Better Than I Used to Be (song)

Last updated
"Better Than I Used to Be"
Single by Sammy Kershaw
from the album Better Than I Used to Be
ReleasedMarch 30, 2010
Genre Country
Length3:20
Label Big Hit
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Buddy Cannon
Sammy Kershaw singles chronology
"Real People"
(2008)
"Better Than I Used to Be"
(2010)
"The Snow White Rows of Arlington"
(2010)

"Better Than I Used to Be" is a song written by Ashley Gorley and Bryan Simpson. The song was originally recorded by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw in 2010 for the album of the same name, released August 31, 2010, on Big Hit Records. [1] The version released by Sammy Kershaw was released as a single, but did not enter the charts.

Contents

Tim McGraw version

"Better Than I Used to Be"
BetterThanIUsedtoBe.jpg
Single by Tim McGraw
from the album Emotional Traffic
ReleasedNovember 28, 2011
Genre Country
Length3:22
Label Curb
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Tim McGraw singles chronology
"Me and Tennessee"
(2011)
"Better Than I Used to Be"
(2011)
"Feel Like a Rock Star"
(2012)

The song was later covered by Tim McGraw in 2011 and was released to iTunes and country radio on December 1, 2011, via Curb Records. The song served as the first single for his final Curb album, Emotional Traffic , which was released on January 24, 2012.

Critical reception

Giving McGraw's version four stars out of five, Taste of Country reviewer Billy Dukes said, "It's the first time fans get to experience many of the burdens the singer has talked of shedding in recent years." [2] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock was positive, calling it "a strong story song from a mature singer/songwriter." He went on to say that it was McGraw's "most country song to date with strong lyrical imagery and one of Tim’s best vocal performances in years." [3] Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave it a 'B+', calling the song "classic McGraw" and saying that the production is, "clean, tasteful, and decidedly country." [4]

Chart performance

McGraw's version of the song debuted at number 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of December 17, 2011. [5] It also debuted at number 81 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of December 31, 2011. It also debuted at number 71 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart for the week of February 11, 2012.

Chart (2011–2012)Peak
position
Canada Country ( Billboard ) [6] 2
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [7] 71
US Billboard Hot 100 [8] 52
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [9] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (2012)Position
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [10] 6

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [11] Platinum1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Voice (song)</span> 2009 single by Tim McGraw

"Southern Voice" is a song written by Bob DiPiero and Tom Douglas and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in September 2009 as the second single and title track from McGraw's 2009 album of the same name. For the week dated January 30, 2010, the song reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming his 23rd number one hit and his first since "Last Dollar " in April 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felt Good on My Lips</span> 2010 single by Tim McGraw

"Felt Good on My Lips" is a song written by Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Brett Warren and Brad Warren, and was recorded by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released in September 2010 as the first single from his compilation album Number One Hits, and has since become McGraw's 24th Number One hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The song is also included on his 2012 release Emotional Traffic.

<i>Better Than I Used to Be</i> 2010 studio album by Sammy Kershaw

Better Than I Used to Be is the title of the ninth studio album by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw. The album was released on August 31, 2010 via Big Hit Records. It is produced by Buddy Cannon. Two singles were released from the album: "Better Than I Used to Be" and "The Snow White Rows of Arlington". The album, along with the two singles, failed to enter a Billboard chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time Is Love</span> 2012 single by Josh Turner

"Time Is Love" is a song written by Tony Martin, Mark Nesler and Tom Shapiro and recorded by American country music artist Josh Turner. It was released in January 2012 as the lead-off single from Turner's album Punching Bag. It was covered by Mark Kozelek on his 2013 covers album Like Rats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drunk on You</span> 2012 single by Luke Bryan

"Drunk on You" is a song written by Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, and Josh Kear and recorded by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It was released in February 2012 as the third single from his album Tailgates & Tanlines. It was also the first single that Bryan did not have a hand in writing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Come Wake Me Up</span> 2012 single by Rascal Flatts

"Come Wake Me Up" is a song recorded by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released in May 2012 as the second single from their eighth studio album, Changed. The song was written by Johan Fransson, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren and Sean McConnell. On November 7, a duet version with Swedish country/pop female singer, Jill Johnson was released on Johnson's album, A Woman Can Change Her Mind. The duet version was also released as a digital download internationally on November 16, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truck Yeah</span> 2012 single by Tim McGraw

"Truck Yeah" is a song Written by Chris Lucas and Preston Brust of LoCash, Chris Janson, and Danny Myrick and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released on July 3, 2012, as the first single from his 2013 album Two Lanes of Freedom and his first single for Big Machine Records. The release of the single overlapped McGraw's previous single "Right Back Atcha Babe," promoted by Curb Records, due to a rivalry between the two record labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tip It On Back</span> 2012 single by Dierks Bentley

"Tip It on Back" is a song written by Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, and Tully Kennedy and recorded by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. It was released in August 2012 as the fourth and final single from Bentley's 2012 album Home. This song is also Bentley's first single that he did not co-write.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Like Girls That Drink Beer</span> 2012 single by Toby Keith

"I Like Girls That Drink Beer" is a song recorded by American country music singer Toby Keith and co-written with Bobby Pinson. It was released in July 2012 and is the first single from his album Hope on the Rocks, released on October 30, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tornado (song)</span> 2012 single by Little Big Town

"Tornado" is a song recorded by American country music group Little Big Town. It was released in October 2012 as the second single from their fifth studio album, Tornado. The song was written by Natalie Hemby and Delta Maid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One of Those Nights (Tim McGraw song)</span> 2012 single by Tim McGraw

"One of Those Nights" is a song written by Luke Laird, Rodney Clawson, and Chris Tompkins and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in November 2012 as the second single from McGraw's 2013 album Two Lanes of Freedom and his second one from Big Machine Records.

<i>Two Lanes of Freedom</i> 2013 studio album by Tim McGraw

Two Lanes of Freedom is the twelfth studio album by the American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released on February 5, 2013, as his first album for Big Machine Records following twenty 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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Changed (song)</span> 2012 song by American group Rascal Flatts

"Changed" is a song recorded by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released in December 2012 as the third single from their eighth studio album of the same name. The song was written by Gary LeVox, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher. It was released to country radio on December 17, 2012, and AC and Christian AC radio on January 22, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highway Don't Care</span> 2013 single by Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift featuring Keith Urban

"Highway Don't Care" is a song recorded by American country music singers Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift on vocals, featuring Keith Urban on guitar. It was released to US country radio on March 25, 2013, as the third single from McGraw's first album for Big Machine Records, Two Lanes of Freedom (2013). The song was written by Mark Irwin, Josh Kear and Brad and Brett Warren. McGraw and Swift recorded their parts separately. To date, this is Swift's seventh number one hit on Billboard's Country Airplay chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Girl</span> 2013 single by Tim McGraw

"Southern Girl" is a song written by Jaren Johnston, Rodney Clawson, and Lee Thomas Miller and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in July 2013 as the fourth single from McGraw's album Two Lanes of Freedom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Let Me Be Lonely</span> 2013 single by The Band Perry

"Don't Let Me Be Lonely" is a song recorded by American country music group The Band Perry. It was released in August 2013 as the third single from their second album, Pioneer. The song was written by Sarah Buxton, Rodney Clawson and Chris Tompkins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lookin' for That Girl</span> 2014 single by Tim McGraw

"Lookin' for That Girl" is a song recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in January 2014 as the first single from his second studio album for Big Machine Records, Sundown Heaven Town. The single was still rising the charts when Big Machine Records pulled it so that McGraw's next single, "Meanwhile Back at Mama's", could be released.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meanwhile Back at Mama's</span> 2014 single by Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill

"Meanwhile Back at Mama's" is a song recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw and his wife Faith Hill. It was released in April 2014 as the second single from his second studio album for Big Machine Records, Sundown Heaven Town. The song was written by Jeffrey Steele, Jaren Johnston and Tom Douglas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shotgun Rider</span> 2014 single by Tim McGraw

"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.

"The Rest of Our Life" is a song recorded by American country music artists Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The song was written by Steve Mac, Johnny McDaid, Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge.

References

  1. "Better Than I Used to Be". Allmusic . Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  2. Dukes, Billy. "Tim McGraw — "Better Than I Used to Be" review". Taste of Country. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  3. Bjorke, Matt (1 December 2011). "Tim McGraw — "Better Than I Used to Be"". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  4. Coyne, Kevin John (23 December 2011). "Tim McGraw — "Better Than I Used to Be"". Country Universe. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  5. Morris, Edward (December 10, 2011). "Sweet Harmony: Lady Antebellum Claim Both Top Album and Song". Country Music Television . Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
  6. "Tim McGraw Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
  7. "Tim McGraw Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  9. "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  10. "Best of 2012: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  11. "American single certifications – Tim McGraw – Better Than I Used to Be". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved August 10, 2022.