| Sundown Heaven Town | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 16, 2014 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 50:08 | |||
| Label | Big Machine Records | |||
| Producer |
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| Tim McGraw chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Sundown Heaven Town | ||||
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Sundown Heaven Town is the thirteenth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on September 16, 2014 by Big Machine Records.
The album has produced two singles in advance of its release: "Lookin' for That Girl" and "Meanwhile Back at Mama's", the latter of which features backing vocals from McGraw's wife, Faith Hill. These singles peaked at numbers 15 and 2, respectively, on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. "Shotgun Rider" was released as the album's third single and became a Number One hit on the Billboard Country Airplay charts. McGraw previously recorded a different song also entitled "Shotgun Rider" on his 2007 album Let It Go . "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools was released as the album's fourth and final single in 2015 and reached the Top 5.
McGraw produced the album with Byron Gallimore, who has produced all of his albums. In an interview with Country Weekly , McGraw stated that, ""I think it’s a good microcosm of what my 20 or so years in music have been, in a lot of ways. You can certainly hear parts of my career throughout all of these songs, as well as the future and where my music is headed. To me, the title of the album is all about that time where you stop doing what you have to do, and start doing what you want to do." [1]
McGraw revealed the album's cover art and track listing on July 28, 2014. One day later, the album was made available for preorder via Amazon MP3 and the iTunes Store. [2]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 71/100 [3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [4] |
| Billboard | 88/100 [5] |
| Newsday | B+ [6] |
| Rolling Stone | [7] |
| USA Today | [8] |
| Vice (Expert Witness) |  [9] |
Sundown Heaven Town received positive reviews from critics. According to Metacritic, where they assign a weighted average score out of 100 to ratings and reviews from mainstream critics, Sundown Heaven Town received an average of 71, based on 4 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [3] Writing for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine suggested the music "come[s] on smooth and easy but have the foundation to last." [10] Chuck Dauphin saying for Billboard how "the singer stretches a little more than usual... and takes a few musical chances." [5] On behalf of USA Today , Jerry Shriver commenting how the project contains "many wise nuggets on the vet's solid outing." [8] Glenn Gamboa stating for Newsday how it is an "Eclectic collection of country styles that brings (usually) great results." [6] Writing for Rolling Stone , Will Hermes opined "its hit-or-miss" with this project that's "best when he's feeling your pain." [7] On behalf of The Boston Globe , Sarah Rodman found "a solid effort featuring a few stand-out tracks, slightly better than average radio fare, and some pleasant filler", which is done in "a creditable job of sidestepping any naked pandering to trends, balancing authentic country atmosphere with pop polish." [11]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Overrated" | Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Rivers Rutherford | 3:28 |
| 2. | "City Lights" | Deric Ruttan, Jonathan Singleton | 4:19 |
| 3. | "Shotgun Rider" | Marv Green, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges | 3:56 |
| 4. | "Dust" | Rhett Akins, Rodney Clawson, Ben Hayslip | 3:46 |
| 5. | "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools" (duet with Catherine Dunn) | Barry Dean, Singleton, Luke Laird, | 3:18 |
| 6. | "Words Are Medicine" | Tom Douglas, David Hodges, Zac Maloy | 4:32 |
| 7. | "Sick of Me" | Andrew Dorff, Singleton | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Meanwhile Back at Mama's" (featuring Faith Hill) | Douglas, Jaren Johnston, Jeffrey Steele | 3:47 |
| 9. | "Keep On Truckin'" | Blair Daly, Tim McGraw, Brad Warren, Brett Warren | 3:06 |
| 10. | "Last Turn Home" | Eric Arjes, Ryan Hurd, Maren Morris | 3:56 |
| 11. | "Portland, Maine" | Abe Stoklasa, Donovan Woods | 3:43 |
| 12. | "Lookin' for That Girl" | Mark Irwin, James T. Slater, Chris Tompkins | 4:20 |
| 13. | "Still on the Line" | Bob DiPiero, Jon Nite, Steven McMorran | 3:52 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Lincoln Continentals and Cadillacs" (featuring Kid Rock) | Clawson, Laird | 4:20 |
| 15. | "Kids Today" | Daly, Brad Warren, Brett Warren | 4:12 |
| 16. | "I'm Feelin' You" | Derek George, Brad Warren, Brett Warren | 3:27 |
| 17. | "The View" | Eric Frederic, Crista Russo, Joe Spargur | 3:42 |
| 18. | "Black Jacket" | Daly, Brad Warren, Brett Warren | 4:12 |
Studios
The album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart and at number 3 on the Billboard 200, selling over 71,000 copies. [12] The album has sold 299,000 copies in the US as of September 2015. [13]
The album also debuted at number 3 on the Canadian Albums Chart, with 5,500 copies sold in its first week. [14]
| Chart (2014–15) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) [15] | 3 |
| UK Country Albums Chart (Official Charts Company) | 1 |
| UK Albums Chart (Official Charts Company) | 72 [16] |
| US Billboard 200 [17] | 3 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [18] | 1 |
| Chart (2014) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [19] | 128 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [20] | 28 |
| Chart (2015) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [21] | 128 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [22] | 28 |
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Country Airplay | US | CAN Country | CAN | ||
| 2014 | "Lookin' for That Girl" | 18 | 15 | 85 | 30 | 47 |
| "Meanwhile Back at Mama's" | 7 | 2 | 41 | 1 | 47 | |
| "Shotgun Rider" | 1 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 54 | |
| 2015 | "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools" | 11 | 3 | 55 | 10 | 78 |
Cry is the fifth studio album by American country music singer Faith Hill. It was released October 15, 2002, via Warner Bros. Nashville and sold 472,486 copies in its first week, a career-best for Hill. The album was intended as a crossover project for her, and although three of its singles were released to country radio, none reached the top ten. The title track and "One" were both adult contemporary hits, however, with the former spending 11 weeks at number one.
All I Want is the third studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on September 19, 1995. The album sold over two million copies and reached the top 5 on the Billboard 200. It has been certified as 3× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA. The album's singles were, in order of release: "I Like It, I Love It", "Can't Be Really Gone", "All I Want Is a Life", "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart" and "Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It". Respectively, these reached No. 1, No. 2, No. 5, No. 1, and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. "I Like It, I Love It" was also a No. 25 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. This was Tim's last album to have a neotraditional country sound before developing a more crossover-friendly country-pop sound.
Fireflies is the sixth studio album by American country music singer Faith Hill. The album was released on August 2, 2005 via Warner Bros. Records Nashville. In its first week, the album sold 329,000 copies, making it the top album on both the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums chart. Fireflies is her third #1 album, and it has been certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA for US shipments of two million copies. Hill produced the album with Byron Gallimore and Dann Huff.
Not a Moment Too Soon is the second studio album by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released on March 22, 1994. McGraw's breakthrough album, it reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 chart and No. 1 on Billboard Country chart and stayed for 26 consecutive weeks. It was Billboard's best selling album of 1994. For all genres of that year, it was in the top five. The Academy of Country Music named it Album of the Year in 1994.
Live Like You Were Dying is the eighth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on August 24, 2004 by Curb Records. It was recorded in a mountaintop studio in upstate New York. It entered the Billboard 200 chart at number one, with sales of 766,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA for shipping four million copies, and was nominated for two Grammies in 2005 for Best Country Vocal Performance Male and Best Country Album, winning for Best Country Vocal Performance. Five singles were released from the album, all were top 15 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart, two of which hit #1.
Everywhere is the fourth studio album of American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on June 3, 1997. It was his first release since his marriage to Faith Hill. Their collaboration on this album, "It's Your Love", was nominated for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals and Best Country Song at the 1998 Grammy Awards. This was Tim's first album to have a crossover-friendly country-pop sound, which was a departure from his earlier neotraditional country albums.
Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors is the seventh studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw and the first to feature his band The Dancehall Doctors. It was released in November 2002 and was recorded on a mountaintop studio in upstate New York. Four singles were released. Two songs were in the movie Black Cloud, starring McGraw. The album also included a cover of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer", which was released only to the AC format, although it also reached the country charts from unsolicited airplay. The album debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 602,000 copies.
A Place in the Sun is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on May 4, 1999. "Please Remember Me" was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 2000 Grammy Awards. "My Best Friend" was nominated in the same category the following year. The album’s compact disc version was originally available with a limited edition booklet that contained two transparent sleeves inside. Subsequent releases have all the same information, though without the transparent pages.
Set This Circus Down is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on April 24, 2001 by Curb Records. The album produced four singles, all of which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Let It Go is the ninth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on March 27, 2007 by Curb Records. It was entered the U.S. Billboard 200 at number one with sales of 325,000 copies. The album has produced seven Top 20 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including a number one; one of those seven songs was only included on later issues of the album. Of all McGraw's albums, this one has produced the most singles in his career.
Unglamorous is the first major label debut album from country/folk singer Lori McKenna. After three songs written by McKenna appeared on Faith Hill's 2005 album, Fireflies, Warner Bros. Records re-released McKenna's 2004 album Bittertown. Unglamorous, however, is the first album of McKenna's recorded specifically for a major label. The album was released August 14, 2007 on StyleSonic Records through Warner Bros. Records.
Jo Dee Messina is the debut studio album of American country music singer Jo Dee Messina, released in 1996.
Burn is the third studio album by American country music artist Jo Dee Messina, released in August 2000 by Curb Records.
Southern Voice is the tenth studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw, released on October 20, 2009 by Curb Records. It is the first album of all new material since Let It Go in 2007. The album produced three singles with "It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You", the title track, and "Still".
Eleven is the eleventh studio album by American country music singer Martina McBride, released on October 11, 2011, through Republic Nashville. The title of the album was inspired by the fact that it is McBride's eleventh album, it has eleven tracks and its release date. A deluxe edition of the album was also made available exclusively at Target stores. It featured slightly different cover art, with a blue fade at the bottom instead of white, and included four bonus tracks, as well as music videos for "Teenage Daughters" and "I'm Gonna Love You Through It". As of March 2012 the album has sold over 150,000 copies in the US. On July 3, 2012 the four Deluxe Bonus Tracks were released on iTunes as individual singles.
Emotional Traffic is the eleventh studio album by American country music artist Tim McGraw. A label he has been with since his self-titled 1993 debut album. It was released on January 24, 2012 by Curb Records.
Two Lanes of Freedom is the twelfth studio album by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released February 5, 2013, as his first album for Big Machine Records following 20 years with Curb Records. He co-produced the album with Byron Gallimore, the producer of his previously released albums. The album includes the singles "Truck Yeah", "One of Those Nights", "Highway Don't Care" with Taylor Swift and "Southern Girl".
"Shotgun Rider" is a song recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on September 8, 2014 as the third single from his second studio album for Big Machine Records, Sundown Heaven Town. The song was written by Marv Green, Hillary Lindsey, and Troy Verges.
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. Its lead single, "Top of the World" was released on August 4, 2015. The title track, "Damn Country Music", was released on October 9, 2015 as part of the album pre-order.
The Rest of Our Life is the first collaborative album by American country music artists as well as husband and wife, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. It was released on November 17, 2017, by Arista Nashville. While the album marks McGraw's fifteenth overall studio album and Hill's seventh, it is the first collaborative album between the couple. The album is also Hill's first studio recording of original material, not including her Christmas or compilation albums, in over twelve years.
