Brothers Osborne

In 2013, Brothers Osborne released their debut single titled "Let's Go There." The uptempo song became a minor hit, reaching the top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Its limited radio success enforced their record label's decision to not release an album.[10] The song was followed in 2014 by the single "Rum."[3] It reached a similar Billboard chart position, which continued to halt an official album release from EMI. Instead, the label released a self-titled extended play later that year.[10] The EP reached the top 25 of the Billboard Top Country Albums list and contained five tracks (including their 2014 single).[11][12] Following its release, several music journalists named the pair on new artists lists, such as "Best of What's Next" or "Ones to Watch."[10] Hannah Smith of Vinyl magazine praised the project and anticipated future success for the pair: "Brothers Osborne is a duo who are redefining the lines and following in the footsteps of trailblazers who have launched a revolution with their distinct music."[13]

Their third single "Stay a Little Longer" was issued in 2015. The song was originally included on their 2014 EP, but was re-recorded for the single release.[3][14] "Stay a Little Longer" became the duo's first major hit, reaching the top five of the Billboard country chart.[3] Its success led to the release of their first full-length album titled Pawn Shop (2016).[3] The album contained material mostly penned by John and T.J. Osborne. It also featured vocal collaborations with Lee Ann Womack.[15] Pawn Shop peaked at number three on the Billboard country albums chart and number 17 on the Billboard 200.[16][17] Pawn Shop received four stars from Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine who called it "busy, but never overstuffed."[18] Andrew Unterberger of Spin commented that the album was "setting the bar for the genre in 2016."[19] Two additional singles were spawned following the record's release that later became hits: "21 Summer" and "It Ain't My Fault."[3] The commercial success led the brothers to win five industry awards. Both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association named them as Vocal Duo of the Year in both 2016 and 2017, with the latter association also awarding New Vocal Duo in 2016.[4] Also in 2016, the brothers co-wrote and sang on the track "Good at Tonight" on David Nail's album Fighter.[20] This song was also released as a single, charting at number 52 on Country Airplay late in the year.[21]

In early 2018, the brothers announced the release of their second studio record titled Port Saint Joe. The album was named for the town of the same name, which was also where the duo recorded it.[22] Its lead single was the song "Shoot Me Straight".[23] It later reached the top 30 of the Billboard country songs chart.[24] Port Saint Joe was officially released in April 2018 via EMI Nashville. Like its predecessor, Port Saint Joe was produced by Jay Joyce.[3] It peaked at number two on the Billboard country albums list and number 15 on the Billboard 200.[25][26] Joseph Hudak of Rolling Stone described the record as "a concise, 10-song effort."[27] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it a "clever, smart, adventurous, and hooky, creating a slow-rolling good-time vibe that doesn't lose its luster with repeated plays."[28]

Between 2018 and 2019, the brothers were part of several collaborative projects. In mid-2018, they were featured on Dierks Bentley's "Burning Man", a single from his studio album The Mountain.[29] The song became their biggest hit since "Stay a Little Longer," climbing to the top five of the Billboard country songs chart.[30] In 2019, the duo collaborated with Maren Morris on a duet for her studio album Girl.[31] They also joined Brooks & Dunn on their 2019 album Reboot, where they contributed to a re-recording of that duo's 1993 hit "Hard Workin' Man".[32] Brothers Osborne were later nominated by the Country Music Association for their recent collaborative projects.[33] In spring of 2019 The Brothers Osborne were featured guests on the PBS concert series Bluegrass Underground (now re-branded as The Caverns Sessions).

In October 2019, they released a live album recorded during three concerts at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.[34] This was followed in July 2020 by the announcement of a third studio album, titled Skeletons, which later was later released in October 2020. Also produced by Jay Joyce, the album included songs written by the brothers, with several Nashville songwriters.[35] Skeletons debuted in the top five of the country albums chart and the top 50 on the Billboard 200.[36][37] The album's first charted single is "All Night."[38] Skeletons received a favorable response from Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who rated the project four and half stars. Erlewine praised the duo's mixing of different styles and recognized that the brothers had become "comfortable in the skin." Erlewine concluded by saying, "...the great thing about Skeletons is how it sounds like they're appealing to wide quadrants of rock, pop, country, and Americana audiences without sounding like anything but themselves."[39] Jonathan Bernstein of Rolling Stone rated Skeletons at three and a half stars. Bernstein commented that the record is "a remarkably engaging country-leaning rock record that shows off what the duo does best."[40]

At the end of 2021, the duo announced that they would be re-releasing Skeletons in 2022 with three additional songs. The first of these is "Younger Me", a song released as a promotional single earlier in 2021. This song was also nominated that year for Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Also included are "Headstone" and "Midnight Rider's Prayer", the latter of which incorporates elements of Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again".[41] In November 2022, Brothers Osborne and The War and Treaty covered The Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)" on the Country Music Association awards.[42] Brothers Osborne provided backing vocals to Ashley McBryde's 2022 album Lindeville, on which John also served as producer.[43]

The duo released three new songs in March 2023: "Nobody's Nobody", "Might as Well Be Me", and "Roller Coaster (Forever and a Day)".[44] The first of these was sent to radio as a single that same month, debuting at number 37 on Country Airplay.[45] On July 14, 2023, the brothers released the song "Sun Ain't Even Gone Down Yet" and announced that their upcoming self-titled fourth album will be released on September 15, 2023.[46]