I’ll get you up to speed on this week’s New Music under 15. I almost didn’t include any solo projects (it was all bands and collabs, like NEEDTOBREATHE or Karl Michael/Teddy Swims), but Mickey Guyton deserved to land in the FIRST5!

This week in the world has threatened to bring back some of the tough parts of 2020, so my FIRST5 is here as support in whichever way you need it. You’ll see that the playlist packs a motivational first punch. Followed by a supportive barstool at which to wet your beak. And, if you’re feeling alone and need to sit with it, music to let you know its ok to be in that place and you’ll get through it (and because you aren’t truly alone - others have been there too, and felt it so powerfully that they needed to create music to express it).

To make it easier for you to find the great music that is dropping this weekend, I will get you started with the FIRST5 new releases you should hear. They’ll take you on rabbit holes of exploration and discovery. I combed through everything sent my way and tracked down even more tunes to make sure I’m turning you on to the best.

Sidenote: All the stuff I’m listening to is on my official Apple Music playlist TY BENTLI’S DAILY SOUNDTRACK

First things first..
These are the FIRST 5 new releases you need to hear:

“Remember Her Name”: Mickey Guyton

I dropped everything and moved to LA. I’d spent 7 years in radio at that point & had climbed from small towns to a morning show in Austin TX. That show had been a blast and landed at the top of ratings within a year of arriving, but the PD who had hired me had left & the new guy sucked. He and I didn’t see eye to eye, the station started slipping and I was so burned out that I was fine just quitting radio and moving on to TV.

So I moved to LA.

OH - sidenote: I didn’t have a job in tv yet, or an agent, or a home.

But I had a dog, a car with a newly-rebuilt transmission and easily $900 in the bank. Why not move across the country. Plus, my girlfriend had been booking some tv movies and wanted to be in LA (she wasn’t actually the reason I’d moved there, but it was a nice excuse to be a bit reckless). I did it because I was pretty fearless. I knew I’d figure it out. I also had a reassurance of self that I think diminishes with age.

At certain points in life, you realize that doing “the right thing” or simply working your ass off will not actually get you to the goals you had set. Instead you’ve got to shake things up and stop falling into the groove of the safe route. If you’re like me, there are sudden bursts where you realize that the path you’ve taken did’t quite place you where you wanted to be. So you throw your shoulders back, howl into the night, and throw yourself directly at your goal - freeing yourself from the routines and rules and finally trusting in yourself.

I always say: If people don’t understand your success, you wouldn’t be special. Only you know why and how you are able to accomplish the things you are doing.

Mickey Guyton continues her calling to empower others. What she stands for in our country music community can’t be overstated. She is representative of what music should be: a place to feel connected through common emotions. Its my job to find music that represents untold stories and perspectives that are under-represented. Then I find the songs amongst them that are amazing as art - most-beautifully inspiring, empowering, empathizing, expressing their message.

Mickey Guyton has been standing as a supporter of what is right and lifting others up through her own foundational strength. Here, though, she gives that strength to all of us. Even if she weren’t here, even if we feel completely an wholly alone. In those moments where I see music as being the most-essential (when we need to know that someone understands us), Mickey is reminding YOU that there is fearlessness and a mountain of strength someone deep inside each of us. This song is over way too soon, and maybe that’s because its a handoff to you…

LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “Remember Her Name”

“Get After It” - Cadillac Three

When I started chasing my eventual job in New York City, I came in knowing I’d need to make an impact. I booked a trip to do some recon - the only other time I’d been to NYC at that point was when MTV flew me out to talk about hosting TRL. I’d been there just over 24 hours…the first few hours I’d thought the city was much like Chicago (where I lived at the time) but smelled more like garbage and obnoxiously crowded…and then the evening rolled in and I went for a run. That was when it all turned and I saw New York for what it would eventually become to me (exciting, unpredictable, vibrant - it engaged all of my senses & I most-appreciate life when there’s adrenaline in my veins. Oddly, that’s my comfort zone).

On this particular trip, 3 years later, I was attempting to understand the city and all of its facets. Each borough, the life of someone in Jersey, etc.. I wanted to MEET people. And I spent the entire week doing just that. Hopping on buses and going wherever they took me. Walking into dark blocks in any of the boroughs, in the middle of the night and entering whatever store was open. Talking to people, shaking their hand (weird in 2021), asking about their life. Literally investigating every nuance I could. It was one of my favorite weeks ever. Aside from adrenaline, the other thing I am fueled by is curiosity. I am fascinated by honesty and by other people. I want to hear what is important to them and understand how that detail connects them to me and connects us to everyone else. Its all just a big experiment in finding commonality in this world - which I then get to share each day on my radio shows. I hope it makes other people feel increasingly welcome, appreciated, and happy in this world.

It was me attacking life. Diving in way past my comfort zone to find the things that drive me. I went from waking up until to late at night - into territory I’d never explored to meet people with perspectives I’d never experienced. It was incredible. It was also enough to impress CBS into realizing I was literally gonna get after it. Which is why I took over for Nick Cannon with a morning show called Ty Loves New York.

This new blazer from Cadillac Three feels like that sweaty, marathon of motion week in New York City. Its the musical equivalent of being chased by a dog - each time you consider slowing down the song bites your ankle and spurs you forward even faster!

If you want to accomplish (insert anything) this will be the motivation you need! Its so good at accomplishing its titular message that I don’t think I could listen to this song in concert (rare - I LOVE live music). It would be insincere to take in the message and then just stay standing in a concert venue. I’d have to listen to it and immediately take off running to chase something I desire. You’ll see…

LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “Get After It”

“Beers On Me” - Dierks Bentley, HARDY, BRELAND

I have a lot of friends but only a few of them are F9 ride-or-die family. I always believed that a true friend is someone you can trust with anything and who picks up the phone at anytime. Most of those friends for me are longstanding and time-tested. And maybe that’s the secret - they’ve got to be time-tested: The friends that never let me down and that know I never want to let them down. We help ya move, we fly to your birthday party, we meet you outside when you just got life-altering news and need someone to talk to.

These are the friends that know my competitive spirit because we used to shovel an insane number of bowls of Marshmallow Froot Loops into our bellies during non-sanctioned Cereal-Eating Contests. Or the friends that knew that simply re-organizing my books or mixing my up my silverware drawer would be a crueler prank than if you’d TP’d my lawn. The friends that love my kids so much that they sent a Power-Wheels F-150 on Rad’s birthday even though Corri and I lived in a 2 bedroom apartment with no storage!

A lot of times I feel like I need to be “on” for the friends around me. These are likely friends that are a little bit newer to my life or only see me on Broadway or out at a party. But on a rough day, there are only about 10 people in this whole world that I could sit next to and feel like the pressure’s off.

First things first from a fan of songwriters: this one was penned by a ****load of great people! Dierks, HARDY, Bre, Ashley Gorley, Luke Dick and Ross Copperman. These guys all have a specific influence on a song and I are the kind of people that are interesting convo and I know a couple of them to be the kind of friends that are literally ‘call-me-anytime’ ‘drop-everything’ types. They’re there for you when you need a beer & the tab is under their name (or “Doug Douglason”).

“I got this round” has a double-meaning in a song that immediately conjures up an empty barstool right beside your three friends - each taking their own verse to tell you that they’ve got you covered.

Dierks’ A/C AZ drawl welcomes you into the bar in his signature fashion. Right in the pocket. You’re in an easy place before the full band has even kicked in. Before you know it, we’re walking down the bar and there’s HARDY - again, so identifiable; killer rhymes like “yeah I’ma get a beer or 2 for all the 1s.” Step to the left and meet Breland - right up in the sweet spot of his voice, with his own version (in his vernacular) of the message that he’s here for you and he’s got this round.

LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “Beers On Me”

“Paradise Lost On Me” - Zac Brown Band

One of my favorite ways to travel used to be “business trips.” Kickass perk of radio was that I’d get sent off to random places (tasting the new Burger King menu at a secret kitchen in Miami, or off to San Antonio to Vegas to broadcast from the ACM awards. My favorite part wasn’t necessarily the event that the trip was built around (they were cool, but truth be told: I’m an introvert, plus I really look at that stuff as work and for some reason I’ve never let myself free up and enjoy it cuz I see it as a time I’m supposed to be focused, prepped, and setting an example for the team around me).

The real gift was the excuse to travel alone.

I used to need to experience these new places and adventures all by myself. It made it feel more unique and allowed me to look at it through whatever personal filter exists in all of our lives. Mine might be better suited to a corner. I wanted to experience stuff that was all mine, and only mine (I sound like a damn Finding Nemo seagull “mine, mine, mine”). I didn’t meant it to be selfish. I think it stems from sharing sooooo much of my personal experiences and life on-air that I sometimes just wanted a moment to just belong to me. Also, I grew up in a fairly strict household which led to a lot of time to myself - rather than out with friends - so I am now built to need to recharge and re-center myself when I’m all alone.

The last trip I took before starting to date Corri was a business trip to Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii. Still loving the excuse to travel solo. I lived up every trip on my whims - on this particular one - my first to Oahu - I decided to add to my flight hours (training to get a pilot’s license) and booked an hour or two with an instructor at the school, which then allowed me to log some flight time, and see the amazing tour of Oahu from the sky! I flew over the grassy mountain that you see in the Jurassic Park movies. I flew over Pearl Harbor - that was surreal…flying an airplane in the literal airspace where the attack had come from.

I went snorkeling - joined some new friends for a trip to the Waikiki Beach area. Lived it. My way, on my time.

But on the flight back, I started thinking about this girl I’d met and was somehow falling for. I am pretty sure it was the literal evening after I had landed back in LA that I called Corri to see what she was up to and if I could talk to her about something…which was that I was no longer seeing her in the Friend Zone in my life and that I’d like to take her on an actual date (she agreed, in case you wondered). And since then…I only love going on business trips if I’m going with her!

And here we are with the engaging sounds of steel pulling us into the Caribbean - but as sad as the story is, the vibe on this new ZBB is peachy fun. The steel isn’t guitar, its drum. And the only hint of sadness is in the B-line of each lyric. Zac paints the picture of paradise through bleak grey-colored glasses. The party still dancing around him in the music, but I basically picture his ass sinking through the bottom of one of those old beach chairs with plastic strings tied across the frame of the seat. Just a pathetic picture of a broken heart in SPF 30. And I want to hear it over and over!

LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “Paradise Lost On Me”

“Islands in the Stream” - Hailey Whitters & Ernest; Countrypolitan

Dolly Parton has an indelible impression on every person who has a musical soul. You can’t not feel some way about her. She especially important to me because of the memories I attach to her. As a kid, the first album I knew every single word to was “Once Upon a Christmas” - Kenny and Dolly’s collaboration. My mom would put it on when we decorated for the holidays & it feels to me like Dolly was at Christmas dinner every year.

Years later, if you ask me what my most-memorable interview is: Dolly.
And more-special to me because of why its memorable - not just because it was Dolly (I’m lucky to have had a few occasions to sit down with her), but because of my son’s involvement.

Dolly was releasing a children’s album called “I Believe In You” to support funding for her Imagination Library. I figured: Kids album for kids’ book charity…Radley should ask her some questions!

So, after a week of non-stop listening to the songs on the upcoming album so that Radley knew every word, we drove over to Dolly’s place and parked. Before getting out of the car, I jammed a Peanut-butter and Jelly sandwich into his mouth.
**Parenting trick: sugar high. I was setting him up for peak energy in about 5 minutes!

…then the plan went sideways. My producers had forgotten the memory card for the camera, and had to race back to our studio to grab it (20 minutes away). Not only did we have to ask Dolly to wait - she was 1,000% gracious about it - by the time my crew was back and ready to do the interview, Radley had passed sugar rush and arrived at sugar crash. As Dolly walked out to the living room for our chat, Rad was literally draped over my knee, fast-asleep. I’ve got pictures. Five minutes later he was awake and racing in circles around our chairs. I don’t really get embarrassed by stuff like that, but its about as close as I could come.

And lastly, the first time we took Bash to a theme park for vacation was his trip to Dollywood for Illuminights - their Halloween celebration!

I’m just curious to see how Dolly lands as a milestone in my daughter Teddi’s life! I know our family isn’t alone in the impact felt by such a great person, humanitarian, entrepreneur, role model and legend of an artist.

I don’t think I need to tell you much about this iconic song. We all know it from the version released by Kenny & Dolly in the 80s. It was the song that inspired the pair to team up for that first full album I remember listening to at Christmas. But here are a few observations on this new cover from Hailey and ERNEST - as “Countrypolitan.”

#1: did you know the song was written by the BeeGees (you probably did, its almost impossible not to hear their influence in the phrasing and arrangement on both versions)? #2 - get ready for the irony - it was inspired by a posthumously published novel by…ERNEST Hemingway!
*That may not be as excitingly ironic as I built it up to be, but kinda cool. Those are two of only three Ernests I’ve ever heard of (“know what I mean, Vern?”)

Lastly - the voices of ERNEST and Hailey are so different from iconic version. Somehow that makes the familiar lines newly interesting, and surprisingly more accessible - almost like you and I are meant to sing them…we don’t have to sound like Dolly and Kenny, we just have to appreciate what they gave us in music!

LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC: “Islands In The Stream”

Its Not Over

There is more 🔥 new music to share. New releases alongside my favorite tunes to play on The Ty Bentli Show. A playlist built to showcase every avenue and you’ll love it start to finish:

TY BENTLI’S DAILY SOUNDTRACK is on my homepage on Apple Music.

FIRST 5 - Start With These New Releases (July 30th)