[Update]: Garth Brooks’ ‘Friends in Low Places’ Remake, Album Reissue Halted

Garth Brooks

[Update]:

One day after the news broke that Garth Brooks has recorded a remake of his 1990 classic “Friends In Low Places,” plans for the song’s release hit a snag.

According to Billboard, plans were in place for an unnamed, non-traditional retailer to purchase a minimum of 1 million units of a 25th anniversary edition of Brooks’ No Fences, anchored by the “Friends in Low Places” remake, which includes George Strait, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, and Keith Urban. However, the release with the third-party retailer depended on publishers agreeing to a discounted royalty rate in exchange for a guaranteed 1 million units purchased.

Some publishers did not agree to the requested discount price. Because of favored nation clauses, this would force the deal to go through with all publishers receiving the higher royalty rate, which Brooks said placed the price above the retailer’s budget. Brooks told Billboard that publishers did not agree to the discount in order to protect their writers.

“They said to protect the songwriters,” he told the magazine. “I respect that. That’s been my whole thing since day one; you have to protect the songwriters.”

With negotiations halted, Brooks stated that he accepts the blame for assuming all publishers would accept the deal. “This is 100% my fault. I’ve done this deal for 20 years,” he said. “I know how this deal works. What caught me off guard—I just never guessed—is that the rate would go up.”

[Original post, Sept. 3, 2015, 10:22 a.m.]

Garth Brooks has recorded a remake of his 1990 classic, “Friends in Low Places,” with an all-star lineup, MusicRow confirms. George Strait, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line all took part in the recording process.

“Everyone was truly kind and great to work with – a real joy,” says Brooks’ representative.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of “Friends in Low Places,” the first single from Brooks’ sophomore Capitol Nashville project, No Fences. After spending multiple weeks atop the country charts, the song took home Single of the Year honors from both the Academy of Country Music (1990) and the Country Music Association (1991). “Friends,” written by DeWayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee, became Brooks’ signature tune, and a mainstay in his concerts.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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