My Best Days Are Ahead of Me

Last updated
"My Best Days Are Ahead of Me"
My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.jpg
Single by Danny Gokey
from the album My Best Days
ReleasedDecember 26, 2009 (2009-12-26)
Genre Country
Length3:07
Label RCA Nashville/19
Songwriter(s) Kent Blazy
Marv Green [1]
Producer(s) Mark Bright
Danny Gokey singles chronology
"My Best Days Are Ahead of Me"
(2009)
"I Will Not Say Goodbye"
(2010)
Music video
"My Best Days Are Ahead of Me" on YouTube

"My Best Days Are Ahead of Me" is a song written by Marv Green and Kent Blazy, and recorded by American Idol season 8 finalist Danny Gokey. It was released in December 2009 as the lead-off single from his debut album My Best Days , which was released on March 2, 2010, via RCA Nashville.

Contents

Content

In "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me," the narrator looks back at the mistakes he has made in his life, but realizes that his "best days are ahead of [him]." [2]

History

Originally, Gokey's first single was slated to be "It's Only," written by Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum. This song was withdrawn as a single in November 2009 and replaced with "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me." [1]

Critical reception

Karlie Justus of Engine 145 gave the song a thumbs-down. Her review called it "a believable, earnest effort that’s bland and entirely forgettable," and criticized it for a lack of narrative. [3] Matt Bjorke described the song positively in his review of the album, saying that its positive message "aligns nicely with [Gokey]." [2] Deborah Evans Price of Billboard praised Gokey's vocal performance and called the song "the feel-good country song of 2010." [4] Brian Mansfield of USA Today gave a positive review, saying, "With its uptempo tone of tempered optimism, My Best Days Are Ahead of Me is just the right kind of introductory single for Danny." [5]

Music video

The music video was filmed at a warehouse in Nashville, Tennessee [6] and directed by Wes Edwards. It contains footage of Gokey performing the song, interspersed with motivational messages that appear on the screen. [6] Gokey told Country Weekly magazine that he was comfortable filming the video: "I felt like American Idol gave me some experience in being in front of a camera." [6]

Commercial performance

"My Best Days Are Ahead of Me" debuted at number 55 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated for the week ending December 26, 2009. The song entered the country Top 40 at number 39 on the chart dated for the week ending February 20, 2010. The song also debuted at #82 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending March 20, 2010. The song reached its peak of number 24 on the country chart in May 2010.

Charts

Chart performance for "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me"
Chart (2009-2010)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [7] 82
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [8] 24
US Country Airplay ( Billboard ) [9] 24
US Heatseekers Songs ( Billboard ) [10] 3

Related Research Articles

<i>Bucky Covington</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Bucky Covington

Bucky Covington is the debut studio album of American country music artist Bucky Covington. It was released by Lyric Street Records, the country division of Hollywood Records, on April 17, 2007. It produced three singles — "A Different World", "It's Good to Be Us", and "I'll Walk" — all of which were top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song "Empty Handed" was also featured in the video game NASCAR 08. Reviews for the record were positive to mixed, with critics divided over the production, lyrical content and Covington's performance. To promote the album, Covington co-headlined with Jason Michael Carroll on a tour across the United States.

What Do You Want

"What Do You Want" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Jerrod Niemann. It was released in October 2010 as the second single from his album Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury. The song is his second top 40 hit on the Hot Country Songs charts, following his number-one single "Lover, Lover".

Justin Moore American country music singer and songwriter

Justin Cole Moore is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Big Machine Records imprint Valory Music Group. For that label, he has released six studio albums: his self titled debut in 2009, Outlaws Like Me in 2011, Off the Beaten Path in 2013, Kinda Don't Care in 2016, Late Nights and Longnecks in 2019, and Straight Outta the Country in 2021. He has also charted sixteen times on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, including with the number 1 singles "Small Town USA", "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away", "Til My Last Day", "Lettin' the Night Roll", "You Look Like I Need a Drink", "Somebody Else Will", "The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home", and "Why We Drink"; and the top 10 hits "Backwoods" and "Point at You".

Danny Gokey American singer

Daniel Jay Gokey is an American singer and former church music director from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the third-place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. After his placing on the show, Gokey signed to 19 Recordings and RCA Nashville at the beginning of a career in country music, releasing the single "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.” His debut album, My Best Days, was released in March 2010.

Jesse Lee is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Atlantic Nashville in 2007, she released her debut single "It's a Girl Thing" in 2009, which debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated for June 6, 2009. A second single, "Like My Mother Does," was released in 2010, which failed to chart. Jesse and Atlantic Records parted ways after three and a half years together. She is signed as a songwriter with Disney Music Group.

<i>Justin Moore</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Justin Moore

Justin Moore is the self-titled first studio album by country music artist Justin Moore. It was released on August 11, 2009 by Valory Music Group, a subsidiary of Big Machine Records. The album includes the singles "I Could Kick Your Ass", "Back That Thing Up", "Small Town USA", "Backwoods" and "How I Got to Be This Way". "Small Town USA" became Moore's first number one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in September 2009. Moore co-wrote all but one of the songs on the album.

Gettin You Home (The Black Dress Song)

"Gettin' You Home " is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Chris Young. It was released in February 2009 as the second single from his 2009 album The Man I Want to Be (2009). Young wrote the song with Kent Blazy and Cory Batten. The song garnered positive reviews from critics who praised the suggestive lyrics for sounding sexy and for being a great non-sellout single.

A Little More Country Than That

"A Little More Country Than That" is a song written by Joey + Rory's Rory Feek, Wynn Varble, and Don Poythress and recorded by American country music artist Easton Corbin. It was released in August 2009 as Corbin's debut single and the first from his self-titled debut album. In April 2010, the song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, making Corbin the first male solo artist in seven years to send a debut single to that position. The song has also been certified Platinum by the RIAA.

<i>My Best Days</i> 2010 studio album by Danny Gokey

My Best Days is the debut album from American Idol season eight finalist Danny Gokey. The album was released on March 2, 2010, by RCA Records Nashville. The track "It's Only" was originally scheduled to be the first single, but it was withdrawn and replaced with "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me." Both it and the album's second single, "I Will Not Say Goodbye," have made Top 40 on Hot Country Songs.

<i>Easton Corbin</i> (album) Album by Easton Corbin

Easton Corbin is the self-titled debut studio album by American country music artist Easton Corbin. It was released on March 2, 2010 via Universal Music Group Nashville's Mercury Nashville division. The album's first two singles, "A Little More Country Than That" and "Roll With It", became Corbin's first two number one hits on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The album's third single, "I Can't Love You Back", peaked at number 14.

Randy Schlappi, known professionally as Randy Montana, is an American country singer signed to Mercury Records Nashville. His first album, Randy Montana, was released in 2011.

"I Will Not Say Goodbye" is a song written by Lari White, Chuck Cannon and Vicky McGehee, and recorded by American Idol season 8 finalist Danny Gokey. It was released in June 2010 as the second single from his debut album My Best Days, which was released on March 2, 2010 via RCA Nashville.

Who Are You When Im Not Looking

"Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" is a song written by Earl Bud Lee and John Wiggins. It was originally recorded by American country music artist Joe Nichols on his 2007 album Real Things. Country music artist Blake Shelton recorded the song for his EP All About Tonight, from which it was released as a single in September 2010. His version reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in March 2011.

Colder Weather

"Colder Weather" is a song by American country music group Zac Brown Band. Lead singer Zac Brown co-wrote the song with Coy Bowles, Wyatt Durrette and Levi Lowrey. It is the band's seventh single release overall, and the second single from their 2010 album You Get What You Give.

If Heaven Wasnt So Far Away

"If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" is a song written by Dallas Davidson, Rob Hatch and Brett Jones. It was first recorded by American country music artist Rhett Akins, whose version was released as a single in September 2006 but did not chart. Justin Moore covered the song and released it as a single in February 2011 as the lead-off single to his second studio album Outlaws Like Me. Moore's cover is his fifth single release, his third top 10 hit, and his second number one single.

Second Hand Heart (Danny Gokey song)

"Second Hand Heart" is a song recorded by American singer Danny Gokey. It was released July 4, 2011 through RCA Records Nashville as the intended lead single for his second studio album; however, he parted ways with the label in November 2011 and that album never materialized. The song was later included on Gokey's self-released 2012 extended play, Love Again. "Second Hand Heart" was written by Cary Barlowe, Josh Kear, and Shane Stevens and was produced by Mark Bright.

<i>Hope in Front of Me</i> 2014 studio album by Danny Gokey

Hope in Front of Me is the second studio album from the Christian musician Danny Gokey. It was released on June 23, 2014, by BMG Records. The album was produced by Josh Crosby, Bernie Herms, Aaron Sprinkle, Keith Thomas.

Hope in Front of Me (song)

"Hope in Front of Me" is a song co-written and recorded by American gospel singer Danny Gokey for his second studio album of the same name (2014). Gokey wrote the song with Brett James and its producer, Bernie Herms. It was released to Christian radio on January 24, 2014 and to digital retailers February 18, 2014 through BMG Rights Management as the record's lead single. "Hope in Front of Me" serves as Gokey's debut release on the BMG label and his first single in almost three years.

Danny Gokey discography

American musician Danny Gokey has released seven studio albums, one extended play, and fourteen singles. After finishing third place on the eighth season of the singing competition American Idol, Gokey released his debut album My Best Days in 2010. The album charted two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. After a third single included only on an extended play, Gokey began recording contemporary Christian music, where he has had more commercial and chart success.

References

  1. 1 2 "Danny Gokey switches singles". USA Today . 19 November 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  2. 1 2 Matt Bjorke (1 March 2010). "My Best Days review". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 10 March 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  3. Karlie Justus (7 January 2010). "Danny Gokey — "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me"". Engine 145. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  4. "Danny Gokey, "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me"". Billboard. 2010-02-12. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  5. "Danny Gokey's 'My Best Days': Track-by-track". USA Today. 2 March 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  6. 1 2 3 "Deep Freeze Day: Danny Gokey's video for "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me" is shot on a cold day in Nashville". Country Weekly . 17 (9): 40–41. 1 March 2010.
  7. "Danny Gokey Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  8. "Danny Gokey Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  9. "Danny Gokey Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  10. "Danny Gokey Chart History (Heatseekers Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved January 16, 2021.