Sam Hunt Brings Apologetic Ballad, ‘2016,’ To ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’

Sam Hunt may be known for his upbeat pop/country anthems but he’s also mastered the art of the country ballad…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

December 9, 2020

4:37 pm

Sam Hunt; Photo by: NBC

Sam Hunt may be known for his upbeat pop/country anthems but he’s also mastered the art of the country ballad and that’s especially apparent after his performance of “2016” on Late Night With Seth Meyers.

The superstar delivered an acoustic performance of his Southside album opener on the late night program on Monday (Dec. 7). Armed with an acoustic guitar, Hunt appeared solo, delivering a stunning rendition of the apologetic ballad.

The regretful tune 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 / I think you made your point,” he sings in the opening verse, “I’d cover up the pool at Skymont / I’d 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.

Hunt first previewed “2016” at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium during his performance at the Universal Music Group Luncheon at Country Radio Seminar 2020.

The track appears on his latest album, Southside, which is available everywhere now.

Click above to watch Sam Hunt perform “2016.”

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.