Famous Friends (album) explained
| Famous Friends |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Chris Young |
| Cover: | Young FF cover.jpeg |
| Recorded: | 2018–2021 |
| Genre: | Country |
| Length: | 43:18 |
| Label: | RCA Nashville |
| Prev Title: | Losing Sleep |
| Prev Year: | 2017 |
| Next Title: | Young Love & Saturday Nights |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
Famous Friends is the eighth studio album by American country music artist Chris Young. It was released on August 6, 2021, by RCA Records Nashville. It was preceded by the three singles "Raised on Country", "Drowning" and the title track. "At the End of a Bar" would be released on September 13, 2021, as the album's fourth single.[1] Young co-wrote all but two of the songs on the album overall.
Content
"Raised on Country" was released as the leadoff single on January 28, 2019. It was originally intended to be the title track, but following the releases of "Drowning" on September 23, 2019 and "Famous Friends" on November 20, 2020, Young announced after the COVID-19 pandemic that the album would be retitled to Famous Friends.[2] [3]
Critical reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote that Young "started drifting toward the middle of the road around the mid-2010s", but that Famous Friends "finds him making a course correction, adding some livelier, stylish elements to his smooth foundation".[4]
Commercial performance
Famous Friends debuted at number three on the Top Country Albums chart, as well as number 13 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 24,000 copies (including 14,000 album units) in its first week.[5] [6]
Personnel
Adapted from liner notes.[7]
Tracks 1–4 and 10–13
- Lauren Alaina – duet vocals on "Town Ain't Big Enough"
- Cary Barlowe – bass guitar, electric guitar, background vocals
- Kane Brown – duet vocals on "Famous Friends"
- Sarah Buxton – background vocals
- Dave Cohen – B-3 organ, piano, synthesizer
- Corey Crowder – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, programming, background vocals
- Chris DeStefano – background vocals
- Hillary Lindsey – background vocals
- Tony Lucido – bass guitar
- Mac McAnally – acoustic guitar
- Rob McNelley – electric guitar
- Miles McPherson – drums
- Shay Mooney – background vocals
- Russell Terrell – background vocals
- Derek Wells – electric guitar
- Alex Wright – B-3 organ, organ, piano, synthesizer, Wurlitzer
- Chris Young – lead vocals
Track 5
- Josh Hoge – background vocals
- Mark Holman – electric guitar, piano, programming
- Miles McPherson – drums, percussion
- Chris Young – lead vocals
Tracks 6–9
- Chris DeStefano – acoustic guitar, banjo, bass guitar, dobro, drums, electric guitar, keyboards, piano, programming, violin, background vocals
- Ashley Gorley – background vocals
- Mitchell Tenpenny – duet vocals on "At the End of a Bar"
- Chris Young – lead vocals
Track 14
- Dave Cohen – B-3 organ, piano, synthesizer
- Wes Hightower – background vocals
- Julian King – programming
- Tony Lucido – bass guitar
- Miles McPherson – drums, percussion
- Danny Rader – acoustic guitar
- Scotty Sanders – steel guitar
- Derek Wells – electric guitar
- Chris Young – lead vocals
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Notes and References
- Web site: Future Releases for Country Radio Stations. All Access. August 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210826083218/https://www.allaccess.com/country/future-releases. August 26, 2021.
- Web site: Raised on Country by Chris Young. Songfacts. August 20, 2021.
- Web site: Chris Young Announces New Album Famous Friends Set to Drop in August: 'I'm Really Excited'. Brianne Tracy. June 9, 2021. People. August 20, 2021.
- Web site: Famous Friends review. Erlewine. Stephen Thomas. AllMusic. August 20, 2021.
- Chris Young's 'Famous Friends' Debuts at No. 3 on Top Country Albums Chart. Asker. Jim. Billboard. August 17, 2021. August 20, 2021.
- Chris Young Chart History - Billboard 200. Billboard. August 20, 2021.
- Famous Friends . Chris Young . 2021 . CD booklet . RCA Records Nashville . 19075-93292-2.
- The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 16 August 2021. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1641. 6. August 16, 2021.
- Top Country Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 12, 2021.
- Top Country Albums – Year-End 2022. Billboard. February 19, 2023.
