Brett Young Responds To Being Called The ‘Love Song Guy’ Of Country Music

Brett Young has built a career on heartfelt ballads, which has earned him the unofficial title of country music’s “love song guy.” That label isn’t just flattering to Young, it’s a reflection of the foundation of songs that have carved out his musical journey and made him the artist he is today.

Growing up in Southern California, Young says he fell for the powerful storytelling behind country music long before most of his friends. And it wasn’t necessarily the upbeat anthems or rowdy hits that caught his ear, it was the heartfelt love songs. That passion for romance led him into his first concert experience.

“The reason that my first concert was “Boys to Men” was because of the love song,” he explained. “I’ve always been a hopeless romantic and kind of a dork about it.”

As he started to establish himself as an artist and a songwriter, Young gained traction among the fans with songs like “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Mercy” and “Sleep Without You,” all of which appear on his self-titled debut album that arrived in 2017. Since that first project, every collection following has featured a slew of songs written right from the heart.

The country star goes on to admit that despite his passion for this specific avenue of the genre, he never set out to make a name for himself with heartfelt tunes. However having his own powerful love story with his wife, Taylor, has made writing love songs feel completely natural. Now, it’s an accomplishment that he wears with pride.

“It’s flattering and exciting ’cause it wasn’t intended. You know, we didn’t go into this and go, you know, we’re gonna put a whole record together, but we’re only sending the ballads to radio. That wasn’t the plan. It’s just kind of the way it worked out. And so, I love that tag and I’ll take it all day long.”

Brett Young’s current single, “Drink With You,” continues his streak of storytelling songs, with this storyline leaning more into steamy intimacy than traditional romance. His baritone vocals narrate the thoughts of a man who knows nothing good will come from picking up the phone from the one person he can’t seem to resist. However, that doesn’t stop him from considering what could happen if he gives into the temptations and finds himself having a drink with her under the moonlight.

“Girl, I know the way this goes down/ You slide on closer after every round/ Won’t be long before the truth comes out/ We get to buzzing, our lips get to touching/ With the whiskey and the way you tease/ You’ll end up waking up next to me/ And if that ain’t something you wanna do/ I just can’t drink with you,” he sings on the chorus.

Penned by Young with Emily Weisband, Jesse Frasure and Tony Lucca, the temptation-fueled track sits as the first track on Young’s fourth studio album, 2.0. The album also includes a reimagined version of his early fan-favorite, “In Case You Didn’t Know” with rising star Hannah McFarland. Through these 11 songs, fans get a glimpse into his life as a country singer, husband and a father.  

Brett Young is currently bringing his catalog of love stories to fans across the country with his headlining Back to Basics World Tour. The trek us underway now and continues through November 6th.