Heartache Medication (song) explained

Heartache Medication
Cover:Heartache Medication.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Jon Pardi
Album:Heartache Medication
Genre:Country
Label:Capitol Nashville
Prev Title:Night Shift
Prev Year:2018
Next Title:Beer Can't Fix
Next Year:2020

"Heartache Medication" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Jon Pardi. It was released on May 20, 2019, as the lead single to, and title track from, his third studio album Heartache Medication. Pardi wrote the song with Natalie Hemby and Barry Dean. Heartache Medication gave Pardi his third number-one hit on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. It also peaked at numbers five and 42 on both the Hot Country Songs and Hot 100 charts respectively. The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 82,000 copies in the United States as of March 2020. It achieved similar success in Canada, reaching number one on the Country chart and number 72 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. It was certified Platinum by Music Canada, denoting sales of over 80,000 units in that country. The music video for the single features Pardi performing the song while dancing with his girlfriend.

Content and history

Cillea Houghton of Sounds Like Nashville describes the song as "centered around a heartbroken man curing his misery not with anger or spite, but a glass of something strong".[1] Pardi said that the song carries "an '80s George Strait 'Fool Hearted Memory' feel to it, and is something people can dance to."[2]

Commercial performance

"Heartache Medication" reached number one on Billboards Country Airplay on chart dated February 8, 2020, becoming Pardi's third number one on that chart, and his first since "Dirt on My Boots" in March–April 2017.[3] The song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on July 30, 2020, for a million units in sales and streams. It has sold 82,000 copies in the United States as of March 2020.[4]

The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Canada Country chart dated December 28, 2019.[5]

Music video

The music video features Pardi and his girlfriend, Summer Duncan, performing the song while dancing.[6]

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2020)Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[9] 30
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 32

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Album Review: Jon Pardi's 'Heartache Medication' . Sounds Like Nashville . September 26, 2019 . November 11, 2019 . Cillea Houghton.
  2. Web site: Jon Pardi Shares Title Track of New Album, 'Heartache Medication' . The Boot . May 20, 2019 . November 11, 2019 . Carena Liptak.
  3. Web site: Jon Pardi Scores Fourth No. 1 Single With "Heartache Medication". Jim. Casey. February 3, 2020. Nash Country Daily.
  4. Web site: Bjorke. Matt. Top 30 Digital Country Singles Sales Chart: March 2, 2020. Roughstock. March 4, 2020. March 14, 2020. April 4, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210404163252/http://roughstock.com/news/2020/03/44155-top-30-digital-country-singles-sales-chart-march-2-2020. dead.
  5. Canada Country Chart. .
  6. Jon Pardi Jokes He Practiced Choreography in His Barn Ahead of 'Heartache Medication' Music Video . . August 1, 2019 . November 11, 2019 . Carmen DiPippo.
  7. Top 100 Songs. Rolling Stone. February 11, 2020. 2020-02-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20200216185818/https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/songs/2020-02-06/. dead.
  8. Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2019. Billboard. December 6, 2019.
  9. Country Airplay Songs – Year-End 2020. Billboard. December 3, 2020.
  10. Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2020. Billboard. December 3, 2020.