It’s well past time if you ask me… Luke Combs is in full-on album release mode as his new album The Way I Am is slated to drop this Friday, March 20th, and it has promise to be his best album yet.
With early releases in “Back in the Saddle,” “My Kinda Saturday Night,” “15 Minutes,” “Days Like These,” “Be By You” and “I Ain’t No Cowboy,” they’ve all been great, and I know many fans feel like me in that we’re long overdue for a classic Luke album like this full of non stop country heat. I loved his special Fathers & Sons project, but it feels like he’s back to his bread and butter, so to speak, and I am fully locked in for the new music.
And considering Combs continues to be one of the biggest acts in mainstream country, and really, music in general, it was really interesting to hear him talk about what he thinks about country artists being very underrepresented at the Super Bowl halftime show… I mean, we’re LONG overdue for a country headliner.
Shania Twain was the last country artist to headline the show in 2003… so it’s been over 20 years. In 1994, Clint Black, Wynonna and Naomi Judd, Travis Tritt and Tanya Tucker, teamed up for a great show, officially (and rightfully) billed as “Rockin’ Country Sunday.” But other than that, there aren’t any country headliners to speak of. Right now, country music is as popular as it has ever been, and with options like Luke, Post Malone, and Morgan Wallen, so I think there are plenty of great options who could realistically put on a show that connects with a majority of the 100+ million Super Bowl viewers.
Of course, many country artists have been tapped for the National Anthem as of late like Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, and Reba come to mind right away, but that’s simply not the same and can honestly hurt more than it helps. Obviously, Stapleton’s was legendary, but generally the anthem is more of a risk than it’s worth, especially on that type of scale.
So when Luke was asked about whether or not he’d ever been pitched the Super Bowl halftime show during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show podcast, he admitted he never has, which led to a broader discussion about the idea of a country artist headlining it:
“No, never have. Never have. Gosh, like, how does that even happen? I don’t even really know how that even happens, you know?”
They talked about how long it’s been since that has happened, and Luke said what many of us already think in that country is as popular as ever, and it’s honestly pretty mainstream with artists like Ella Langley and Megan Moroney topping the mainstream music charts just in the last several weeks.
Luke says he doesn’t care who it is when the time comes (and surely, it will, sometime soon), because he will be “pumped for country music”:
“I don’t really know why that is. Listen, again, it’s not up to me, I think the people would love it. And that’s no pitch for me, I think it’s just a pitch for country music in general. Whether it’s Garth or Morgan Wallen or whoever it is. Somebody deserves to be up there doing the thing.
I think country is in the zeitgeist now, like it’s not a niche genre anymore. Even ten years ago I would say it was. It’s not anymore. I think it’s undeniable… how many of the top 100 streaming songs in all of music are country? A very high percentage, I think, now. Way more so than in history. So I think it’s undeniable, I think it’s time, whoever’s having those conversations… I don’t know, it’s above my pay grade.
I don’t think that’s a thing you pitch yourself for, I don’t think. Again, I don’t know, but I don’t think that’s something you’re like, ‘Let me make a call.’ I don’t think it’s that thing, maybe it is… but I think it’s time for something like that to happen. And whoever it is, I’m gonna be just pumped for country music either way.”
Later in the conversation, Luke doubled down in that he’s waiting for someone to make the call to a country artist for it because “one of us is ready”:
“Super Bowl, come on, dude. We’re all waiting… make the call. One of us is ready.”
I couldn’t agree more… and I think Luke would be a great choice. He has so many big hits, a lot of fun, rowdy songs and the kind of catalog that’s very much country but also appealing to a massive audience like what you get with the Super Bowl halftime show. Luke of course says he would “do it right now:”
“Hell yeah I would do it, I would do it right now.”
Your move, Super Bowl… just make the call.
The full podcast episode is available below.
The Way I Am was produced by Combs, Jonathan Singleton and Chip Matthews, and it will feature just one other artist on the song “Ever Mine,” as we get to hear Combs and Alison Krauss team up for the first time and I’m sure that will be incredible.
THE WAY I AM TRACKLIST
1. Back in the Saddle (written by Luke Combs, Dan Isbell, Jonathan Singleton)
2. My Kinda Saturday Night (written by Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Jonathan Singleton)
3. Days Like These (written by Luke Combs, Brent Cobb, Aaron Raitiere)
4. 15 Minutes (written by Luke Combs, Trey Pendley, Rob Pennington, Grant Vogel)
5. Alcohol of Fame (written by Luke Combs, Dalton Dover, Dan Isbell, Reid Isbell)
6. Daytona 499 (written by Luke Combs, Erik Dylan, Wyatt McCubbin, Drew Parker)
7. The Way I Am (written by Chris Gelbuda, Rob Snyder)
8. Wish Upon a Whiskey (written by Luke Combs, Dan Isbell, Drew Parker)
9. Soon As I Get Home (written by Luke Combs, Jessi Alexander, Tony Lane, Jonathan Singleton)
10. Rethink Some Things (written by Luke Combs, Jacob Davis, Dan Isbell, Reid Isbell)
11. Giving Her Away (written by Gary Garris, Josh Mirenda, Josh Phillips)
12. Seeing Someone (written by Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Lalo Guzman, Michael Tyler,
Allison Veltz-Cruz)
13. Sleepless in a Hotel Room (written by Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Jonathan Singleton)
14. I Ain’t No Cowboy (written by Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Jake Mears)
15. Ever Mine (feat. Alison Krauss) (written by Luke Combs, Hailey Whitters, Charlie Worsham)
16. Can’t Tell Me I’m Wrong (written by Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Pete Good, Lydia Vaughan)
17. Miss You Here (written by Luke Combs, Thomas Archer, Dan Isbell, Ben Stennis)
18. Tell ‘Em About Tonight (written by Luke Combs, Erik Dylan, Ray Fulcher, James McNair)
19. Be By You (written by Dan Alley, Sam Banks, Nick Walsh)
20. The Me Part of You (written by Luke Combs, Jason Gantt, Dan Isbell, Reid Isbell)
21. Rich Man (written by Luke Combs, Jacob Davis, Lori McKenna, Rob Snyder)
22. A Man Was Born (written by Luke Combs, Thomas Archer, Ray Fulcher, Jordan Rowe, Michael Tyler
