"Kinfolks" is a song recorded by American country music singer Sam Hunt, released as a single on October 11, 2019. It is the third single from Hunt's second studio album Southside. It is Hunt's ninth single release, and he co-wrote it with Zach Crowell, Jerry Flowers, and Josh Osborne. It debuted at number 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and ultimately peaked at number 34.

"Kinfolks"
Single by Sam Hunt
from the album Southside
ReleasedOctober 11, 2019 (2019-10-11)
GenreCountry pop
Length3:01
LabelMCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Zach Crowell
Sam Hunt singles chronology
"Downtown's Dead"
(2018)
"Kinfolks"
(2019)
"Hard to Forget"
(2020)

Critical reception

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The track was described by Sterling Whitaker of Taste of Country as a "traditional-themed love song about wanting a lover to meet the family and see the places and faces most important to you" as well as a "progressive musical track features the kind of spoken-work, not-quite-rapping verses Hunt is best known for".[1] Writing for Rolling Stone, Jon Freeman described the song as featuring "acoustic guitar arpeggios that lead into big, bright choruses of banjo, vocal snippets, and wah-wah guitar", also calling it "not too far afield from the all-embracing sound that made his debut Montevallo such a compelling listen".[2]

Commercial performance

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"Kinfolks" debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart based on three and a half day of availability after its release to radio, which equals the debut of his previous single, "Downtown's Dead".[3] It was the second best-selling country song the following week, with 13,000 copies sold, in addition to the 2,000 copies sold when it was released for sale late the previous week.[4] It reached No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay on chart dated February 29, 2020.[5] It is also the first country song to top the Country Airplay chart on Leap Day since Garth Brooks' "What She's Doing Now" stayed for the third week in 1992, as well as Hunt's first number one since "Body Like a Back Road" in 2017. It has sold 72,000 copies in the United States as of March 2020.[6]

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[17] Platinum 80,000
United States (RIAA)[18] 2× Platinum 2,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Whitaker, Sterling (October 10, 2019). "Sam Hunt's New Single, 'Kinfolks,' Is a Down-Home Love Song". Taste of Country. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  2. ^ Freeman, Jon (October 10, 2019). "Hear Sam Hunt's New Song 'Kinfolks'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  3. ^ Asker, Jim (October 15, 2019). "Brantley Gilbert's 'Fire' Ignites at No. 1 On Top Country Albums, Sam Hunt Returns to Country Airplay".
  4. ^ Bjorke, Matt (October 21, 2019). "Top 30 Digital Country Downloads: October 21, 2019". RoughStock. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  5. ^ Asker, Jim (February 25, 2020). "Sam Hunt Nets Sixth Country Airplay No. 1 With 'Kinfolks'". Billboard.
  6. ^ Bjorke, Matt (March 4, 2020). "Top 30 Digital Country Singles Sales Chart: March 2, 2020". Rough Stock. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  7. ^ "Country Hot 50: Issue 1265". The Music Network. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Sam Hunt Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  9. ^ "Sam Hunt Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  10. ^ "Sam Hunt Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  11. ^ "Sam Hunt Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  12. ^ "Sam Hunt Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  13. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. October 11, 2019. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  15. ^ "Country Airplay Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  16. ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  17. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Sam Hunt – Kinfolks". Music Canada. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  18. ^ "American single certifications – Sam Hunt – Kinfolks". Recording Industry Association of America. June 20, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2021.