Broken Halos

Last updated
"Broken Halos"
Chris Stapleton - Broken Halos.jpeg
Single by Chris Stapleton
from the album From A Room: Volume 1
ReleasedJuly 17, 2017 (2017-07-17) [1]
Studio RCA Studio A (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre
Length3:00
Label Mercury Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Chris Stapleton singles chronology
"Either Way"
(2017)		"Broken Halos"
(2017)		"Say Something"
(2018)

"Broken Halos" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton. Written by Stapleton and Mike Henderson, it was released on April 14, 2017 as a promotional single from his second studio album From A Room: Volume 1 . [2] The lead track on Volume 1, it was serviced to country radio on July 17 as the album's second single. [1] It won the awards for Best Country Song at the 60th Grammy Awards, [3] and Single of the Year and Song of the Year and the 52nd Country Music Association Awards. [4] Additionally, it received a nomination for Single Record of the Year at the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards, [5]

Contents

Composition and lyrical interpretation

Musically, it was defined by critics as a multi-genre song. Stapleton said the song was inspired by "people who have passed away before their time." The singer recorded the song a day after a longtime friend died. [6] "Broken Halos" is a mid-tempo country rock number in which Stapleton "meditates on the wounds people suffer and the road toward healing that they travel," as noted by a Los Angeles Times ' reviewer. [7] An NPR editor described it as Southern gospel, [8] and a Rolling Stone reviewer, as folk rock. [9] Another Rolling Stone writer, Chris Parton, named it country gospel after listening to a live performance of the song, and interpreted it as:

...[The track] offers a tender, lump-in-your-throat reminder to keep the faith, even in the midst of tragedy. Angels appear to help us on our way, Stapleton sings, but when their job is done they leave. . . and we're not meant to understand why. [10]

The song is composed in the key of A-flat major with a moderate tempo. It primarily follows the chord pattern A♭-D♭-A♭-Fm-A♭-D♭-A♭. [11]

Critical reception

Writing for Billboard , Spotify editors opined the song "helps build a strong argument that [Stapleton] is one of the most refreshing and consistent country artists to emerge in recent memory." [12] Laura McClellan of Taste of Country wrote "the stripped-down tune is a commentary on, essentially, stumbling along this life together as human beings, and its lyrics are poignant enough to affect even the most cynical of us." She commented its mid-tempo, "laid-back" feel with only guitar and vocals featuring prominently "makes it easy listening, but its core is significant." [13] In Paste , Ben Salmon described it a "a perfectly paced song that lyrically spans the spiritual and the earthbound." [14]

In Rolling Stone, Robert Crawford commented, "Equal parts folk-rock anthem and Sunday-morning spiritual, [the song] begins with five seconds of Stapleton in solo mode, howling over an acoustic guitar. When the band joins him halfway through the first verse, it's an understated entrance, stripped free of radio-friendly gloss... [The song] is a straightforward, uncluttered opener, designed to welcome – not overwhelm – the listener." [9]

Chart performance

"Broken Halos" entered the top 10 on the US Country Airplay on the chart dated February 10, 2018, becoming his second single to do so following "Nobody to Blame". [15] It topped the chart in its March 24, 2018 issue, becoming his first career number one on Country Airplay. [16] It also entered the top 10 on the Hot Country Songs chart in its 42nd chart week, being Stapleton's second top 10 following his two-week leading song "Tennessee Whiskey". [17] "Broken Halos" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on April 26, 2018, double platinum in 2019 and triple platinum in 2021. [18] It has sold 664,000 downloads in the United States as of April 2019. [19]

Live performances

Stapleton premiered the song during Dolly Parton's Tennessee wildfires telethon in December 2016. [20] On July 18, 2017 the singer performed it on The Today Show , along with "Tennessee Whiskey" and "Second One to Know". [21] Stapleton also performed the song at the 2017 CMT Artists of the Year awards [22] and at the Country Music Association Awards. [23] The song is featured on the setlist of his All-American Road Show Tour. During his live performances in late 2017, the singer dedicated the song to the victims of deadly tragedies that happened in the country. [24]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [33] Platinum70,000‡
Canada (Music Canada) [34] Gold40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [35] Silver200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [18] 3× Platinum664,000 [19]

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Awards and nominations

YearCeremonyCategoryRecipient/WorkResultRef
2018 Country Music Association Awards Single of the YearChris Stapleton - "Broken Halos"Won [36]
Song of the YearMike Henderson, Chris Stapleton - "Broken Halos"Won

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Bryan</span> American country singer (born 1976)

Thomas Luther "Luke" Bryan is an American country singer, songwriter, and television personality. Bryan is a five-time "Entertainer of the Year", being awarded by both the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Country Music Association. In 2019, Bryan's 2013 album Crash My Party received the first Album of the Decade award from the Academy of Country Music. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with over 75 million records sold. Since 2018, Bryan has been a judge on the hit tv show American Idol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Stapleton</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1978)

Christopher Alvin Stapleton is an American country singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born in Kentucky, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1996 to earn an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University, but dropped out to pursue a career in music. Shortly after, he signed a contract with Sea Gayle Music to write and publish his music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Eldredge</span> American country singer-songwriter and producer (born 1986)

Brett Ryan Eldredge is an American country music singer, songwriter and record producer. Eldredge has had five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, three of which came from his debut album, Bring You Back: "Don't Ya", "Beat of the Music", and "Mean to Me".

"Tennessee Whiskey" is an American country song written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove. It was originally recorded by country artist David Allan Coe for his album of the same name, peaking at number 77 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1981. George Jones' 1983 version of the song was included on his album Shine On, and reached number two on the Hot Country Singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drink a Beer</span> 2013 single by Luke Bryan

"Drink a Beer" is a song written by Jim Beavers and Chris Stapleton and recorded by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It was released in November 2013 as the third single from his fourth studio album, Crash My Party (2013), and became his seventh number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in February 2014. Bryan has described "Drink a Beer" as "the coolest sad song ever" and notes he connects with the story after having lost both of his siblings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelsea Ballerini</span> American singer (born 1993)

Kelsea Nicole Ballerini is an American country pop singer and songwriter. A four-time Grammy Award nominee, she began having success in the 2010s, being honored with the Gene Weed Milestone Award at the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Rising Star Award at the Billboard Women in Music.

<i>Traveller</i> (Chris Stapleton album) 2015 studio album by Chris Stapleton

Traveller is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton. The album was produced by Dave Cobb and Stapleton, and was released on May 5, 2015, through Mercury Nashville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Young (singer)</span> American singer-songwriter

Brett Charles Young is an American country pop singer, songwriter and guitarist from Anaheim, California. He was a college baseball pitcher but took up songwriting after an elbow injury. His self-titled debut EP, produced by Dann Huff, was released by Republic Nashville on February 12, 2016. The lead single, "Sleep Without You", was released on April 11th that year and he had a major success with a follow-up single, "In Case You Didn't Know". He released his second major label album Ticket to L.A. in 2018, and the third, Weekends Look a Little Different These Days, in 2021.

"Parachute" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton. It is the third single from his debut album Traveller. The song was written by Stapleton and Jim Beavers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Stapleton discography</span>

American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton has released five studio albums, one EP, 21 singles, six promotional singles, and three music videos. His debut solo album, Traveller, was released on May 5, 2015, by Mercury Nashville. It reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and gold by Music Canada. Its album track "Tennessee Whiskey" was certified fourteen-times Platinum in the US and reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the single "Nobody to Blame" reached the top 10 on the US Country Airplay chart. Stapleton's second studio album From A Room: Volume 1 was released on May 5, 2017, and Volume 2, on December 1. Traveller and Volume 1 were the best-selling country albums of 2016 and 2017, respectively. Volume 1 and Volume 2 both debuted at number two on the Billboard 200.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2017.

<i>From A Room: Volume 1</i> 2017 studio album by Chris Stapleton

From A Room: Volume 1 is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, released on May 5, 2017 through Mercury Nashville. Primarily a country, blues, and roots rock record, it was produced by Dave Cobb and Stapleton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurricane (Luke Combs song)</span> 2016 single by Luke Combs

"Hurricane" is the debut single of American country music singer Luke Combs. The song was released through Columbia Nashville in 2016 after initially charting in 2015. It is included on his debut album This One's for You. The song was written by Combs, along with Thomas Archer and Taylor Phillips.

"Fire Away" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton for his studio album Traveller (2015). It was written by Stapleton and Danny Green. The song's accompanying music video was released on February 26, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Either Way (Lee Ann Womack song)</span> 2017 single by Chris Stapleton

"Either Way" is a song written by Chris Stapleton, Tim James and Kendell Marvel. It is the first single off Stapleton's 2017 album From A Room: Volume 1. The song was first recorded by Lee Ann Womack on her 2008 album Call Me Crazy. It won the award for Best Country Solo Performance at the 60th Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carly Pearce</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1990)

Carly Pearce is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her material contains elements of both traditional and contemporary country-pop music. Pearce began performing professionally in her teens, appearing on several albums of bluegrass material in the 2000s. After moving to Nashville, Tennessee, she began gaining more widespread notice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millionaire (Chris Stapleton song)</span> 2017 single by Chris Stapleton

"Millionaire" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton for his third studio album From A Room: Volume 2 (2017). It was written by Kevin Welch in 2002, and soul singer Solomon Burke included it on his 2006 country music tribute album Nashville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashley McBryde</span> American singer-songwriter

Ashley Dyan McBryde is an American country music singer–songwriter. She grew up in Arkansas and she was drawn to various types of music from a young age. She also developed a passion for writing songs and later moved to Nashville to pursue a music career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Half of My Hometown</span> 2021 single by Kelsea Ballerini

"Half of My Hometown" is a song recorded by American country music artists Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney. It was released to country music radio on April 19, 2021, as the fourth single from Ballerini's third studio album Kelsea. Ballerini co-wrote the song with Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, and Jimmy Robbins. An alternate recording of the song is also included on Ballerini's first remix album, Ballerini.

"Starting Over" is a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, released on August 28, 2020 as the lead single from his fourth studio album of the same name, released on November 13, 2020. The song features background vocals from Stapleton's wife Morgane.

References

  1. 1 2 "Country > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Hear Chris Stapleton's Redemptive 'Broken Halos' Off Upcoming New Album". Rolling Stone. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Grammy Awards Winners List: Updating Live". Variety. January 28, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  4. ↑ "2018 CMA Awards nominations announced". Tennessean. August 28, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  5. ↑ Kaufman, Gil (March 1, 2018). "ACM Awards 2018 Nominations: See the Full List". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  6. ↑ Whitaker, Sterling (July 5, 2017). "Chris Stapleton, 'Broken Halos' [Listen]". Taste of Country. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  7. ↑ Lewis, Randy (April 13, 2017). "Chris Stapleton premieres 'Broken Halos,' first track from 'From a Room: Volume 1'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  8. ↑ Powers, Ann (April 14, 2017). "Hear Chris Stapleton's First Single From His Forthcoming Album". NPR. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  9. 1 2 Crawford, Robert (May 4, 2017). "Chris Stapleton's 'From A Room: Volume 1': Track-by-Track Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  10. ↑ Parton, Chris (December 14, 2016). "Hear Chris Stapleton Perform Powerful New Song 'Broken Halos'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  11. ↑ "'Broken Halos' sheet music". Musicnotes.com. 2 May 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar, Chris Stapleton, PWR BTTM & More Are Spotify Editors' Picks for April 14". Billboard. April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Chris Stapleton Releases Powerful New Song, 'Broken Halos'". Taste of Country. April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  14. ↑ Salmon, Ben (May 4, 2017). "Chris Stapleton: From A Room, Vol. 1 Review". Paste. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  15. ↑ Trust, Gary (February 7, 2018). "Chris Stapleton: Format 'Traveller,' From Country to Pop, Rock & Adult R&B". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  16. ↑ Asker, Jim (March 20, 2018). "Chris Stapleton Claims First Country Airplay Leader With 'Broken Halos'". Billboard. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  17. ↑ Asker, Jim (February 6, 2018). "Chris Stapleton Is First Artist to Hold Top Three Spots on Top Country Albums Chart Since Garth Brooks in 1992". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  18. 1 2 "American single certifications – Chris Stapleton – Broken Halos". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  19. 1 2 Bjorke, Matt (April 8, 2019). "Top 30 Digital Country Tracks: April 8, 2019". RoughStock. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Chris Stapleton Ships 'Broken Halos' to Radio, Opens for Tom Petty". Rolling Stone. July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  21. ↑ Crawford, Robert (July 18, 2017). "See Chris Stapleton's Mesmerizing 'Today Show' Performances". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  22. ↑ Partpn, Chris (October 19, 2017). "Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan Preach Unity at 'CMT Artists of the Year' Show". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  23. ↑ Payne, Chris (November 8, 2017). "Chris Stapleton Delivers Heavenly 'Broken Halos' Performance at 2017 CMAs". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  24. ↑ Whitaker, Sterling (October 14, 2017). "Chris Stapleton Tributes Las Vegas Victims, Drops New Album News at Nashville Gig". Taste of Country. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Chris Stapleton Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Chris Stapleton Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Chris Stapleton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Chris Stapleton Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Chris Stapleton Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Country Airplay – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  32. ↑ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  33. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Chris Stapleton – Broken Halos". Music Canada . Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  35. ↑ "British single certifications – Chris Stapleton – Broken Halos". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  36. ↑ "2018 CMA Award Winners". The CMA Awards. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.