The Outsiders (Eric Church song)

2013 single by Eric Church

"The Outsiders"

Single by Eric Church
from the album  The Outsiders
Released| October 22, 2013 (2013-10-22)
Recorded| 2013
Genre|

* Country rock
* hard rock

Length| 4:11
Label| EMI Nashville
Songwriter(s)|

* Eric Church
* Casey Beathard[1]

Producer(s)| Jay Joyce
Eric Church singles chronology
| "Like Jesus Does"
(2013)  | "The Outsiders"
(2013)  | "Give Me Back My Hometown"
(2014)

|
|

"The Outsiders" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Eric Church. It was released in October 2013 as the first single and title track from his 2014 album of the same name. Church wrote this song with Casey Beathard.

## History[edit]

Church told Taste of Country that “It’s a bit of a statement. I wanted to send a message with this album that it’s gonna be different, it’s gonna be another level". He also described it as a mix of Waylon Jennings and Metallica.[2]

Church performed the song at the 2013 telecast of the Country Music Association awards.[3]

## Critical reception[edit]

Giving it 3.5 stars out of 5, Will Hermes of Rolling Stone wrote that "doubles down on his hard-rock/hip-hop fixations with a song that opens on an unfuckwithable snarl-rap, ramps into a high-lonesome stadium chorus over a Southern-rock stomp, then feigns a Black Keys garage skronk before barreling into a prog-metal capper."[4] It received 4.5 stars from Matt Bjorke of Roughstock, who wrote that it was "musically interesting" and that it should "give Eric Church enough of a buzzworthy launching point for his upcoming 2014 album".[5]

## Commercial performance[edit]

On its first week, the song debuted (and peaked) on the Country Airplay chart at No. 25, which is Eric Church highest debut on the chart.[6] The song entered the Hot Country Songs chart at No. 6, the highest leap in that chart since October 2012 when the chart's ranking methodology was modified to include sales and streaming.[7] The song sold 81,000 copies on its debut, the best-selling country song of the week.[8]

As of February 2014, the single has sold 466,000 downloads in the United States.[9] It was certified Gold by the RIAA on December 17, 2014 for 500,000 units in sales.[10]

## Charts[edit]

Chart (2013–2014)  | Peak
position

|

Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[11] | 32
Canada Country (Billboard)[12] | 37
US Billboard Hot 100[13] | 51
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[14] | 6
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[15] | 25

### Year-end charts[edit]

Chart (2013)  | Position

|

US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[16] | 100
Chart (2014)  | Position

|

US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[17] | 86

## Certifications[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

United States (RIAA)[18] | Platinum  | 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## References[edit]

1. ^ Wyland, Sarah (23 October 2013). "Eric Church Releases "The Outsiders"". Great American Country. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
2. ^ Vinson, Christina (7 November 2013). "Eric Church Talks 'The Outsiders': 'It's a Cross Between Waylon and Metallica'". Taste of Country. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
3. ^ Shetler, Scott (6 November 2013). "Eric Church Earns Standing Ovation With Aggressive CMA Awards Performance of 'The Outsiders'". The Boot. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
4. ^ Hermes, Will (31 October 2013). "Eric Church "The Outsiders"". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
5. ^ Bjorke, Matt (22 October 2013). "Single Review: Eric Church - The Outsiders". Roughstock. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
6. ^ Keith Caulfield (October 28, 2013). "Chart Highlights: Eric Church Earns Highest His Debut Ever On Country Airplay With 'Outsiders'". Billboard.
7. ^ Wade Jessen (October 31, 2013). "Eric Church, Joe Nichols Shine On Hot Country Songs". Billboard.
8. ^ Bjorke, Matt (2013-10-30). "Country Chart News - The Top 30 Digital Singles - October 30, 2013: Eric Church "Outsiders" #1; Cassadee Pope, Blake Shelton Gold, Scotty McCreery and Chris Young Notables". Roughstock.
9. ^ Bjorke, Matt (2013-02-12). "Country Chart News - The Top 30 Digital Singles - Feb 12, 2014: Cole Swindell Dominates; Scotty McCreery Hits Gold". Roughstock. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014.
10. ^ "American single certifications – Eric Church – The Outsiders". Recording Industry Association of America.
11. ^ "Eric Church Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
12. ^ "Eric Church Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
13. ^ "Eric Church Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
14. ^ "Eric Church Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
15. ^ "Eric Church Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
16. ^ "Best of 2013: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
17. ^ "Best of 2014: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
18. ^ "American single certifications – Eric Church – The Outsiders". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 12, 2021.

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* t
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Eric Church

Discography

Studio albums|

* Sinners Like Me (2006)
* Carolina (2009)
* Chief (2011)
* The Outsiders (2014)
* Mr. Misunderstood (2015)
* Desperate Man (2018)
* Heart & Soul (2021)

Singles|

* "How 'Bout You"
* "Two Pink Lines"
* "Guys Like Me"
* "Love Your Love the Most"
* "Hell on the Heart"
* "Smoke a Little Smoke"
* "Homeboy"
* "Drink in My Hand"
* "Springsteen"
* "Creepin'"
* "Like Jesus Does"
* "The Outsiders"
* "Give Me Back My Hometown"
* "Cold One"
* "Talladega"
* "Like a Wrecking Ball"
* "Mr. Misunderstood"
* "Record Year"
* "Kill a Word"
* "Round Here Buzz"
* "Desperate Man"
* "Some of It"
* "Monsters"
* "Stick That in Your Country Song"
* "Hell of a View"
* "Heart on Fire"

Guest singles|

* "The Only Way I Know"
* "Raise 'Em Up"
* "Are You Ready for the Country"
* "Does to Me"
* "Man Made a Bar"

Concert tours|

* No Shoes Nation Tour
* Holdin' My Own Tour

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