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Smoke Break

"Smoke Break"
Carrie Underwood - Smoke Break (Official Single Cover).png
Single by Carrie Underwood
from the album Storyteller
Released August 21, 2015 (2015-08-21)
Format Digital download
Recorded 2015
Genre Country rock
Length 3:18
Label Arista Nashville
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Jay Joyce
Carrie Underwood singles chronology
"Little Toy Guns"
(2015)
"Smoke Break"
(2015)
"Heartbeat"
(2015)

"Smoke Break" is a song recorded by American country music artist Carrie Underwood from her fifth studio album, Storyteller. It was released on August 21, 2015, through Sony Music Nashville, as the album's lead single. It was written by Underwood, Chris DeStefano, and Hillary Lindsey, and was produced by Jay Joyce. Musically, it has lyrics about escaping life's many stresses.

"Smoke Break" was met with critical acclaim, with music critics describing it as "a homage to hard working people in need of a breather". It quickly became a commercial success, setting an all-time record for the largest first-week adds at country radio. It went on to reach number one on the Billboard Canada Country chart and number two on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in the US, becoming her 20th top-two single on the chart.

The song's accompanying music video was directed by Randee St. Nicholas and won the 2016 CMT Music Award for Female Video of the Year. The song received its first televised performance at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, on September 10, 2015.

"Smoke Break" is a country rock song that critics have described as "a homage to hard working people in need of a breather". It has lyrics about escaping life's many stresses. About the writing process, Underwood stated that she, Chris DeStefano and Hillary Lindsey "were writing and kept taking breaks to go outside because we were getting a little stuck on a song we were already working on. It was so beautiful outside that we had a hard time focusing, so we decided to write a song about taking breaks! 'Smoke Break' seemed like a great title, so we ran with it!".

"Smoke Break" has received rave reviews from music critics. Grady Smith of UK's The Guardian acclaimed it, by stating "among all the great music we've been treated to this summer, no song has carried more significance than Carrie Underwood’s excellent new single 'Smoke Break'. Here we have an A-list star releasing an unabashed country rock song that isn't trying to chase any sonic trends". He also added that Underwood "has emerged as the leader of country music". Denise Quan of Rolling Stone praised the song, saying that the singer "pays homage to hard working people in need of a breather" and adding that Underwood puts "a bit more twang in her vocals than usual — a welcome dose of laid-back country cool after a string of glossy, high-octane arena rockers and soaring ballads". Jason Lipshutz of Billboard awarded it 3.5 starts out of a possible five, noting Underwood's departure from previous material and stating that "the normally overpolished American Idol winner wears the song's blue-collar country-rock vibe well". Hugh McIntyre of Forbes praised it, saying its lines evokes "some pretty sentimental themes that likely connect with a lot of people" and the song "has the makings of another runaway hit on radio".


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