"Burn It Down" is a song by American country music singer Parker McCollum. It was released on June 19, 2023, as the second single from his fourth studio album Never Enough.[1] The song was written by McCollum and the Love Junkies (Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose) and produced by Jon Randall.
| "Burn It Down" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Parker McCollum | ||||
| from the album Never Enough | ||||
| Released | June 19, 2023 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | MCA Nashville | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Jon Randall | |||
| Parker McCollum singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Burn It Down" on YouTube | ||||
Background
editDuring a writing session that Parker McCollum hosted at his Nashville home on September 27, 2022, he confided to Liz Rose that he did not feel like writing anything. When he and the Love Junkies began their session, they spent about half an hour talking and strumming guitars. McCollum developed a groove and repeated the phrase "burn it down", eventually filling in extra lines after each repetition.
They wrote much of the chorus, before shifting back to the beginning and working on the verses, and made a guitar/vocal work tape at the end of the session. Hillary Lindsey provided harmony, singing "burn it, burn it" ahead of the third chorus. McCollum brought the recording to Jon Randall, who helped with the instrumental along with session player Jedd Hughes and engineer F. Reid Shippen.[2]
Composition
editThe song is about a person ending a relationship with a former significant other and removing everything that brings to mind the good times they had together.[3] The narrator is in a house full of said memories; in the first verse, the goodbye is scattered across the lawn, while the second verse focuses on the bed and its related feelings.[2] More than two minutes through the song, a guitar solo is played.[2][3]
Music video
editAn official music video was released on May 12, 2023. Directed by Dustin Haney and filmed in the desert of New Mexico, it opens with Parker McCollum wandering in the desert. As the guitar solo starts, he is seen performing with a band, with pyrotechnics in the background.[3]
Charts
edit| Chart (2023–2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Country Hot 50 (The Music)[4] | 23 |
| Canada Country (Billboard)[5] | 4 |
| UK Country Airplay (Radiomonitor)[6] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 42 |
| US Country Airplay (Billboard)[8] | 1 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[9] | 7 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[10] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ ""Future Releases for Country Radio Stations | New Music Artist Free Song"". February 19, 2024. Archived from the original on June 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ a b c Roland, Tom (August 1, 2023). "How Parker McCollum's 'Burn It Down' Matched Its Smoldering Music and Message". Billboard. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ a b c Cox, Brady (May 15, 2023). "The Pyrotechnics Were In Full Force For Parker McCollum's New "Burn It Down" Music Video". Whiskey Riff. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Countrytown Hot 50 – 2024, Week 20". Countrytown. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "Parker McCollum Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ Eames, Tom (March 11, 2024). "Conner Smith tops UK's first ever Country Radio Airplay Chart". Smooth Radio.
- ^ "Parker McCollum Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "Parker McCollum Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Parker McCollum Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
- ^ "American single certifications – Parker McCollum – Burn It Down". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 17, 2024.