Wild Blue (Part I)

Wild Blue (Part I)
Studio album by
Hunter Hayes
ReleasedAugust 16, 2019 (2019-08-16)
October 22, 2021 (2021-10-22) (Complete)
Genre
Length34:04
Label
ProducerHunter Hayes,[1] Sam Ellis
Hunter Hayes chronology
The 21 Project
(2015) 		Wild Blue (Part I)
(2019) 		Red Sky
(2023)
Singles from Wild Blue
  1. "Heartbreak"
    Released: March 25, 2019[2]
"Wild Blue Complete"
Complete edition cover

Wild Blue (Part I) is the fourth major label studio album released by American singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes, released on August 16, 2019, through Warner Music Nashville. Hayes co-produced and co-wrote every track on the album.[3]

Background

Hayes initially planned to release the album on October 11, 2019, the eighth anniversary of his first studio album,[4] but in August 2019, Hayes made a surprise announcement on NBC's Today show revealing that the album would be released on August 16, 2019.[5][6] The album is the first part of a trilogy of albums.[7] The album was only released digitally and to streaming platforms. In October 2021, Hayes released Wild Blue Complete, an extended, altered version of the album with six new songs.[8]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 44 on Billboard's Top Country Albums. It has sold 1,400 copies in the United States as of September 2019.[9]

Track listing

Track listing adapted from Rolling Stone.[10]

Wild Blue (Part I)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Madness"
3:32
2."Wild Blue"
3:50
3."Heartbreak"
2:53
4."One Good Reason"
  • Hayes
  • Ellis
3:28
5."Dear God"
2:55
6."Loving You"
3:58
7."My Song Too"
  • Hayes
  • Barnes
  • Reynolds
3:27
8."One Shot"
  • Hayes
2:31
9."Night and Day"
  • Hayes
  • Ellis
  • Derrick Southerland
3:45
10."Still"
  • Hayes
  • Verges
  • Tommee Profitt
3:46
Total length:34:04
Wild Blue (Complete)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Madness"
3:32
2."Wild Blue"
3:50
3."Tell Me"
2:53
4."One Good Reason"
  • Hayes
  • Ellis
3:28
5."Night and Day"
  • Hayes
  • Ellis
  • Derrick Southerland
3:45
6."No"
  • Hayes
  • Sampson
  • Josh Hoge
3:23
7."If I Didn't Care"
  • Hayes
  • Ellis
  • Josh Miller
3:19
8."Dressed in Blue"
  • Hayes
  • Bonnie Baker
  • John Fields
3:08
9."Dear God"
2:55
10."My Song Too"
3:26
11."Loving You"
  • Hayes
  • Barnes
  • Reynolds
3:58
12."One Shot"
  • Hayes
2:31
13."What If I Do"
  • Hayes
3:26
14."Heartbreak"
2:53
15."Preacher"
  • Hayes
  • Baker
  • Ellis
3:40
16."Still"
  • Hayes
  • Verges
  • Tommee Profitt
3:46
Total length:54:57

Personnel

  • David Angell – violin
  • Monisa Angell – viola
  • Chris Ashburn – engineer
  • Neal Avron – mixing
  • Dave Barnes – acoustic guitar, background vocals
  • Drew Bollman – mixing
  • Martín Ceballos – engineer
  • Seanad Chang – viola
  • Dave Cook – mixing
  • Janet Darnell – violin
  • Sean Daugherty – engineer
  • David Davidson – violin
  • Desmond Davis – drums, programming, background vocals
  • Sam Ellis – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboard, mixing, piano, producer, programmer, background vocals
  • Conni Ellisor – violin
  • Hunter Hayes – banjo, bass, dobro, drums, engineer, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, mandolin, organ, piano, producer, programmer, programming, strings, vocals, background vocals
  • Jack Jezioro – bass
  • Jeff Juliano – mixing
  • Jared Kneale – drums, background vocals
  • Elizabeth Lamb – viola, violin
  • Erik Madrid – mixing
  • Aaron Mattes – mixing
  • Chris McHugh – drums
  • Andrew Mendelson – mastering
  • Colton Parker – bass, background vocals
  • Taylor Pollert – engineer
  • Carole Rabinowitz – cello
  • Sari Reist – cello
  • Jordan Reynolds – background vocals
  • Tawgs Salter – programming
  • Gordie Sampson – acoustic guitar, background vocals
  • Andy Sheridan – piano, background vocals
  • Scott Skrzynski – mixing
  • Dave Spencer – engineer, producer, programming, synthesizer, bass synthesizer
  • Todd Tidwell – engineer, recording
  • Matt Utterback – double bass, background vocals
  • Kristin Wilkinson – viola
  • Karen Winnkelmann – violin

Adapted from AllMusic.[11]

Charts

Album

Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[12] 44

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions
US
Country Airplay
[13]
2019 "Heartbreak" 56

References

  1. ^ Krol, Jacklyn (August 14, 2019). "HUNTER HAYES ANNOUNCES 'WILD BLUE' ALBUM, RELEASES TITLE TRACK [LISTEN]". Taste of Country.
  2. ^ "Future Releases for Country Radio Stations". All Access Media. Archived from the original on February 16, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  3. ^ Newman, Melinda (August 14, 2019). "Hunter Hayes on His New Album, 'Wild Blue': 'What This Record Did for Me Was Something Pretty Profound'". Billboard.
  4. ^ Parton, Chris (August 16, 2019). "HUNTER HAYES TAKES FLIGHT WITH 'WILD BLUE (PART 1)' ALBUM". Sounds Like Nashville.
  5. ^ "HUNTER HAYES SOARS ON NEW ALBUM "WILD BLUE (PART I)"". Warner Music Nashville. August 14, 2019.
  6. ^ Watts, Cindy (August 14, 2019). "Hunter Hayes to drop 'Wild Blue,' surprise album of heartbreak, turbulence". The Tennessean.
  7. ^ Kruh, Nancy (August 16, 2019). "Hunter Hayes Hits 'Reset' with New Album: 'This Was My Chance to Start Over as If No One Was Watching'". People.
  8. ^ Hervoix, Lex (November 12, 2021). "Hunter Hayes Reveals Origins Behind 'Wild Blue Complete'". Stage Right Secrets.
  9. ^ Bjorke, Matt (September 4, 2019). "Top 10 Country Album Sales Chart: September 4, 2019". Roughstock. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  10. ^ Hudak, Joseph (August 15, 2019). "Hunter Hayes Previews Surprise Album 'Wild Blue' With Groove-Heavy Title Track". Rolling Stone.
  11. ^ "Hunter Hayes – Wild Blue, Pt. 1". AllMusic. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  12. ^ "Hunter Hayes Dupe 1 Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  13. ^ "Hunter Hayes Album & Song Chart History – Country Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2019.