"Starting Over" is a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter
Chris Stapleton
Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to ...
, released on August 28, 2020 as the lead single from his
fourth studio album of the same name, released on November 13, 2020. The song features background vocals from Stapleton's wife
Morgane.
Background
In late August 2020, Stapleton wiped all his social media pages clean. On August 26, he posted a cryptic video and the following day previewed the track, along with another song titled "Watch You Burn",
while also announcing that his next album would be titled ''Starting Over''. The song is Stapleton's first single since 2018's "
Millionaire", although, during his break, he collaborated with other artists, including
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
,
Pink, and
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with ...
.
Stapleton played the track while on tour in late 2019.
It was written by him and his SteelDrivers bandmate
Mike Henderson.
Stapleton performed the song live for the first time at the
54th Annual Country Music Association Awards
The 54th Annual Country Music Association Awards were held on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee and was hosted by CMA Award winners Darius Rucker and Reba McEntire.
Background
Darius Rucker is t ...
.
Composition
"Starting Over" carries a "raw, stripped down and vulnerable" theme,
with Stapleton singing of looking for new horizons, in "perpetual motion".
The love song fuses acoustic guitar chords and a percussive shake, while drummer Derek Mixon delivers a "brushed" snare rhythm, which ''
Rolling Stone''s Joseph Hudak said evokes
Willie Nelson's version of "
City of New Orleans". The song is reminiscent of Stapleton's rustic sound, aided by the
Hammond B3 organ played by
Benmont Tench.
Critical reception
''
Rolling Stone''s Joseph Hudak highlighted the single, stating it "is for a new day and, like its title implies, a fresh start", while noting that Stapleton "admits, the road is long and hard, but with loved ones by our side
..we'll get where we're going".
''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''s Jason Lipshutz listed it among the most essential releases of the week, and, referencing the
COVID-19 pandemic, said the song is "designed for this moment, an exhalation in the middle of an anxiety-stricken year, with Stapleton's gruff voice providing hope for a better future".
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Chris Stapleton
2020 singles
2020 songs
Chris Stapleton songs
Songs written by Chris Stapleton
Song recordings produced by Dave Cobb
Mercury Nashville singles