Drinkin’ still a staple of country songs
NASHVILLE — The U.S. midterms may be over, but the contest for the year’s best country songs is just around the corner at the 2018 Country Music Association Awards.
Song of the year is awarded to songwriters, while single of the year goes to the artist, producer and mixing engineer.
The CMA Awards will air live on Wednesday from Nashville, Tenn. Here’s a look at the single and song nominees:
Drowns the Whiskey by Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert, nominated for single and song of the year:
This song was originally pitched for country singer Tyler Farr, says Josh Thompson, who co-wrote the song with Brandon Kinney and Jeff Middleton. When it didn’t make Farr’s album, Aldean grabbed it and turned it into a No. 1 hit.
The three writers were on the road in 2013 when they wrote it, staying up until 4:30 in the morning while drinking whiskey, Thompson said.
“I am huge believer in the idea that you’ve got to get in the character of your song,” he said.
Broken Halos by Chris Stapleton, nominated for single and song of the year:
Mike Henderson has written with Stapleton for years, long before they were both in the bluegrass band The Steeldrivers and way before Stapleton broke out with his 2015 solo debut, Traveller.
“I was reading Keith Richards’ biography and he had a chapter called Broken Halos, and as soon I saw it, I was like, ‘Whoa, song title,’” Henderson said.
The track won the best country song Grammy earlier this year, making it a strong contender in both CMA categories, and the emotional way Stapleton sings the song makes it a fan favourite.
Tequila by Dan + Shay, nominated for single and song of the year:
Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney genuinely love tequila. They drink it on tour and at home, but the duo wasn’t really looking for a party song about getting drunk.
“So we flipped that,” said Smyers. “Tequila was basically the trigger that took you back to a certain place, so it’s a nostalgic heartbreak song, which is kind of Dan + Shay’s wheelhouse.”
Meant to Be by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, nominated for single of the year:
It’s the song that has dominated country music for all of 2018. The inescapable, record-breaking monster hit has surpassed 1 billion streams, achieved four-times platinum status and reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart.
David Garcia wrote the song in Los Angeles with Rexha, FGL’s Tyler Hubbard and songwriter Josh Miller and it was originally released on Rexha’s 2017 EP, All Your Fault: Pt. 2.
“There is a little more merging of L.A. and Nashville now more than ever,” Garcia said.
But it’s also a polarizing contender with many arguing it’s not a true country song and its crossover success could repel some CMA voters.
Body Like a Back Road by Sam Hunt, nominated for song of the year, and Drinkin’ Problem by Midland, nominated for single of the year:
Both songs were created in part by the songwriting-producing power duo Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, but they are on different spectrums of the genre.
Hunt’s 2017 hit crossed to pop and became a five-times platinum success with a catchy, finger-snapping rhythm. But even McAnally admits to being surprised about seeing it pop up on the nominee list again after it lost last year in the same category (to Better Man, written by Taylor Swift.
Even though it was not released in the eligibility period, Hunt’s song made the second ballot because it remained a Top 5 country single.
Meanwhile, Midland broke out as a neo-traditionalist band with Drinkin’ Problem, a George Strait-style throwback.
“I would love to see it win single of the year because of its traditional sound,” McAnally said.
Drunk Girl by Chris Janson, nominated for song of the year:
Most country singers steer away from politically charged topics, but during the #MeToo movement, Janson had a pointed message for men. “Take the drunk girl home,” he sings, and walk away.
“I am not really a soapbox guy,” Janson said. “I just write what I write and sing what I sing. I do believe in the message very powerfully.”