2024 MusicRow Awards Category Profile: Song Of The Year
Following the announcement of this year’s nominees for the 36th annual MusicRow Awards, presented by City National Bank, we take a closer look at the Song of the Year category.
The nominees honor Nashville writers and publishers on the craft of songwriting, not necessarily chart performance, during the eligibility period of June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024.
This year’s winners will be announced online on all MusicRow platforms on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
Click here to see the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.
Winners are determined solely by MusicRow Magazine subscribers. Voting is now open and closes on Aug. 9 at 5:00 p.m. To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, becoming a MusicRow subscriber here.
“Bigger Houses”
“Bigger Houses,” the title track from Dan + Shay’s latest album, explores the age-old saying that money doesn’t buy happiness. Written by the duo’s Dan Smyers alongside Andy Albert, Jordan Minton and Jordan Reynolds, the tune shares that we tend to focus on keeping up with the Jonses, but in reality, that goal is never attainable. “You’re never gonna fill an empty cup, if what you got’s still not enough,” the duo sing. “The thing about happiness I’ve found is, it don’t live in bigger houses.” As the song winds on, Dan+ Shay point the focus towards the little things that make us rich, like the sound of children’s footsteps, swinging on a porch swing with the love of your life and dogs playing in the back yard. “Bigger Houses” is currently rising at country radio, proving to be a commercial hit as well as a timeless anthem.
“Dirt Cheap”
Solo-penned by Josh Phillips and recorded by Cody Johnson, “Dirt Cheap” is an emotional reminder that there’s no place like home. The song tells the story of a farmer who is approached by land developers wanting to buy his property. When asked his price, the farmer says his home is priceless because of the memories made on the land. He recalls his little girl playing on the swing, and remembers his family dog who is buried in the yard. “Over there is where I got down on one knee,” Johnson sings. “You can’t buy that kind of dirt cheap.” The tune serves as a single from Johnson’s Leather album, and is currently top 10-and-climbing at country radio. The impressively-written “Dirt Cheap” serves as both a fan and industry favorite.
“Good News Sold”
Recorded and released by Jordan Davis and written by his brother Jacob Davis with Cole Taylor and Jordan Rowe, “Good News Sold” captures the overwhelm we all feel by the heavy headlines on the news. With stories about war, political unrest, financial crises and more so constant, keeping up with current events can be depressing. But Davis challenges that, “If good news sold, the world wouldn’t seem so bad.” He sings his own headlines: a woman beating stage four cancer, a couple rejoicing in their pregnancy after fertility issues and a solider coming home and surprising his little boy. “Turnin’ the TV on and checkin’ your phone wouldn’t ever get old, if good news sold,” he sings, and he’s right.
“No Caller ID”
“No Caller ID” finds breakout star Megan Moroney in a vulnerable place we’ve all been: staring at a blocked number calling you late at night and knowing exactly who it is. Written by Moroney with Connie Harrington, Jessi Alexander and Jessie Jo Dillon, she sings about finally getting back on her feet after a breakup when she gets a call from you-know who at 3 a.m. She resents the cycle, singing about when she picks up, she gets a “half-ass sorry” and an insincere check-in. “Don’t you get tired of hurtin’ me?” she asks, adding “I’m tired of hurtin’ me, so I let it ring.” The track resonated deeply with fans, becoming an early streaming hit from Moroney’s recently released sophomore album Am I Okay?
“Where The Wild Things Are”
Luke Combs recorded the Randy Montana and Dave Turnbull-penned “Where The Wild Things Are” for his Gettin’ Old album and fans went “wild” for it. The song tells the story of brothers; the older, a free spirit who takes his Indian Scout motorcycle to California. When the younger brother calls his big bro up, he talks about “the desert and the Joshua Tree,” and tells “pretty girl stories.” By the second verse, the younger brother goes to visit and observes his carefree lifestyle, and though he has fun, chooses to move back home. The ending of the song delivers the terrible news that his older brother had a motorcycle wreck. “We buried him out in the wind beneath the West Coast stars, out where the wild things are,” Combs sums, breaking our hearts as the song ends.
“Your Place”
Ashley Cooke delivers the ultimate double entendre with “Your Place,” written with Jordan Minton and Mark Trussell. She opens the song by reminding her ex that her Jeep isn’t in his driveway anymore nor is her toothbrush on his sink. He’s been calling her drunk at 2 a.m. and asking her friends if she’s seeing someone, leading Cooke to proclaim, “It ain’t your place to walk up, say hey, ask how I’ve been at some party.” In the ultimate tell-off, she sings, “You don’t get to care where I’m waking up these days. It ain’t your place.” The track set the tone for Cooke’s skillful songwriting, serving as the lead single for her debut album Shot In The Dark.
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