Midland (band)
Midland | |
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![]() Midland in concert at the New York State Fair in 2019 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Dripping Springs, Texas, U.S. |
Genres | Neotraditional country[1] |
Years active | 2016–present |
Labels | Big Machine |
Members |
|
Website | midlandofficial |
Midland is an American country music group formed in 2016 in Dripping Springs, Texas. The members are Mark Wystrach (lead vocals), Jess Carson (guitar, background vocals), and Cameron Duddy (bass guitar, background vocals). In addition to their roles in the band, Wystrach is an actor and model, and Duddy is a music video director. Through Big Machine Records, the band has released a self-titled EP and two studio albums, On the Rocks and Let It Roll, which have accounted for four charted singles on the Billboard country music charts: "Drinkin' Problem", "Make a Little", "Burn Out", and "Mr. Lonely". Midland's musical styles and images are defined by neotraditional country and country rock influences.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Mark_Wystrach.jpg/220px-Mark_Wystrach.jpg)
Named after the Dwight Yoakam song "Fair to Midland", the band was founded in Dripping Springs, Texas. The trio met separately around Los Angeles, where Carson and Duddy had formed an earlier band. Duddy and Wystrach met and formed a band after Carson left L.A., but the trio met up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for Duddy’s wedding in August 2013. Both Wystrach and Carson acted as groomsmen.[2] As Duddy recalls the story, Carson and Wystrach arrived in Jackson Hole for the wedding a week early. After playing songs together on the front porch of Carson’s cabin and at the dinner rehearsal, they decided to form the band. After Duddy's honeymoon, they went to Sonic Ranch in El Paso, TX; as stated by Wystrach, "When we went to the Sonic Ranch, we became a band. We walked away believing in what had happened". The band later decided to rebase in Texas.[3][4]
Cameron Duddy started playing music after a difficult situation in his family; he found music helped to lessen the tension, saying, "Sometimes you don’t get to talk about all the things that you maybe want to talk about, and the icebreaker started to be music." He got his first guitar from his father, an Epiphone, which he says "helped me find my identity."[5] Duddy worked as a music video director and won an MTV Video Music Award after directing the video for "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars.[6]
Jess Carson grew up on a farm in Oregon, where country music was the main genre. His sister and his father were musicians, so after some years he started to play guitar. Around twenty years old, he would play songs from rock bands such as Nirvana.[7][5]
Lead singer Mark Wystrach grew up surrounded by music as his parents were fans of live music. His father was an immigrant living in Los Angeles, and listened to R&B and rock music. His mother grew up on a ranch near Tucson, Arizona. Before the band's foundation, Wystrach was an actor and underwear model.[2][5]
Midland's first song, "Fourteen Gears", was released "around 2015. The song, according to Duddy, "was another one of the early moments that defined and solidified the creation of this band".[8][9]
2016–present: Midland EP, On the Rocks, and Let It Roll
On March 9, 2016, the trio signed to Big Machine Records and released the Midland EP featuring a debut single, "Drinkin' Problem", which has charted on Billboard's Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay. The band wrote the song with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, the former of whom also produced it.[10] Duddy directed the song's music video.[11] Their debut album On the Rocks was released in September 22, 2017, produced by Dann Huff, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, with "Make a Little" as its second single.[12] "Burn Out" was the third single, released in late 2018.[13]
In 2017, Midland was signed as an opening act for Tim McGraw's and Faith Hill's tours. They were nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2018: Grammy Award for Best Country Song and Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, both for "Drinkin’ Problem".[14]
Midland released the single "Mr. Lonely" in February 2019 as the leadoff single to a second album.[15] The album, Let It Roll, was released on August 23, 2019.[16] The band began a tour of the same name in June to support the album.[17]
Style and influences
Rolling Stone said that "the Texas-based band blend their voices to produce country music that recalls a mix of George Strait, Urban Cowboy and Seventies yacht rock." Billboard describes the band's sound as "a definite George Strait '80s New Traditionalist feel to it, combined with the rich California harmonies that made The Eagles legendary."[1] The band is also known for its dressing style such as performing in suits made by Ft. Lonesome chain stitchers, similar to the original Nudie Suits.[18] Vogue called Midland "equal parts heartthrobs and fashion risk takers."[19]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Country [20] |
US [21] |
AUS [22] |
CAN [23][24] |
UK [25] | ||||
On the Rocks |
|
2 | 20 | — | 45 | — |
| |
Let It Roll |
|
1 | 16 | 72 | 37 | 75 |
| |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Extended plays
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
US Heat [29] | |||
Midland |
|
18 |
|
Singles
Year | Title | Peak positions | Sales | Certifications | Album | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [31] |
US Country [32] |
US Country Airplay [33] |
CAN [34] |
CAN Country [35] | |||||
2017 | "Drinkin' Problem" | 45 | 4 | 3 | 98 | 1 |
|
On the Rocks | |
"Make a Little" | —[A] | 23 | 15 | — | 12 | ||||
2018 | "Burn Out" | 63 | 11 | 3 | — | 29 |
|
||
2019 | "Mr. Lonely" | — | 31 | 23 | — | 32 | Let It Roll | ||
2020 | "Cheatin' Songs" | — | — | — | — | — |
Notes
- ^ "Make a Little" did not enter the Hot 100, but peaked at number 21 on Bubbling Under Hot 100, which acts as a 25-song extension of the Hot 100.[38]
Music videos
Year | Video | Director |
---|---|---|
2017 | "Drinkin' Problem"[11] | Cameron Duddy |
"Make a Little"[40] | ||
2018 | "Burn Out" | TK McKamy[41] |
2019 | "Mr. Lonely" | Cameron Duddy[42] |
Other appearances
Year | Song | Artist | Album |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | "Boot Scootin' Boogie" | Brooks & Dunn | Reboot[43] |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Recipient/Work | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | CMT Music Awards | Group Video of the Year | "Drinkin’ Problem" | Nominated | [44][45] |
2018 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Duo/Group Performance | Nominated | [14] | |
2018 | Best Country Song | Nominated | [14] | ||
2018 | ACM Awards | New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year | Midland | Won | [46] |
Vocal Group of the Year | Midland | Nominated | |||
Single Record of the Year | "Drinkin' Problem" | Nominated | |||
2019 | CMT Music Awards | Group Video of the Year | "Burn Out" | Nominated | [47] |
References
- ^ a b Dauphin, Chuck (October 27, 2016). "Meet Midland, a Country Trio to Watch From Taylor Swift's Record Label: Exclusive Video". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- ^ a b Kimble, Lindsay (February 23, 2017). "Meet Midland: Five Things to Know About the Texas Country Trio". People. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
- ^ "Meet Midland, a Country Trio to Watch from Taylor Swift's Record Label: Exclusive Video". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
- ^ "Country trio Midland 'went all in' and came out on top with debut album 'On the Rocks'". Los Angeles Times. 2017-09-26. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
- ^ a b c "Who's New: Midland". Nash Country Daily. 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
- ^ Blumm, K.C. (September 5, 2013). "Cameron Duddy Marries Harper Smith". People. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ Alpert, Matt. "Band to Watch: Midland, A New Country Trio from Texas". Wide Open Country. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ アマルメンドアルタンホヤグ (2015-03-25), Midland - Fourteen Gears, retrieved 2018-01-18
- ^ "Q&A with MIDLAND – Coming To A Honky-Tonk Near You! | All Access Music". music.allaccess.com. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
- ^ McKenna, Britney (October 26, 2016). "Song Premiere: Midland, "Drinkin' Problem"". American Songwriter. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ a b Konicki, Lisa (February 24, 2017). "Country's Hippest New Trio, Midland, Reveals Lawbreaking New Video for "Drinkin' Problem"". Nash Country Daily. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ "Midland Taps into 80s Country Gold with 'Make A Little'". Wide Open country. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
- ^ Houghton, Cillea. "Midland's 'Burn Out' is a Prequel to 'Drinkin' Problem'". Taste of Country.
- ^ a b c "Grammys 2018: See the Complete List of Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
- ^ Moss, Marissa R.; Moss, Marissa R. (March 29, 2019). "Midland Play the Lothario in Mischievous New Song 'Mr. Lonely'".
- ^ Liptak, Carena. "Midland's Sophomore Album Is Coming This Summer!". The Boot.
- ^ Carena Liptak (August 20, 2019). "Everything we know about Midland's new album, Let It Roll". The Boot. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "CMT Awards 2017: 10 Best and Worst Moments". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
- ^ "Midland Does High-Fashion Country At The Grammys". 2018. Vogue. Accessed February 22 2018. https://www.vogue.com/article/midland-2018-grammy-awards-red-carpet-country-style.
- ^ "Midland > Chart History > Top Country Albums". Billboard.
- ^ "Midland > Chart History > Billboard 200". Billboard.
- ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #540". auspOp. August 31, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- ^ "Billboard Canadian Albums". Billboard. October 14, 2017.
- ^ "Billboard Canadian Albums". Billboard. September 7, 2019.
- ^ "Midland | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- ^ "Country Trio Midland Offer New Album Details, Reveal Release Date: Video Interview". Billboard.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ Bjorke, Matt (March 5, 2019). "Top 10 Country Albums: March 5, 2019". Roughstock. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Top 10 Country Albums Pure Sales Chart: November 24, 2019". Roughstock. November 24, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- ^ "Midland – Chart history (Top Heatseekers)". Billboard.com.
- ^ Bjorke, Matt (August 29, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: August 28, 2017". Roughstock.com.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 results for Midland". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ "Midland – Chart history (Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ^ "Midland – Chart history (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ^ "Midland – Chart history Canadian Hot 100". Billboard.
- ^ "Canada Country results for Midland". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- ^ a b Bjorke, Matt (March 9, 2019). "Top 30 Digital Country Tracks: March 11, 2019". Roughstock. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
- ^ "American single certifications – Midland – Drinkin' Problem". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 peaks". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ^ "American single certifications – Midland – Burn Out". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "'Make a Little' music video". CMT. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
- ^ "Midland – 'Burn Out'". CMT. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
- ^ "Dennis Quaid Plays 'Mr. Lonely' in Midland's New Music Video". Taste of Country. April 30, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
- ^ "Reboot". AllMusic. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
- ^ "CMT Music Awards 2017 Nominees Announced". Us Weekly. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
- ^ "CMT Music Awards 2017: Complete list of winners". Global News. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
- ^ "Lauren Alaina, Brett Young and Midland named early winners at the ACM Awards". Tennessean. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
- ^ Freeman, Jon (6 June 2019). "2019 CMT Music Awards: The Complete Winners List". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 July 2019.