To say that country newcomers Florida Georgia Line are a breakout group would be an understatement. The popular duo’s debut album, Here’s to the Good Times, clinched the highest album sales of 2012 for a new country artist. Florida Georgia Line is a country music duo composed of Tyler Hubbard from Monroe, Georgia and Brian Kelley from Ormond Beach, Florida.
Their first release was a 6 song EP called Anything Like Me on December 14, 2010 which featured no songs that ever charted. Ever since then, the duo has been rising to become the new face of country music. They released another 5 song EP earlier this year on May 15, 2012 consisting of the platinum single – Cruise. Finally, what the fans had been waiting for was the release of Here’s to the Good Times on December 4, 2012, being the duo’s first album consisting of 11 songs. In addition to setting a record for their album, the group’s number one single, Cruise, has spent many weeks at the top of country charts. This fun and summertime single has gone certified platinum since it was released.
Compared to FGL’s previous releases, Here’s to the Good Times is a more summer fun that features an up-beat tempo. Round Here opens the album with many connections from the south–where they come from, adding in a touch of rock ‘n’ roll makes the song have more edge than some of the other songs. Party People, Hell Raisin’ Heat of the Summer, Tip It Back and Get Your Shine On focus on the party atmosphere and activities that take place in the summer –making it easy for all sorts of audiences to relate to.
It’z Just What We Do is one of the stand out songs–being the most different with a lot of rock added in for a much faster tempo to the song, but still keeping the southern and a fun summer time feel involved so it does not disconnect from the rest of the songs on the album. The tempo goes way down for flirty songs, Dayum, Baby and Stay, which are about a summer love romance and mainly focusing on the girl. Tell Me How You Like It and Cruise are definitely two of the biggest successes from the album, being up-tempo, all about the girl and the summer fling.
All of the songs tie in together with their bits and pieces of a summer and party-like atmosphere. FGL nailed it with this album and it has showed in the record sales and the immediate increase in fans and sold out shows. It would not be surprising to see Florida Georgia Line become one of the next big faces in country music.
