7 Summers Explained

7 Summers
Cover:Morgan Wallen - 7 Summers.png
Type:single
Artist:Morgan Wallen
Recorded:2020
Genre:
Length:3:30
Label:
Producer:Joey Moi
Prev Title:More Than My Hometown
Prev Year:2020
Next Title:Sand in My Boots
Next Year:2021

"7 Summers" is a song by American country music singer Morgan Wallen from his second studio album, (2021). Wallen wrote the song along with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, and it was produced by Joey Moi. Wallen did not originally intend to include the song on the album, but following a demo version of the song gaining popularity on social media, he decided on its inclusion. The song was officially released as the second single of the album on August 14, 2020. A country and soft rock track, it features suspended chords and guitar layering. Lyrically, Wallen sings of his lost love and reminisces about their romance that took place, as the title suggests, seven summers ago.

"7 Summers" received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Wallen's vocals, Moi's production, and its overall mood. Time would rank the song the seventh best of 2020. Upon its release, the song broke the single-day Apple Music streaming record for a country song. The song debuted at number one on Billboards Hot Country Songs and number six on the Billboard Hot 100, making Wallen only the second solo male country artist to earn a Billboard top 10 debut, 21 years after Garth Brooks did so as Chris Gaines in 1999. It has since been certified triple platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Wallen would release a short film for the song and would later perform it as part of his appearance on Saturday Night Live.

Background

While at the beach with his children, songwriter Shane McAnally came up the idea of a song titled "7 Summers", as it was his seventh summer going to the beach with his family.[1] He would pitch the title to Wallen who found the title to be interesting and would begin writing the song alongside McAnally and Josh Osborne, while bringing in Joey Moi to produce the song.[2] During the COVID-19 quarantine, Wallen was nominated by fellow country musician Jake Owen to do a demo on Instagram; he accepted the challenge and performed what would become the song's first verse and chorus in April 2020.[3] [4] Wallen was initially uncertain whether the song would be included on his second album, however he changed his mind after the demo received positive feedback from fans and went viral on video-sharing app TikTok, earning over 24 million views prior to its official release.[5] On August 4, in response to a fan who posted on TikTok that they were waiting for Wallen to release the song, he announced it would be released the following week. In a statement on the song's release, Wallen said:

Composition and lyrics

"7 Summers" has been described as a blend of 1980s style country music and soft rock, with Wallen stating that he was influenced by rock bands Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles, whom he grew up listening to with his father.[6] [7] While writing the song, song writer Shane McAnally sought to incorporate a wistfulness and bittersweet quality that would distinguish it from the more lighthearted songs that he typically wrote. Wallen would include experiences from his upbringing in the lyrics.[8] The song contains ringing, suspended chords, and layered guitars meant to add a maximalist element,[9] a "shimmering mid-tempo groove", and a "breezy, island-influenced" melody.[10] Wallen's vocals are "nostalgic", "bittersweet", "wistful", and "daydreamy" as he reminisces on a lost summer romance that took place, as the title suggests, seven summers ago, while also pondering if his summer lover still thinks about "that boy from East Tennessee", referring to himself.[11] His nostalgia takes him back to an unforgettable summer that is "all too vivid", with a "time traveling chorus" indicating a second chance with his former romance may be possible.

Release and reception

The song was officially released on August 14, 2020, as the second single from Wallen's second studio album .[12] Upon its release, the song was met with positive reviews from music critics, who praised Wallen's vocals, Moi's production, and the overall mood of the song. Billboards Melinda Newman gave the song overall praise, calling it reminiscent of the easy listening music of the mid 20th century and stating: "Wallen's wistful vocals, Joey Moi's pitch-perfect production and the yearning for a time and love long gone pack a gentle wallop".[13] Allie Clouse of the Knoxville News Sentinel deemed the song a "nostalgic summer soundtrack". Think Country Musics Jamie Gard declared it "the country soundtrack of the season", opining that the song would captivate listeners with its "irresistible sway".[14] CountrySwags Erica Zisman described the song as "having imagery like no other".[15] Rolling Stones Jon Freeman called the song "dreamy", complimenting Moi's "atmospheric" production, stating that it "perfectly fits the mood of Wallen's story". At the years end, Time ranked it the seventh best song of 2020.[16]

Since its release, "7 Summers" has grown to be a fan favorite track and is frequently cited as being one of Wallen's best songs.[17] [18] [19]

Short film

On November 10, 2020, Wallen released an eight minute cinematic short film for the song directed by Justin Clough.[20] Filmed in Nashville, the film features Wallen in his acting debut as a small town high school baseball star whose father pressures him to pursue a professional baseball career, while he fears that doing so might force him to leave behind his high school sweetheart.[21] [22] In the film, after failing to make the big leagues, Wallen returns to his hometown and discovers that his lost love has new life without him. The video was inspired by a period in Wallen's life in which he got injured playing baseball and struggled adjusting to community college, as well as by him reminiscing on old conversations with his high school girlfriend. The film received positive reviews, with reviewers praising Wallen's acting and its cinematic nature.[23] [24] [25]

The film also served to tease tease Dangerous: The Double Album, with him stating that the release date of the album could be found in the film. Fans spotted the numbers 1, 8, and 21 in the film, hinting at a release of January 8, 2021, the ultimate release date of the album.

Commercial performance

"7 Summers" set the record for the biggest first-day streams for a country song on Apple Music, garnering 4.6 million streams and debuting at number three on the global chart. It also broke Spotify's first day record for a country track by a solo artist. The song debuted at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Wallen's first top 10 entry, as well as the second top 10 debut ever for a song by a solo male country artist, the first since Chris Gaines (Garth Brooks)' "Lost in You" in 1999.[26] This also made Wallen the first contestant from The Voice to score a top 10 single.[27] The song would peak at number three on the Rolling Stone Top 100, the highest charting solo country song in the charts history.[28]

The song peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in February 2021, becoming Wallen's first single to miss the top 10 on the airplay chart since his debut single "The Way I Talk" peaked at number 30 in 2017. Its chart run was halted as a result of SiriusXM Satellite Radio, iHeartRadio, Entercom, and Cumulus Media all issuing directives to their stations to remove Wallen's music from airplay,[29] [30] following controversy after the singer was caught on camera using a racial slur with friends as they were entering his Nashville home.[31] The song has been certified triple platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[32]

"7 Summers" strong commercial performance was primarily driven by TikTok and streaming, a rare occurrence in country music which typically relies on radio airplay and physical sales more than other genres. The success of the song through streaming was cited by the Los Angeles Times as "helping move country music into the 21st century".[33]

Live performances

Wallen first performed "7 Summers" live on September 10, 2020, in Austin, Texas as part of Tito's Handmade Vodka Presents: Made to Order Festival.[34] [35] On December 5, 2020, Wallen performed the song on his Saturday Night Live debut to an audience of 6.1 million viewers.[36] [37] On January 8, 2021, Wallen performed the song live on The Bobby Bones Show along with other songs on his album.[38]

Credits and personnel

Information taken from AllMusic.

Personnel

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart performance for "7 Summers"
Chart (2020–2021)Peak
position
Australia Country Hot 50 (TMN)[39] 5
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[40] 14
US Rolling Stone Top 100[41] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (2020)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[42] 51
Chart (2021)Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[43] 46

Notes and References

  1. Web site: September 15, 2021 . Morgan Wallen Wins NSAI Songwriters Awards For “7 Summers” & “Chasin’ You” . January 26, 2023 . Music Mayhem Magazine . en-US.
  2. Web site: Nicholson . Jessica . August 17, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Earns Viral Hit With New Track "7 Summers" . January 26, 2023 . MusicRow.com . en-US.
  3. Web site: Clouse . Allie . August 6, 2020 . That boy from East Tennessee Morgan Wallen announces new single on TikTok . August 19, 2020 . Knoxville News Sentinel.
  4. Web site: August 5, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Reveals "7 Summers" Release Date . August 19, 2020 . Music Mayhem Magazine.
  5. Web site: Black . Lauren Jo . August 19, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Shatters Records With '7 Summers' . August 19, 2020 . Country Now.
  6. Web site: Freeman . Jon . August 14, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Looks Back in Dreamy New Song '7 Summers' . August 19, 2020 . Rolling Stone.
  7. Web site: Wood . Mikail . August 27, 2020 . How mullet-sporting Morgan Wallen is pulling country music into the 21st century . December 10, 2022 . . en-US.
  8. Web site: Black . Lauren Jo . October 13, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Shares the Real Story Behind '7 Summers' and Reveals How an Ex-Girlfriend Inspired It . January 26, 2023 . Country Now . en-US.
  9. Web site: Parton . Chris . August 14, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Looks Back on a Summer of Love in '7 Summers . August 19, 2020 . Sounds Like Nashville.
  10. Web site: Stefano . Angela . August 14, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Drops Fan-Favorite '7 Summers' . August 19, 2020 . Taste of Country.
  11. Web site: Clouse . Allie . August 14, 2020 . Is Morgan Wallen's '7 Summers' the song of the summer? Track tops country streaming charts . August 19, 2020 . Knoxville News Sentinel.
  12. Web site: Wendowski . Andrew . August 14, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Releases Fan-Favorite Song “7 Summers” — LISTEN . January 26, 2023 . Music Mayhem Magazine . en-US.
  13. Web site: Newman . Melinda . August 14, 2020 . First Country: New Music From Kane Brown, Morgan Wallen, Jon Pardi, Caylee Hammack & More . August 19, 2020 . Billboard.
  14. Web site: Morgan Wallen Shares Nostalgic Summertime Soundtrack '7 Summers' Debut Album If I Know Me Tops Billboard's Country Albums Chart After Historic 114 Week Run. Think Country Music. Gardam. Jamie. August 14, 2020. August 19, 2020.
  15. Web site: Zisman . Erica . January 8, 2021 . Morgan Wallen: 'Dangerous' The Double Album - Review . December 12, 2022 . CS . en-US.
  16. Web site: The 10 Best Songs of 2020 . Time.
  17. Web site: Morgan Wallen . December 11, 2022 . Billboard . en-US.
  18. Web site: Hagan . Mark . The Best Morgan Wallen Songs Holler . December 11, 2022 . holler.country . en.
  19. Web site: Moore . Bobby . December 4, 2020 . Morgan Wallen's 5 Best Songs So Far, Ranked . January 27, 2023 . Wide Open Country . en-US.
  20. Web site: Parton . Chris . November 10, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Makes Acting Debut in '7 Summers' Mini Movie . January 27, 2023 . Sounds Like Nashville.
  21. Web site: Aniftos . Rania . November 10, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Chooses Between Baseball & Love in ‘7 Summers’ Short Film . December 11, 2022 . Billboard . en-US.
  22. Web site: Liptak . Carena . November 9, 2020 . Morgan Wallen’s ‘7 Summers’ Video Is a Nostalgic Mini-Movie . December 11, 2022 . Taste of Country . en.
  23. Web site: Parton . Chris . November 10, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Makes Acting Debut in '7 Summers' Mini Movie . December 11, 2022 . Sounds Like Nashville.
  24. Web site: November 10, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Releases Incredible Short Film for '7 Summers' . January 26, 2023 . B104 WBWN-FM . en-US.
  25. Web site: Shepard . Will . November 9, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Drops '7 Summers' Short Film with Release Date Clue . January 26, 2023 . Outsider . en-US.
  26. Web site: Trust . Gary . August 24, 2020 . Cardi B's 'WAP' Tops Billboard Hot 100 for Second Week; Drake, Morgan Wallen & Gabby Barrett Hit Top 10 . August 25, 2020 . Billboard.
  27. Web site: Kelefa . Saneh . December 17, 2020 . How Morgan Wallen Became the Most Wanted Man in Country . January 26, 2023 . The New Yorker . en-US.
  28. Web site: Freeman . Jon . August 25, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Cements His Crossover Appeal With '7 Summers' . December 11, 2022 . Rolling Stone . en-US.
  29. Web site: Morgan Wallen's Music Removed From iHeart's Radio Stations and Others Following Racial Slur. February 3, 2021. Billboard. en.
  30. Web site: Willman . Chris . February 3, 2021 . Morgan Wallen Disqualified by Academy of Country Music for Upcoming Awards; One-Day Airplay Down 80% . February 4, 2021 . Variety.
  31. Web site: Morgan Wallen Hurls N-Word Outside Home After Rowdy Night Out . February 3, 2021 . . en.
  32. Web site: 7 Summers . January 26, 2023 . RIAA . en-US.
  33. Web site: Unterberger . Andrew . August 26, 2020 . Morgan Wallen’s ‘7 Summers’ Debut Is a Sign Not Just of His Own Stardom, But of Country’s Streaming Rise . January 26, 2023 . Billboard . en-US.
  34. Web site: Mayhem . Boot Kickin' . September 10, 2020 . Morgan Wallen Gives Debut Live Performance Of 7 Summers — Watch . December 11, 2022 . Music Mayhem Magazine . en-US.
  35. Web site: August 25, 2020 . Tito’s Made to Order Music Festival Featuring Dierks Bentley, Louis the Child, Portugal. The Man, Summer Walker and ZHU Coming Soon to a Screen Near You . December 11, 2022 . GlobeNewswire . en.
  36. Web site: December 6, 2020. Morgan Wallen Made His 'Saturday Night Live' Debut With "7 Summers" And "Still Goin Down". December 6, 2020. Music Mayhem Magazine.
  37. Web site: Porter . Rick . December 8, 2020 . TV Ratings: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Suffers Post-Election Slide . December 11, 2022 . . en-US.
  38. Web site: January 8, 2021 . Morgan Wallen Performs "More Than My Hometown," "Somebody’s Problem," and "7 Summers" . December 11, 2022 . The All-New 98.9 THE BULL . en-US.
  39. Web site: Country Hot 50: Issue 1327. The Music Network. February 8, 2021.
  40. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. August 24, 2020. August 22, 2020.
  41. Web site: Top 100 Songs, August 14, 2020 - August 20, 2020. Rolling Stone. August 24, 2020. October 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211005174319/https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/songs/2020-08-20/. dead.
  42. Web site: Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2020. Billboard. December 3, 2020.
  43. Web site: Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 2, 2021.