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Back Catalogue: Blake Shelton

 

Blake Shelton is at the top of his game. He released his debut album back in 2001 but really started bringing it home hit-wise in 2008, shifting many millions of albums, burning it up on radio and selling out huge national tours. He married Miranda Lambert in 2011 and that only served to help his career, as he began clearing up at award shows and started as a coach on NBC’s The Voice, a show for which he is returning for an eighth season of next year. To celebrate his latest album ‘Bringing Back The Sunshine’, let’s take a look at his past hits and an underrated album track.

Austin (2001) Blake Shelton

‘Austin’ was Blake’s debut single and also his first track to go to #1 and be certified Gold. It was a huge start that also included a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and although that success would tail off in the coming years, it wouldn’t be long before Blake was back to shifting units once more. The emotional song tells the story of voicemail messages left between two people who used to be together and long for each other once more.

Some Beach (2004) Blake Shelton’s Barn & Grill

Still sporting a mullet and cowboy hat, Blake’s third #1 hit was ‘Some Beach’, a tongue-in-cheek track that longed wistfully for a beach when everything sucked in real life. The title is a play on the term “sum bitch”, as in “son of a bitch”. The track went Gold and kicked into high gear the wry sense of humor that Blake is now known for.

Home (feat. Miranda Lambert) (2008) Pure BS

Blake’s next #1 came no less than 4 years later in the form of ‘Home’. It was released as part of a bonus track version of his fourth studio album ‘Pure BS’, and was a cover of the Michael Buble smash pop hit. Blake invited his then-girlfriend, now-wife Miranda Lambert to sing backing vocals on it, and it became a huge single in its own right, shifting more than 500,000 copies and becoming one of his best-known hits.

Who Are You When I’m Not Looking (2010) All About Tonight

‘Who Are You When I’m Not Looking’ was a cover of a Joe Nichols song from 2007. Blake recorded it for his 2010 EP ‘All About Tonight’ and it became a #1 hit as well as his first Platinum-certified single. A song about the truths and secrets behind a new lover, it was a continuation of Blake’s romantic image as an artist.

Honey Bee (2011) Red River Blue

‘Honey Bee’ was Blake’s first 2x Platinum single and as well as charting at #1 in country, it also became his highest single on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time by reaching #13. It was the lead-in to ‘Red River Blue’, his sixth full-length studio album, and was the third in an as-yet-unending string of #1 hits that has spanned few years already. ‘Honey Bee’ is a cutesy cheese-to-my-macaroni style of love song that was quirky but a huge hit with listeners.

God Gave Me You (2011) Red River Blue

The follow-up to ‘Honey Bee’, ‘God Gave Me You’ was a hit on the Adult Contemporary chart as well as the country charts (#1) and the Billboard Hot 100. It has sold over 2 million copies for its sweet love/friendship sentiment in a mass-marketable country/pop style, and remains one of his most popular tracks. The video was a particular hit due to featuring a video blog from his wife Miranda at the beginning, one which she recorded for him the night before their wedding professing her love for him.

Boys Round Here (feat. Pistol Annies) (2013) Based On A True Story…

Blake’s first real stab at the movement known as bro-country, ‘Boys Round Here’ featured his wife’s band the Pistol Annies and protégée RaeLynn on backing vocals, becoming his second single to go 2x Platinum and 2013’s song of the summer. It stayed in the top 5 for a huge number of weeks, becoming one of his all-time biggest hits.

Underrated album track: Red River Blue (feat. Miranda Lambert) (2011) Red River Blue

The title track and closing song from Blake’s 2011 album ‘Red River Blue’, this cut features Miranda Lambert once more on backing vocals. It’s a gentle heartbreak ballad that sounds a lot more traditionally country than much of the music he was making at the time, and is underrated for its genuine delivery and increasingly rare sadness.

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Annette Gibbons
Hi, I’m Annette, I have been a huge country music fan since the early 90s those were the days we were lucky enough to have CMT in the UK. I enjoy nothing more than listening to country music whilst having a cold beer (or a moonshine) with friends. I try to as many gigs as I can here in the UK and in the USA; I think of Nashville as my second home and I am lucky to have made some amazing friends in Tennessee. Think Country is something I am very proud of, I just want to share my love and passion of all things country music related with you all.
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