Music

15 Nov 2023

10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Matt Rogers, Mark Mothersbaugh, Kelsey Hart & More

Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts, encompassing numerous genres and formats.

While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.

Here’s a look at 10 artists who appear on surveys for the first time on the Nov. 18-dated charts:

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Matt Rogers



The comedian, actor and podcaster is officially a Billboard-charting artist for the first time, thanks to the new companion album to his holiday comedy special Have You Heard of Christmas? While the special was released Dec. 2, 2022, on Showtime, the set debuts at No. 5 on Comedy Albums following its release on vinyl and for download on Nov. 3. It earned 1,000 equivalent album units in the Nov. 3-9 tracking week, according to Luminate.

Have You Heard of Christmas? is a TV special containing original songs, stand-up and comedy sketches, along with guest stars Bowen Yang, Jo Firestone, Henry Koperski and more. The album features nine original holiday-themed tracks.

Rogers is the co-host of the pop culture podcast Las Culturistas with Yang. He has also starred in the film Fire Island and the TV series Gayme Show, Q-Force and more.

Mark Mothersbaugh



The legendary singer, songwriter, composer and producer is already a household name thanks to his work as the lead vocalist for Devo, but he landed his first solo appearance on a Billboard chart via his “Halloweentown Theme,” from the 1998 Disney Channel original movie, Halloweentown. The song debuted at No. 24 on the Nov. 11-dated TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, thanks to activity on the platform surrounding the holiday.

Devo, which Mothersbaugh formed in 1973 in Akron, Ohio, with his brother Bob, brothers Bob and Gerald Casale, and Alan Myers, charted three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1980s: “Whip It” (No. 14 peak in 1980), “Working in the Coal Mine” (No. 43, 1981) and “Theme From Doctor Detroit” (No. 59, 1983). The group has also logged nine albums on the Billboard 200, in 1978-2010.

Outside of Devo, Mothersbaugh has forged a career as a composer for hundreds of film, TV, commercial and video game projects through his company, Mutato Muzika. His 2023 projects alone include the films Cocaine Bear and The Magicians Elephant and the series Disenchantment, Hello Tomorrow!, Our Flag Means Death, Summer Camp Island and What We Do in the Shadows.

Kelsey Hart



The singer-songwriter, from Central City, Ky., scores his first Billboard chart entry, thanks to his breakout song “Life With You.” The track, released Nov. 3 on Curb Records, debuts at No. 9 on Country Digital Song Sales with 2,000 downloads sold in its first week. He also debuts at No. 41 on the Emerging Artists chart.

TikTok has been a factor in the song’s growing profile. Hart teased various snippets of the song for weeks leading up to its official release, while a portion of the song has soundtracked over 11,000 clips on the platform to date. He released his first project, the five-track EP Give You Mine, in February 2022. Since then, he has released seven other songs on streaming platforms, including “Life With You.”

Hotline TNT



The Brooklyn-based indie rock/shoegaze group hits Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to its sophomore LP, Cartwheel. The set, released Nov. 3 on Third Man Records, debuts at No. 11 on Tastemakers Albums. The group also arrives at No. 38 on Emerging Artists.

Hotline TNT is led by Will Anderson, who’s also the sole permanent member of the group—he’s joined by a rotating backing band. Before Cartwheel, the band dropped its debut full-length LP Nineteen in Love in 2021.

Turbo



The Atlanta producer (real name: Chandler Great) has already built a successful career on Billboard’s charts as a producer, but he claims his first entry under an artist billing thanks to his new collaboration with Gunna, “Bachelor.” The song, released Nov. 3 via Young Stoner Life/300 Entertainment, debuts at No. 40 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with 3.6 million official U.S. streams earned in its first week.

Turbo has produced 24 total Hot 100-charting songs in his career, including one top 10: Lil Baby and Gunna’s No. 4-peaking “Drip Too Hard” in 2018. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, he is credited as a producer on 28 hits. His production work may be recognizable by the phrase “run that back Turbo” at the onset of many songs by Gunna and Lil Baby. He has also worked with Lil Yachty, Moneybagg Yo, Travis Scott and Young Thug, among others.

In 2019, Turbo signed a worldwide co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music. “Turbo is one of the most prominent hip-hop producers to break over the last year,” Warner Chappell Music president, North America, Ryan Press said at the time. “His signature sound is a game changer, attracting trailblazing artists and influential fans alike to his music.”

Andrew Cottee



The composer, arranger and conductor achieves his first Billboard chart hit, thanks to his work on Seth McFarlane and Liz Gillies’ album We Wish You the Merriest. The holiday set, released Nov. 3 via Fuzzy Door/Verve/Republic/VLG, debuts at No. 20 on Jazz Albums and No. 46 on the Top Holiday Albums chart with 1,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week.

The album, billed as Seth MacFarlane & Liz Gillies Arranged and Conducted by Andrew Cottee, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London and contains 13 holiday standards, from “The Christmas Song” to “Frosty the Snowman,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and more. MacFarlane and Gillies previously teamed on the EP Songs From Home in 2021, but this project marks their first full-length collaboration.

Cottee has many film, TV and theater credits to his name, including the score for MacFarlane’s series The Orville, plus the 2016 film Sing, and the Bobby Darin biopic Beyond the Sea. He was also the orchestrator for Paul McCartney’s ballet Ocean’s Kingdom.

Shy Taupe



The Japanese pop-rock group, from Osaka, earns its first chart entry, thanks to “Rendez-Vous.” Released in April on shytaupe Records, the song debuts at No. 197 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart with 7.6 million official streams outside the U.S. The band has released 12 songs on streaming services, dating to “Margarine” and “Room” in June 2022. The band comprises Sasaki Sou (vocals/guitar), Fukunaga Masaki (bass) and Takato Man (drums).

Lucy Grau



The Miami-based singer lands on Billboard’s charts for the first time with her breakthrough single “Qué Será de Ti.” The song, released Sept. 15 on Betania Music Group/ONErpm, debuts at No. 20 on Tropical Airplay (up 101% in airplay audience in the Nov. 3-9 tracking week). Grau has released three solo albums: Alocada in 2013, Lucy Grau in 2015 and A Peticion… in 2018.

JZyNO & Lasmid



Both artists debut on Billboard’s rankings thanks to their collaboration, “Butta My Bread.” Released in April, the song debuts at No. 50 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart.

JZyNO (real name: Jonathan Lee Pratt), from Liberia, has been releasing music since 2019. He dropped his debut EP, the six-track Brown Sugar, in 2021. Lasmid (real name: Nathaniel Ladsmid Owusu), from Ghana, is also a chart newcomer. He has released nine solo tracks, all since 2020, and has collaborated with acts including Amerado, Fazil and Kixx Alphah.

15 Nov 2023

Drake & J. Cole Put Their Competitive Streak to the Test in ‘First Person Shooter’ Video: Watch

On Wednesday (Nov. 15), Drake and J. Cole’s torrid momentum continues with the lyrical pair releasing a visual for their Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “First Person Shooter.”

In the video, directed by Gibson Hazard, Brian Baumgartner — the man behind The Office character Kevin — makes a cameo, ironically playing video games in an office while listening to the record. Then, the clip quickly jumps into an intense ping-pong battle between Drake and J. Cole. The competitive contest switches to the chess board, where the two rappers duke it out and put their mental fortitude to the test. Later, they even re-enact Cole’s favored punch line “The Spider-Man meme is me looking at Drake,” where Drizzy dons the Spidey mask during the meme-worthy moment.

In an interview with Lil Yachty earlier this month, Cole expressed his love for Drake and talked about the record debuting at No. 1 on the Hot 100. “It went No. 1, but if it went No. 2, I wouldn’t have felt no way. If the other song would’ve went No. 1, it’s like, ‘Bruh, I’m cool.’ I almost feel better having my first No. 1 be off a Drake alley-oop,” Cole said. “I love Drake, and I love that I’m a part of that moment with him, with Michael Jackson.”

“First Person Shooter” went No. 1 on the Hot 100 last month, becoming Cole’s first chart-topper and Drake’s 14th, tying him with Jackson for fifth all-time. On Monday, Drake and Cole announced their joint trek It’s All a Blur Tour — Big as the What. Tickets for the tour went on sale Wednesday via the Cash App Card presale. General on-sale will start Friday, (Nov. 17) at 11 a.m. local time.

Watch “First Person Shooter” below.

15 Nov 2023

Jason & Travis Kelce Get Into the Holiday Spirit With ‘Fairytale of Philadelphia’ Duet

‘Tis the season of Kelce! Jason Kelce recruited his brother, Travis Kelce, to take part in the Philadelphia Eagles‘ upcoming holiday album, A Philly Special Christmas Special, on Wednesday (Nov. 15) with a fitting tribute to the City of Brotherly Love, “Fairytale of Philadelphia.”

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“Fairytale of Philadelphia” is a reimagining of The Pogues’ holiday classic, “Fairytale of New York,” and features the athletic siblings trading verses as they talk about what makes Philly so special. “I’ve got a feeling, this year’s for me and you / So happy Christmas, I love you brother / I can see a better time, when all our dreams come true,” Jason croons to his baby bro in the duet.

The full holiday album by Jason and his Eagles teammates Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, titled A Philly Christmas Special, is out December 1, and also features a collaboration with Patti LaBelle. The trio previously released their rendition of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” earlier this month. The album, which marks the trio’s sophomore festive project, features 10 holiday classics and an original track by Kelce called “Santa’s Night.”

A Philly Special Christmas Special is available now for vinyl preorder here. This year, proceeds from the vinyl sales will benefit Children’s Crisis Treatment Center’s Toy Drive and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Snowflake Station.

Listen to the Kelce brothers’ “Fairytale of Philadelphia” below.

15 Nov 2023

BLACKPINK to Gift Fans an Immersive Concert Experience in ‘A VR Encore’: Exclusive First Look

BLACKPINK is up for the 2023 Billboard Music Awards‘ newly established top K-pop touring artist honor thanks to the success of its Born Pink World Tour. Whether or not the quartet takes home the trophy Sunday (Nov. 19), the group will still give fans a reason to celebrate with a gift just after the Christmas holiday.

Billboard can share the exclusive first look and details for BLACKPINK: A VR Encore coming to fans this holiday season. For BLACKPINK’s first concert in virtual reality, viewers can return to the Born Pink World Tour’s special finale show held in Seoul’s massive Gocheok Sky Dome that featured their Billboard Hot 100 hits such as “Pink Venom,” “Kill This Love” and “How You Like That” live, but also solo performances from Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa.

Emmy Award-winning production company The Diamond Bros. is producing and directing the 70-minute concert custom-made for VR in partnership with Meta. Exclusively available in VR inside the Meta Horizon Worlds’ Music Valley, Meta Quest VR headset owners in select regions get a front-row ticket to the social experience.

“We’re thrilled to embrace the dynamic world of VR because it allows us to reach an even wider global audience and share our music in an entirely new, immersive way,” BLACKPINK said in a statement. “This VR concert is not just a show; it’s an extension of the tour we poured our hearts into. We can’t wait for you to see the magic we’ve created with The Diamond Bros and Meta, and thank you to our incredible BLINKs for your endless support.”

Josh Diamond, director and executive producer at The Diamond Bros, echoes the excitement for the major collaboration. “BLACKPINK is an iconic, groundbreaking group, and being able to capture them in VR in Seoul, South Korea, for the final performance of their Encore tour was incredible,” he says. “We couldn’t be more excited to have partnered with Meta on this amazing opportunity. We can’t wait for everyone to experience it!”

Meanwhile, Vishal Shah, VP of Metaverse at Meta, points out how A VR Encore changes a typical concert viewing.

“Artists like BLACKPINK are transforming how music fans experience performances and connect with their favorite artists,” Shah adds. “We’re excited to feature this creative, social VR experience from The Diamond Bros in Horizon Worlds and can’t wait for Meta Quest owners to take a front-row seat for this amazing show.”

BLACKPINK: A VR Encore premieres in VR on Tuesday, Dec. 26, at 5 p.m. PT in Meta Horizon Worlds. Attendees can RSVP for the event now, with replays available for a month in Meta Horizon Worlds after the concert.

Get your first look at the teaser and concert poster art below, and tune into the Billboard Music Awards Sunday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. ET via BBMAs.watch or Billboard and the BBMAs social channels.

BLACKPINK

15 Nov 2023

Kany Garcia, Camilo, Evaluna & More Welcome Alejandro Sanz to His New Label Via Song

Kany García, Camilo and Evaluna, among other artists, serenaded Alejandro Sanz at an event hosted by Sony Music during Latin Grammy week in Sevilla, officially welcoming the Spanish star to his new label.

Producer Javier Limón, a close friend of Sanz’s, hosted the event along with Afo Verde, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Latin-Iberia, and José María Barbat, president of Sony Music Iberia.

“We’re here on an unforgettable night because we have the opportunity to celebrate the arrival of Alejandro Sanz to our great Sony Music family,” said Verde, who signed Sanz to Sony this past June.

”We know the extraordinary artist that’s inside you. We know of your drive and passion for your work, your curiosity for new artists, the support you give those who are starting off, your generosity with your colleagues, your commitment to causes of fairness and the value of your friendship,” added Barbat.

Camilo, Evaluna, Niña Pastori, Kany García, J·Noa, Darumas, Yerai Cortés and Montse Cortés performed some of Sanz’s emblematic songs, including “Amiga Mía” (J Noa), “Cuando nadie me ve” (Kany García) and “Desde cuando” (Camilo y Evaluna).  The honoree enjoyed the evening from a table set in a semi private area, from which he could see the performances.

Other artists, including Malú, Ana Mena, Arde Bogotá, Omar Montes, Reik, Nicki Nicole, Kenia OS and María José Llergo, were also at the event ,which took place in Hacienda Azahares.

This year, Sanz is nominated for a Latin Grammy for song of the year for “Nasa” alongside Camilo, and record of the year for “Correcaminos” with Danny Ocean.

Sanz thanked his “Dear Sony family” for the warm welcome. “It’s been a beautiful night to get together again and begin this new stage, in addition to a prelude to a week where we’ll celebrate music. Let’s enjoy and celebrate!” he said.

15 Nov 2023

Jimmy Kimmel to Host 2024 Oscars

Jimmy Kimmel is set to host the 2024 Oscars, which will be held March 10, 2024, at its usual home, the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. It will mark Kimmel’s fourth time as host. “I always dreamed of hosting the Oscars exactly four times,” Kimmel quipped in a statement.

Kimmel first hosted the Oscars in 2017, the year of the debacle in which La La Land was announced in error as the best picture winner, before Moonlight was declared the actual winner. Kimmel returned to host the show in 2018 and 2023.

Kimmel will become only the sixth person to host the Oscars four or more times. Bob Hope hosted the show 19 times, followed by Billy Crystal (nine), Johnny Carson (five), and Whoopi Goldberg, Jack Lemmon and now Kimmel (four each).

Molly McNearney, who serves as executive producer and co-head writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, will return for the second consecutive year to serve as an executive producer for the Oscars.

“We are thrilled about Jimmy returning to host and Molly returning as executive producer for the Oscars,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “They share our love of movies and our commitment to producing a dynamic and entertaining show for our global audience.”

McNearney is nominated for two Primetime Emmys this year as an ep of Jimmy Kimmel Live! (which is up for outstanding talk series) and the 2023 Oscars (which is up for outstanding variety special (live).

Kimmel, 56, has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! since it debuted on ABC in January 2003, making him the longest-running of all current late night television hosts in the U.S. He is also an executive producer of the show. He also hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2012, 2016 and 2020.

Kimmel received back-to-back Primetime Emmys in 2019-20 for outstanding variety special (live) as an executive producer of Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’ and Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Good Times.’

The Oscar ceremony, which will air on ABC, will be executive produced by Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan, with Kapoor also serving as showrunner.

“Jimmy has cemented himself as one of the all-time great Oscars hosts with his perfect blend of humanity and humor, and Molly is one of the best live TV producers around,” Kapoor and Mullan said in a joint statement.

Hamish Hamilton will serve as director. This will be the first Oscars to include new eligibility rules to “improve diversity and inclusion.”

Today (Nov. 15) is the submission deadline for general entry categories. Preliminary voting runs from Dec. 18-21. Oscar shortlists will be announced on Dec. 21. The eligibility period ends Dec. 31.

Nominations-round voting runs from Jan. 11-16, 2024. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 23, 2024. The final round of voting extends from Feb. 22-27.

15 Nov 2023

Chappell Roan In L.A.: 5 Highlights From the Electrifying Final Stop of the Rising Star’s U.S. Tour

The tiaras were overflowing at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on Tuesday night (Nov. 14). An ecstatic, sold-out crowd came together to witness the latest stop of Chappell Roan‘s U.S. tour, where the rising pop star performed the entirety of her Dan Nigro-produced debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.

Decked out in black and white lingerie, black knee-high boots and black latex arm sleeves, the flame-haired singer stormed and twirled across the stage as she performed a roughly 90-minute set composed of fan favorites like “Casual,” “Red Wine Supernova,” “Naked in Manhattan” and “My Kink is Karma.”

Roan is a powerhouse vocalist with a potent stage presence and a gift for banter, and she showed off the full breadth of her talent on Tuesday night. “Who brought their boyfriend? Raise your hand if you brought your boyfriend,” said Roan during one interlude — clearly referencing the scattered straight men in the audience as a nod to her largely queer and female fanbase. “Does your boyfriend know who I am?”

Judging by the energy of the packed audience — many dressed in red-and-black getups themed to the music video for “My Kink is Karma,” per Roan’s instructions at the outset of her tour — and the strength of the star’s performance, boyfriends across the country may well be learning Roan’s name before too long, whether they mean to or not. In addition to her own tour, which picks back up in Australia on Nov. 24 before resuming in Europe next month, the singer is slated to open for Olivia Rodrigo on a string of dates on the superstar’s U.S. trek next year while also embarking on a second U.S. leg of her Rise and Fall tour starting in February.

Below, Billboard recaps five highlights from Tuesday’s night’s electrifying performance.

15 Nov 2023

BLACKPINK’s Lisa Enjoys Her Favorite Thai Meal on Her Spotify Billion Streams Plate

Lisa is celebrating in style! The rapper’s “Money” is the first K-pop track by a solo artist to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify, and the BLACKPINK superstar had some fun when she received her plate-shaped plaque.

In a video posted to Spotify’s Instagram account on Wednesday (Nov. 15), Lisa opens her plaque in Paris, noting that she immediately knew what meal she would like to eat on it. Heading over to a kitchen set-up, Lisa began cooking her “favorite Thai dish” called khai jiao, which is a Thai-style shrimp omelette topped with some spice. She went on to enjoy some dessert, another favorite of hers called itim khanom pang, a coconut ice cream sandwich with sticky rice.

“I feel like it’s something unbelievable that my songs have this many people who have listened to them,” the 26-year-old star reflected. “It makes me proud of myself and makes me want to keep making music. I would like to thank everybody who has made my dreams come true.”

The song — released as the second track from her 2021 solo EP Lalisa — marks Lisa’s fourth solo achievement with Guinness World Records. Earlier this year, the rapper became the first solo K-pop winner at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2022. She was also the first solo K-pop winner at 2022’s MTV Europe Music Awards, after being nominated twice in the category due to a nod alongside BLACKPINK. Lisa also has the most followers for a K-pop artist on Instagram, with a then total of 86.3 million Blinks. At the current time of publication, she has skyrocketed to 98.7 million followers.

Watch Lisa eat off her Spotify billion streams plate below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=JiMY2wdkBAw&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&start=125&wmode=transparent

15 Nov 2023

Usher Completes R&B Radio Trifecta as ‘Good Good’ Tops Adult R&B Airplay

Usher completes an R&B/hip-hop radio takeover as “Good Good,” featuring Summer Walker and 21 Savage, ascends to No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. The track climbs from No. 3 to lead the list dated Nov. 18, after a 20% improvement in weekly plays that made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the week ending Nov. 9, according to Luminate.

With the coronation, “Good Good” has now topped all three of Billboard’s core R&B/hip-hop airplay charts. Prior to its Adult R&B Airplay reign, the single ruled the plays-based Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and audience-based R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts for two weeks each. It’s the second song this year to pull off the triple-play, following Tems’ “Free Mind.”

Thanks to “Good Good,” Usher achieves his eighth No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay, pushing him into a five-way tie for the second-most champs among male artists in the chart’s history. He now equals Bruno Mars, Kem, Maxwell and Tank’s career totals on the radio ranking, with all just one behind Charlie Wilson’s nine leaders. Among all acts, Alicia Keys ranks first, with 14 No. 1s.

As “Good Good” brings Usher more good news on the charts, here’s an updated review of his No. 1 collection on Adult R&B Airplay:

“Here I Stand,” seven weeks at No. 1, beginning Dec. 6, 2008
“Papers,” three, Jan. 2, 2010
“There Goes My Baby,” one, July 31, 2010
“Climax,” one, July 7, 2012
“Don’t Waste My Time,” featuring Ella Mai, two, June 13, 2020
“Bad Habits,” one, Dec. 5, 2020
“GLU,” two, June 24, 2023
“Good Good,” featuring Summer Walker & 21 Savage, one (to date), Nov. 18, 2023

Summer Walker claims her third Adult R&B Airplay No. 1. She first led through another guest spot on Trey Songz’ “Back Home,” a three-week champ in 2020, and followed with her own “Unloyal,” with Ari Lennox, which led for one frame in 2022.

21 Savage, meanwhile, nabs his first Adult R&B Airplay champ with his first entry on the list.

“Good Good” will appear on Usher’s next album, Coming Home, which will be released on Feb. 11, the same day that the superstar will headline the halftime show of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, Nev.

15 Nov 2023

Parmalee Processes Its Past On “Gonna Love You”

The moment that set Parmalee apart from its competition early into its career is also one that the band wished had never happened.

On Sept. 21, 2010, two robbers held up the group on its bus in the early morning following a show in Rock Hill, S.C. Drummer Scott Thomas shot and killed one of the assailants, but he was also hit by three bullets and went into a coma that lasted two weeks. For many acts, it would have literally been the end of the road. But Parmalee rallied together like a band of brothers — appropriate since Scott and lead singer Matt Thomas are indeed siblings and bassist Barry Knox is a cousin — and the group returned to its touring routine barely three months later, beginning with a New Year’s Eve show in Greenville, N.C.

After signing with Stoney Creek in 2011, the band released its debut single, the banging party song “Musta Had a Good Time.” But instead of playing off the tragedy to raise its profile, Parmalee — which includes guitarist Josh McSwain — did its best to avoid the topic. The guys wanted to be known first and foremost for their music, and the post-show shootout was tough to discuss.

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“We kind of steered away from it,” Scott says. “If somebody asked us, we would talk about it, but we didn’t make it a point. [It was] probably just [our] healing process.”

While the band had some hits with a sound that evolved into mainstream country-rock, Parmalee found its commercial groove in 2020 after teaming with Blanco Brown on the lighter pop tune “Just the Way.” It became the group’s second No. 1 single, which the act followed with the Country Airplay chart-topping wedding song “Take My Name” and the hypnotically sweet No. 3 single “Girl in Mine.” But when Matt went into a writing session on June 6, 2022, the goal was to morph their sound once more — leaning into the timbre of his voice.

“He can sing so high, and he can sing these crazy melodies, and we’ve never gotten to fully show that,” says producer David Fanning (Thompson Square, Avery Anna), who also manages the band and serves as a frequent co-writer. “That day, to me, was one of the beginning times of ‘Hey, let’s start showing what you can do. Let’s start shining a light on that.’ ”

Teaming with songwriters Abram Dean and Andy Sheridan, Fanning and Matt took that goal to an anthemic level, aiming for a song that could work as a film’s end theme à la “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing” in Armageddon.

“We wanted a grand melody, we wanted a grand idea, we wanted classic-sounding chord changes,” Matt recalls. “Something big and universal was really the thinking.”

The chord changes fit that movie-theme ideal. A simple, descending pattern (A-minor-7, G, F) delivered a rock texture — a dark sound that, coupled with a hopeful story, had epic potential.

“It is full of tension,” says Matt, “but it’s a positive message.”

The opening verse promises delivers two promises: “You’re never gonna be alone” and “I’ll never be far away” — both pledges that seem particularly large coming from a band of traveling musicians whose life requires them to be away from home. Delivered over a pulsing piano that harkens to 1980s Chicago, the song ultimately lands at a heavier-sounding chorus that contemplates the couple in question as action heroes battling the world. In that stanza, the singer’s feelings become clear as he takes his last breath, announcing, “I’m gonna love you.” It was only when that melody arrived that the “Gonna Love You” title emerged.

The four writers worked diligently to craft a universal text of unending commitment, but while the sentiment was significant, evaluating their progress was difficult. The typical country song references specific, visual images — furniture, in Nashville songwriter parlance — but a song like “Gonna Love You” employs more ethereal, less defined, aesthetics.

“Writing a song that lives in the emotional world, personally, I feel like it’s harder, especially if you second-guess yourself,” Fanning says. “But also, I think it’s a chance for you to just say what you want. Hopefully, people realize, ‘Hey, they’re coming from a real spot, and we feel that way, too.’”

At the end of the day, it needed a bridge, but the writers weren’t sure where it needed to go. So they let it sit, and Matt and Fanning worked at it for months, periodically texting each other ideas for that last section or working through it in the lounge on the bus. Eventually, they used that bridge to refocus on long-term commitment, contemplating “our last day” and “the last words off of my lips.”

The demo pointed quite obviously to where the song needed to go, and the recorded version — cut at Nashville’s Soundstage — blended the Chicago vibe with other compelling elements: 3 Doors Down-like power-ballad guitar chords, old-school-pop electric piano, breezy finger snaps and hard-country steel guitar.

“We came from all that stuff,” says Matt. “That’s the music and the style that really impacts me as a writer and singer, and us as a band.”

As they lived with the song, Fanning and the Thomas brothers all separately began associating the epic nature of the production with Parmalee’s dramatic backstory. They had never embraced it publicly, but pairing the shooting with the emotional message in “Gonna Love You” — hanging together under duress, the threat that Scott could breathe his final breath at any moment — would easily explain the depth of the band’s bond.

On Oct. 3, Stoney Creek released “Gonna Love You” to country radio via PlayMPE. One week later, on Oct. 10, Parmalee filmed the video with the blood and violence from the robbery limited to short, crucial moments, while a replay of the workman-like club show and the traumatic hospital scenes propel the narrative. The video challenged the band internally as the musicians relived their precarious past. They processed some of the grief and fear that had lingered for 13 years, and they anticipate that recounting of their most tenuous evening will help fans better understand the band. It might also help some of those fans process their own pain. Just don’t expect Parmalee to make that incident central to its public marketing beyond this particular video.

“We’re always going to be uncomfortable talking about it,” Scott says. “I don’t think that’ll ever change, but [the video] worked out great.”

That video is expected to arrive Nov. 25. Meanwhile, “Gonna Love You” debuted at No. 60 on the Country Airplay chart dated Nov. 18, beginning a run that Parmalee hopes will vault it back to the top rungs of the list.

“It’s easy for me to sing, and every time I hear the song, I’m in the mood,” says Matt. “This is a special song.”