Lauren Alaina - "Thicc as Thieves"

[sabre14]

Artist: Lauren Alaina
Single: "Thicc as Thieves"
Writers: Lauren Alaina, Parker Welling, Rocky Block, Jacob Durrett
Label: Big Loud Records
Impact Date: September 18th, 2023

First radio single for Lauren Alaina on Big Loud Records is "Thicc as Thieves," although it's a solo release. Lainey version is not the one at radio. Sounds exactly the same, just Lauren singing all the parts. Streaming the best of Lauren's Big Loud releases.

Here's the Lainey version, as the solo version is only at radio.

[diamondinmypocket]

Not a fan of this one. It’s cheesy and I’m over it after a listen or two. It also feels more like it was made for tiktok than country radio. Hope I’m wrong but I’d bet this isn’t the song that is gonna get Lauren back on track. Love her voice, but these BigLoud releases have been pretty bland all around in my opinion

[SHOOTER]

Interesting choice. Great tune but not sure how the country radio audience will receive it. Also odd that they went with a solo version when Lainey attached would only help its chance although I understand why they may not have been feasible. Rooting for this one regardless!

[zdm1998]

I'm not sure about it as a solo release. I feel like having it be a duet with Lainey helped give it some extra hype for people to want to check it out. Interested to see how it performs as a solo release.

I do assume Broken Bow didn't want three Lainey songs competing for airplay, as it could've pushed her to being overexposed.

[George Strait Junkie]

Love this song it’s a banger but I don’t know about it being a solo version Lainey helped make it great I guess we shall see

[jab820]

I was hoping the reason we hadn't heard of a single announcement from LA was because Big Loud convinced Lainey's team to push this as a proper single after "Watermelon Moonshine". This is the opposite of what I would've done...

They get one shot, I think. I also think this song has been buzzy enough that they could do it.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Yeah I think it's a miss from both labels to go ahead with it as a solo. I mean even the title refers to two people...

Even if they had to do something like replacing Lainey with someone else like what happened with Reba's "Every Other Weekend".

I wouldn't be shocked if radio chooses to play the Lainey version. I know when Tracy Lawrence's "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" was out at radio I used to hear the version with Kenny and Tim all the time.

[.indulgecountry]

Wait how does it even work as a solo song? The lyrics are basically a tradeoff between Georgia and Louisiana euphemisms, so I have a hard time imagining this even being a good song with Lainey's involvement removed... not to mention, the entire idea of making it a solo release just screams Lauren Alaina's team once again fumbling the bag. It must've been a decision based on Lainey's team/label/etc. not greenlighting the radio release with her on it for whatever reason, but this is a HUGE missed opportunity. It would've definitely had a lot more hype and appeal as a duet, but without Lainey, I just don't imagine this doing much of anything to course correct Lauren's country radio woes. They should've just gone with "A Walk in the Bar" instead if they needed to go with a solo single, but I'd love to be totally caught off guard by the response to this and see radio take to it anyway. I'd love for them to just say fuck it and play Lainey's version anyway and maybe force the hands of the label(s) to push that one instead to maximize its hit potential.

Either way, I saw this thread and initially got excited because I'd been hoping for this to be released to radio for two months now, but a lot of that excitement is unfortunately snuffed out now. :/

[bdrm87]

Oh wow what a plot twist. I agree with the consensus that on paper this screams huge mistake. My only solace is in the fact that a handful of stations have given this early airplay, and I’m assuming it’s gotten a strong enough response that they felt comfortable going this route. We’ll see. It’s insanely disappointing that yet another song that could’ve given her a big momentum boost has been derailed by bad timing.

[lipe]

a solo version??? I wasn't expecting that and suddenly I'm not sure how this will do on country radio. but I got my hope up so many times on her previous singles for them to not perform the way I thought they would, so it might be best to expect nothing at all...

I'm curious to hear the solo version because this was intentionally created to be a duet. but obviously they didn't get Lainey's (her team) approval for a radio release and still wanted to go with the song that's making noise so I get that...

[recordyear]

Single cover of the solo version.

[jab820]

It's consistently pulling in early adds, so that's a good sign.

It is the mystery of 2024 as to how well this will do and what it will/won't do for LA. She is the only artist out there still signed and still producing moderate hits after 12 years of very moderate success. Everyone knows she's amazing and has potential to be an A list but no one can figure out how.

[abbeyjones11]

Solo version audio on Lauren's YouTube:

youtu.be/KVT__POYGAg?si=3cDlhScTtMYzLlks

[George Strait Junkie]

Sept 18, 2023 0:23:39 GMT -5 abbeyjones11 said:

Solo version audio on Lauren's YouTube:

youtu.be/KVT__POYGAg?si=3cDlhScTtMYzLlks

I hate the solo version it’s so bad without Lainey wow just doubled up her voice in Lainey’s spot. I still hope it does well for her cause she deserves it but will not be adding this version to my playlist

[zdm1998]

I wonder if they will send out the duet version when the duet with Jelly Roll peaks. "Save Me" looks like it'll be a fast climber, and might reach the top in 3-4 months. That would still leave ample time to release the duet to radio instead of just the solo version.

[lipe]

I don't think the solo version is bad at all... it works as a duet and I was worried about how it would sound solo but I think it's fine.

[lipe]

37 adds on impact day (43 total).

This is better than most of her previous singles, with the exception of "Getting Good" / "Next Boyfriend" (which pretty much shows how adds aren't everything), but still nice to see it's off to a decent start!

[jab820]

The solo version is just fine. It’s adjusted to sound like an anthem for ladies rather than banter between two women. I think this is the right choice even without Lainey — and even better in the long run for Lauren’s prospects as a successful SOLO artist.

The adds look promising especially since their promo for the single adds date was pretty minimal aside from one ad last week. I think this team is dedicated to getting her some hits.

[darko]

Sept 18, 2023 20:17:07 GMT -5 jab820 said:

The solo version is just fine. It’s adjusted to sound like an anthem for ladies rather than banter between two women. I think this is the right choice even without Lainey — and even better in the long run for Lauren’s prospects as a successful SOLO artist.

The adds look promising especially since their promo for the single adds date was pretty minimal aside from one ad last week. I think this team is dedicated to getting her some hits.

I totally agree, It sounds great, both are great. The majority of people who will listen to this will not even know the difference or that two  cuts exists it. 

[dwindeezy]

I was nervous listening to the solo version but tbh- I actually like it and it kinda feels like a Georgia Peaches pt 2 now in a way.

[.indulgecountry]

[kim0205]

Is this close to cracking mediabase?

[raylatch98]

Oct 18, 2023 16:08:39 GMT -5 kim0205 said:

Is this close to cracking mediabase?

This hasn't even charted yet on Billboard so it has a way before getting there on Mediabase as well.

[austin]

I don’t think this song makes as much sense not being a duet. Without Lainey, I’m not sure it takes off.

[.indulgecountry]

Oct 20, 2023 9:20:23 GMT -5 austin said:

I don’t think this song makes as much sense not being a duet. Without Lainey, I’m not sure it takes off.

This. It's so unfortunate that she's been shot in the foot yet again when things were looking promising with her 1) new label and 2) landing a buzzy feature with Lainey Wilson. I'm still hopeful for her to get another hit with Big Loud at the helm, but the limp solo version of "Thieves" isn't going to put her back on the map.

[zdm1998]

I wonder if they get the green light to push it as a duet once Save Me peaks. Which probably will happen before the end of the year.

[jab820]

I've noticed she's really taking the time to pay her dues (for the third time in her career) with this single. Writing letters to stations who added the song, doing small radio shows, etc. She has enough of a name that she could easily coast for the rest of her career releasing music without worrying about performance, doing Opry stuff, acting more, etc, but it's obvious her intention this whole time is to be a radio artist with hits. I continue to commend and respect her grind and it continues to amaze me that she is able to retain relevance after over a decade of just decent radio success. I hope based on that alone that the single is able to work. Big Loud should be capable here.

[recordyear]

Debut at #58 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart this week.

[.indulgecountry]

Glad this finally debuted at the very least. Still skeptical of its long-term chart prospects, but would love to be proven wrong. 🤞

[countryfan43]

Oct 28, 2023 0:01:29 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

Glad this finally debuted at the very least. Still skeptical of its long-term chart prospects, but would love to be proven wrong. 🤞

I have a feeling this will do well with the reception it has got. I also noticed on Iheart stations playlists some stations are playing the duet and some the solo which is interesting.