Hero (Maren Morris album)
| Hero | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Studio album by Maren Morris | ||||
| Released | June 3, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2015–16 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 37:49 | |||
| Label | Columbia Nashville | |||
| Producer |
|
|||
| Maren Morris chronology | ||||
|
||||
| Singles from Hero | ||||
|
||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| PopMatters | 7/10 |
| Spin | 7/10 |
Hero is the major label debut studio album by American singer Maren Morris, released on June 3, 2016, through Columbia Nashville. It marks Morris' first release on a major label and her fourth overall. The album debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart and was nominated for Best Country Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. It received mostly positive reviews from music critics and is considered by many publications as one of 2016's best albums.
In August 2015, Morris self-released five songs as a self-titled extended play, Maren Morris, on Spotify. The songs gained 2.5 million streams on Spotify in a month, with three songs appearing in Spotify's US and Global "Viral 50" chart. The success of Morris' EP attracted the interest of major labels, and she became signed to Columbia Nashville in September 2015. The label then re-released the 5-song EP on November 6, 2015 with "My Church" the lead single.
"My Church" would become a success on the chart, reaching number 5 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The success of "My Church" was followed by the release of the Morris' first major label album release, Hero. The songs from the EP are included in this album release with the exception of "Company You Keep". The additional songs in the album were co-written with Chris DeStefano, Natalie Hemby, Shane McAnally, and others. Morris has writing credits on all the songs in the album.
Hero was well received by most music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised Morris' inventiveness and how she "skillfully slides between styles, blurring distinctions between genre and eras". Erlewine felt that the album "belongs to the digital era but it's the songs – smart, sharp, and hooky – that make this a great modern country album, regardless of genre." Jon Caramanica of The New York Times considered the album an outstanding country music debut, and "perhaps the canniest country record in recent memory." Caramanica thought Morris an "astute synthesizer" of various styles, and found the album to be "both utterly of its moment and also savvy enough to indicate how the future might sound." He also noted the profanity in some of the songs that Morris used "fluently, casually, and effectively, which is to say, you hardly notice at all as she's breaking what may be country's last remaining taboo."Sounds Like Nashville referred to Morris’ songwriting talent, powerful vocals and eclectic music style that made Hero one of the most unique and enjoyable releases of 2016.
...
Wikipedia