour marks his first amphitheater headlining tour, and he is bringing Kip Moore, Travis Denning, and others with him. For tickets, head to his website.

HARDY-rockstar

HARDY shares new song, “ROCKSTAR,” out now on all streaming platforms.

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

To keep up with HARDY, follow him on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

“ROCKSTAR” is now 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.

hardy-lainey-wilson-new-song

HARDY & Lainey Wilson Go Number One with “wait in the truck”

HARDY and Lainey Wilson go number one at country radio this week with their song “wait in the truck.” Learn all the details here.

The second HARDY and Lainey Wilson released the iconic murder ballad, “wait in the truck,” everyone knew that it was something special. It was just a matter of time before the song shot to number one on the country charts. Today, “wait in truck” is officially the number one song at country radio.

This marks HARDY’s second number one at country radio as an artist and also the second number one for Wilson. It is also worth mentioning that HARDY’s song “JACK” also recently went number one at rock radio, his first artist number one that is not a collaboration.

Together, the singer with Wilson brought an incredible story to life. “wait in the truck’ is chilling, honest, and raw. It is the true epitome of an incredible country song.

“I don’t know if he’s an angel // ‘Cause angels don’t do what he did // He was hellbent to find the man behind // All the whiskey scars I hid // I never thought my day of justice // Would come from a judge under a seat // But I knew right then I’d never get hit again // When he said to me // Wait in the truck // Just wait in the truck”

Both HARDY and Wilson are on the cusp of superstardom. The two artists are always unapologetically themselves, and have cultivated dedicated fanbases that are ride or die for them. “wait in the truck” is an incredible feat for the twosome!

Join our Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming HARDY and Lainey Wilson announcements and releases.

To keep up with HARDY, follow him on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

To keep up with Lainey Wilson, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“wait in the truck” 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.

hardy-new-album

HARDY ‘the mockingbird & THE CROW’ – Album Review

HARDY’s new album, the mockingbird & THE CROW is out now, January 20th on all streaming platforms. Take a listen and read our full review below.

There are singers, songwriters, and artists, HARDY is all three, an absolute superstar in the making.  While every one of his projects to date have been incredible, HARDY has created a brand new and innovative concept with his country-rock album. Today, the highly anticipated record, the mockingbird & THE CROW is officially here.

The seventeen-song record may be the most exciting thing HARDY has ever created. In a recent press release the singer shared, “’the mockingbird & THE CROW’ is, in my opinion, is the best thing I’ve made so far. I had a lot of time to get in the weeds making this record with some of my favorite people in Nashville, and it truly captures every part of who I am as an artist. I’m honored that I get to share it with you next year; can’t wait to hear what you think about it.”

The record combines HARDY’s love and appreciation for country music with his mutual feelings for rock music. Each of the first 8 songs signify his country-side, ‘the mockingbird’, while the last 8 songs are incredible rock songs aka, ‘THE CROW.’ Of course, the middle song, the title track is a combination of HARDY’s country-songwriter side and entertainer-rock side, making it one of the best songs on the record.

“I’m a mockingbird // Singing songs that sound like other songs you’ve heard // Like Friday nights and headlights on some backroad red dirt // And how Mississippi’s home // I’ve always been a mockingbird but // Now I’m a mockingbird with a microphone”

On the country side of the record, fans get a taste of the singer’s incredible skills as a lyricist, as he weaves words and phrases into stories that appeal to the masses. The songs speak to nostalgic times in life, as well as, around heavier themes such as alcoholism, the death of country music, and getting caught up in forgetting to show appreciation.

The opening track, “beer” is a letter from the drink to someone that maybe has drank a little too much, while “wait in the truck,” featuring Lainey Wilson has been dubbed a “murder ballad,” and one of the best songs to come out at the end of last year. Of course, the other country feature on the project, “red” with Morgan Wallen is likely to be one of the most listened to songs on the project. The twosome combine their talent to create a song about celebrating small-town living in a way that feels like a breathe of fresh air.

“I ain’t talking politics, I’m talking small town // And if you’re from one you know what I’m talking ‘bout // It’s everywhere I swear from the courthouse bricks // To a crushed bud heavy can fading in the ditch // Like the book of John, like a barn door // And heart your hands over cause you’re thankful for // Every shipped off soul that was born to fight // For a wind torn flag that’s blue and white And red”

Another stand-out track is “drink one for me.” In a recent interview, HARDY confirms that the beautifully crafted song was written intentionally from the perspective of the person who passed away in “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL”, off HARDY’s debut album. It is both heartbreaking and comforting, a combination that is not easy to achieve. HARDY chooses introspection yet again on his solo-write, “happy,” a song all about personifying the feeling.

On the rock side of the record, HARDY runs the gamut all the way too heavy metal music, featuring Jeremy McKinnon on the stage-ready, “RADIO SONG.” Softer rock songs like the “JACK” and “TRUCK BED” help to bridge the gap between the country songs and the heavier stuff. Both previously released songs showcase HARDY at his absolute best, both as a singer and as a songwriter. On “TRUCK BED” fans will appreciate the reference to his song, “BOOTS.”

“I woke up on the wrong side of the truck bed this morning // With a bone-dry bottle of Jack I was pouring // Damn, she got some nerve, when she kicked me to the curb // Guess you can say I got what I deserve // ‘Cause I woke up on the wrong side of the truck bed this morning, yeah”

HARDY continues to bring the energy on songs like “.30-06.” The song feels reminiscent of an old-school punk rock song from the 2000s, sure to entice every millennial in his fanbase. Similarly, “I AIN’T IN THE COUNTRY NO MORE,” feels like it could fit into that time too. Both songs will be exciting to hear live.

HARDY ups the ante adding more heavy singing and screamo to the later songs on the record. On “KILL SH!T TILL I DIE,” the singer combines country lyrics about things like hunting with a wild explosion of emotion and energy. HARDY continues that vibe on the final song on the record, “THE REDNECK SONG,” proving that the country and rock genre are a perfect coupling for his music.

the mockingbird & THE CROW is one of the most unique albums out there right now. HARDY authentically fits in with both genres and finds a way to blend them effortlessly in a cohesive project. The entertainer clearly cares about every aspect of his artistry, and it shows through all of the seventeen tracks. If you have not yet jumped on the HARDY bandwagon, what are you waiting for?!

HARDY – the mockingbird & THE CROW Track List:

  1. beer (Michael Hardy, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps)
  2. red feat. Morgan Wallen (Michael Hardy, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Jacob Rice)
  3. wait in the truck feat. Lainey Wilson (Michael Hardy, Renee Blair, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt)
  4. drink one for me (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps)
  5. i in country (Michael Hardy, Smith Ahnquist, Nick Donley, Jake Mitchell, Hunter Phelps)
  6. screen (Michael Hardy, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt Dragstrem, Hunter Phelps)
  7. happy (Michael Hardy)
  8. here lies country music (Michael Hardy, Cole Taylor, Brett Tyler, Will Weatherly)
  9. the mockingbird & THE CROW (Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt, Brett Tyler)
  10. SOLD OUT (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps)
  11. JACK (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
  12. TRUCK BED (Michael Hardy, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps)
  13. .30-06 (Michael Hardy, Cameron Montgomery, Hunter Phelps)
  14. I AIN’T IN THE COUNTRY NO MORE (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
  15. RADIO SONG feat. Jeremy McKinnon (Michael Hardy, Zach Abend, Nick Donley, Jeremy McKinnon, Cody Quistad)
  16. KILL SH!T TILL I DIE (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps)
  17. THE REDNECK SONG (Michael Hardy, Andy Albert, Nick Donley)

Country Swag Picks:

  1. “the mockingbird & THE CROW”
  2. “.30-06”
  3. “red”
  4. “TRUCK BED”
  5. “THE REDNECK SONG”
hardy-album-the-crow-mockingbird

HARDY’s new album, ‘the mockingbird & THE CROW,’ out now.

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

To keep up with HARDY, follow him on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

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

hardy-truck-bed

If you’ve lost someone, HARDY’s “drink one for me” is the song for you…

HARDY’s sophomore project, ‘the mockingbird & THE CROW’ is out now, January 20th. Complete with 17 tracks, HARDY cuts the project in two halves, giving fans a half-country, half-rock album. Much like HARDY has continuously proved in his songwriting, each song possesses its own licks of lyrical genius. 

HARDY // Photo By: Ryan Smith

For Country Swag, an immediate standout track on the project is “drink one for me”. Within almost all of HARDY’s songs, each has its own unique story within a story and “drink one for me” is no different. Upon first-listen, HARDY fans may recognize a similar storyline to “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL” off of HARDY’s debut album. While “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL” harps on singing to a lost friend in heaven, “drink one for me” answers from the opposite perspective.

“but if there’s one way to keep my memory alive til the day y’all meet me here // it’s drink one for me // just know I’d be there holdin’ one in the air // if I didn’t have somewhere to be” 

In our recent interview, HARDY confirms that the idea to write a response to “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL” was completely intentional for the project. “Once we had the idea that we wanted to write about somebody dying, we said we should write it from the perspective of the guy that died in “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL.” That was said out loud in the room. That was on purpose.” HARDY tells us. 

While the emotional and sentimental track ties the two stories together, for those dealing with grief of their own, the cleverly written lyrics may help to serve as a form of validation in all of those moments where you can’t help but wish that that person was there with you, drinking a beer. 

Listen to “drink one for me” on HARDY’s brand new album ‘the mockingbird & THE CROW’, out now. Learn more about the project in our full album review here.

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HARDY’s ‘the mockingbird & THE CROW’ is out now, January 20th

Don’t miss HARDY out on the road this winter. ‘The mockingbird & THE CROW’ tour kicks off this week next month and hits New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom on 2/24. For a full list of dates, visit here. 

To keep up with HARDY, follow him on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

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

hardy-new-album

5 Things to Expect from HARDY’s New Album ‘the mockingbird & THE CROW’

We chatted with country singer, HARDY about his new album, the mockingbird & THE CROW, out Friday, January 20th. Here are five things to expect from the upcoming project.

  1. The album may be a half country, half rock album; however, the mockingbird THE CROW will always be rooted in country music.

“It definitely was more freeing, but I want people to know although it’s half a Rock and roll record, it’s also a little bit of my take or my spin on country music as well, because if you really dig into the lyric, THE CROW side has a deeply rooted country lyric […] I kind of opened the door for doing the rock ‘n’ Roll thing, but it opened the door for me to do a country thing, country lyrics over a really rock ‘n’ roll sonic production.”

  1. HARDY is a co-producer on every single track on the upcoming project.

“Every project that we go into the studio, I have felt more free to speak my mind or throw out ideas. […] Joey [Moi] has taught me a lot about filling the space […] That’s something I have really picked up on, helping Joey with ideas for filling gaps, and I’ve definitely grown a lot with that.” 

  1. The album’s title track was the last song that was written for the project; and changed the title of the album.

“’the mockingbird and THE CROW’ was the last song I wrote for the record, and I did not necessarily have a title for the record. The record was originally 8 songs and 8 songs. […] We ended up just writing the whole song that day and it ended up being the last song for the record.”

  1. HARDY’s rock-heavy song, “Jack” was the first song he wrote for the album, and “happy” was the first solo song he wrote since 2013.

“The first song I wrote for this project was “JACK,” two years ago. And for obvious reasons, no one else was going to cut that shit. That was the minute that I was like this is cool, what do y’all think about this […] I had been wanting to try to get one by myself just to know that I still could. […] I had this weird idea about personifying the word happy and turning happy into a person.”

  1. “drink one for me” was written from the perspective of the guy who died in “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL” from HARDY’s debut album.

“Once we had the idea that we wanted to write about somebody dying, we said we should write it from the perspective of the guy that died in “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL.” That was said out loud in the room. That was on purpose.”

**Bonus note, HARDY shared that he WILL collaborate with Morgan Wallen & Ernest on a song in the future.

hardy-expect-album

HARDY’s new album, ‘the mockingbird & THE CROW’ out Friday, January 20th.

Check back this Friday for our full album review of HARDY’s record the mockingbird & THE CROW.

To keep up with HARDY, follow him on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

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

BREAKING: Morgan Wallen Adds Second MetLife Stadium Show

Morgan Wallen’s 2023 ‘One Night At A Time’ World Tour will hit the New York/New Jersey area at MetLife Stadium not once, but TWICE this spring! The superstar revealed moments ago that a second stop on the tour has been added along with 13 additional tour dates. Get all the info below.

Wallen’s tour will hit MetLife Stadium on Friday, May 19, 2023 and Saturday, May 20, 2023. The show will include openers, Parker McCollum in direct support, ERNEST, and Bailey Zimmerman. For a full list of tour dates, click here.

Tickets are on sale Friday, December 9 at MorganWallen.com. There is no official pre-sale in the U.S. for this tour, so fans are advised to only purchase through verified fans.

Be on the lookout for more information regarding a tailgate/bus trip from Country Swag, join our e-newsletter here, so you don’t miss any announcements + follow us on Instagram.

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more.

BREAKING: Morgan Wallen Bringing Tour to MetLife Stadium 2023

Morgan Wallen’s 2023 ‘One Night At A Time’ World Tour will hit the New York/New Jersey area on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Get all the info below.

The show will include openers, Parker McCollum in direct support, ERNEST, and Bailey Zimmerman. For a full list of tour dates, click here.

Tickets are on sale Friday, December 9 at MorganWallen.com. There is no official pre-sale in the U.S. for this tour, so fans are advised to only purchase through verified fans.

Be on the lookout for more information regarding a tailgate/bus trip from Country Swag, join our e-newsletter here, so you don’t miss any announcements + follow us on Instagram.

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more.