Straight and Narrow (song)

"Straight and Narrow"
Single by Sam Barber
from the album Million Eyes and Restless Mind
Released	November 30, 2022
Genre	Country
Length	3:19
Label	Lockeland Springs Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Sam Barber
Producer(s)	Joe Becker
Sam Barber singles chronology
"Ramblin Man" (2022) "Straight and Narrow" (2022) "As Time Passes" (2022)
Music video
"Straight and Narrow" on YouTube

"Straight and Narrow" is a song by American country singer Sam Barber, first released on November 30, 2022 as the lead single from his EP Million Eyes (2023). ^[1] It became his breakout hit through exposure on the video-sharing app TikTok and also appears on his debut studio album Restless Mind (2024).

Background

Sam Barber wrote the song when he was 16 years old. He was trying to write music that "sounded good" to him and did not feel like the song would be important to him at the time. ^{[2] [3]} Although he recorded his earliest music from voice memos on his phone, he decided on a higher-quality recording for "Straight and Narrow" and recorded it with a microphone in a bedroom. ^[2] In November 2022, about a year after being discovered by his managers, Barber released the song. It received little attention until April 2023, after it was used on TikTok. The song subsequently gained traction on the platform and propelled Barber to mainstream popularity. ^[3]

Composition

"Straight and Narrow" is an acoustic guitar-based song with lyrics about persevering through times of adversity. ^[2]

Charts

Chart performance for "Straight and Narrow"

Chart (2023)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA) [4]	41
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [5]	53
Ireland (IRMA) [6]	29
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles ( Billboard ) [7]	14
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [8]	33
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [9]	13

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [10]	2× Platinum	140,000‡
Canada (Music Canada) [11]	3× Platinum	240,000‡
United States (RIAA) [12]	2× Platinum	2,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Straight and Narrow - Single by Sam Barber". Spotify . November 30, 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
2. Nicholson, Jessica (October 12, 2023). "'Straight and Narrow' Singer Sam Barber on His Breakthrough Song: 'I Think It Has Found Its Own Kind of Purpose'". Billboard . Retrieved 30 January 2025.
3. Hyman, Dan (April 24, 2024). "Sam Barber Is in Go-Mode". Spin . Retrieved 30 January 2025.
4. "Sam Barber – Straight and Narrow". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
5. "Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard . Retrieved 30 January 2025.
6. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Sam Barber". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
7. "Billboard Hot 100: Week of May 20, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved January 30, 2025.
8. "Hot Country Songs: May 30, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved January 30, 2025.
9. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
10. '"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000020-QINU`"' "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved February 7, 2025.
11. '"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000022-QINU`"' "Canadian single certifications – Sam Barber – Straight and Narrow". Music Canada.
12. '"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000024-QINU`"' "American single certifications – Sam Barber – Straight and Narrow". Recording Industry Association of America.