Hero (Maren Morris album)

Last updated

Hero
Maren Morris - Hero album cover.jpg
Studio album by
Maren Morris
ReleasedJune 3, 2016 (2016-06-03)
Recorded2015–2016
Genre
Length37:49
Label Columbia Nashville
Producer
Maren Morris chronology
Maren Morris EP
(2015)		Hero
(2016)		 Girl
(2019)
Singles from Hero
  1. "My Church"
    Released: January 19, 2016
  2. "80s Mercedes"
    Released: June 27, 2016
  3. "I Could Use a Love Song"
    Released: March 27, 2017
  4. "Rich"
    Released: February 12, 2018

Hero is the major-label debut album and fourth studio album by American country music singer Maren Morris, released on June 3, 2016, through Columbia Nashville. It marks Morris' first release on a major label and her fourth overall. The album debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart [2] and was nominated for Best Country Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. [3]

Contents

Background

In August 2015, Morris self-released five songs as a self-titled extended play, Maren Morris, on Spotify. [4] The songs garnered 2.5 million streams on Spotify in a month, with three songs appearing in Spotify's US and Global "Viral 50" chart. The success of Morris' EP attracted the interest of major labels and she eventually signed to Columbia Nashville in September 2015. [5] The label then re-released the 5-song EP on November 6, 2015, with "My Church" as the lead single. [6]

"My Church" would become a success on the chart, reaching number 5 on the Hot Country Songs chart and winning Best Country Solo Performance at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. The success of "My Church" was followed by the release of the Morris' first major label album release, Hero. [6] All tracks from the EP are included on the album, with "Company You Keep" included on the deluxe edition. The additional songs in the album were co-written with Chris DeStefano, Natalie Hemby, Shane McAnally, and others. [7] Morris has writing credits on all the songs in the album.

Release and promotion

The album's lead single, "My Church", was released on January 19, 2016. The album's second single, "80s Mercedes", was released to country radio on June 27, 2016. The album's third single, "I Could Use a Love Song" was released to country radio on March 27, 2017. [8] "Rich" was released February 12, 2018, as the album's fourth single. [9]

Morris embarked on the Hero Tour in 2017, in support of her album. [10]

A deluxe edition of the album was released on March 17, 2017. It features the songs "Bummin' Cigarettes", "Space" and "Company You Keep". [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [1]
PopMatters 7/10 [12]
Spin 7/10 [13]

Hero was well received by most music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised Morris' inventiveness and how she "skillfully slides between styles, blurring distinctions between genre and eras". Erlewine felt that the album "belongs to the digital era but it's the songs – smart, sharp, and hooky – that make this a great modern pop album, regardless of genre." [1] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times considered the album an outstanding country music debut, and "perhaps the canniest country record in recent memory." Caramanica thought Morris an "astute synthesizer" of various styles, and found the album to be "both utterly of its moment and also savvy enough to indicate how the future might sound." He also noted the profanity in some of the songs that Morris used "fluently, casually, and effectively, which is to say, you hardly notice at all as she's breaking what may be country's last remaining taboo." [14] Sounds Like Nashville referred to Morris' songwriting talent, powerful vocals and eclectic music style that made Hero one of the most unique and enjoyable releases of 2016. [15]

Accolades

Awards and nominations
YearAssociationCategoryResult
2016 CMA Awards [16] Album of the YearNominated
CMA Awards New Artist of the YearWon
2017 Grammy Awards [3] Best Country Album Nominated
ACM Awards [17] Album of the YearNominated
Year-end lists
PublicationRankList
AllMusic N/ABest Albums of 2016 [18]
American Songwriter 40Top 50 Albums of 2016 [19]
AOL 7Best Albums of 2016 [20]
Billboard 950 Best Albums of 2016 [21]
Entertainment Weekly 5The Best Country Albums of 2016 [22]
Noisey 44The 100 Best Albums of 2016 [23]
NPR 3650 Best Albums of 2016 [24]
People 10The 10 Best Albums of 2016 [25]
Rolling Stone 140 Best Country Albums of 2016 [26]
1350 Best Albums of 2016 [27]
SPIN 47The 50 Best Albums of 2016 [28]
Stereogum 12The 20 Best Country Albums of 2016 [29]
Variety 7The 10 Best Albums of 2016 [30]
Wired N/ABest Albums of 2016 [31]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Hero debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 chart with 45,000 equivalent album units; the album sold 37,000 copies in pure sales, with the remainder of its unit total reflecting the album's streaming and track equivalent album units. [2] It also debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart. [32] As of April 2019, the album has sold 313,100 copies in the United States. [33] On July 17, 2019, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over a million units. [34]

Track listing

Hero track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducersLength
1."Sugar"
3:09
2."Rich"
  • Morris
  • Veltz
  • Jessie Jo Dillon
  • Morris
  • busbee
3:28
3."My Church"
  • Morris
  • busbee
  • Morris
  • busbee
3:17
4."I Could Use a Love Song"
  • Morris
  • busbee
3:15
5."80s Mercedes"
  • Morris
  • busbee
  • Morris
  • busbee
3:31
6."Drunk Girls Don't Cry"
3:32
7."How It's Done"
  • Morris
  • busbee
3:25
8."Just Another Thing"
  • Morris
  • busbee
2:58
9."I Wish I Was"
  • Morris
  • Hill
4:00
10."Second Wind"
  • Morris
  • busbee
3:19
11."Once"
  • Morris
  • busbee
  • Morris
  • busbee
3:53
Total length:37:49
Deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducersLength
12."Bummin' Cigarettes"
  • Morris
  • Ian Fitchuk
  • Heather Morgan
  • Morris
  • Fitchuk
3:07
13."Company You Keep"
  • Morris
  • Laird
  • McAnally
  • Morris
  • busbee
  • Hill
3:37
14."Space"
  • Morris
  • Tyler
  • Veltz
  • Morris
  • Tyler
3:09
Total length:47:40

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. [35]

Musicians

Choir singers

Technical

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Hero
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [49] Gold40,000‡
United States (RIAA) [50] Platinum1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

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  7. ↑ Annie Reuter (March 14, 2016). "Maren Morris Announces Her Major Label Debut, 'Hero'". Taste of Country.
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  13. ↑ McKenna, Brittney (June 10, 2016). "SPIN Country Report: Robert Ellis Is Trying to Break Your Heart, Margo Price Fills Your Old Jukebox". Spin . Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  14. ↑ Jon Caramanica (June 1, 2016). "Review: Why 'Hero' Is an Outstanding Country Music Debut". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ "16 Best Country Albums of 2016". Sounds Like Nashville. December 9, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
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