Chris Young and Cassadee Pope Celebrate No. 1 Song ‘Think of You’

Chris Young has amassed eight career No. 1 singles, with "Think of You" marking his eighth chart-topper and his sixth No. 1 as a songwriter. On Tuesday (Aug. 16), the singer celebrated the success of the song with his co-writers Corey Crowder and Josh Hoge, duet partner Cassadee Pope and a room full of industry, family and friends at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn.

During a press conference before the No. 1 ceremony where each writer received several plaques for the song's success, Young, Pope, Crowder and Hoge talked with the media and shared the story behind the song. Crowder came into the writing session with the title "Think of You," but the three friends didn't intend for the song to be a duet.

"My wife and I have been together since I was 16, so it's over half my life," Crowder explains. "I started thinking about how crazy it would be, if we ever split up, how it'd be for our friends — who would get to go where and who would get to hang out with who. I brought it to the guys and they loved it."

Young says they hesitated in making the song a duet because duets are often difficult. "You have to have the right person on a song. It was one of the reasons I was very glad when we asked Cassadee," the star adds.

Pope couldn't have been happier to be asked to be a part of the song. She says the moment she heard "Think of You," she realized how relatable it was.

"I can see people listening to that and relating to that and that's what a hit song is," she adds. "Every part of that song grabbed me especially when that verse came in with Emily Shackleton singing on the demo. When she came in and had her own verse I was like, 'Oh my gosh! A girl has her own verse!' It made me love it even more."

Young, Crowder and Hoge have two back-to-back No. 1 hits now with "I'm Comin' Over" and "Think of You," and when Taste of Country asked the secret to their magic, Hoge joked it's because "we don't wear pants" as the room erupted in laughter.

"I was really afraid you were going to go, 'I'm just here so I don't get fined,'" Young adds.

All silliness aside, Hoge says a big reason for their success is that the three writers are also best friends, and they often go into writing sessions already prepared with song ideas.

"We're in a text chain constantly on the phone, the three of us. One thing that's different with this combination than anything we've ever done, is probably 98 percent of the time before we go in one of us texts the other two and says, 'I've got this idea I want to write,'" he says. "To me the magic is made, we're not just co-workers, we're co-best friends. We're all pals. We hang out outside of work, it's not just 9-to-5 for us. That's what's special about it to me, I get to work with two of my best friends and I get to add Cassadee, a really hot chick, to the mix. Looking at Chris is not as cool."

Young adds that while he can't put his finger on exactly what makes their writing sessions work, it is a great feeling being in the room with his friends and creating something from nothing that then goes on to become a No. 1 song.

At the reception for the song later that evening at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Rotunda, Young expressed his gratefulness for the song's success.

"One of my favorite things about this song is having Cassadee Pope on it," he said during his speech to the industry crowd. "This song would not be the same thing without her voice. She is absolutely one of the most stunningly talented vocalists that I've ever got to be around much less get to work and tour with," he says. "I truly just look up and say, 'Thank you that we got this one right.' Thank you for letting this song live and have it's own space. It's always incredible because you never know how many moments you're going to get like this. I'm really lucky and blessed that I get to work with all of you."

Pope also shared praises for her duet partner.

"You have no idea what you have done for me, for my spirit, for my career. You chose me to sing this song with you when I may not have been the obvious choice at that time," she remarked earlier in the evening. "You've completely given me that resurgence that I wasn't sure I would get again. It's been an absolute dream to sing with you, you're one of the best singers I have ever heard hands down but even more importantly, you've become one of the best friends I could ever ask for. Your love and support have meant so much to me. I love you like a brother I never had. Thank you for helping me achieve my first ever No. 1 single."

Young and Pope will continue to sing the song together night after night on their fall I'm Comin' Over Tour.

Why Chris Picked Cassadee for "Think of You"

Chris Young: The Taste of Country Photo Shoot