Keith Urban - "Ripcord"

[Markus Meyer]

Haven't listened to this album yet, but I just want to say that "Boy Gets a Truck" is a total masterpiece, and maybe my favorite Keith song ever.

[slowmo]

Keith's never been a go-to guy for me and I've only had a few singles of his that I've really liked. So it really surprised me how much I like (almost, love) this album. The 1-2 combo of "Blue Ain't Your Color" and "The Fighter" kinda throws me off and makes me not like those two songs that much. I'm wondering if they weren't back to back if I'd like them more? That's my own issue, I think.

[dm2081]

To the argument that "even if it's not country its still a good album", I agree that something can still be pretty good. The new music influences doesn't make his music bad, but it can be pretty disappointing when you've come to expect a certain sound. Imagine if you had a favorite burger joint that always served up amazing burgers. One day after you finish a hard core workout and are absolutely craving a burger, you stop by your favorite place only to realize they now only serve Chinese food. You decide to try it since you still like egg rolls and stuff, and its not bad, but you're still craving that delicious burger you've become used to. That's how this is for me. When I want to listen to heavy metal, I listen to Slipknot and Metallica. For rap, I want to listen to Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. And when it comes to country music, I used to want to listen to Keith. He still has a few solid songs on here, but overall I'm still craving his signature style.

[countryfan15]

May 11, 2016 21:43:23 GMT -5 dm2081 said:

To the argument that "even if it's not country its still a good album", I agree that something can still be pretty good. The new music influences doesn't make his music bad, but it can be pretty disappointing when you've come to expect a certain sound. Imagine if you had a favorite burger joint that always served up amazing burgers. One day after you finish a hard core workout and are absolutely craving a burger, you stop by your favorite place only to realize they now only serve Chinese food. You decide to try it since you still like egg rolls and stuff, and its not bad, but you're still craving that delicious burger you've become used to. That's how this is for me. When I want to listen to heavy metal, I listen to Slipknot and Metallica. For rap, I want to listen to Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. And when it comes to country music, I used to want to listen to Keith. He still has a few solid songs on here, but overall I'm still craving his signature style.

This.

Exactly why we have genres of music but yet country music has lost its identity because just like most of America people are afraid they might offend these young teens with some real heartfelt songs. Here's a solution: If you don't like hearing sad, real songs about real life then don't listen to it. Play some pop music or some other fluffy life is a bowl of cherries crap. but unfortunately life isn't perfect and sometimes it's good to hear songs that we can relate to. Not all of us are beer chugging, women degrading college kids, so we shouldn't have to suffer just because they cry that country music is too sad. It had survived for almost a hundred years off of that formula so something must've been working.

[.indulgecountry]

I've only listened to the album in full once so far but it didn't leave much of an impression me. I do love "The Fighter" though, whether it's country or not (it isn't). I'll give it a couple more run-throughs when I have time, but I'm leaning towards the camp that is disappointed in this album being so off-the-wall musically from what Keith Urban usually delivers. I thought Fuse was great with a few exceptions, but this one I'm just not feeling the direction he took.

[Kentucky25]

I know it's early, but I noticed on iTunes that "The Fighter" (now listed with Carrie Underwood...it was just the title on release day) is 3rd all genre, I honestly think that song would have some crossover potential. As always, I'm not an expert and more just relying on my gut feeling here, but I think it could be a major hit, Carrie having had the success she has had in Pop and the song being so ready-made for it gives me the impression it would work in Pop radio.

On a side note, my younger sisters who eat the new pop music songs up like candy really liked the Fighter.

I have found myself enjoying these songs more with each listen. I didn't purchase the whole album, but "Boy Gets a Truck", "That Could Still Be Us", "Your Body", "Gettin' in the Way" and "Habit of You" are the standouts for me.

[Deleted]

May 13, 2016 20:59:58 GMT -5 Kentucky25 said:

I know it's early, but I noticed on iTunes that "The Fighter" (now listed with Carrie Underwood...it was just the title on release day) is 3rd all genre, I honestly think that song would have some crossover potential. As always, I'm not an expert and more just relying on my gut feeling here, but I think it could be a major hit, Carrie having had the success she has had in Pop and the song being so ready-made for it gives me the impression it would work in Pop radio.

I'm not sure what you mean by Carrie "having had the success she has had in Pop", because she hasn't really received much airplay on pop radio in her career. Her only major crossover hit was "Before He Cheats" in 2007 (it was released as a country radio single in August 2006 and started getting some pop airplay early in 2007). She's had a couple of top 30 hits on the Adult Top 40 chart and 4 top 25 hits on the AC chart, but again, none since "Before He Cheats". On regular top 40/CHR she really hasn't received any significant airplay.

I don't disagree that "The Fighter" has crossover potential or at least an obvious crossover sound. I'm just not sure that I see pop radio playing it, that's all. Top 40 doesn't seem to be playing anything from country artists right now, even if the song is 100% pop (and "The Fighter" certainly is).

I'm of course more of a country fan than anything else, but "The Fighter" is actually my favorite song on this album. I'll preface my review by saying that Ripcord isn't really a country record, especially "The Fighter", but I actually really like this album. I certainly don't mean "it's not country" to be an insult here, not at all. I'm simply trying to assign a genre to this album (that's what people usually do -- we put things into categories, lol), and for this album I'd probably say it's mostly pop/dance/EDM, with some country, rock, funk, and even a pinch of blues mixed in as well. "The Fighter" is a straight-up 80's dance-pop song blended with the popular EDM-style that's exploded over the last few years. It's hard to explain exactly why I like "The Fighter" so much...I just really do.

I also really like "Gettin' In The Way"...this one is more of a pop song too, but it also sounds like a country radio song (in fact, "Gettin' In The Way" would probably be my pick for the next single). "Blue Ain't Your Color" is another favorite. BAYC is a really interesting song...it's a waltzy, bluesy ballad that sounds like it's from an older time, and yet it has some electronic drum loops on it as well. It's like an older era song that was modernized just a bit.

My 4th favorite is probably "Worry 'Bout Nothin'", another song I think could be a big country radio hit. As for the Pitbull collaboration, I like the production and the melody, but some of the lyrics are pretty bad, if not downright offensive. Well, let me clarify...the chorus and both of Keith's verses have great lyrics; some of them are actually quite clever, and they flow really well. "Sun Don't Let Me Down" is an inoffensive, flirty love song...until we get to Pitbull's Rated R bridge that I find horribly offensive and completely misogynistic. A couple of lines from Pitbull's part:

And all the women at the party givin' it up 
..
Mommy wanna play the adult version of Truth-or-Dare
So, I took her to the back and pulled her hair, yeah

...

"Sun Don't Let Me Down" obviously won't be a country radio single (unless they took out Pitbull's part, but even then..) but I could see it getting some crossover airplay. It's definitely my least favorite song on the album, but again, I do like Keith's verses, the chorus, and the production (even though it's not country whatsoever) and melody. I like almost the entire song, but then the Pitbull part comes and it completely ruins it. The only other songs that I'm not a huge fan of are probably "John Cougar..." and "Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)" but I don't dislike either of them. I just don't like them quite as much as the rest.

I definitely like this album a lot more than Fuse, mostly because I feel that, lyrically, Ripcord is much stronger (with the exception of Pitbull's inclusion). I also think the songs on Ripcord have much more engaging melodies than most of the songs on Fuse did. However, while I do really enjoy this album for what it is -- a good pop album -- I am disappointed that Keith has completely moved away from the kind of music he made when he first rose to stardom. That will always be my favorite kind of music from Keith, I think. He does this new stuff well and I think it's always been obvious that he was very influenced by a lot of pop and rock artists when he was growing up, but I'm primarily a country fan so to see Keith go in such a pop/EDM direction is a bit hard for me to swallow.

So yeah, I have conflicted feelings here. I like the album a lot as a pop album, and I realize that a lot of artists change their sound and that the country music industry will probably always want to "hang on to" Keith, regardless of how un-country his music is...but because I'm primarily a country music fan, it's unlikely that I'll ever like pop/rock/EDM music as much as I like country or even country-pop music, the latter of which Keith has always excelled at.

Anyway, I think there's a pretty good chance that we'll get 3 more singles after "Wasted Time". Here are my picks:

04 "Gettin' In The Way"
05 "Worry 'Bout Nothin'" OR "Blue Ain't Your Color" OR "Boy Gets A Truck"
06 "The Fighter" (ft. Carrie Underwood)

Again, "The Fighter", as is, is already 100% a dance-pop song but I do think country radio would play it and turn it into a big hit (it's Keith AND Carrie, after all). I'm not completely positive that it'll be a single, though, mostly because Carrie is on Sony and they'd have to approve of its release (and they might not want it competing with any of Carrie's solo singles). Still, Sony agreed to the release of "We Were Us" while Miranda had one of her own singles on the chart, so you never know.

I think "The Fighter" would be the best pick for the last single because it would pretty much ensure that the 6th single wouldn't stall out. Sometimes 4th, 5th, and 6th singles climb slower and they're more likely to peak lower than the first few singles from an album, but with Ripcord, it's almost as if "Wasted Time" is the 1st single (since it was the one to 'launch' the album). Still, releasing "The Fighter" last would be a smart play, in my opinion, just as it was to release "Raise 'Em Up" as the last single from Fuse. Plus, by the time Keith's 5th single is done, Carrie will probably be done releasing singles from Storyteller, which could mean her label would be much more willing to give UMG/Capitol permission to release "The Fighter" (as its release would be in between Carrie albums).

I'd love to see both "Gettin' In The Way" and "Worry 'Bout Nothin'" as singles, as they are both country/pop/rock and sound much more like Keith's pre-Fuse material (in other words, I don't hear a lot of electronic production gimmicks on either, whereas I do hear a lot of Keith's trademark electric guitar). Both songs are radio-friendly and uptempo, too. They already released one ballad ("Break On Me") as a single, but if they want to fit in one more ballad, then it definitely needs to be the stunning "Blue Ain't Your Color".

[Kentucky25]

^ while I don't keep up with pop charts, I just know that many pop music fans know of her music and I mean at least charting mainstream is more success than most country singers. Maybe I misspoke, I would say that her name being attached gives the song a lot more potential to be a smash hit than it had with just Keith. Of course, I could just be underestimating the power of Carrie's fans coming out in droves to buy the new singles. I just found it odd that an album track that isn't really getting any promotion right now was so high on that chart.

[someguy]

Sales are projected to be around 95K. Not bad at all. I was hoping it would break 100K, but this is pretty close.

[rsmatto]

May 13, 2016 23:54:41 GMT -5 jhomes87 said:

May 13, 2016 20:59:58 GMT -5 Kentucky25 said:

I know it's early, but I noticed on iTunes that "The Fighter" (now listed with Carrie Underwood...it was just the title on release day) is 3rd all genre, I honestly think that song would have some crossover potential. As always, I'm not an expert and more just relying on my gut feeling here, but I think it could be a major hit, Carrie having had the success she has had in Pop and the song being so ready-made for it gives me the impression it would work in Pop radio.

I'm not sure what you mean by Carrie "having had the success she has had in Pop", because she hasn't really received much airplay on pop radio in her career. Her only major crossover hit was "Before He Cheats" in 2007 (it was released as a country radio single in August 2006 and started getting some pop airplay early in 2007). She's had a couple of top 30 hits on the Adult Top 40 chart and 4 top 25 hits on the AC chart, but again, none since "Before He Cheats". On regular top 40/CHR she really hasn't received any significant airplay.

I don't disagree that "The Fighter" has crossover potential or at least an obvious crossover sound. I'm just not sure that I see pop radio playing it, that's all. Top 40 doesn't seem to be playing anything from country artists right now, even if the song is 100% pop (and "The Fighter" certainly is).

I'm of course more of a country fan than anything else, but "The Fighter" is actually my favorite song on this album. I'll preface my review by saying that Ripcord isn't really a country record, especially "The Fighter", but I actually really like this album. I certainly don't mean "it's not country" to be an insult here, not at all. I'm simply trying to assign a genre to this album (that's what people usually do -- we put things into categories, lol), and for this album I'd probably say it's mostly pop/dance/EDM, with some country, rock, funk, and even a pinch of blues mixed in as well. "The Fighter" is a straight-up 80's dance-pop song blended with the popular EDM-style that's exploded over the last few years. It's hard to explain exactly why I like "The Fighter" so much...I just really do.

I also really like "Gettin' In The Way"...this one is more of a pop song too, but it also sounds like a country radio song (in fact, "Gettin' In The Way" would probably be my pick for the next single). "Blue Ain't Your Color" is another favorite. BAYC is a really interesting song...it's a waltzy, bluesy ballad that sounds like it's from an older time, and yet it has some electronic drum loops on it as well. It's like an older era song that was modernized just a bit.

My 4th favorite is probably "Worry 'Bout Nothin'", another song I think could be a big country radio hit. As for the Pitbull collaboration, I like the production and the melody, but some of the lyrics are pretty bad, if not downright offensive. Well, let me clarify...the chorus and both of Keith's verses have great lyrics; some of them are actually quite clever, and they flow really well. "Sun Don't Let Me Down" is an inoffensive, flirty love song...until we get to Pitbull's Rated R bridge that I find horribly offensive and completely misogynistic. A couple of lines from Pitbull's part:

And all the women at the party givin' it up 
..
Mommy wanna play the adult version of Truth-or-Dare
So, I took her to the back and pulled her hair, yeah

...

"Sun Don't Let Me Down" obviously won't be a country radio single (unless they took out Pitbull's part, but even then..) but I could see it getting some crossover airplay. It's definitely my least favorite song on the album, but again, I do like Keith's verses, the chorus, and the production (even though it's not country whatsoever) and melody. I like almost the entire song, but then the Pitbull part comes and it completely ruins it. The only other songs that I'm not a huge fan of are probably "John Cougar..." and "Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)" but I don't dislike either of them. I just don't like them quite as much as the rest.

I definitely like this album a lot more than Fuse, mostly because I feel that, lyrically, Ripcord is much stronger (with the exception of Pitbull's inclusion). I also think the songs on Ripcord have much more engaging melodies than most of the songs on Fuse did. However, while I do really enjoy this album for what it is -- a good pop album -- I am disappointed that Keith has completely moved away from the kind of music he made when he first rose to stardom. That will always be my favorite kind of music from Keith, I think. He does this new stuff well and I think it's always been obvious that he was very influenced by a lot of pop and rock artists when he was growing up, but I'm primarily a country fan so to see Keith go in such a pop/EDM direction is a bit hard for me to swallow.

So yeah, I have conflicted feelings here. I like the album a lot as a pop album, and I realize that a lot of artists change their sound and that the country music industry will probably always want to "hang on to" Keith, regardless of how un-country his music is...but because I'm primarily a country music fan, it's unlikely that I'll ever like pop/rock/EDM music as much as I like country or even country-pop music, the latter of which Keith has always excelled at.

Anyway, I think there's a pretty good chance that we'll get 3 more singles after "Wasted Time". Here are my picks:

04 "Gettin' In The Way"
05 "Worry 'Bout Nothin'" OR "Blue Ain't Your Color" OR "Boy Gets A Truck"
06 "The Fighter" (ft. Carrie Underwood)

Again, "The Fighter", as is, is already 100% a dance-pop song but I do think country radio would play it and turn it into a big hit (it's Keith AND Carrie, after all). I'm not completely positive that it'll be a single, though, mostly because Carrie is on Sony and they'd have to approve of its release (and they might not want it competing with any of Carrie's solo singles). Still, Sony agreed to the release of "We Were Us" while Miranda had one of her own singles on the chart, so you never know.

I think "The Fighter" would be the best pick for the last single because it would pretty much ensure that the 6th single wouldn't stall out. Sometimes 4th, 5th, and 6th singles climb slower and they're more likely to peak lower than the first few singles from an album, but with Ripcord, it's almost as if "Wasted Time" is the 1st single (since it was the one to 'launch' the album). Still, releasing "The Fighter" last would be a smart play, in my opinion, just as it was to release "Raise 'Em Up" as the last single from Fuse. Plus, by the time Keith's 5th single is done, Carrie will probably be done releasing singles from Storyteller, which could mean her label would be much more willing to give UMG/Capitol permission to release "The Fighter" (as its release would be in between Carrie albums).

I'd love to see both "Gettin' In The Way" and "Worry 'Bout Nothin'" as singles, as they are both country/pop/rock and sound much more like Keith's pre-Fuse material (in other words, I don't hear a lot of electronic production gimmicks on either, whereas I do hear a lot of Keith's trademark electric guitar). Both songs are radio-friendly and uptempo, too. They already released one ballad ("Break On Me") as a single, but if they want to fit in one more ballad, then it definitely needs to be the stunning "Blue Ain't Your Color".

I'd be shocked if The Fighter or Boy Gets A Truck aren't next.

I'd say
4: "The Fighter"/ "Boy Gets A Truck"
5. "Blue Ain't Your Color"/"Getting In The Way" /Loser in #4
6. "Gone Tomorrow" or loser of #4/5

[43dudleyvillas]

I share a lot of jhomes87 's sentiments about Ripcord's sound. I think Keith is one of the most fully-engaged musicians in mainstream country (if not the most) when it comes to the sound of his records -- he pretty clearly had a vision going for Ripcord and executed it fully. He has favored the drum loop for ages now, and his interest in synth and programmed elements became increasingly apparent on Fuse. Keith talked to Billboard's Tom Roland about his fascination with the juxtaposition of robotic elements with live instrumentation while promoting Fuse, and he reiterated that point in this NPR interview with Jewly Hight about Ripcord. So in that sense, Ripcord is a natural sonic follow-up to Fuse, and I am inclined to see the full-on pop move less as a market-oriented one and more as a natural development born of a genuine musical interest. This is certainly more fully-realized music than, say, Zac Brown Band's "Beautiful Drug."

So I respect Keith's interest in combining "robotic" elements with live ones. I just don't share that interest. To me, as executed on Fuse and even more so on Ripcord, the combination artificially tethers an exceptionally talented musician and terrific interpretive singer, along with his super-talented support musicians, to a narrow space that doesn't allow them to fully breathe, on the record or live. I remember thinking the same thing when I saw Keith at MSG a couple of years back supporting Fuse. To me, that was the least interesting show musically and the weakest set list that I've seen him do, and I've seen him many times live.

And then there are the songs. Given how effectively Keith can convey a soulful yearning and ache, I wish there were more emotional heft to the new songs. I've accepted that he is unlikely to suddenly turn into an artist with something interesting to say, despite the very rich and complex inner life that I believe he has. Fine. But Keith is such a gifted interpreter, can I at least get some more "'Til Summer Comes Around"-type moments? "Blue Ain't Your Color" comes closest on Ripcord, which is probably why it's my favorite on the album (but I have a feeling I would love Hillary Lindsey's version of the song even better). "That Could Still Be Us" is another in that vein, but I find the song itself to be pretty dull both lyrically and melodically.

I'm also tiring of the repetition of imagery in Keith's music. How many songs does Keith have now where lovers steam up the windows in the car? I can think of three off the top of my head just between Ripcord and Fuse, and that is an awfully particular image to be repeated as much as it is. Cars are overall a really common locale for Keith songs, and his love of the word "shine" has been long-standing. I'm beyond ready for more imagination from him on that front.

May 13, 2016 23:54:41 GMT -5 jhomes87 said:

Still, Sony agreed to the release of "We Were Us" while Miranda had one of her own singles on the chart, so you never know.

I think that Sony's cooperation there had a lot to do with the fact that "All Kinds of Kinds" wasn't really expected to be a hit -- it was only released after all things Pistol Annies came to a screeching halt in June 2013, and I tend to think what happened is that Sony Nashville transferred the promo budget for "Hush Hush" over to a fifth Four the Record single, with neither expectation that said single would be a major hit nor any intent to push it to become one. With the stakes lower, I think there was less concern about "We Were Us" competing with a Miranda single than there would be for "The Fighter" competing with a Storyteller single. And frankly, with the songs potentially on deck to be released from Storyteller, I don't want "The Fighter" gettin' in the way (natch).

On the subject of Ripcord singles that I think would fit whatever passes for acceptable on today's country format, I guess I would go with "Boy Gets a Truck," "Blue Ain't Your Color" and "Worry 'Bout Nothin'." "Gettin' in the Way" also strikes me as a good possibility. I don't know what Capitol Nashville is going to do about the popularity of "The Fighter," but maybe they can do what Chris Stapleton did and shoot a video for the song without promoting it to any particular format. Admittedly, I don't know whether any video would be anywhere near as effective as the viral Keith/Nicole one that drove the song up to #3 all-genre at iTunes in the first place. Maybe Keith and Carrie could also perform it live on TV a few times. I personally have no interest in seeing "The Fighter" promoted to country radio and am unsure where else format-wise it could be a hit. Maybe the dance charts if it were to get a dancier remix? But I think that it's a hit song that can be a hit song without being a radio hit.

[Deleted]

May 14, 2016 9:35:00 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

I'd be shocked if The Fighter or Boy Gets A Truck aren't next.

I'd say
4: "The Fighter"/ "Boy Gets A Truck"
5. "Blue Ain't Your Color"/"Getting In The Way" /Loser in #4
6. "Gone Tomorrow" or loser of #4/5

If Sony approves, then yeah, I can see "The Fighter" coming next. I'm sure there are a lot of radio PD's who already want to play it (some have already been giving it unsolicited airplay) so in that sense I could see why Capitol would want to release it next. However, I still think it would be best if Capitol released it as the final single from the album, because again, Carrie's Storyteller era would be winding down by then, and it would guarantee that Keith would finish his Ripcord era with a big hit. It was a great idea to release "Raise 'Em Up" as the final single from Fuse, and it would be an equally great idea to do the same with "The Fighter" and Ripcord.

But I don't see "Boy Gets A Truck" being next. I like that one well enough, but it's one of only 3 Ripcord tracks that isn't in the top 200 on the iTunes country chart. That, to me, says it shouldn't even be considered for the next single, and maybe shouldn't be a single at all.

Here's how the Ripcord tracks are faring on iTunes (the country chart, not the all-genre chart):

#1 - "The Fighter" (featuring Carrie Underwood)
#10 - "Wasted Time"
#36 - "Break On Me"
#38 - "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16"
#77 - "Sun Don't Let Me Down" (featuring Pitbull)
#94 - "That Could Still Be Us"
#111 - "Worry 'Bout Nothin'"
#129 - "Blue Ain't Your Color"
#146 - "Habit Of You"
#183 - "Your Body"

"Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)", "Gettin' In The Way", and "Boy Gets A Truck" are the only 3 not in the top 200.

This suggests to me that "Worry 'Bout Nothin'" would be the best choice for the next single (unless they go with "The Fighter" first), and I completely agree. WBN sounds like a smash hit to my ears. "Sun Don't Let Me Down" is obviously drawing in Pitbull's fans, but it won't be a single. I like "That Could Still Be Us" a lot and I'm pleasantly surprised that it's the top-selling track other than the 3 singles and the Carrie and Pitbull collaborations, but I don't think they'll go with a ballad next. But I definitely think that both "That Could Still Be Us" and "Blue Ain't Your Color" should be considered for the 5th single, assuming that they'll consider a ballad for that slot.

I still think "Gettin' In The Way" sounds like a big hit too and I'm surprised it's not in the top 200, but I'm not surprised that "Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)" and "Boy Gets A Truck" aren't connecting quite as well with more casual fans as the rest of the tracks are. After repeated listens, they're the two tracks that I seem to skip the most.

Anyway, given the track sales so far, here is my updated take on what tracks should be released as singles, after "Wasted Time":

04 "Worry 'Bout Nothin'"
05 "Blue Ain't Your Color" or "That Could Still Be Us"
06 "The Fighter" (featuring Carrie Underwood)

[someguy]

That's too bad that "Boy Gets A Truck" isn't selling all that well. I assumed it was the leading candidate for the next single, but I agree that it looks unlikely based on the sales so far. I would still like to see it as a single at some point....maybe a performance of it somewhere could kickstart sales, and then it could possibly be chosen.

I agree with the thought that "The Fighter" doesn't sound like a country radio single, but I'd be surprised if it weren't released at some point. I could see it coming as the sixth and final single, assuming that Ripcord gets that many. I could see Carrie and Keith's fourth and fifth singles being released at roughly the same point and then, if Arista doesn't go for a sixth single from Storyteller (which I would highly doubt), then I would think that they'd green light "The Fighter"'s release to keep Carrie at radio in between albums.

[mus1cr0w]

May 15, 2016 1:21:29 GMT -5 someguy said:

That's too bad that "Boy Gets A Truck" isn't selling all that well. I assumed it was the leading candidate for the next single, but I agree that it looks unlikely based on the sales so far. I would still like to see it as a single at some point....maybe a performance of it somewhere could kickstart sales, and then it could possibly be chosen.

I agree with the thought that "The Fighter" doesn't sound like a country radio single, but I'd be surprised if it weren't released at some point. I could see it coming as the sixth and final single, assuming that Ripcord gets that many. I could see Carrie and Keith's fourth and fifth singles being released at roughly the same point and then, if Arista doesn't go for a sixth single from Storyteller (which I would highly doubt), then I would think that they'd green light "The Fighter"'s release to keep Carrie at radio in between albums.

How much do early sales factor into what the next single choice will be?

For me, "Boy Gets A Truck" is really the only song on there that is new territory for Keith. Even the other ones I like (Gettin In The Way, Worry Bout Nothin) are sort of retreads of where he has been for the last three or four albums, subject wise.

I would like to see BGAT be a single if for no other reason than that it has substance. I think it would do better if it were performed somewhere. I would even venture to say it would get a Song Of The Year nomination if it were released.

MR

[Deleted]

Mark at Spectrum Pulse reviewed this album and he gave it a 4/10 which the more I think about it the more his stance on the album makes more sense. 

Link: m.youtube.com/watch?v=sq2oBhYO6pU 

[:) KUFan]

May 15, 2016 8:51:05 GMT -5 mus1cr0w said:

May 15, 2016 1:21:29 GMT -5 someguy said:

That's too bad that "Boy Gets A Truck" isn't selling all that well. I assumed it was the leading candidate for the next single, but I agree that it looks unlikely based on the sales so far. I would still like to see it as a single at some point....maybe a performance of it somewhere could kickstart sales, and then it could possibly be chosen.

I agree with the thought that "The Fighter" doesn't sound like a country radio single, but I'd be surprised if it weren't released at some point. I could see it coming as the sixth and final single, assuming that Ripcord gets that many. I could see Carrie and Keith's fourth and fifth singles being released at roughly the same point and then, if Arista doesn't go for a sixth single from Storyteller (which I would highly doubt), then I would think that they'd green light "The Fighter"'s release to keep Carrie at radio in between albums.

How much do early sales factor into what the next single choice will be?

For me, "Boy Gets A Truck" is really the only song on there that is new territory for Keith. Even the other ones I like (Gettin In The Way, Worry Bout Nothin) are sort of retreads of where he has been for the last three or four albums, subject wise.

I would like to see BGAT be a single if for no other reason than that it has substance. I think it would do better if it were performed somewhere. I would even venture to say it would get a Song Of The Year nomination if it were released.

MR

I don't see "Boy Gets A Truck" as new territory for Keith because I believe the chorus in the song is somewhat like a few lines in "Raise em' Up."

Specifically these few lines;
"So you meet someone
The only one
You take her by the hand
Make a stand
Buy some land
Make some love
And then babies come
Raise em' up
Raise em' up"

"Boy Gets A Truck" is a whole song about a truck and falling in love, buying a home, and having children. It encompasses a lifespan but that little part in "Raise em' Up" also encompasses that as well. Personally, I'd love to see BGAT become a single. The chorus is so infectious and it reminds me of vintage Keith as does "Worry 'Bout Nothin'" and "Gettin' In The Way." BGAT is the song I find myself listening to the most at the moment and "Blue Ain't Your Color" is another song I feel like should be a single as well just because it's different sound and it's well written.

[43dudleyvillas]

I'm with :) KUFan. One of the reasons I thought that "Boy Gets a Truck" made sense as a single was that it made me think of "Raise 'Em Up" for reasons that :) KUFan already detailed. "Raise 'Em Up" did score an ACM nod for Song of the Year, so I suppose "Boy Gets a Truck" might, too, but I don't think it's such a standout that it would be an automatic part of that conversation barring a very successful run as a single.

May 15, 2016 1:15:47 GMT -5 jhomes87 said:

But I don't see "Boy Gets A Truck" being next. I like that one well enough, but it's one of only 3 Ripcord tracks that isn't in the top 200 on the iTunes country chart. That, to me, says it shouldn't even be considered for the next single, and maybe shouldn't be a single at all.

Here's how the Ripcord tracks are faring on iTunes (the country chart, not the all-genre chart):

#1 - "The Fighter" (featuring Carrie Underwood)
#10 - "Wasted Time"
#36 - "Break On Me"
#38 - "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16"
#77 - "Sun Don't Let Me Down" (featuring Pitbull)
#94 - "That Could Still Be Us"
#111 - "Worry 'Bout Nothin'"
#129 - "Blue Ain't Your Color"
#146 - "Habit Of You"
#183 - "Your Body"

"Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)", "Gettin' In The Way", and "Boy Gets A Truck" are the only 3 not in the top 200.

Good info. I had forgotten to check iTunes. To supplement, here's streaming info from Spotify and the YouTube uploads from Keith's official accounts.

Spotify:
"John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16": 31,317,353
"Break on Me": 15,173,549
"Wasted Time": 4,512,276
"The Fighter" (featuring Carrie Underwood): 1,154,821
"Sun Don't Let Me Down" (featuring Nile Rodgers, Pitbull): 363,859
"Habit of You": 286,319
"Gone Today (Here Tomorrow)": 236,373
"Gettin' in the Way: 233,759
"That Could Still Be Us": 226,183
"Blue Ain't Your Color": 225,675
"Boy Gets a Truck": 213,127
"Worry 'Bout 'Nothin": 209,908
"Your Body": 205,293

Singles aside, the tracks whose rank in cumulative streams break with the track list order are the two collaborations, "Habit of You" and "That Could Still Be Us" (which may be a testament to the raw vocal). Probably worth keeping an eye on how daily streams evolve for these songs to see which songs maintain interest -- the track list order will matter less on Spotify as the album gets older, but early on, it's typical for the songs at the end of an album to pick up fewer streams because people checking out an album may drop out after a certain point. That makes it extra noteworthy when a song deep into a track list picks up more streams than songs ahead of it.

YouTube, official uploads of album tracks only (not counting the videos/lyric videos for the singles):
"The Fighter" (featuring Carrie Underwood): 321,469
"Sun Don't Let Me Down" (featuring Nile Rodgers, Pitbull): 115,402
"That Could Still Be Us": 94,905
"Habit of You": 86,916
"Blue Ain't Your Color": 64,266
"Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)": 58,390
"Gettin' in the Way": 54,545
"Worry 'Bout Nothin'": 46,547
"Your Body: 45,503
"Boy Gets a Truck": 36,233

Collaborations aside, the ballads seem to be picking up the most YouTube streaming interest among the Ripcord album tracks.

So this is awkward, because none of my suggested singles is picking up a ton of initial streaming interest from the album (relative to other tracks, that is). "That Could Still Be Us" probably should get a look as the ballad single, based on its performance relative to other tracks on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube and "Habit of You" has a case as well. But I'll be surprised if a ballad is the next single.

In any event, the streaming and sales rankings are certainly not static -- they can be transformed by live performances (televised or otherwise), videos, radio exposure, etc. But they are an interesting peek into what songs are connecting on their own.

[onebuffalo]

#1 country, #4 top 200 album with 93,000 sold. Congratulations, Keith Urban!

[nick64]

Just listened for the first time.

I like the album quite a bit. Most of the songs are pretty well crafted and don't just feel like he's trying to be different. Pretty solid lyrically all around and Keith is always a strong vocalist, although the production on a few songs makes it hard to understand what he's saying at times. Keith's voice is much more suited to softer productions.

Anyway, here's my little track-by-track review. I tried to rate every song based on what it's attempting to be, rather than in comparison to expectations or other Keith material.

1. Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)
It works better as an album opener than it would anywhere else on the album, but I just don't see anything redeeming in this. It's not very catchy, the lyrics are pretty bland, and the production actually drowns out Keith's vocals.
4/10
2. John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16
I always liked this one. It's got a really catchy melody, the lyrics capture the nostalgia well, and the production actually suits the song. It's missing something though, which makes it feel pretty one-note.
8/10
3. Wasted Time
I haven't been as into this as I have the other two singles, but it's undeniably the perfect summer single. It's perfect for a barbecue, beach trip, or pool party, and the lyrics fit the vibe well.
9/10
4. Habit Of You
This was a little polarizing at first, but I came to like it by the end of the song. Keith's voice suits this R&B style well, and it's solid in terms of lyrics.
8/10
5. Sun Don't Let Me Down (feat. Nile Rogers & Pitbull)
I don't like this one. The lyrics are pretty weak (not to mention almost bro-country) and the melody isn't strong enough to make up for it. Pitbull sounds incredibly out of place, and Keith doesn't exactly sound at home either. "I know you gotta rise for the birds to sing, but I need the moonlight to do my thing" is a really catchy hook though, so it gets a win there.
5/10
6. Gettin' In The Way
The chorus here is great, and would probably make for a good single. Lyrics are solid, but the production is a little much.
8/10
7. Blue Ain't Your Color
In terms of lyrics and vocals, this is a beautiful song. The electronic effects in the production are pretty weird at first though, although they started to sound better as the song went on. I still think it would have worked better as a simple acoustic ballad, but it's still pretty great as it is.
9/10
8. The Fighter (feat. Carrie Underwood)
This is amazing. No, it's not country in the slightest, but it's a fantastic dance pop song. The lyrics aren't a masterpiece or anything, but in this kind of song, they don't need to be, and they're good enough for what they are. Keith and Carrie both give typically great vocal performances, and the trade-off style is something I've been missing recently. The chorus is incredibly catchy. It stuck with me immediately.
10/10
9. Break On Me
I still love this song. The lyrics are really sweet and I couldn't ask for anyone better than Keith to sing them. The production provides a nice atmosphere for the song, and the chorus is really strong. It's also nice to have this included on a mostly experimental album. No complaints here.
10/10
10. Boy Gets A Truck
This is probably the strongest song on the album from a lyrical standpoint. The production is actually pretty good, but they put too much emphasis on it during the mixing. Keith's vocals get drowned out by it. The chorus is a little awkward, but it is clever.
8/10
11. Your Body
This song is just really basic. The lyrics are filled with cliches, and the melody isn't really strong. It left the least impact on me out of every song on the album, even less than "GT(HT)" and "SDLMD" (although those were for the wrong reasons). It's just filler.
6/10
12. That Could Still Be Us
This is the closest song on the album to classic Keith. The lyrics are strong, and it's nice to hear Keith's voice and the piano front and center. The background production actually adds to the song, so I have no complaints on that. It might not be the absolute best song in Keith's discography, but it's still a fantastic one.
10/10
13. Worry 'Bout Nothin'
My mind keeps grouping this with "GITW". Honestly, most of my comments for that apply here too, although this one hits a little harder for me and the loud production is less of a gripe. Great way to end the album.
9/10

Average Rating: 8.0
Good album :)

Also, I wanna add that I've always been against the idea that Sam Hunt and songs like "Beautiful Drug" would work better on pop. Those songs still have country influences that are obvious to a pop fan, at least based off my experiences with people. But that does not apply to "The Fighter". It's a great pure pop song and I think it could do well on pop radio without even needing a pop mix, so I hope they capitalize on it. And Carrie and Keith are household names, regardless of genre. I'm surprised to see so many here think it wouldn't be a good idea. They'd have nothing to lose. It's the one non-single I heard before today, and I showed it to my actively-against-country girlfriend and she loved it, so I think it could gather a pop following.

[myeverything]

Well after like 100 listens, I literally still don't have a favorite, lmao. I like them all. (Yes, all of them)

I know which songs he's been performing in front of crowds already, I know what he's going to be opening the tour with, and I have additional info about what he's planning to do live with some of this stuff. I am NOT saying this to "brag" or anything of that nature, what I'm actually trying to do is to be respectful to everyone and ask if you guys want to know this stuff? If you're planning to see him on the road this summer (y'all better, lol!!!) you may or may not want to know what he's opening with, etc. If you guys want me to fill you in on this stuff, I'd really love to. It may give more direction as to what they're planning in the near future for after Wasted Time as far as next singles, etc.

It would definitely keep the conversation going, thats for sure, lol. Just lemme know  :)

[George Strait Junkie]

i'll just post the only tracks i can tolerate or like somewhat

1. Break On Me - this is the only one i really like a lot
2. Blue Ain't Your Color - i don't know why i kinda like this one but i do
3. That Could Still Be Us
4. Worry Bout Nothin' - ehh its ok

[kim8]

Funny, I really like Gone Tomorrow Here Today. I find it really catchy and fun and I keep going back to that one over and over. Surprised not many like it that much.

I liked Blue Ain't Your Color a lot on first listen. It's such a different and interesting sound.

Worry Bout Nothin is also pretty strong.

I'm glad they picked Wasted Time as a single. It's easily one of my favorites and I love hearing it on the radio.

Hope The Fighter will be a single. It's a fun song and quite catchy.

I don't think I like this album anywhere near as much as Fuse but it will grow on me I'm sure.

[justme60]

I really liked FUSE a lot, but RIPCORD is surely pulling ahead! I'm loving all the songs on this album. After reading others comments on the songs they liked, I went back and listened closely again and there just isn't a song that I dislike on this album.

I sure would not mind seeing "The Fighter" as a single cause Keith and Carrie sound awesome together! I fell in love with their voices together when they sang "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" when they toured together and it was great seeing them perform it again on Idol.

[myeverything]

A lot of people that I have talked to seem to think that they like Ripcord more than Fuse. They think the writing is much stronger (I may have to agree with that, truthfully) and obviously the production is different, more appealing they say. For me, obviously I love both. The production in both are very different from old-school Keith and very different from each other. I think with Fuse, Keith saw the direction he wanted to go in and took a shot at it (again, I think it was still an absolutely amazing album) but I will say that with Ripcord, I think he found exactly what it is he was trying to do. Fuse was the in-between, if you will. I'm not saying that I think he's going to stay on this route forever.. I will support him with whatever he does or does not decide to do, but I really think this album is what Keith's been wanting to make for a good couple of years now. Like I said, I have never seen him this happy and proud and again, he should be!!

I also definitely agree with the comment about "Gone Tomorrow, Here Today" - I think that song is a flat out JAM. It's super catchy and different, while still sounding country "enough" - It's going to be amazing live, and I cannot wait to see it ;)  I finally have that end verse down, word for word...the fast one, lol 

[DJ General]

Tour kicked off last night. This was the setlist.


Gone Tomorrow (Here Today)
Long Hot Summer
Break On Me
Where The Blacktop Ends
Somewhere In My Car
Everybody (Solo Acoustic)
Blue Ain’t Your Color
Getting’ In The Way
Days Go By
We Were Us (With Maren Morris)
Cop Car
The Fighter

Stage B

You Gonna Fly
You Look Good In My Shirt
Somebody Like You (With Brett Eldredge)

Main Stage

That Could Still Be Us
Little Bit Of Everything
Sun Don’t Let Me Down
Wasted Time
John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16

Encore

But For The Grace Of God (Solo Acoustic)
Stupid Boy (Solo Acoustic)
Raise ‘Em Up

[carrieidol1]

How did he do "The Fighter"?

[DJ General]

Jun 3, 2016 13:52:14 GMT -5 carrieidol1 said:

How did he do "The Fighter"?

Carrie recorded a video to play on the tour. Same with pitbull

[myeverything]

Seriously still wondering if Carrie will be a surprise guest at the Nashville show later this year! How amazing would that be? Anybody know where she'll be on November 11th? lol 


Also, my first of 11 shows of the ripCORD tour is a week from today. I absolutely cannot contain my excitement ANY longer... if y'all haven't noticed, lol!! 

[DJ General]

Jun 4, 2016 17:45:22 GMT -5 myeverything said:

Seriously still wondering if Carrie will be a surprise guest at the Nashville show later this year! How amazing would that be? Anybody know where she'll be on November 11th? lol 


Also, my first of 11 shows of the ripCORD tour is a week from today. I absolutely cannot contain my excitement ANY longer... if y'all haven't noticed, lol!! 

Why are you seeing 11 of the same show? Lol

[myeverything]

Cause it's Keith and that's what I like to do.. One's never enough... or 100  ;)