Wikipedia

Heartache Medication

Heartache Medication is the third studio album by American neotraditional country artist Jon Pardi. The album was released on September 27, 2019, via Capitol Nashville.[3] Following the success of 2016's California Sunrise, Pardi reteamed with co-producer Bart Butler and brought in Ryan Gore to work on new material for his next country album, carrying traditional content that evoked sad emotions but gave the listener good vibes at the same time. Heartache Medication debuted at numbers two and 11 on the Top Country Albums and Billboard 200 charts, respectively. It has spawned three singles: the title track (his third number-one country hit) and "Ain't Always the Cowboy". and "Tequila Little Time" A deluxe version was released on October 2, 2020.[4]

Heartache Medication
A man wearing a denim jacket and brown cowboy hat while holding an alcohol-filled glass.
Studio album by
Jon Pardi
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2019 (2019-09-27)
Studio
  • Back Stage Studio (Nashville)
  • Sound Stage Studios (Nashville)
  • Blackbird Studios (Nashville)
  • Shelly's Honky Tonk and Maverick Recording (Nashville)
  • Southern Ground (Nashville)
  • The Creative Nation Attic (Nashville)
GenreNeotraditional country
Length49:53
LabelCapitol Nashville
Producer
Jon Pardi chronology
California Sunrise
(2016) 		Heartache Medication
(2019) 		Mr. Saturday Night
(2022)
Singles from Heartache Medication
  1. "Heartache Medication"
    Released: May 20, 2019
  2. "Ain't Always the Cowboy"
    Released: March 16, 2020[1]
  3. "Tequila Little Time"
    Released: January 18, 2021[2]

Background

edit

In late 2018 after wrapping up a summer tour with Luke Bryan, Pardi had announced he was taking his time on releasing new music but to expect new music from him in the new year. At the time he hinted at a song written by and hopefully featuring fellow country star Miranda Lambert.[5]

One day after appearing on the 2019 season finale of American Idol, Pardi announced the album. Its lead single, the title track, was released May 20, 2019. Three additional tracks were also previewed ahead of the album's release—"Ain't Always the Cowboy", "Me and Jack", and "Tequila Little Time".[6]

Before the album's release, Pardi stated he named the album Heartache Medication because it contains sad topics intended to make the listener feel good at the same time.[7]

Critical reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [8]

AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Pardi for using the formula from California Sunrise to craft a track listing filled with odes and nods to traditional country and doesn't give in to the "sentimental streak or his own musical conservatism", concluding that "All of these songs show that Pardi's traditionalism is flexible, and those subtle grace notes help make Heartache Medication the best old-fashioned mainstream country album of 2019."[8]

Commercial performance

edit

Heartache Medication debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 11, and number two on the Top Country Albums chart with 34,000 units, 23,000 of which are in pure album sales.[9][10] On the Billboard 200, it left the top 100 on the week of November 2, 2019, spending eleven weeks on the chart.[11][12] The album has sold 52,500 copies in the United States as of March 2020,[13] and 161,000 units in total as of February 2020.[14] In Canada, it debuted and peaked at number 18 on the Canadian Albums chart for the week of October 11.[15]

Track listing

edit
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Old Hat"
3:14
2."Heartache Medication"
3:29
3."Nobody Leaves a Girl Like That"
3:29
4."Ain't Always the Cowboy"
3:40
5."Me and Jack"
4:51
6."Don't Blame It on Whiskey" (featuring Lauren Alaina)
3:42
7."Tied One On"
  • Butler
  • Chase McGill
  • Jamie Paulin
3:05
8."Oughta Know That"
  • Pardi
  • Butler
  • Laird
3:49
9."Tequila Little Time"
  • Pardi
  • Akins
  • Laird
3:27
10."Buy That Man a Beer"
3:15
11."Call Me Country"
  • Pardi
  • Butler
  • Driver Williams
3:49
12."Just Like Old Times"
  • Pardi
  • Hyde
  • Heeney
3:31
13."Love Her Like She's Leaving"
3:11
14."Starlight"
3:21
Total length:49:53
Deluxe version (Digital release only)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."Bar Downtown"
3:23
16."Beer Light"
3:23
17."Ain't Always the Cowboy" (Western Version)
  • Kinney
  • Thompson
4:14
Total length:60:53

Personnel

edit

Adapted from the album's liner notes.[16]

Vocals

  • Lauren Alaina – featured vocals (track 6)
  • Jeff Hyde – background vocals (track 1)
  • Jon Pardi – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 6, 8, 9, 17)
  • Russell Terrell – background vocals (all tracks except 9 & 17)

Production

Instruments

Imagery

  • Jon Pardi – art direction
  • Karen Naff – art direction and design
  • Jim Wright – photography

Charts

edit

Certifications

edit
Certifications for Heartache Medication
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[24] Gold 40,000‡
United States (RIAA)[25] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

edit
  1. ^ Houghton, Cillea (March 5, 2020). "Jon Pardi Flips Cowboy Heartbreak on Its Head With 'Ain't Always the Cowboy' [Listen] Read More: Jon Pardi's 'Ain't Always the Cowboy' Carries Traditional Torch". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "Future Releases for Country Radio Stations". AllAccess. Archived from the original on December 28, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Houghton, Cillea (May 20, 2019). "Jon Pardi Announces New Album and Single, 'Heartache Medication'". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  4. ^ Sexton, Paul (October 3, 2020). "Jon Pardi Prescribes Deluxe Edition Of 'Heartache Medication' Album". udiscovermusic. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  5. ^ Carr, Courtney (January 4, 2018). "Jon Pardi's Next Album Will Include a Song Written By (and Hopefully Sung With) Miranda Lambert". The Boot. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  6. ^ Freeman, Jon (May 20, 2019). "Jon Pardi Previews New Album 'Heartache Medication' With Twangy Title Track". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  7. ^ Moore, Bobby (September 23, 2019). "Everything We Know About Jon Pardi's New Album 'Heartache Medication'". The Boot. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Heartache Medication - Jon Pardi". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  9. ^ "Billboard 200: October 12, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  10. ^ Asker, Jim (October 8, 2019). "Whiskey Myers Scores First Top Country Albums No. 1, Jon Pardi & Sturgill Simpson Debut in Top 3". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  11. ^ "Billboard 200: November 2, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  12. ^ "Billboard 200: February 22, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  13. ^ Bjorke, Matt (March 10, 2020). "Top 10 Country Albums Pure Sales Chart: March 9, 2020". Roughstock. Archived from the original on March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  14. ^ Bjorke, Matt (February 10, 2020). "Country Music's Most-Consumed Album Chart: February 10, 2020". Roughstock. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  15. ^ "Jon Pardi – Billboard Canadian Albums – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  16. ^ Heartache Medication (booklet). Jon Pardi. Capitol Nashville. 2019. B0030574-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. October 7, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  18. ^ "Jon Pardi Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  19. ^ "Jon Pardi Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  20. ^ "Jon Pardi Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
  21. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  22. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  23. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  24. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Jon Pardi – Heartache Medication". Music Canada. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  25. ^ "American album certifications – Jon Pardi – Heartache Medication". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heartache_Medication&oldid=1259054907"