Gone country.
Today, Post Malone released his first full-length debut country album F-1 Trillion, which we can already safely call a massive success because he’s already sold enough albums for it to be certified Gold.
In many ways, it feels like a long time coming, because we’ve been getting glimpses of Posty’s love and admiration for country music for years now with different covers, collabs and performances. Post actually got his start playing at an Italian restaurant in Texas, where he played a lot of country and southern rock covers.
And aside from the fact that he’s one of the biggest music stars on the planet, making this all the more intriguing, Post is genuinely a fan of country music which has been very clear and apparent throughout this process.
Today’s Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen, Post talked about working on F-1 Trillion during many trips to Nashville, saying it’s something he’s “always” wanted to do, he just didn’t know where to start because Nashville and the whole process is so different from LA where he normally makes music:
“I gotta keep writing in Nashville. I’ve always wanted to make a record like this, but for the longest time, it seemed so inaccessible because I didn’t know how the hell it worked.
I didn’t know how band day worked. I didn’t know how session dudes worked, and I was just like, ‘Well, is it like these particular artists’ band that they go with all the time?’…
But going in there and meeting Derek [Wells] and Larry Franklin and Paul Franklin and Craig [Young] and Dave Cohen and Aaron [Sterling], and it was just so cool. And I’m just mind blown.”
He added that he’s always felt like he naturally leaned more into the country writing style of greats like Hank Willliams Sr.:
“Even when I was a kid, whenever I was playing and recording myself and stuff, I would just write Hank Sr. songs, just in that vein, because all I had was Audacity, the free recording thing and I would just sit on my bed and write these songs.
I have no idea, I don’t know what ‘My Son Calls Another Man Daddy,’ I don’t know what that’s about, but I’d write it about the girl from science class or whatever.”
And you could almost call it a country collaboration album than anything else, because F-1 Trillion features a star-studded tracklist with features from collaborators like legends Dolly Parton and Hank Williams Jr., as well as current stars like Billy Strings and Lainey Wilson.
I think that’s a pretty smart way to make your introduction into country, and obviously it’s working because he already scored a multi-week #1 crossover hit with Morgan Wallen “I Had Some Help” that I think we’ve all heard pretty much non-stop this summer.
Post has mentioned inspirations like Tyler Childers, Colter Wall and Sturgill Simpson in the past, though I’d say the music on this record overall is much more along the lines of mainstream stars like the aforementioned Morgan Wallen, with much more radio-friendly tracks that will appeal to a very wide audience.
And it is good… I’ll be and honest and say that I do wish he would’ve had more than just a few solo songs, because I think his very real talent shines on “What Don’t Belong to Me,” “Right About You” and “Yours,” though it’s hard to argue against the collabs because he recruited so many stellar artists and created tons of buzz.
I can already foresee F-1 Trillion breaking records and being an album of the year, for the fact that it features so many amazing artists and the music is really solid. I love “Finer Things” with Hank Williams and “Never Love You Again” with Sierra Ferrell, though that’s just scratching the surface of all 18 songs on the tracklist.
Do I wish Tyler Childers and artists like him would’ve been on a few songs? Of course. But Post also mentioned that he has more coming, so don’t be surprised to see something like that down the road. Additionally, I would love to get a fully solo country album from him one day because I think he could really nail it now that he’s become acquainted with great country writers and the whole country world.
In general, I really appreciate Post’s whole process with making this album and his excitement to fully immerse himself into the genre, and his love for country is apparent which makes it even more fun to listen to F-1 Trillion.
It’s rare to see an artist on his level, who isn’t already a country artist, jump into it the way he has and put out such solid stuff, and while I’m sure many traditionalists will just say they hate it and completely ignore the album because it’s Post Malone, that would be a disservice to Post and the genre in general.
He’s a fan first, and I think that matters a lot in terms of his acceptance in country and very evident success. I’m a longtime fan of Post Malone, and clearly a lover of country music, so this whole thing has been a dream and I’m just happy to report that the Texas native pulled it off.
And because I can’t leave the entire album below, I’ve included a few of my early favorites.
“Finer Things ft. Hank Williams Jr.”
“Have The Heart ft. Dolly Parton”
“California Sober ft. Chris Stapleton”
“Never Love You Again ft. Sierra Ferrell”
“Right About You”
“What Don’t Belong To Me”
And the easy standout (and tearjerker), “Yours”:
Posty’s subsequent tour in support of F-1 Trillion will kick off in September in Salt Lake City, Utah and run through October ending in Austin, Texas.
F-1 Trillion tracklist:
1. “Wrong Ones” (Feat. Tim McGraw)
2. “Finer Things” (Feat. Hank Williams, Jr.)
3. “I Had Some Help” (Feat. Morgan Wallen)
4. Pour Me A Drink (Feat. Blake Shelton)
5. “Have the Heart” (Feat. Dolly Parton)
6. “What Don’t Belong to Me”
7. “Goes Without Saying” (Feat. Brad Paisley)
8. “Guy for That” (Feat. Luke Combs)
9. “Nosedive” (Feat. Lainey Wilson)
10. “Losers” (Feat. Jelly Roll)
11. “Devil I’ve Been” (Feat. ERNEST)
12. “Never Love You Again” (Feat. Sierra Ferrell)
13. “Missin’ You Like This” (Feat. Luke Combs)
14. “California Sober” (Feat. Chris Stapleton)
15. “Hide My Gun” (Feat. HARDY)
16. “Right About You”
17. “M-e-x-i-c-o” (Feat. Billy Strings)
18. Yours
