We take you behind the scenes and explore the making of one of our favorite tunes with The Song Remembers When…
Song: “Outskirts”
Songwriters: Sam Hunt, Josh Osborne, Jerry Flowers, and Zach Crowell
Album: Locked Up (EP)
Sam Hunt’s most recent number one hit, “Outskirts,” was written four years before it was released.
In 2019, Sam was on a writing trip when he wrote “Outskirts” as well as “Kinfolks.” At the time, Sam was already married to Hannah Lee Fowler. He’s often said that it’s harder for him to write a song about heartbreak when he’s feeling happy. So, in order to write “Outskirts,” he had to think about how his life would’ve gone had he not married Hannah. So, he approached “Outskirts” from the perspective of a single guy who chose the “solo road.”
As Sam played it during his shows throughout the Summer of 2023, he was able to see the reaction from the crowd. But, it wasn’t until early this year, that the song really took off on radio.
“Outskirts” peaked at the top of the chart in April becoming Sam’s tenth chart-topper. Its three-week run at number one matches a career best for Sam. In 2017, “Body Like a Back Road” also logged three weeks at the top.