Hero (Maren Morris album)
Hero is the major-label debut album and fourth studio album by American country music singer Maren Morris, released on June 3, 2016, through Columbia Nashville. It marks Morris' first release on a major label and her fourth overall. The album debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart[2] and was nominated for Best Country Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.[3]
Background[edit]
In August 2015, Morris self-released five songs as a self-titled extended play, Maren Morris, on Spotify.[4] The songs garnered 2.5 million streams on Spotify in a month, with three songs appearing in Spotify's US and Global "Viral 50" chart. The success of Morris' EP attracted the interest of major labels and she eventually signed to Columbia Nashville in September 2015.[5] The label then re-released the 5-song EP on November 6, 2015, with "My Church" as the lead single.[6]
"My Church" would become a success on the chart, reaching number 5 on the Hot Country Songs chart and winning Best Country Solo Performance at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. The success of "My Church" was followed by the release of the Morris' first major label album release, Hero.[6] All tracks from the EP are included on the album, with "Company You Keep" included on the deluxe edition. The additional songs in the album were co-written with Chris DeStefano, Natalie Hemby, Shane McAnally, and others.[7] Morris has writing credits on all the songs in the album.
Release and promotion[edit]
The album's lead single, "My Church", was released on January 19, 2016. The album's second single, "80s Mercedes", was released to country radio on June 27, 2016. The album's third single, "I Could Use a Love Song" was released to country radio on March 27, 2017.[8] "Rich" was released February 12, 2018, as the album's fourth single.[9]
Morris embarked on the Hero Tour in 2017, in support of her album.[10]
A deluxe edition of the album was released on March 17, 2017. It features the songs "Bummin' Cigarettes", "Space" and "Company You Keep".[11]
Commercial performance[edit]
In the United States, Hero debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 chart with 45,000 equivalent album units; the album sold 37,000 copies in pure sales, with the remainder of its unit total reflecting the album's streaming and track equivalent album units.[2] It also debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart.[32] As of April 2019, the album has sold 313,100 copies in the United States.[33] On July 17, 2019, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over a million units.[34]
Notes
Credits adapted from liner notes.[35]
Musicians
Choir singers
Technical