Not helping out the perception that all mainstream country songs sound the same…
Of course with so many songs coming out every week, and at this point every day, it’s inevitable that you’re going to get some that sound the same. There are only so many ways you can put 12 notes together to form a melody, and eventually you’re going to run into another song that puts them together in a way that sounds similar. It happens.
But these new songs from HARDY and Nate Smith might be a little TOO similar…
Now, I’m not saying that one copied the other. I have no idea who wrote or recorded their song first, though HARDY had teased his song before Nate previewed his.
But after Nate Smith dropped a teaser of a new song called “Nights These Days” over the weekend, apparently HARDY recognized the melody to the song…from a single of his own that he’s been working on called “Favorite Country Song.”
HARDY took to social media to acknowledge the similarities (without mentioning Nate by name) while seeming to express his frustration with the situation:
“A few days ago I teased a new song that I’m putting out called “Favorite Country Song,” and I’m really excited about it. You know in Nashville a lot of songs get written and sometimes, many times, there are two songs that sound very similar. And this morning I woke up to a buddy of mine who teased a song that sounded very similar to “Favorite Country Song.”
It is what it is, it’s been that way a long time, but I don’t like being beat to the punch. I actually hate it. And since he teased his today, I’m going to tease mine full on.”
And while HARDY didn’t specifically mention Nate’s song as the one he’s talking about…well, it’s pretty obvious. Take a listen to “Favorite Country Song.”
And here’s Nate Smith’s “Nights These Days.”
HARDY’s wife Caleigh even seemed to confirm that Nate’s was the song he was referring to, taking a subtle jab at Nate calling his song a “summer anthem” by commenting that her husband’s song was the “song of the summer.”
Now, who knows if there’s any tension between the two artists over the similar-sounding songs. They’ve collaborated recently on a single called “Nobody Likes Your Girlfriend,” and have even toured together in the past. But man, you’ve gotta think whoever had this song first isn’t happy that there’s another that sounds just like it…
Of course HARDY has shown off his range in the past, going from country to rock and now, it seems, back to country for this next single. But the fact that there’s another song just like it, both of which will presumably be serviced to radio, presents a problem for both singles: Chances are, only one is going to get played when they sound so similar.
My guess is that both artists will now try to rush their songs out to make sure that theirs is the one that gets played, and the other will end up getting buried on the charts.
But this also highlights the problem that mainstream country music has with so many songs that sound so similar. And in this case, sound almost exactly alike.
