Where We Started

Where We Started is the sixth studio album by American country music singer Thomas Rhett, released by Big Machine Records' Valory imprint on April 1, 2022. Rhett collaborated with Katy Perry, Riley Green, Tyler Hubbard and Russell Dickerson.

For the film, see Where We Started (film).

Where We Started
Studio album by
Thomas Rhett
ReleasedApril 1, 2022 (2022-04-01)
GenreCountry
Length46:13
LabelValory
Producer
Thomas Rhett chronology
Country Again: Side A
(2021)		 Where We Started
(2022)		 Merry Christmas, Y'all
(2022)
Singles from Where We Started
  1. "Slow Down Summer"
    Released: November 5, 2021
  2. "Half of Me"
    Released: June 6, 2022
  3. "Angels (Don't Always Have Wings)"
    Released: February 6, 2023

The album was preceded by its lead single "Slow Down Summer" which peaked at No. 43 on Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at number 12 on US Billboard 200 with 29,000 album-equivalent units.

History

Thomas Rhett began writing songs for the album in 2019, but found out that he was experiencing writer's block. He told the blog Sounds Like Nashville that he took six months away from writing songs before coming back to continue the album's material. The album includes the lead single "Slow Down Summer", along with three collaborations: Tyler Hubbard (of Florida Georgia Line) and Russell Dickerson on "Death Row", Riley Green on "Half of Me", and Katy Perry on the title track.[2]

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic rated the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, stating that it was "sunny and sweet, an ideal soundtrack for any afternoon activity from housecleaning to day drinking: it sustains its cheerful mood from stem to stern." He compared the title track to the sound of Sam Hunt, and criticized "Death Row" for its lyrics and Hubbard's vocals.[3]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Where We Started debuted at number 12 on Billboard 200 with 29,000 equivalent album units sold in its first week.[4] The album also opened at number two on Top Country Albums, becoming his sixth top 10 on the chart.

Track listing
Where We Started track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Hill"
2:45
2."Church Boots"
2:56
3."Bass Pro Hat"
2:55
4."Anything Cold"
2:45
5."Angels (Don't Always Have Wings)"
3:34
6."Half of Me" (featuring Riley Green)
3:02
7."Bring the Bar"
  • Rhett
  • Akins
  • Gorley
  • Frasure
  • Parker Welling
3:29
8."Paradise"
  • Rhett
  • Dragstrem
  • Smith
  • Thompson
3:08
9."Death Row" (featuring Tyler Hubbard and Russell Dickerson)
3:50
10."Mama's Front Door"
  • Rhett
  • Dragstrem
  • Gorley
  • Chase McGill
2:41
11."Slow Down Summer"
3:36
12."Simple as a Song"
3:20
13."Us Someday"
  • Rhett
  • Akins
  • Frasure
  • Amy Wadge
2:22
14."Somebody Like Me"
  • Rhett
  • Akins
  • Dragstrem
  • Thompson
2:49
15."Where We Started" (with Katy Perry)
  • Rhett
  • Katy Perry
  • Frasure
  • Gorley
  • Jon Bellion
3:01
Total length:46:13

Personnel
  • Thomas Rhett – lead vocals, backing vocals (2–4, 7–9, 11–14), whistle (4, 8)
  • Charlie Judge – acoustic piano (2, 3, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14), synthesizers (1, 8–10, 12, 13), Hammond B3 organ (2–7, 9, 10, 14, 15), Wurlitzer electric piano (4, 12), Rhodes piano (8, 14)
  • Justin Niebank – programming (1–3, 6–15)
  • Jesse Frasure – programming (1, 2, 6–15), electric guitar (2), synth bass (2, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15), acoustic piano (4), synthesizers (4, 15), backing vocals (4), synth strings (11, 13)
  • David Huff – programming (2, 3, 5, 7–14)
  • Matt Dragstrem – programming (3, 14), backing vocals (8, 14), acoustic piano (14), synthesizers (14), electric guitar (14)
  • Luke Laird – programming (12), synthesizers (12), synth strings (12), synth bass (12)
  • Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitars, gut string guitar (1), dobro (2, 3), ganjo (3), mandolin (3, 11), ukulele (4, 12), banjo (13)
  • Derek Wells – electric guitar (1–4, 6, 8–15), slide electric guitar (7), electric guitar solo (14)
  • Dann Huff – electric guitar (2, 4–8, 10–12), electric guitar solo (2–4, 6, 9, 10), mandolin (6, 11), synth flute (8), slide electric guitar (8, 11), sitar (8, 11, 12), programming (9, 10, 15), synth bass (10)
  • Tom Bukovac – electric guitar (5)
  • Julien Bunetta – acoustic guitar (5)
  • Paul Franklin – steel guitar (1, 3, 5–11, 13, 15)
  • Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar
  • Shannon Forrest – drums (1, 6)
  • Chris Kimmerer – drums (2–4, 7–14), percussion (4, 12, 15)
  • Jerry Roe – drums (5)
  • Stuart Duncan – fiddle (3)
  • Kristin Wilkinson – string arrangements (1, 11–13, 15)
  • Stephen Lamb – copyist (11, 12, 15)
  • Kevin Bate – cello (1, 11–13, 15)
  • Austin Hoke – cello (1, 13)
  • Sari Reist – cello (11, 12, 15)
  • Monisa Angell – viola (1, 11–13, 15)
  • Betsy Lamb – viola (1, 13)
  • Chris Farrell – viola (11, 12, 15)
  • David Angell – violin (1, 11–13, 15), string contractor (11, 12, 15)
  • Jenny Bifano – violin (1, 13)
  • David Davidson – violin (1, 11–13, 15)
  • Alicia Engstrom – violin (1, 13)
  • Jun Iwasaki – violin (1, 11–13, 15)
  • Karen Winklemann – violin (1, 13)
  • Conni Ellisor – violin (11, 12, 15)
  • Josh Reedy – backing vocals (1–4, 6–14)
  • Stevie Frasure – backing vocals (2, 11, 13)
  • Teddy Swims – backing vocals (5)
  • Riley Green – featured vocals (6)
  • Russell Dickerson – featured vocals (9)
  • Tyler Hubbard – featured vocals (9)
  • Katy Perry – featured vocals (15)
  • Jon Bellion – backing vocals (15)

Charts

References
  1. Where We Started (CD booklet). Thomas Rhett. The Valory Music Co. 2022. VMCTR0550F.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. Vaughn, Grace Lenehan (April 4, 2022). "Thomas Rhett talks creating 'Where We Started' and beating writer's block". Sounds Like Nashville. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  3. "Where We Started review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 16, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  4. Asker, Jim (April 12, 2022). "Thomas Rhett & Katy Perry Get 'Started' on Billboard Country Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  5. "Thomas Rhett Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
  6. "Thomas Rhett Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  7. "Thomas Rhett Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
  8. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
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