Post Malone, pop's ultimate sad dog, is back with it F-1 Trishis first long foray into pure country music. If the success of the album's lead single – “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen – is any indication, this album will be absolutely massive, uniting Malone's already huge fan base with fans who like their pop music with a side of steel. At this point, Post Malone could use a win on his own terms: He's just appeared on recent Taylor Swift and Beyoncé albums, sure, but his solo career has been a bit of a commercial slump in recent years, with last year's pop-rock flop Austin making only minimal commercial impact compared to defining the discography Beerbongs & Bentleys and Bleeding Hollywood.
As far as national pivots go, this one is pretty convincing: In addition to featuring many of the country's biggest stars, the list of credits F-1 Tris features Nashville stalwarts like Ashley Gorley, Josh Thompson, Rhett Akins and Chris Tompkins – and, for that little extra sparkle, Post Malone regulars Louis Bell and Charlie Handsome are also along for the ride. It's a rolling, slightly exhausting affair. Here are six important suggestions.
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Going Country
There is a gag 30 Rock about how the fastest way to win the hearts and minds of mainstream America is to “go country.” It's a gag about the sleazy, simplistic way the “coastal elites” think about the rest of the country, but it might also be… kind of true? Even though Post Malone has always delivered his melodic pop-rap with a country edge—and he's from Texas—he's kept going. F-1 Trisriding around Nashville on a big rig to promote the record. Unlike, say, Beyoncé, the country stalwart seems to have welcomed Malone with open arms: “I Had Some Help” has already been streamed over 500 million times on Spotify alone.
He had some help
F-1 Tris may be Post Malone's country music debut, but his stacked guest list—only three of his 18 songs are without partners—talks about his status as one of pop music's most successful artists. Music Row's finest came out for this record: Morgan Wallen, Blake Shelton, and Luke Combs kicked off the hoedown on the singles “I Had Some Help,” “Pour Me a Drink” and “Guy for That,” respectively, but there's also room for newcomers like Jelly Roll and Hardy — he of the hellish new cover of 'Gin and Juice' — and stalwart superstars Dolly Parton and Tim McGraw. The list of contributors is so stacked, in fact, that it might be worth highlighting the record's most left-field collaboration: “MEXICO,” which features Billy Strings, the Michigan-born bluegrass star who has become her secret weapon. IYKYK for artists. like Combs and Dierks Bentley. It's a flourish that shows Malone's new audience that he knows what he's doing.
