Back To Us

''Back to Us'' is the tenth studio album by American country music trio Rascal Flatts. It was released on May 19, 2017 through Big Machine Records. The group produced the album themselves, save one track on the deluxe edition, which was produced by Busbee. " Yours If You Want It" was released in January 2017 as the album's lead single, followed by the title track "Back to Us" in August of the same year. The album serves as a follow-up to 2014's ''Rewind''. ''Back to Us'' earned the group their twelfth top-10 album on the ''Billboard'' Top Country Albums chart. A deluxe edition of the album also includes the songs "Hands Talk," "Thieves," and "Roller Rink."

This is the group's first album not to be produced by Dann Huff since 2004's ''Feels Like Today''. To date, it is also the band's last full-length studio album released before their disbandment in 2021 and subsequent reformation in 2024.

Content

Country singer Lauren Alaina features on the track "Are You Happy Now", which was co-written by all three members of Rascal Flatts. "I Know You Won't" was previously recorded by Carrie Underwood on her 2007 album, '' Carnival Ride''.

Singles

The record's lead single, " Yours If You Want It", was released on January 9, 2017. One of the song's writers, Andrew Dorff, died shortly before its release. Another single "Back to Us" was released on August 21, 2017.

Commercial performance

''Back to Us'' debuted at number 11 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart dated June 10, 2017 with 30,000 album equivalent units (of which 25,000 were traditional album sales). The album also entered the Top Country Albums chart the same week at number 2, earning the group their twelfth top-10 album. The album has sold 68,600 copies in the US as of December 2017. The album did reach No. 1 on the Australian country album charts upon release.

Critical reception

The album received positive reviews. Lauren Laffer of ''Sounds Like Nashville'' spoke positively of the album, saying, "The 10 tracks within the project feature Gary LeVox’s distinctive warm and emotive vocals while Jay DeMarcus' production skills only amplify Joe Don Rooney's guitar chops. Rascal Flatts continue to prove their staying power with ''Back to Us''."

Track listing

;Notes
* All songs produced by Rascal Flatts except "Hands Talk", produced by busbee.

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic

Rascal Flatts
* Jay DeMarcus – acoustic piano, keyboards, synthesizers, Moog bass, programming, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo, bass guitar, horn arrangements, backing vocals
* Gary LeVox – lead vocals
* Joe Don Rooney – electric guitar, backing vocals

Additional Musicians
* Casey Brown – programming
* Dave Cohen – keyboards
* David Dorn – keyboards
* Rob McNelley – electric guitar
* Danny Rader – acoustic guitar, bouzouki, mandolin
* Travis Toy – steel guitar
* Dorian Crozier – drums
* Evan Hutchings – drums
* Jim Riley – drums
* Jimmy Bowland – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone
* Chris McDonald – trombone, horn arrangements
* Jeff Bailey – trumpet
* Steve Patrick – trumpet
* Carole Rabinowitz – cello
* Betsy Lamb – viola
* Kristin Wilkinson – viola, string arrangements
* David Angell – violin
* Zeneba Bowers – violin
* David Davidson – violin
* Conni Ellisor – violin
* Lauren Alaina – lead and harmony vocals on "Are You Happy Now"

Production

* Allison Jones – A&R
* Rascal Flatts – producers
* busbee – producer on "Hands Talk"
* Derek Bason – engineer, mixing, digital editing
* Sean Neff – engineer, digital editing
* Justin Niebank – mixing
* Nick Lane – assistant engineer
* Bryce Roberts – assistant engineer
* Chris Small – assistant engineer, mix assistant
* David Huff – digital editing
* Adam Ayan – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine)
* Mike "Frog" Griffith – production coordinator
* Laurel Kittleson – production coordinator
* Janet Soled – production coordinator
* Sandi Spika Borchetta – art direction, design
* Becky Reiser – art direction, design
* David McClister – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history

References

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2017 albums
Rascal Flatts albums
Big Machine Records albums