After penning, among others, Morgan Wallen's big hit "Up Down" and working his own material at country radio, songwriter-turned-artist Hardy has a full album coming this fall. A Rock, featuring 12 songs co-written by the singer, is due out on Sept. 4, via Big Loud Records.

A Rock follows Hardy's Fall 2019 Hixtape, Vol. 1, a collaborations project that features his current Top 25 single "One Beer," featuring Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson, and his clever debut single, "Rednecker." The latter isn't among A Rock's tracks, though the former is, along with the rockier, recently released "Boots." There's also a collaboration with up-and-comer Ashland Craft, "So Close," and a song intriguingly titled "Unapologetically Country as Hell."

“I didn’t want to fill my record up with overly obnoxious country songs. I love those kind of songs, but I wanted for people to know that I have a little bit more to say than just that," Hardy tells Rolling Stone of that track. "But that one is definitely for the people.”

Hardy A Rock
Big Loud Records
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A Rock, like "Boots," leans into Hardy's penchant for hard rock. He and Dawson, formerly a member of a metal band, put their love of that genre on display in Blake Shelton's No. 1 single "God's Country."

Joey Moi, best known for his work with Florida Georgia Line, produced A Rock, with help from co-producer Derek Wells, as well as David Garcia and Jake Mitchell, both of whom also co-wrote with Hardy for the project. Steel guitar great Paul Franklin, Mitchell, Moi and Wells are also among the project's players; Rolling Stone explains that they cut much of the record during the novel coronavirus quarantine.

Hardy, A Rock Tracklist:

1. “Truck” (Michael Hardy, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps)^
2. “Boyfriend” (Michael Hardy, Zach Abend, Andy Albert)^
3. “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Michael Hardy, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps)^
4. “Boots” (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)^
5. “Where Ya At” (Michael Hardy, Jessie Jo Dillon, David Garcia)*
6. “Ain't a Bad Day” (Michael Hardy, Jake Mitchell, Hunter Phelps)^
7. “One Beer” feat. Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson (Michael Hardy, Hillary Lindsey, Jake Mitchell)^
8. “So Close” feat. Ashland Craft (Michael Hardy, Mark Holman, Hillary Lindsey)^
9. “Broke Boy” (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Brett Tyler)^
10. “Hate Your Hometown” (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)^
11. “Unapologetically Country as Hell” (Michael Hardy, Smith Ahnquist, Nick Donley, Jake Mitchell)•
12. “A Rock” (Michael Hardy, Smith Ahnquist, Jake Mitchell)•

^ produced by Joey Moi and co-produced by Derek Wells
* produced by Joey Moi, Derek Wells and David Garcia
• produced by Joey Moi, Derek Wells and Jake Mitchell

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