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Forever Country

"Forever Country" is a 2016 mashup performed by Artists of Then, Now & Forever, a one-time gathering of 30 American country music artists. The song combines elements of three previous country hits: John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (1971), Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" (1979), and Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" (1973). The song was recorded to commemorate the Country Music Association Awards reaching its 50th year. Originally, CMA Awards producers had wanted to record a cover of a single song; the idea to instead record a mashup came from Joseph Kahn, who directed the song's music video. The song was recorded in a span of three days in Nashville, Tennessee, in June 2016 with Shane McAnally as producer, with the music video produced concurrently.

"Forever Country"

September 16, 2016 (2016-09-16)

4:02

"Forever Country" was released on September 16, 2016, and the video premiered four days later on September 20 during Dancing with the Stars. All profits from the sale and streaming of the song go to music education supported by the CMA Foundation.[1]


The song debuted atop Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, becoming the third song in history to achieve the feat and giving every artist featured on the song a number one hit.


In a rare display, the rival Academy of Country Music gave "Forever Country" and the CMA their Video of the Year Award at their 2017 ceremony.

Brad Paisley

Keith Urban

Tim McGraw

Faith Hill

Little Big Town

Luke Bryan

Miranda Lambert

Randy Travis

Blake Shelton

George Strait

Kacey Musgraves

Eric Church

Ronnie Milsap

Charley Pride

Dierks Bentley

Trisha Yearwood

Lady A

Darius Rucker

Martina McBride

Jason Aldean

Rascal Flatts

Willie Nelson

Brooks & Dunn

Alabama

Brett Eldredge

Reba McEntire

Alan Jackson

Vince Gill

Carrie Underwood

Dolly Parton

Artists in order of their appearance:

Release and reception[edit]

The song was released on September 16, 2016, to radio stations, streaming services, and digital retailers at 8:30 AM ET across the United States and in several key international markets. It was made available at all digital retail and streaming outlet partners simultaneously.[16][17] Universal Music Group partnered with CMA to market and distribute the track worldwide. CMA profits from the sales and streaming of "Forever Country" will benefit music education causes through the CMA Foundation.[16]


West Virginians were effusive when they heard the results. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin expressed his enthusiasm on Twitter saying, ""Forever Country" – a great new take on an iconic West Virginia song – is making West Virginians everywhere swell with pride."[18]

Chart performance[edit]

Forever Country was released to country radio on September 16, 2016, via Universal Music Group Nashville's MCA Nashville branch. It debuted at number one on the US Hot Country Songs chart on October 8, 2016, becoming only the third song to ever debut atop the chart since Hot Country Songs began as a multi-metric chart in October 1958 ("More Than a Memory" (2007) by Garth Brooks and "My Baby's Got a Smile on Her Face" (2015) by Craig Wayne Boyd).[17][19] The single sold 93,000 downloads and was streamed 5.7 million times in its first week.[17] It also debuted atop the Country Digital Song Sales and Country Streaming Songs charts.[17] The song went on to spend a second week at number one on the Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Song Sales charts, although it descended to number two on Country Streaming Songs, with a 34% drop to 61,000 sold and streaming down 38% percent to 3.5 million.[20] As of March 2020, the single has sold 454,000 copies in the US.[21] On May 15, 2017, the single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales and streaming of over 500,000 units in the United States.[22]


On the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song debuted at number 21 on the chart dated for the week ending October 8, 2016,[17] becoming the week's top new entry on the Hot 100.[23]


The song debuted at number 39 on the Country Airplay chart for the week ending October 1, 2016, from less than three full days of airplay (September 16–18).[24] It moved up to No. 33 on October 8 following 5.4 million streams in its full week.[17]


Following the release of "Forever Country", the three original songs that were included saw an upsurge in their sales: "On the Road Again" increased by 181% to 5,000 downloads and re-entered at number 38 on Country Digital Song Sales; "Take Me Home, Country Roads" rose 126% and "I Will Always Love You" surged 314% (both to approximately 2,000 downloads each).[17]

at Taste of Country

Annotated lyrics