American Country Love Song

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"American Country Love Song"
An image of a heart-shaped fireworks explosion showing the American flag.
Single by Jake Owen
from the album American Love
ReleasedMarch 4, 2016 (2016-03-04)
Recorded2016
GenreCountry
Length3:18
LabelRCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Jake Owen singles chronology
"Real Life"
(2015)
"American Country Love Song"
(2016)
"If He Ain't Gonna Love You"
(2016)

"American Country Love Song" is a song recorded by American country music artist Jake Owen. It is the first single from his fifth studio album for RCA Nashville,[1] American Love.[2] The song was written by Ross Copperman, Jaren Johnston and Ashley Gorley, with the former producing it with Shane McAnally. The track acts as a celebration for the various kinds of love being made in America.

"American Country Love Song" gave Owen his sixth number-one hit on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. It also reached numbers six and 55 on both the Hot Country Songs and Hot 100 charts respectively. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 351,000 units in the United States as of September 2016. It achieved similar chart success in Canada, peaking at number two on the Country chart and number 88 on the Canadian Hot 100. It garnered a Platinum certification from Music Canada, denoting sales of 80,000 units in that country.

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Jeff Venable and features Owen taking a road trip on the southern United States highways.

Content[edit]

The song is a list that "celebrates quintessential ideas of love". In the verses, Owen "speak-sings" in a manner that The Boot compared to Shawn Mullins' "Lullaby",[3] while the "anthemic chorus" features steel guitar and a "drum-heavy arrangement".[4]

Owen told Nash Country Weekly magazine that "“I think my fans have come to expect a certain kind of music from me; songs that are fun, energetic and just make you feel good. ‘American Country Love Song’ has the feeling of freedom and being young and adventurous...The single is a broad-spectrum glance in a three-minute song that describes a couple of kids living that American country love song...[b]ut, it's also a much larger celebration of the love story that is America itself, from cowboys and cowgirls to cheerleaders and quarterbacks in small towns and big cities."[5]

Reception[edit]

Critical reception[edit]

An uncredited review from Taste of Country was favorable, saying that Owen's "storytelling has become more nuanced" while praising the production and lyrics.[4]

Commercial[edit]

"American Country Love Song" debuted at number 33 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart dated March 19, 2016,[6] and debuted at number 18 on the Hot Country Songs chart the following week.[7] It reached number six on the Hot Country Songs chart the week of August 20, staying on the chart for 27 weeks.[8][9] It also peaked at number one on the Country Airplay chart the week of September 17, giving Owen his sixth number-one hit on that chart.[10][11][12] On the Hot 100, the song debuted at number 83 the week of March 26, before leaving the next week.[13] It reappeared on the week of June 18 at number 89,[14] and peaked at number 55 the week of September 17,[15] remaining on the chart for seventeen weeks.[16] The song was certified gold by the RIAA on August 6, 2016 and has sold 351,000 copies in the United States as of September 2016.[17][18]

In Canada, the track debuted at number 48 on the Canada Country chart dated April 9, 2016, peaked at number two the week of September 17, and stayed on the chart for 27 weeks.[19][20][21] It also debuted at number 99 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart dated July 30, but left the next week.[22] It made a reappearance on the week of August 13 at number 90 and reached number 88 the week after,[23][24] staying on the chart for eight weeks.[16] The track received a platinum certification from Music Canada on September 19, 2017.[25]

Music video[edit]

The music video was directed by Jeff Venable and premiered in April 2016.[26] The video shows Owen driving the southern United States highways in a 1960s light green Volkswagen Microbus, meeting with fans along the way and making pit stops that involve fireworks, eateries and attractions in states like Chattanooga and Owen's hometown of Vero Beach, Florida.[27]

Live performances[edit]

On August 1, 2016, Owen first performed the song live on ABC's Good Morning America.[28] He performed it again on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 21.[29]

Charts and certifications[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Dukes, Billy (April 4, 2016). "Jake Owen's Album Update, and Oh Yeah, He Had Dinner With Kanye West". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  2. ^ Dukes, Billy (May 19, 2016). "Jake Owen Reveals New 'American Love' Album Details". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on May 20, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  3. ^ Stefano, Angela (March 4, 2016). "Jake Owen Debuts New Single, 'American Country Love Song'". The Boot. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Jake Owen, 'American Country Love Song'". Taste of Country. March 3, 2016. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  5. ^ Parton, Chris (March 4, 2016). "Jake Owen Releases New Single, "American Country Love Song"". Nash Country Weekly. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  6. ^ "Country Airplay: March 19, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 7, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  7. ^ "Hot Country Songs: March 26, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 7, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  8. ^ "Hot Country Songs: August 20, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 7, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Jake Owen Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  10. ^ "American Country Love Song Hits No. 1 On Billboard". jakeowen.net. September 6, 2016. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  11. ^ "Country Airplay: September 17, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 7, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Jake Owen Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  13. ^ "The Hot 100: March 26, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  14. ^ "The Hot 100: June 18, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  15. ^ "The Hot 100: September 17, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  16. ^ a b "American Country Love Song by Jake Owen". aCharts.co. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  17. ^ a b "American single certifications – Jake Owen – American Country Love Song". Recording Industry Association of America.
  18. ^ a b Bjorke, Matt (September 27, 2016). "Top 30 Digital Country Singles Chart: September 27, 2016". Roughstock. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  19. ^ "Canada Country: April 9, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  20. ^ "Canada Country: September 17, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  21. ^ a b "Jake Owen Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  22. ^ "Canadian Hot 100: July 30, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 9, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  23. ^ "Canadian Hot 100: August 13, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  24. ^ "Canadian Hot 100: August 20, 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  25. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Jake Owen – American Country Love Song". Music Canada.
  26. ^ Reuter, Annie (March 9, 2016). "Jake Owen Finishes Road Trip: 'We Made It'". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  27. ^ Freeman, Jon (April 13, 2016). "See Jake Owen Hit the Road in 'American Country Love Song' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  28. ^ Reuter, Annie (August 1, 2016). "Jake Owen Brings the Beach to the City on 'Good Morning America' [Watch]". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  29. ^ "Episode 122". Jimmy Kimmel Live!. September 21, 2016. ABC.
  30. ^ "Jake Owen Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  31. ^ "Jake Owen Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  32. ^ "Country Airplay: Year End 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  33. ^ "Hot Country Songs: Year End 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2017.