Tag Archives: modern country

WATCH: Max McNown Vows to Become a ‘Better Me For You’

Max McNown Night Diving

The purest form of love inspires us to find the best within ourselves; it causes us to confront and defeat our demons, so that we can show up better than we ever have.

Max McNown wrote about that type of life-changing love to create “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes),” from the forthcoming album Night Diving (out Jan. 24, 2025). The Billboard Country Rookie of the Month continues his scorching hot streak with an introspective pop-country ballad about rising to the occasion for the girl of his dreams.

“It’s more than just her alluring brown eyes that captivate him,” shares Max. “She imbues goodness and, above all, has a ‘heart of gold.’”

The release of “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)” is accompanied by an official performance video, which you can watch below. If you want to catch McNown live, you won’t have to wait long — his debut headline tour kicks off in January. However, you’ll want to get tickets fast, as dates in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, and other cities have already sold out.

LISTEN: David Tucker Has a Hard Time ‘Forgetting Her’

Missing somebody means missing all of them — even the little things that make us crazy.

David Tucker explores the difficulties of moving on with “Forgetting Her,” a spacious pop-country waltz that makes us consider whether walking away is really the right move…

“I’m tired of getting eight hours cause she isn’t keeping me up
I’m tired of not being late cause her hair don’t look good enough
I wish I could still see the face that she makes
When something I did isn’t going her way
If you’re ever thinking that loving her is too much for you to take
Try forgetting her.”

-David Tucker, “Forgetting Her”

Co-written alongside longtime collaborator Jake Saghi and seasoned Nashville artist Qvint, “Forgetting Her” has been making waves on the musical landscape. The single was exclusively premiered by PEOPLE Magazine last month — and, with its heartfelt subject matter and absolutely gorgeous vocal harmonies, it’s easy to understand why this one has gained traction — with listeners and media outlets alike!

LISTEN: Paige Davis Lets Go on ‘The Stars & You’

We can’t forge ahead without leaving some things behind.

Paige Davis examines this reality — trading love and the starry night sky for big city dreams — with her new single, “The Stars & You.”

“I had this idea when I first moved to Nashville—this is the first time I’ve lived in a city and not a small town. I looked up to the sky one night hoping to get some inspiration the way I used to and couldn’t see any stars,” Davis said. “I was thinking about how, up until that moment, whenever I was missing someone, I could always look to the night sky and find some clarity. For the first time, I didn’t have that comfort or reassurance. I brought this idea to some of my besties, and luckily, we were totally on the same page.”

“The Stars & You” is a warm summer night wrapped up in an ambiance not unlike early, pop country Taylor Swift. Davis’ earnest storytelling details the hard truth that comes with moving on, while also looking ahead to new experiences.

“My hopes are for people in a similar situation to connect with this song and understand that it’s okay to take the road less traveled,” Davis said. “Sometimes, that road can even lead you to some of the best experiences of your life.”

UMC20: Bringin’ the Energy (Jan. 23, 2024)

Maybe it’s the New Year’s optimism that’s lingering late into January. Or, maybe it’s the fact that we’re excited to have escaped our ice fortresses after last week’s winter storm extraordinaire in Nashville. Either way, there’s a buzz in the air.

That buzz has its sonic representation on this week’s playlist. Many of the tracks here are on the high-energy side of the spectrum, keeping your blood pumping through any weather.

Bonus track: Our pal Ty Warner moved into a five-way tie for second place all-time for Quinn Spinn appearances, and we invite you to dig into that episode as an extra treat at the end.

Track listing
William Prince – When You Miss Someone (Roosevelt Remix)
Harris Hills – ACTION MAN
ROM COM – Mess You Made
Kabir Green – I See Gold
Marcus King – F*ck My Life Up Again
Earthquake Lights – Heartbeat
Kendra & The Bunnies – Manic Pixie Nightmare
Michael Daughtry ft. Tishmone’ – Save Me Some
Armchair Boogie – Gone in a Day
Kitchen Dwellers ft. Lindsay Lou – The Crow and The Raven (III)
J.Antonette – Run Girl Run
The Bones of J.R. Jones – My Hometown
Elise Browell – Remarkable
Tucker Woods – Are You Glass?
The Mighty Calm – Boardwalks
Rundown Kreeps – Big Bear
Mad Caddies – Baby
Keep the Eleven – Do You Wanna Change The World?
MONTE – Canna-Vision
Tommy Magik and the Wonderfulls – I Do What I Want

LISTEN: With ‘New Nashville,’ Teagan Stewart Observes a Changing Cityscape

Part of change means learning to say goodbye — especially when that change happens rapidly, like it has in Nashville over the past half-decade.

Teagan Stewart recalls Music City’s changing landscape — and the culture that has changed alongside it — on her latest single, “New Nashville.”

“‘New Nashville’ is a traditional country-sounding scream into the void of a construction pit where a great venue once was,” Stewart said. “The lyrics point out several iconic places in Nashville that have recently closed due to skyrocketing rent prices and greedy developers, while pointing out the more subtle changes of a life in Nashville, like, ‘Why isn’t PBR cheap?'”

Co-written alongside Zach Cornell, many of the lyrics of “New Nashville” were born from conversations about the ever-evolving city, which serve as the perfect complement to this quintessential Nashville soundscape featuring dobro, steel guitar, and an old shuffle beat.

(At least, those things were quintessentially Nashville, before the bachelorettes found out about us…)

“It was a hard needle to thread, but we wanted to get across that we love the city of Nashville, and we’re not blaming the folks who are moving here,” Stewart said. “When I took this song to Skyler and Andrew, they knew exactly what it needed, and hearing all the musicians track this together at the same time was a spiritual experience.”

LISTEN: Foo Fighter Chris Shiflett Gets Nostalgic on ‘Born & Raised’

You may know Chris Shiflett for his work as the lead guitarist of modern rock legends and first-ballot Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, Foo Fighters.

What you should also know is that Shiflett is building an impressive solo catalog of his own. He just added to it on Friday with his latest single, “Born & Raised.”

Hear the single
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