Hard Days

"Hard Days" is a song recorded by American country artist Brantley Gilbert. He co-wrote the song with Jimi Bell, Brock Berryhill, Jay Brunswick, and Logan Wall.[1] It was a single off the deluxe edition of Gilbert's fifth studio album Fire & Brimstone.[2] He released an acoustic version to celebrate the release of the deluxe album.[3]

"Hard Days"
Single by Brantley Gilbert
from the album Fire & Brimstone
ReleasedJune 15, 2020 (2020-06-15)
Genre
Length2:58
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Brantley Gilbert singles chronology
"Fire't Up"
(2019)		 "Hard Days"
(2020)		 "The Worst Country Song of All Time"
(2021)
Lyric Video
"Hard Days" on YouTube

Background and development

Gilbert released "Hard Days" amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and remarked that he hoped the song "offers healing and encouragement in all of the hard times and the hard days in your life,"[4] adding it is "about finding hope, or just acknowledging hope and being able to appreciate the bad that leads to the good in your life".[5]

The song was originally written in 2018 by the other four songwriters and sent to Gilbert. He does not usually cut outside songs, so he initially did not record it. After the onset of the pandemic, Gilbert went back to the song and made some alterations to it in order to make it feel authentic from him. He stated that what the four songwriters had originally wrote was "absolutely amazing", and that he "made the story mine and changed some things to where it was in my language". As a recovering addict, Gilbert loved "Hard Days" as it did not attempt to tell people how to deal with hard times, saying one of his least favourite things while dealing with tough situations was hearing people say "I know what you're going through", because everyone's life experiences "are so drastically different". He found the song to be more conversational, and about taking "the good with the bad".[6]

Critical reception

"Hard Days" was released to largely positive reviews. Angela Stefano of Taste of Country described the song as "more muted than Gilbert's usual rock-tinged fare," saying it "offers hope" both "sonically and lyrically".[4] JR Country stated that the track "delivers on its message of sticking out the difficult times for the lessons they impart, the life experiences they bring and the perspective gained from them".[7] Andrew Wendowski of Country Now called the song "uplifting," calling it as a "reminder that difficult times do pass and we often come out strengthened by what we’ve endured".[8] Chris Parton of Sounds Like Nashville referred to the track as an "acoustic ballad with resilient core", saying it puts Gilbert's "gruff vocal in a tender setting," yet "deep down it's all about toughness".[9]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.[10]

Charts
Chart (2020-2021) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 95
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[12] 27
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[13] 27

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 5 June 2020
Valory Music Co. [14]
United States 15 June 2020 Country radio [15]

References
  1. "Brantley Gilbert - Hard Days". New Country Songs. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  2. "Brantley Gilbert to Release Deluxe Version "Fire & Brimstone"". Wild Country 96.5. September 29, 2020.
  3. "Brantley Gilbert Adds "Hard Days" to Expanded Album". CMT. September 28, 2020.
  4. Stefano, Angela (5 June 2020). "Brantley Gilbert's 'Hard Days' 'Is About Hope and Healing' [Listen]". Taste of Country.
  5. Casey, Jim (5 June 2020). "Brantley Gilbert Releases Hopeful New Single, "Hard Days" [Listen]". The Country Daily.
  6. Benitez-Eves, Tina. "Brantley Gilbert Offers New Hope on "Hard Days"". American Songwriter. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  7. "Brantley Gilbert Inspires Hope During The "Hard Days" In New Song!". 93.7 JR Country. Jim Pattison Group. July 24, 2020.
  8. Wendowski, Andrew (June 5, 2020). "Brantley Gilbert Reminds Fans That 'Difficult Times Do Pass' In Uplifting New Single 'Hard Days'". Country Now.
  9. Parton, Chris (June 5, 2020). "BRANTLEY GILBERT PREACHES TENDER TOUGHNESS IN 'HARD DAYS'". Sounds Like Nashville.
  10. "Hard Days - Brantley Gilbert". AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  11. "Brantley Gilbert Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  12. "Brantley Gilbert Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  13. "Brantley Gilbert Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  14. "BRANTLEY GILBERT RELEASES NEW SINGLE "HARD DAYS"". Big Machine Label Group. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  15. "Country Aircheck Weekly - June 1, 2020" (PDF). Country Aircheck.
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