Damn Country Music Explained
Damn Country Music is the fourteenth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on November 6, 2015 by Big Machine Records. It was produced by McGraw and Byron Gallimore.[1] Its lead single, "Top of the World" was released on August 4, 2015.[2] The title track, "Damn Country Music", was released on October 9, 2015 as part of the album pre-order.
Content
The album features a duet with McGraw's oldest daughter Gracie titled "Here Tonight", while Big & Rich perform on the song "California."[3] Big & Rich later released their own version of the song as a single in March 2017.[4] "Don't Make Me Feel At Home" was previously recorded by Wesley Dennis in 1995.
Promotion
Singles
The first single of the album, "Top of the World" was released on August 4, 2015. It debuted at number 30 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The next week it debut at number 18 on the Country Digital Songs chart, selling 16,000 copies.[5] The second single of the album, "Humble and Kind" was released on February 1, 2016. The third single of the album, "How I'll Always Be" released on July 11, 2016.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 upon its release,[6] and No. 3 on the Top Country Albums chart, selling 39,300 copies in its first week.[7] As of March 2017 the album has sold 255,800 copies in the United States.[8]
Personnel
Musicians and singers
- Tim McGraw – lead vocals
- Jamie Muhoberac – keyboards (1-7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14)
- Jeff Roach – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 14)
- Steve Nathan — keyboards (3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13), horns (12)
- Byron Gallimore –additional keyboards (2, 9), additional backing vocals (7)
- David Dorn – additional keyboards (5, 11)
- David Levita – electric guitar
- Rusty Anderson – electric guitar (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 14), additional acoustic guitar (1)
- Michael Landau – electric guitar (1-10, 12, 13, 14)
- Danny Rader — acoustic guitar (1, 2, 4, 7, 14), banjo (1), mandolin (1), bouzouki (2, 7, 14)
- Justin Schipper – pedal steel guitar
- Troy Lancaster – electric guitar (3, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13)
- Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar (3, 5, 6, 8-11, 13)
- Paul Bushnell – bass
- Shannon Forrest – drums, drum programming
- Eric Darken – percussion (1)
- Larry Franklin – fiddle (8)
- Greg Barnhill – backing vocals (1-9, 11-14)
- Gracie McGraw – lead vocals (1)
- Big & Rich – lead and backing vocals (10)
Strings on "Humble and Kind"
- Stephen Lamb — music copyist
- Carole Rabinowitz – cello
- Sara Sant'Ambrogio – cello
- Kristin Wilkinson – viola, string arrangements
- David Angell – violin
- David Davidson – violin
Strings on "Kiss a Girl"
- David Campbell – arrangements and conductor
- Suzie Katayama – contractor
- Mike Valerio – acoustic bass
- Dane Little, Steve Richards and Rudy Stein – cello
- Andrew Duckles, Matt Funes and Luke Maurer – viola
- Charlie Bisharat, Jackie Brand, Mario DeLeon, Songa Lee, Natalie Leggett, Serena McKinney, Joel Pargman, Sara Parkins, Michele Richards and Josefina Vergara – violin
Production
- Byron Gallimore – producer, mixing (2-9, 11-14)
- Tim McGraw — producer
- Missi Gallimore – A&R
- Julian King — engineer
- Chris Lord-Alge – mixing (1, 10)
- Stephen Allbritten – additional engineer (1-4, 6-10, 12-14), mix assistant (2-9, 11-14)
- Adam Chagnon – additional engineer (1, 10)
- Erik Lutkins – additional engineer (1-4, 6-10, 12-14), mix assistant (2-9, 11-14)
- Ernesto Olvera – assistant engineer (1-4, 6-10, 12-14)
- Jake Burns – assistant engineer (5, 11)
- Nik Karpen – mix assistant (1, 10)
- Adam Ayan – mastering
- Becky Reiser – art production
- Liam Ward – art production
- Kelly Clague – creative director
- Sandi Spika Borchetta – creative director
- Nick Egan – art direction, design
- Danny Clinch – photography
Studios
- Tracks 1-4, 6-10 & 12-14 recorded at Blackbird Studios (Nashville, TN).
- Tracks 5 & 11 recorded at Black River Soundstage (Nashville, TN).
- Tracks 1 & 10 mixed at Mix LA (Los Angeles, CA).
- Tracks 2-9 & 11-14 mixed at Essential Sound Studios (Franklin, TN).
- Mastered at Gateway Mastering (Portland, ME).
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Notes and References
- Web site: Tim McGraw Announces New Album 'Damn Country Music' . Billboard . September 17, 2015 . September 17, 2015.
- Web site: "Top Of The World" Available Now! . Tim McGraw official website . August 4, 2015 . September 17, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151012051154/http://www.timmcgraw.com/top-of-the-world-available-now/ . October 12, 2015 . dead .
- Web site: Tim McGraw Reveals 'Damn Country Music' Album With Surprise Guests . Rolling Stone . 17 September 2015 . 17 September 2015 . Betts, Stephen L..
- Web site: Big & Rich’s Next Single, ‘California’, Might Sound Familiar [LISTEN] Read More: Big & Rich's Next Single, 'California', Might Sound Familiar]. Stefano. Angela. The Boot. 10 May 2017.
- News: The Top 30 Digital Country Singles: August 18, 2015. Matt Bjorke. August 18, 2015. Sales figure given here
- News: Country singer Stapleton No. 1 on Billboard chart again . Piya Sinha-Roy . November 16, 2015 .
- News: Country Albums Chart Report: November 17, 2015 . Matt . Bjorke . November 17, 2015 . Roughstock .
- News: Top 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: March 20, 2017 . Matt . Bjorke . March 20, 2017 . Roughstock .
- Web site: Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 – Official Charts Company. Officialcharts.com. 30 September 2016.
- Web site: Chart: CLUK Update 14.11.2015 (wk46). Zobbel.de. Zywietz, Tobias. November 26, 2015.
- Web site: Top Country Albums – Year-End 2015. Billboard. July 27, 2020.
- Web site: Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2016. Billboard. December 9, 2016.
- Web site: Top Country Albums: Year-End 2016. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 27, 2016.
- Web site: Top Country Albums – Year-End 2017. Billboard. December 5, 2021.
