Sam Hunt surprised members of the music industry on Thursday (Feb. 20) with the live debut of an unreleased track titled “2016,” from his forthcoming album, Southside.
During his performance at the Universal Music Group Luncheon at Country Radio Seminar 2020, Hunt opted to sing “one of the more stripped-down, intimate songs” from his new record, out April 3.
The regretful ballad finds Hunt confessing all the things he would do to undo the heartbreak he bestowed upon an ex-lover.
“I’d put the whiskey back in the bottle / Put the smoke back in the joint / Look up at the sky and say okay, okay, okay / Think you made your point,” he sings in the opening verse, “I’d cover up the pool and sky bar / Take some girls out of my phone / Give the nightlife back to Nashville / One night at a time til all the regrets go home.”
Lyrically, the song is country at its core and is undoubtedly one of Hunt’s most traditional leaning cuts to date. With a song like “2016,” the Georgia native continues to prove he’s one of the format’s most versatile artists.
Click above to watch his performance of “2016.”
Southside will be available April 3, just weeks before Sam Hunt launches his massive The Southside Summer Tour 2020, which will visit over 40 markets from May 28 through September 26. Joining Hunt on the road will be Kip Moore, Travis Denning, ERNEST and a DJ set by Brandi Cyrus. Tickets for the tour go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, February 14.