"Space Cowboy" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Kacey Musgraves | ||||
from the album Golden Hour | ||||
A-side | "Butterflies" (double A-side) | |||
Released | February 23, 2018 | |||
Recorded | 2018 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:36 | |||
Label | MCA Nashville | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Kacey Musgraves singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Space Cowboy" on YouTube |
"Space Cowboy" is a song by American country singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves, released as a single from her fourth studio album Golden Hour on February 23, 2018.
In February 2018, Musgraves posted a photo with the caption: "One day I was out at the barn watching this stallion charging powerfully from one end of the arena to the other, bucking and galloping at full speed all alone. Though I was 'safe' on the other side of the arena wall, it kinda scared me when he came flying toward me..barely stopping in time. My riding teacher saw him coming at me and yelled at me to move away. I said 'I'm fine! The gate is closed!' to which she said, 'Girl – when they wanna go they will go…there ain't no point in even shuttin' the gate.' It really made a mark on me when she said that and I wrote it down. Space Cowboy came a couple days after with Shane McAnally and Luke Laird ✨Make peace with what doesn't belong. You'll find something better." [1]
Chris DeVille from Stereogum wrote, "The melody is so gorgeously wistful, the wordplay so subtly pristine, the heartache so profound. Also, given that it actually sounds like a country song floating through outer space, we all ought to stand up and applaud the levels of compositional genius." [2]
On March 10, 2018, "Space Cowboy" peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song spent eight weeks on the chart.
On August 3, 2020, the single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and streaming data of over 500,000 units in the United States. [3]
"Space Cowboy" is originally in the key of D-flat major, with a tempo of 117 beats per minute. [4] Written in common time, Musgraves vocal range spans from A3 to C♯5 during the song. [5] Musgraves is saying that she is "okay" with her significant other leaving for some time. She recognizes the fact that they had their good times together, but it is time to move on because it is the best for the both of them. He is claiming he needs space, and she is willing to give it to him because their love has "faded".
Musgraves performed the song for the first time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . [6] She also performed the single on The Ellen DeGeneres Show . [7]
A music video for the single "Space Cowboy" was released on April 30, 2018. [8] Rolling Stone described it as: "Filmed in Mexico City by director Courtney Phillips, the cinematic video tells its story through color and shadow while Musgraves' wounded ballad slowly transforms into an empowering anthem. Her post-romance world is hazy and clouded at first, confined to empty rooms with broken windows while her ex gallops through a tropical village. But the power dynamic soon shifts, with golden rays of morning sun shining down on Musgraves and black clouds gathering over her now-disillusioned cowboy." [9] The video has over seven million views on YouTube.
Credits adapted from Genius. [10]
Chevel Shepherd covered the song on The Voice 's Top 11 Performances in 2018. [11]
Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Song | Won | [12] |
ACM Awards | Song of the Year | Nominated | [13] | |
CMT Music Awards | Female Video of the Year | Nominated | [14] | |
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [15] | 30 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [16] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Country pop is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres like rock, pop, and country, continuing similar efforts that began in the late 1950s, known originally as the Nashville sound and later on as Countrypolitan. By the mid-1970s, many country artists were transitioning to the pop-country sound, which led to some records charting high on the mainstream top 40 and the Billboard country chart. In turn, many pop and easy listening artists crossed over to country charts during this time. After declining in popularity during the neotraditional movement of the 1980s, country pop had a comeback in the 1990s with a sound that drew more heavily on pop rock and adult contemporary. In the 2010s, country pop metamorphosized again with the addition of hip-hop beats and rap-style phrasing.
"Neon Moon" is a song written by Ronnie Dunn and recorded by American country music duo Brooks & Dunn. It was released in February 1992 as the third single from their debut album Brand New Man. The song became their third consecutive number one single on the country charts. It was also their first single not to have an accompanying music video.
Luke Robert Laird is an American country music songwriter and producer. He has written over 20 number one Billboard singles, including Carrie Underwood's "So Small", "Temporary Home", and "Undo It"; Blake Shelton's "Gonna"; Sara Evans' "A Little Bit Stronger"; Rodney Atkins's "Take a Back Road"; Eric Church's "Drink in My Hand", "Give Me Back My Hometown", and "Talladega"; Little Big Town's "Pontoon"; Luke Bryan's "I See You" and "Fast"; Thomas Rhett's "T-Shirt"; Kenny Chesney's "American Kids"; Lady Antebellum's "Downtown"; and Jon Pardi's "Head Over Boots." He has also written and produced songs for Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Kacey Musgraves, Toby Keith, Ne-Yo, John Legend, Darius Rucker, and many others.
Kacey Lee Musgraves is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began her career in the early 2000s, when she self-released three solo albums and recorded another album as a member of the duo Texas Two Bits. In 2007, Musgraves appeared on the fifth season of the USA Network singing competition Nashville Star, where she finished in seventh place. In 2012, she signed with Mercury Nashville and released the hit single "Merry Go 'Round". Her major-label debut studio album, Same Trailer Different Park (2013), won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Merry Go 'Round" is the debut single by American country music artist Kacey Musgraves. It was released in September 2012 as the lead single from her debut album Same Trailer Different Park. Musgraves co-wrote and co-produced the song with Shane McAnally, with additional writing from Josh Osborne and production assistance from Luke Laird.
"Dime Store Cowgirl" is a song recorded by American country music artist Kacey Musgraves that serves as the second single from her second major label studio album, Pageant Material. It was released to country radio on August 3, 2015, through Mercury Nashville. The song was written and produced by Musgraves with Luke Laird and Shane McAnally. The song was nominated for "Song of the Year" at the 2016 Americana Music Honors & Awards.
American singer Kacey Musgraves has released six studio albums, one soundtrack, four demo albums, four extended plays, 23 singles, six promotional singles, and 15 music videos. The earliest of Musgraves's material was released in the early 2000s with the issuing of demo albums, beginning with children duo effort Texas Two Bits with fellow student Alina Tatum, which self-released Little Bit of Texas in 2000. This was followed by her first solo album Movin' On (2002). She signed to Mercury Nashville in 2012. In early 2013, Musgraves released her debut full-length album Same Trailer Different Park. Critically acclaimed, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number two on the Billboard 200. Its preceding lead single "Merry Go 'Round" peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The album would also spawn the top 40 singles "Blowin' Smoke" and "Follow Your Arrow". Same Trailer Different Park has since been certified platinum by the RIAA.
"Justified" is a song by American country music artist Kacey Musgraves. It was released on August 27, 2021, as the lead single from Musgraves' fifth studio album, Star-Crossed, released on September 10, 2021. Musgraves co-wrote the song with Ilsey Juber, BJ Burton and Ian Fitchuk, and produced it with Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian.
Muna is an American indie pop band consisting of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson. They released two studio albums with RCA Records, About U (2017) and Saves the World (2019), before signing with independent label Saddest Factory Records, which released their third studio album, Muna, in June 2022.
"Butterflies" is a song by American country singer–songwriter Kacey Musgraves from her fourth studio album, Golden Hour (2018). It was released on February 23, 2018 alongside "Space Cowboy" as the second single from the album through MCA Nashville Records. Musgraves wrote the song with Luke Laird and Natalie Hemby, and produced it alongside Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk. According to Musgraves, "Butterflies" was co-written with Shane McAnally; however, he was not credited as one its songwriters in the album's liner notes.
Golden Hour is the fourth studio album by American country music singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves, released on March 30, 2018, through MCA Nashville. Musgraves co-wrote all 13 tracks and co-produced the album with Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk. A country pop record, Golden Hour also contains elements of disco, electropop, electronica, and yacht rock.
"High Horse" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves for her fourth studio album, Golden Hour (2018). Musgraves co-wrote the song with Trent Dabbs and Tommy English, and co-produced the track with Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian. It was first released as a digital promotional single on March 22, 2018, and later impacted American hot adult contemporary radio on June 25, 2018, as the album's third official single. An extended play of remixes was issued on July 3, 2018.
"Rainbow" is a song recorded by American country music artist Kacey Musgraves. It was released as the fifth and final single from Musgraves' third studio album, Golden Hour (2018) in February 2019. Musgraves co-wrote the song with Shane McAnally and Natalie Hemby. Its release coincided with her performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
Sunday Drive is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Brett Eldredge. It was released on July 10, 2020 via Warner Records.
Daniel Tashian is an American songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He has spent ten years writing and producing for Big Yellow Dog Music.
Ian Fitchuk is an American songwriter and record producer.
"Easy" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Troye Sivan from his fifth EP, In a Dream (2020). It was released on 15 July 2020 as the second single from the EP, accompanied by its music video, which was directed by Sivan.
Star-Crossed is the fifth studio album by American singer Kacey Musgraves. It was released on September 10, 2021, by MCA Nashville and Interscope Records. Musgraves co-wrote and co-produced the album with American musicians Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian, with whom she collaborated on her fourth studio album, Golden Hour (2018), as well.
Star-Crossed: Unveiled was the concert tour by American singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves in support of her fifth studio album, Star-Crossed (2021). It began on January 19, 2022, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, and took place across cities in the United States, Europe and Japan. It concluded in Austin, Texas, United States, on October 16, comprising 27 shows. King Princess and MUNA served as opening acts during the first leg of the tour in the United States.
Deeper Well is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves. It was released on March 15, 2024, through MCA Nashville and Interscope Records. The album was preceded by the release of two singles: the title track and "Too Good to Be True". To support Deeper Well, Musgraves embarked on the Deeper Well World Tour in April 2024.