What Makes You Country

Last updated
What Makes You Country
What makes you country.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)
Genre Country
Length51:32
Label Capitol Nashville
Producer
Luke Bryan chronology
Farm Tour... Here's to the Farmer
(2016)
What Makes You Country
(2017)
Born Here Live Here Die Here
(2020)
Singles from What Makes You Country
  1. "Light It Up"
    Released: August 23, 2017
  2. "Most People Are Good"
    Released: January 8, 2018
  3. "Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset"
    Released: May 29, 2018
  4. "What Makes You Country"
    Released: October 22, 2018 [1]

What Makes You Country is the sixth studio album by American country music singer Luke Bryan. It was released on December 8, 2017, by Capitol Nashville. The album includes the singles "Light It Up", "Most People Are Good", "Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset", and the title track.

Contents

Critical reception

The Guardian reviewer Alexis Petridis rated the album 3 out of 5 stars, stating that "you'd have a hard time arguing that What Makes You Country doesn't feature some pretty bulletproof songwriting. If it sounds like mainstream pop in a pickup truck, that's partly because the melodies and structure are up to the standard of the best stuff pumped out by Swedish hit manufacturers." [2] A mixed-to-positive review came from Variety writer Chris Willman, who wrote that the album "suggests that Bryan has zero interest in fixing what ain't broke. It's a 15-song guidebook to What Makes Him Successful, filled with good-time drinking, better-time sex, a little bit of family, and no particular sadness that can't be cured as soon as a certain ex-girlfriend texts back." [3]

Commercial performance

What Makes You Country debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 108,000 album-equivalent units, of which 99,000 were pure album sales in its first week, giving Bryan his fourth US number-one album. [4] On March 6, 2019, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States. [5] As of April 2019, the album has sold 363,700 copies in the United States. [6]

In Australia, the album entered at number six on the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming his second to reach the top 10 there after Kill the Lights (2015). [7]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."What Makes You Country"3:55
2."Out of Nowhere Girl"
  • Bryan
  • Davidson
  • Gorley
3:38
3."Light It Up"
  • Bryan
  • Brad Tursi
2:57
4."Most People Are Good"
3:41
5."Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset"
3:36
6."Bad Lovers"
  • Davidson
  • Kyle Fishman
  • Justin Wilson
3:36
7."Drinking Again"3:45
8."Land of a Million Songs"
3:31
9."Like You Say You Do"
3:40
10."Hooked on It"
  • Bryan
  • Davidson
  • Murphy
3:17
11."She's a Hot One"
  • Carter
  • McGill
2:55
12."Hungover in a Hotel Room"3:54
13."Pick It Up"
  • Bryan
  • Clawson
  • Matt Dragstrem
2:59
14."Driving This Thing"
2:56
15."Win Life"3:12
Total length:51:32
Vinyl Bonus Track [8]
No.TitleLength
16."I Can't Even"2:48

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic [9]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [5] Platinum1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>18 til I Die</i> 1996 studio album by Bryan Adams

18 til I Die is the seventh studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. Released on June 4, 1996, by A&M Records, the album became a commercial success peaking at No. 1 in the United Kingdom and No. 2 in his home country Canada. It was recorded on different locations which included Jamaica and France. 18 til I Die featured the number one song "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?", which had been released as a single and on the soundtrack to the film Don Juan DeMarco over a year prior, and 4 other singles: "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You", "Let's Make a Night to Remember", "Star", and "18 til I Die"; the album track "I'll Always Be Right There" was also released to radio in the United States. Adams traveled throughout North America and Europe to promote the album after its June release, notably playing in front of over 70,000 people at Wembley Stadium in July 1996. The album performed lower than expectations in the US but it sold 5 million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bon Jovi discography</span>

American rock band Bon Jovi has released 15 studio albums, three live albums, five compilation albums, five EPs, 66 singles, 14 video albums, and 71 music videos. Bon Jovi has sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. As of 2018, the band has sold 21.8 million albums in the US Nielsen SoundScan era. Billboard ranked Bon Jovi as the 45th Greatest Artist of all time, achieving 6 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 & 4 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Bon Jovi has sold 34.5 million albums in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady A discography</span> Discography

Lady A are an American country music group composed of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood. They have released nine studio albums, two extended plays, two box sets, and 23 singles, not counting guest appearances or digital-only releases. The lead singers are Charles Kelly and Hillary Scott. All ten of their full-length releases have debuted in the top ten on the Top Country Albums chart, including five number-ones. They have sold 10.2 million albums in the US as of February 2016.

<i>Tailgates & Tanlines</i> 2011 studio album by Luke Bryan

Tailgates & Tanlines is the third studio album by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It was released on August 9, 2011, by Capitol Records Nashville. Bryan co-wrote eight of the album's thirteen tracks, including its first single, "Country Girl ." American Songwriter called Tailgates & Tanlines "a soundtrack for fun and sun, along with an instantaneous cure for the summertime blues." The song "Too Damn Young" was originally recorded by Julie Roberts on her 2006 album Men & Mascara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Bryan discography</span>

American country music singer Luke Bryan has released seven studio albums, seven compilation albums, eight extended plays, and 33 singles.

<i>Crash My Party</i> 2013 studio album by Luke Bryan

Crash My Party is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It was released on August 13, 2013, by Capitol Records Nashville. Its first single, the title track, reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. The album was produced by Jeff Stevens. A deluxe edition with four bonus tracks is available digitally or by exclusive Target and Walmart CDs.

<i>Montevallo</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Sam Hunt

Montevallo is the debut studio album by American country music singer Sam Hunt. It was released on October 27, 2014, by MCA Nashville. Hunt co-wrote all 10 tracks on the album. The album was produced by Zach Crowell and Shane McAnally. "Cop Car" was previously recorded by Keith Urban on his eighth studio album Fuse, who released it as a single in January 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Rhett discography</span>

American singer and songwriter Thomas Rhett has released six studio albums, one extended play and 28 singles, including five as a featured artist. USA Today hailed him as the “Prince of Country Music” for attaining 18 No. 1 hits in just 9 years. Billboard ranked him as the 12th Top Country Artist of the 2010s decade and the 95th Top Artist of the Decade overall. Rhett has scored 2 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Rhett has sold 40 million singles and 4.5 million certified albums in the United States.

<i>Kill the Lights</i> (Luke Bryan album) 2015 studio album by Luke Bryan

Kill the Lights is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It was released on August 7, 2015, by Capitol Nashville. The album's lead single, "Kick the Dust Up", was released to country radio on May 19, 2015. "Strip It Down" was released as the second single from the album on August 4, 2015. The album's third single, "Home Alone Tonight", was released to country radio on November 23, 2015. The album's fourth single, "Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day" released to country radio on March 14, 2016. The album's fifth single, "Move" released to country radio on July 25, 2016. All five singles reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making Bryan the first country music artist ever to have five number one singles from two albums apiece. In November 2016, the album's sixth single, "Fast", was sent to country radio. With "Fast" also reaching number one in April 2017, Bryan became the first artist in the chart's history to achieve six number one singles from one album. Kill the Lights garnered more positive reviews from music critics than Bryan's previous albums. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, moving 345,000 album-equivalent units in the week ending of August 13.

<i>This Ones for You</i> (Luke Combs album) 2017 studio album by Luke Combs

This One's for You is the debut studio album by American country music singer Luke Combs. It was released on June 2, 2017, through Columbia Nashville. It was No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart for 50 weeks, a record for a male artist on this chart. The album includes the singles "Hurricane", "When It Rains It Pours", and "One Number Away". A deluxe reissue titled This One's for You Too was released June 1, 2018, and featured five new tracks to commemorate the album's first anniversary. Two of these tracks, "She Got the Best of Me" and "Beautiful Crazy", were also issued as singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When It Rains It Pours (song)</span> 2017 single by Luke Combs

"When It Rains It Pours" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Luke Combs. It was released in June 2017 as the second single from his debut album This One's for You (2017). Written by Combs, Ray Fulcher and Jordan Walker, the song is about a man gaining a streak of luck after his girlfriend left him, something that Combs himself had similarly gone through that acted as the basis for the song's creation. "When It Rains It Pours" reached number one on both the Billboard Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts respectively, giving Combs his second number-one country hit overall. It also charted at number 33 on the Hot 100 chart. The song was certified 8× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 8,000,000 units as of March 2023. It achieved similar chart success in Canada, giving Combs his first number-one hit on the Canada Country chart and peaking at number 54 on the Canadian Hot 100. It garnered a 2× Platinum certification from Music Canada. Although it didn't chart in Australia, it was certified 6x Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting sales of 420,000 units in that country. An accompanying music video for the single, created by TA Films, retells the song's story. It was nominated for Video of the Year at the 2018 CMT Music Awards. For promotion, Combs performed the song live on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and CMT Crossroads with Leon Bridges.

<i>Life Changes</i> (Thomas Rhett album) 2017 studio album by Thomas Rhett

Life Changes is the third studio album by American country pop singer Thomas Rhett. Released on September 8, 2017, through Valory Music Group, Rhett produced the album alongside Dann Huff, Jesse Frasure, Julian Bunetta and Joe London. It includes the chart-topping singles "Craving You" with Maren Morris, and "Unforgettable". The album debuted at No. 1 with 123,000 album-equivalent units, giving Rhett his first number one album on the Billboard 200.

<i>Dan + Shay</i> (album) 2018 studio album by Dan Shay

Dan + Shay is the third studio album by the American country pop duo of the same name. It was released on June 22, 2018 via Warner Bros. Records Nashville. The album includes the singles "Tequila," "Speechless," and "All to Myself." It was nominated for the Country Music Association Award for Album of the Year and American Music Award for Favorite Country Album.

<i>Things That We Drink To</i> 2018 studio album by Morgan Evans

Things That We Drink To is the second studio album, and first American released by Australian country music singer Morgan Evans. The album was announced on 31 August 2018 and was released on 12 October 2018. The project is a musical reflection of Evans' journey from Australia to Nashville. Evans co-wrote each track alongside the album's producer, Chris DeStefano. The two played every instrument heard on the sonically diverse project, showcasing Evans' musicianship in addition to his adept songwriting.

<i>Cant Say I Aint Country</i> 2019 studio album by Florida Georgia Line

Can't Say I Ain't Country is the fourth studio album by American country music duo Florida Georgia Line. It was released on February 15, 2019, through the Big Machine Label Group. It includes the singles "Simple" and "Talk You Out of It", as well as the tracks "Colorado" and "Sittin' Pretty". It was supported by a tour of the same name from May 2019.

<i>What You See Is What You Get</i> (Luke Combs album) 2019 studio album by Luke Combs

What You See Is What You Get is the second studio album by American country music singer Luke Combs, released on November 8, 2019, through River House Artists and Columbia Nashville. It includes all five songs previously featured on the 2019 EP The Prequel, including the singles "Beer Never Broke My Heart" and "Even Though I'm Leaving" in addition to the track "1, 2 Many", the single "Does to Me", and later the promotional single "Six Feet Apart". Combs toured North America throughout the remainder of 2019 and was to headline the C2C: Country to Country festival in Europe in 2020 in promotion of the album, however the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven singles from the album, "Beer Never Broke My Heart", "Even Though I'm Leaving", "Does to Me", "Lovin' on You", "Better Together", "Forever After All" and "Cold as You", reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

<i>Born Here Live Here Die Here</i> 2020 studio album by Luke Bryan

Born Here Live Here Die Here is the seventh studio album by American country music singer Luke Bryan. It was released on August 7, 2020, by Capitol Nashville. The album includes the singles "Knockin' Boots", "What She Wants Tonight", "One Margarita", and "Down to One". A deluxe edition with six extra songs, including the album's fifth single "Waves" and its sixth single, "Up", was released on April 9, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Combs discography</span>

American country music singer and songwriter Luke Combs has released four studio albums, four extended plays, and sixteen singles.

Zachary Lane Bryan is an American singer-songwriter from Oologah, Oklahoma. A U.S. Navy veteran, his major-label debut album American Heartbreak entered the U.S. Billboard 200 at number five.

<i>Growin Up</i> (Luke Combs album) 2022 studio album by Luke Combs

Growin' Up is the third studio album by American country music artist Luke Combs. It was released on June 24, 2022, through Columbia Records Nashville and River House Records. The album includes the singles "Doin' This", "The Kind of Love We Make" and "Going, Going, Gone" which impacted country radio on October 24. Growin' Up was nominated for Best Country Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

References

  1. "Future Releases for Country Radio Stations". AllAccess. May 24, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  2. "Luke Bryan: What Makes You Country review – pop in a pickup truck". The Guardian. December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  3. Willman, Chris. "Album Review: Luke Bryan's 'What Makes You Country'". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  4. Caulfield, Keith (December 18, 2017). "Luke Bryan Lands Fourth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'What Makes You Country'". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  5. 1 2 "American album certifications – Luke Bryan – What Makes You Country". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  6. Bjorke, Matt (April 15, 2019). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: April 15, 2019". Roughstock. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  7. Ryan, Gavin (December 16, 2017). "Australian Charts: Ed Sheeran 'Divide' Is No 1 Again". Noise11. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  8. "Luke Bryan – What Makes You Country (2018, Vinyl)". Discogs .
  9. "Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  10. "Australiancharts.com – Luke Bryan – What Makes You Country". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  11. "Luke Bryan Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  12. "NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  13. "Swisscharts.com – Luke Bryan – What Makes You Country". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  14. "Luke Bryan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  15. "Luke Bryan Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  16. "2019 Annual ARIA Country Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  17. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  18. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  19. "ARIA Top 50 Country Albums for 2019". Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  20. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  21. "ARIA Top 50 Country Albums for 2020". Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  22. "ARIA Top 50 Country Albums for 2021". Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 15 January 2022.