Homegrown Honey

"Homegrown Honey"
Single by Darius Rucker
from the album Southern Style
Released August 25, 2014
Format Music download
Genre Country
Length 3:25
Label Capitol Nashville
Writer(s) Darius Rucker
Charles Kelley
Nathan Chapman
Producer(s) Frank Rogers
Darius Rucker singles chronology
"Miss You"
(2014)		 "Homegrown Honey"
(2014)		 "Southern Style"
(2015)

"Homegrown Honey" is a song recorded by American country music artist Darius Rucker. It was released in August 2014 as the first single from his fifth studio album.[1][2] The album, Southern Style, was released on March 31, 2015.[3] Rucker wrote the song with Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum and Nathan Chapman.[4][5]

Critical reception

The song received a favorable review from Taste of Country, which called it a "feel-good melody" which "lives up to expectations." It went on to say that the song is "consistent with what Rucker has released since debuting as a full-time country artist in 2008" and "his vocals stand out above all other instruments, stamping an undeniable signature on this country cut."[6] Paul Bowers of Charleston City Paper also gave the song a favorable review. Bowers called it "classic feel-good Rucker," writing that "he's got that country drawl down pat without trying too hard, he's consistently writing catchy summer anthems like this one, and he's just a nice dude by all accounts."[7]

For the Country Record and Hope For Country Music were less favorable however. Vickye Fisher of For the Country Record remarked "This is gross and horrible sung by anyone, but by a 48-year-old man who is married with three kids and who has made a living by singing a crop of decent, thought-provoking country songs?[...]The lyrics of the song make it downright awful."[8] Cobra, of Hope For Country Music gave it 0 of 5 stars and called it a contender for worst song of the year. He writes, "From the unnecessary repetition, to the pseudo-rap beat, to the shallowness of the lyrics, this song can't find a way to get anything right. And it can't even succeed at being catchy or infectious."[9]

Commercial performance

"Homegrown Honey" debuted at number 55 on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart for the week of August 30, 2014.[10] It also debuted at number 25 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of September 13, 2014. It also debuted at number 97 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of November 22, 2014. As of April 2015, the song has sold 376,000 copies in the US.[11]

The song debuted at number 50 on the Canada Country chart for the week of October 18, 2014. It also debuted at number 76 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart for the week of September 13, 2014.

Music video

A music video was shot in Conway, South Carolina in August 2014, filmed primarily at Coastal Carolina University, with the beginning bar scene shot at Rivertown Bistro in Conway.[12] The video features scenes of a woman in a bar, Rucker in a hallway surrounded by fans, as well as the band playing their concert at the school.[13]

Charts

Chart (2014–15) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[14] 76
Canada Country (Billboard)[15] 11
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 53
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[17] 2
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[18] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (2014) Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[19] 86
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[20] 94

References

  1. ↑ Bjorke, Matt (August 25, 2014). "Darius Rucker's "Homegrown Honey" Hits Radio". Roughstock. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  2. ↑ Thompson, Gayle (September 7, 2014). "Darius Rucker Releases 'Homegrown Honey' Single". The Boot. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  3. ↑ Stefano, Angela (January 13, 2015). "Darius Rucker Reveals New Album Details, 2015 Southern Style Tour Plans". The Boot. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  4. ↑ Reuter, Annie (September 16, 2014). "Interview: Darius Rucker Talks New Album 'Homegrown Honey,' Upcoming Christmas Record". radio.com. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  5. ↑ Wyland, Sarah (September 8, 2014). "Darius Rucker Releases "Homegrown Honey"". Great American Country. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Darius Rucker, 'Homegrown Honey' [Listen]". Taste of Country. August 14, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  7. ↑ Bowers, Paul (August 26, 2014). "Darius Rucker releases new single 'Homegrown Honey'". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  8. ↑ Fisher, Vickye (August 29, 2014). "Darius Rucker 'Homegrown Honey' – Single Review". For the Country Record. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  9. ↑ Cobra (October 6, 2014). "Darius Rucker - "Homegrown Honey" - Song Review". Hope for Country Music. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Dierks Bentley Lands "Drunk on a Plane" at No. 1". Country Music Television. August 23, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  11. ↑ Matt Bjorke (April 22, 2015). "Country Music’s Top 30 Digital Singles: Week of April 22, 2015". Roughstock. Sales figure given here
  12. ↑ Merlo, Debbie (August 25, 2014). "Darius Rucker shoots video for new song "Homegrown Honey" in Conway". Myrtle Beach Online. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  13. ↑ Smith, Michael (August 25, 2014). "Darius Rucker's next music video to showcase Coastal Carolina University, Conway". Waccamaw Publishing. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Darius Rucker Album & Song Chart History" Canadian Hot 100 for Darius Rucker.
  15. ↑ "Darius Rucker Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Canada Country for Darius Rucker.
  16. ↑ "Darius Rucker Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Darius Rucker. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Darius Rucker Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Country Airplay for Darius Rucker.
  18. ↑ "Darius Rucker Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Darius Rucker.
  19. ↑ "Billboard Country Update for December 15, 2014" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 15, 2014. p. 17. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Best of 2014: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.