Heartache Medication

Heartache Medication is the third studio album by American neotraditional country artist Jon Pardi. The album was released on September 27, 2019, via Capitol Nashville.[2] Following the success of 2016's California Sunrise, Pardi reteamed with co-producer Bart Butler and brought in Ryan Gore to work on new material for his next country album, carrying traditional content that evoked sad emotions but gave the listener good vibes at the same time. Heartache Medication debuted at numbers two and 11 on the Top Country Albums and Billboard 200 charts, respectively. It has spawned two singles: the title track (his third number-one country hit) and "Ain't Always the Cowboy".

Heartache Medication
Studio album by Jon Pardi
Released	September 27, 2019 (2019-09-27)
Studio	Various Back Stage Studio (Nashville) Sound Stage Studios (Nashville) Blackbird Studios (Nashville) Shelly's Honky Tonk and Maverick Recording (Nashville) Southern Ground (Nashville) The Creative Nation Attic (Nashville)
Genre	Neotraditional country
Length	49:54
Label	Capitol Nashville
Producer	Bart Butler Ryan Gore Jon Pardi
Jon Pardi chronology
California Sunrise (2016) Heartache Medication (2019)
Singles from Heartache Medication
"Heartache Medication" Released: May 20, 2019 "Ain't Always the Cowboy" Released: March 16, 2020[1]

Background

In late 2018 after wrapping up a summer tour with Luke Bryan Pardi had announced he was taking his time on releasing new music but to expect new music from him in the new year. At the time he hinted at a song written by and hopefully featuring fellow country star Miranda Lambert.[3]

One day after appearing on the 2019 season finale of American Idol, Pardi announced the album. Its lead single, the title track, was released May 20, 2019. Three additional tracks were also previewed ahead of the album's release—"Ain't Always the Cowboy", "Me and Jack", and "Tequila Little Time".[4]

Before the album's release, Pardi stated he named the album Heartache Medication because it contains sad topics intended to make the listener feel good at the same time.[5]

Commercial performance

Heartache Medication debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 11, and number two on the Top Country Albums chart with 34,000 units, 23,000 of which are in pure album sales.[6][7] On the Billboard 200, it left the top 100 on the week of November 2, 2019, spending eleven weeks on the chart.[8][9] The album has sold 52,500 copies in the United States as of March 2020,[10] and 161,000 units in total as of February 2020.[11] In Canada, it debuted and peaked at number 18 on the Canadian Albums chart for the week of October 11.[12]

Track listing

Adapted from Amazon.[13]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Old Hat"	Jeff Hyde Matt Jenkins Ryan Tyndell	3:14
2.	"Heartache Medication"	Jon Pardi Barry Dean Natalie Hemby	3:29
3.	"Nobody Leaves a Girl Like That"	Bart Butler Marv Green Jimmy Yeary	3:29
4.	"Ain't Always the Cowboy"	Brandon Kinney Josh Thompson	3:40
5.	"Me and Jack"	Pardi Rhett Akins Butler Luke Laird	4:51
6.	"Don't Blame It on Whiskey" (featuring Lauren Alaina)	Eric Church Michael P. Heeney Laird Miranda Lambert	3:42
7.	"Tied One On"	Butler Chase McGill Jamie Paulin	3:05
8.	"Oughta Know That"	Pardi Butler Laird	3:49
9.	"Tequila Little Time"	Pardi Akins Laird	3:27
10.	"Buy That Man a Beer"	Clint Daniels Justin Lantz John Pierce	3:15
11.	"Call Me Country"	Pardi Butler Driver Williams	3:49
12.	"Just Like Old Times"	Pardi Hyde Heeney	3:31
13.	"Love Her Like She's Leaving"	Butler Dean Dillon Jessie Jo Dillon	3:11
14.	"Starlight"	Pardi Butler Jeffrey Steele	3:21
Total length:			49:53

Personnel

Adapted from the album's liner notes.[14]

Vocals

• Lauren Alaina – featured vocals on "Don't Blame It on the Whiskey"
• Jeff Hyde – background vocals
• Jon Pardi – lead vocals, background vocals
• Russell Terrell – background vocals

Production

Bart Butler – producer Dan Davis – assistant engineer Ryan Gore – producer, mixing Ted Jensen – mastering

Scott Johnson – production assistance Kam Luchterhand – assistant engineer Seth Morton – assistant engineer Chris Small – digital editing

Instruments

Dave Cohen – accordion, banjo, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, mandolin, piano, strings, vibraphone, Wurlitzer Howard Duck – piano Andy Ellison – pedal steel guitar Jeneé Fleenor – fiddle Lee Francis – bass guitar Ryan Gore – percussion, programming Mike Haynes – trumpet

Mike Johnson – dobro, pedal steel guitar Luke Laird – programming, synthesizer John Lancaster – Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer, Wurlitzer Rob McNelley – electric guitar Miles McPherson – drums, percussion, timbales Jon Pardi – electric guitar Danny Rader – acoustic guitar

Imagery

• Jon Pardi – art direction
• Karen Naff – art direction and design
• Jim Wright – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2019) Peak position Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)[15] 17 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[16] 18 US Billboard 200[17] 11 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[18] 2

Year-end charts Chart (2019) Position US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[19] 59

References

1. Houghton, Cillea (March 5, 2020). "Jon Pardi Flips Cowboy Heartbreak on Its Head With 'Ain't Always the Cowboy' [Listen] Read More: Jon Pardi's 'Ain't Always the Cowboy' Carries Traditional Torch". Taste of Country. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
2. Houghton, Cillea. "Jon Pardi Announces New Album and Single, 'Heartache Medication'". Taste of Country.
3. Carr, Courtney. "Jon Pardi's Next Album Will Include a Song Written By (and Hopefully Sung With) Miranda Lambert". The Boot.
4. Freeman, Jon; Freeman, Jon (May 20, 2019). "Jon Pardi Previews New Album 'Heartache Medication' With Twangy Title Track".
5. Moore, Bobby (September 23, 2019). "Everything We Know About Jon Pardi's New Album 'Heartache Medication'". The Boot. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
6. "Billboard 200: October 12, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
7. Asker, Jim (October 8, 2019). "Whiskey Myers Scores First Top Country Albums No. 1, Jon Pardi & Sturgill Simpson Debut in Top 3". Billboard.
8. "Billboard 200: November 2, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
9. "Billboard 200: February 22, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
10. Bjorke, Matt (March 10, 2020). "Top 10 Country Albums Pure Sales Chart: March 9, 2020". Roughstock. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
11. Bjorke, Matt (February 10, 2020). "Country Music's Most-Consumed Album Chart: February 10, 2020". Roughstock. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
12. "Jon Pardi – Billboard Canadian Albums – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
13. "Heartache Medication by Jon Pardi on Amazon Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
14. Heartache Medication (booklet). Jon Pardi. Capitol Nashville. 2019. B0030574-02.CS1 maint: others (link)
15. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. October 7, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
16. "The Beatles Chart In A Post Malone World". FYIMusicNews. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
17. "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (1/3)". Billboard on Twitter. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
18. "Jon Pardi Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
19. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2020.