Morgan Wallen Signs Off 2024 with Chart-Topping Single "Smile"

Morgan Wallen, the country music sensation, released his latest single "Smile" on December 31, 2024. The surprise release quickly soared to the top of the charts, debuting at No. 1 on the Apple Music all-genre charts on the day of its release. This marks Wallen's third consecutive chart-topping debut, following the success of "Love Somebody" in October 2024, which became his first solo song to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Smile" continues the thematic thread established in Wallen's previous 2024 releases, "Lies Lies Lies" and "Love Somebody," as the narrator navigates life's nuanced moments and longings. The song, co-written by Wallen along with Rocky Block, John Byron, Ernest Keith Smith, Ryan Vojtesak, and Luis Witkiewitz, depicts a relationship through the lens of filtered snapshots, reflecting on the complexities of modern connections.
Wallen's journey to this point has been marked by significant achievements. His 2023 album "One Thing At A Time" dominated the Billboard 200 chart for 19 non-consecutive weeks, surpassing Garth Brooks' "Ropin' the Wind" for the most weeks at No. 1 for a Country album. The album's standout single, "Last Night," amassed over 1.5 billion global streams and held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for a record-breaking 16 weeks, the longest run for a solo song in the chart's history.
The country star's success extends beyond his solo work. His collaboration with Post Malone, "I Had Some Help," released in 2024, debuted with unprecedented support from country radio and maintained the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 all-genre charts for six weeks, becoming the longest-running No.1 of 2024.
Wallen's rise to stardom began with his appearance on NBC's "The Voice" in 2014. Although he didn't win the competition, it provided the springboard for his career in country music. He signed with Big Loud Records in 2016, which led to the release of his debut album, "If I Know Me," in 2018. The album included hit singles like "Up Down" and "Whiskey Glasses," which helped establish Wallen as a rising star in the country music scene.
As Wallen enters 2025, he does so with an impressive tally of accolades. He was named CMA Entertainer of the Year in 2024, and his "One Night At A Time World Tour" in 2023 was a massive success, playing to over 2.4 million fans across 5 countries and 3 continents.
Looking ahead, Wallen is set to host his inaugural Sand In My Boots Festival on the beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama, in May 2025. The festival, which sold out in less than two hours, will feature headlining sets by Wallen himself, along with Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn, and HARDY, among others.