''21'' is the second
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. by American country music artist
Hunter Hayes
Hunter Easton Hayes (born September 9, 1991) is an American multi-genre singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is proficient at more than 30 instruments.
Hayes released his self-titled debut album in 2011. It reache ...
, released to
streaming services on August 7, 2015.
It is expected to be made available to digital retailers at a later date and serves as a prelude to Hayes's forthcoming third studio album, scheduled for released in the fall of 2015.
''21'' includes all of the digital-only
singles releases from Hayes
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
-exclusive "The Drop" campaign, led by the project's
eponymous
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
lead single, "
21", released on May 21, 2015.
[
]
Background and conception
In May 2015, Hayes released his then-new single, "21", exclusively to streaming service Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
(and, later, digital music platform iTunes). The distribution strategy was part of an experiment to inspire country music to adapt to the digital era, as Hayes explained in an interview with '' Billboard'', and as a way to "get music to the fans in a quicker and more exciting fashion." He unveiled plans to release a series of digital-exclusive singles, with no proper album planned at the time.[ This campaign became known as "The Drop."][ Hayes told ''Billboard'' that "this urrentmusic wasn't created with an album in mind," but his management team confirmed to the magazine that a conventional physical album was expected to be released in the fall of 2015.][ After the first four singles were released individually, they were incorporated into a six-track ]extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. along with the final two tracks of Hayes's "The Drop" campaign; this collection, titled ''21'', was released on Spotify on August 7, 2015.[
]
Promotion
Hayes will embark upon the 21 Tour in the fall of 2015, visiting 21 cities across the United States in support of the EP and its eponymous single.
Singles
" 21" was released to Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
and country radio on May 21, 2015 as the lead single from the EP and forthcoming album; it was released to digital retailers on May 26, 2015. As of August 2015, it was the third-most streamed country song on Spotify.[ The single has so far peaked within the top 30 on both Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay, as well as number 14 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles extension chart.
]
Other songs
Three other songs were issued as promotional single
A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
s to Spotify and then to iTunes – "Where It All Begins", featuring Lady Antebellum
Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006. The group is composed of Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals, guitar) ...
, on June 8, 2015; "Young and in Love" on June 23, 2015; and "Someday Girl" on July 10, 2015.
Track listing
;Notes
* Hayes is given an honorary co-writing credit for his changes to the arrangement.
Charts
Singles
Other songs
"Where It All Begins" also charted at number 45 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart in July 2015.[
]
References
{{Hunter Hayes
2015 EPs
Hunter Hayes EPs
Atlantic Records albums
Albums produced by Dann Huff