Country Again: Side A

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.

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

Background

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

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
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
  • 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

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

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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

References
  1. 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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