Country Again: Side A

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Country Again: Side A
Studio album by
Thomas Rhett
ReleasedApril 30, 2021
StudioBlackbird Studio, Sound Stage Studios and House of Drag (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreCountry
Length34:03
LabelValory
Producer
Thomas Rhett chronology
Center Point Road
(2019) 		Country Again: Side A
(2021) 		Where We Started
(2022)
Singles from Country Again: Side A
  1. "What's Your Country Song"
    Released: November 11, 2020
  2. "Country Again"
    Released: April 12, 2021

Country Again: Side A is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Thomas Rhett, and the first release of the Country Again double album project.[1][2] It includes the singles "What's Your Country Song" and the project's title track.[3] The album was released on April 30, 2021 through the Valory Music Co.,[4] with its follow-up Country Again: Side B intended for release in late 2022,[5] which did not eventuate.

Background[edit]

Rhett co-wrote every song on the album. Most of the writing and work on the album was done during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Rhett called it the "best work I've ever done".[1] He stated that he felt more inspiration from traditional country music in the process of making this album, noted musical influence from Eric Church, and remarked that he wanted to "tell a real, honest story from the heart".[6] He said that with this album, he "was just trying to be a songwriter".[7]

Commercial performance[edit]

In the United States, Country Again: Side A debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 with 30,000 equivalent album units (14,000 in album sales), becoming his fifth top 10 entry on the chart.[8]

Track listing[edit]

Country Again: Side A track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Want It Again"
2:52
2."Growing Up"
  • Rhett
  • Dragstrem
  • Miller
  • Thompson
3:01
3."What's Your Country Song"
2:51
4."Where We Grew Up"
2:45
5."Heaven Right Now"
3:48
6."To the Guys That Date My Girls"
  • Rhett
  • Akins
  • Thompson
  • Will Bundy
3:01
7."More Time Fishin'"
  • Rhett
  • Akins
  • Thompson
  • Bundy
3:05
8."Country Again"
3:41
9."Put It on Ice" (featuring Hardy)
  • Rhett
  • Akins
  • Dragstrem
  • Thompson
3:04
10."Blame It on a Backroad"
  • Rhett
  • Crowell
  • Gorley
2:47
11."Ya Heard"
  • Rhett
  • Akins
  • Dragstrem
  • Chase McGill
3:03
Total length:34:03

Personnel[edit]

  • Thomas Rhett – lead vocals, backing vocals (1–4, 9), whistle (7)
  • Charlie Judge – keyboards (1, 3–5, 9–11), Hammond B3 organ (2, 6–8, 10), acoustic piano (3), cello (5)
  • Justin Niebank – programming
  • Jesse Frasure – programming (1–3, 5–8, 10, 11), acoustic guitar (3), synth bass (3)
  • Luke Laird – programming (4)
  • Josh Miller – programming (4)
  • David Huff – programming (6)
  • Matt Dragstrem – programming (9, 11), synth bass (9), backing vocals (9), acoustic guitar (11)
  • Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar (1, 2, 4–9), mandolin (2, 4, 9), gut string guitar (6), 12-string acoustic guitar (7), banjo (8–10), electric guitar (9), dobro (9), resonator guitar (9)
  • Derek Wells – electric guitars (1, 5, 11)
  • Dann Huff – electric guitars (2–4, 6–8, 10), electric guitar solo (2, 3), ganjo (3), slide guitar solo (6), synth bass (6, 7), programming (7, 8), acoustic guitar (10)
  • Patrick Droney – electric guitars (9), electric guitar solo (9)
  • Tyler Chiarelli – dobro (3)
  • Stuart Duncan – fiddle (7, 8, 10), mandolin (7)
  • Paul Franklin – steel guitar (1–3, 6–10)
  • Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar
  • Chris Kimmerer – drums, percussion (2, 9–11), programming (6)
  • Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson – harmonica (11)
  • Josh Reedy – backing vocals
  • Hardy – lead and backing vocals (9)

Production

  • Dann Huff – producer
  • Jesse Frasure – producer (1–3, 5–8, 10, 11)
  • Matt Dragstrem – producer (9), additional recording (9)
  • Joe Baldridge – recording
  • Kam Lucherthand – recording assistant (1, 3, 6–8)
  • Josh Ditty – recording assistant (2, 4, 5, 9–11)
  • Drew Bollman – additional recording (9)
  • David Huff – digital editing (1–8, 10, 11)
  • Chris Small – digital editing (1–8, 10, 11)
  • Brian David Willis – digital editing (2)
  • Sam Cooke – digital editing (9)
  • Justin Niebank – mixing at Blackbird Studio (Nashville, Tennessee) and Hound's Ear Studio (Franklin, Tennessee)
  • Adam Ayan – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine)
  • Mike "Frog" Griffith – production coordinator
  • Doug Rich – copy coordinator
  • Janice Soled – copy coordinator
  • Sandi Spika Borchetta – art direction
  • Justin Ford – art direction, graphic design
  • Thomas Rhett – art direction, additional photography
  • John Shearer – cover photography, additional photography
  • Grayson Gregory – additional photography
  • Ali Ryan – grooming
  • Amanda Valentine – stylist

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for Country Again: Side A
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[17] Gold 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Release formats for Country Again: Side A
Country Date Format Label Ref.
Various April 30, 2021
Valory Music Co. [18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Stefano, Angela (March 5, 2021). "Thomas Rhett's Big News: 'Country Again,' a Double Album". Taste of Country.
  2. ^ Leimkuehler, Matthew (April 29, 2021). "Thomas Rhett goes 'Country Again': 'This is where I'm at as an artist right now'". The Tennessean.
  3. ^ Willman, Chris (April 30, 2021). "Thomas Rhett on What It Means for a Nashville Artist to Be 'Country Again' on His New Album, 'Side A'". Variety.
  4. ^ Evans Price, Deborah (April 29, 2021). "Thomas Rhett Thanks God He's a Country Boy on New Album, 'Country Again: Side A'". Billboard.
  5. ^ Dukes, Billy (November 5, 2021). "Thomas Rhett's 'Slow Down Summer' Is a Progressive Piece of Country Nostalgia [Listen]". Taste of Country.
  6. ^ Freeman, Jon (April 30, 2021). "Thomas Rhett Rediscovers His Country Self on the Rootsy New Album 'Country Again'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  7. ^ Barnes, Hannah (April 30, 2021). "Thomas Rhett Calls New Album 'Country Again: Side A' a 'Timestamp of Today'". Popculture. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  8. ^ Asker, Jim (2021-05-11). "Thomas Rhett Spins Country Again (Side A) Onto Top Country Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-04-17.
  9. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 10 May 2021". The ARIA Report. No. 1627. Australian Recording Industry Association. May 10, 2021. p. 6.
  10. ^ "ARIA Country Albums Chart - Week Commencing 10 May, 2021" (PDF). ARIA. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  11. ^ "Thomas Rhett Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  13. ^ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  14. ^ "Thomas Rhett Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  15. ^ "Thomas Rhett Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  16. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  17. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Thomas Rhett – Country Again (Side A)". Music Canada. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  18. ^ "Country Again – Thomas Rhett". AllMusic. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
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