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Chris Stapleton on writing a hit song: “I trust people”

By Cillea Houghton Jan 17, 2022 | 10:00 AM


ABC

Chris Stapleton has written several hit songs for himself and other artists, but he admits he’s never quite sure which song will land at the top of the charts. 

Among the hits Chris has penned include Thomas Rhett‘s “Crash and Burn,” the nostalgic “Drink a Beer” by Luke Bryan and “Come Back Song” by Darius Rucker, alongside his own hits like “Broken Halos” and “Millionaire.” Despite all his songwriting success, Chris says he doesn’t rely on his own opinion about whether or not a song is it hit, rather leaving it up to his fans to decide. 

“I don’t think I ever know that. The win is finishing the song. And there are a lot of songwriters who will claim that they know. ‘I knew this…when we wrote this one that it was a six-week number one and I was going to get a big giant check in the mail.’ I really just think those guys are full of s***,'” Chris explains on 60 Minutes.

“I don’t think anybody knows that,” he adds. “You can’t possibly know how everybody’s going to feel about a song that you write. That’s impossible to know. I don’t trust computer research or phone surveys or anything like that. You have to take it to the people. I trust people. And I trust people who have taste.” 

It looks like the powerhouse singer may have another hit on his hands as his current single, “You Should Probably Leave,” is close to claiming the #1 spot on country radio. 

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