Sam Hunt’s New Song “Kinfolks” Is His Sad Excuse for “Country”
Like a persistent venereal rash you think you’ve finally licked, only to experience a severe flare up right before you’re headed out on a hot date, here comes Sam Hunt and a new song screwing up the rally we’ve been enjoying in mainstream country lately thanks to some songs and artists that are actually starting to sound country again.
It’s been a glorious five year reprieve after this college football flunkee turned country music EDM mumble rapper lost interest in his own music faster than his bubblegum fans did, and stopped releasing new songs aside from the failed single “Downtown’s Dead” from 2018. Since then Sam has teased us with retirement talk (we’d only be so lucky), touted Tyler Childers as an influence, and also said that he expects his new music to be more traditional. If you believed that, your as gullible as your uncle who emailed his bank routing number to an Arabian Prince.
Country music is about telling stories, and the story Sam Hunt tells in “Kinfolks” is about a guy who literally sees a stranger walking down the street, and shortly after asking her name says he wants to introduce her to his relatives and friends back home. Some free dating advice ladies: if you’re out there prowling the town and some guy pulls this shit on you, slowly slip your hand into your purse like you’re going for the lip gloss, grab firm hold of the pepper spray, and don’t make any further eye contact until the Uber arrives.
Yes, I’m sure that some people will find the sentiment behind “Kinfolks” as sweet, but in the movie Wedding Crashers, this pattern of behavior was referred to as a “Stage five clinger.” Sam Hunt telling his love interest “You’re the only one of you” sounds more like a backhanded compliment than a savvy pickup line. The premise for this song is a mess. And another piece of free advice: if you do end up going back to the hometown of a suitor and want to impress your future in-laws, for the love of God, whatever you do, never, and I mean never, admit to them that you listen to Sam Hunt. He’s the face tattoo and felony conviction of music.
“Kinfolks” is Sam Hunt thinking you’ll consider this a country song just because the lyrical hook is a rural colloquialism. This is what passes for “country” in Sam Hunt’s book, while we’re supposed to ignore the clap track and hip-pop phrasing. Some ever-so-slight credit should be given to Sam for making this song more country than most of his tracks. Periods of “Kinfolks” actually feature what sound like real drums, and snapshots of steel guitar and such. But still, this is some strange pop song with country window dressing at best.
Sam Hunt left a huge mess behind in country music when he virtually disappeared a few years ago. Perhaps some of the music on his upcoming album will include some more traditionally-oriented stuff. And this is a lead single, which usually represents the worst a mainstream artist has to offer. But the more likely scenario is that Sam Hunt actually thinks “Kinfolks” is traditional country. That is how far the perspective has shifted, thanks to performers like Sam Hunt. But country music has shifted too since Hunt released his debut album Montevallo five years ago this month. Similar to his genre bending boys Florida Georgia Line, time is passing them by as acts like Luke Combs and others shift mainstream country’s center more towards roots and substance.
“Kinfolks” will find a robust initial reception from country radio just because it’s a Sam Hunt track. But it’s not 2014 anymore. The whole Chris Stapleton thing happened, and folks are looking for more roots in their country. And regardless of the kitschy name, “Kinfolks” just doesn’t have it.
October 10, 2019 @ 6:58 pm
This has got to be the fastest review I’ve ever seen. Spot on by the way.
November 11, 2019 @ 10:29 am
Great record with insanely superb production. Criticizing modern country sounds like our parents when The Beatles came out lol
November 27, 2021 @ 4:32 am
maybe…if the beatles tried to sound like Barry White…but they didnt.
October 10, 2019 @ 6:58 pm
I feel like Usher could have sang this in 2000. Man, I try to be open minded, but damn, Sam.
October 10, 2019 @ 7:04 pm
Just no…this is crap!
October 10, 2019 @ 7:14 pm
With guys like Tyler Childers, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson and Jon Pardi sort of leading the way right now, I don’t see this doing that well. It’ll make a splash, but he won’t be as big as he was in 2015.
October 10, 2019 @ 7:22 pm
Yeahhhhhh…that sucked.
October 10, 2019 @ 7:33 pm
another #1 by the king of country sam hunt. so proud of you sam, keep making us proud
October 10, 2019 @ 8:31 pm
Haha!
October 11, 2019 @ 6:32 am
Umm, the King of country, George Strait, has not been overthrown. So please correct your thinking.
October 11, 2019 @ 11:23 am
This idiot is ruining “country” music! Midland, Alan Jackson and George can teach him what country music really is. I swear, women vote for this yahoo because they think he’s HOT! He’s not and he’s not country either. Since country radio sucks these days thanks to morons like Sam, I will continue to listen to Midland’s new CD, which is awesome, Cody Johnson, and many others who sing country songs! Can’t stand this fool or his music!!
October 11, 2019 @ 11:28 am
Kane Brown’s Number one fan, it’s people like you who are ruining country music. Look up the definition of country music and then tell me what songs Kane Brown or moron Sam Hunt have recorded that have a fiddle and steel guitar in it! Thank God for Midland, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and others who are keeping country alive. And newsflash to you, it’s about the music they make and not their looks that is important! Sam Hunt sucks!!
October 10, 2019 @ 7:43 pm
Now that’s one hell of an opening sentence. Bravo!
October 10, 2019 @ 7:51 pm
I remember back in 2014 when I actually listened to the radio and this motherfucker came on for the first time. I wanted to switch the station within seconds because the “song” was so bad but I just let it play for a solid minute with the hope that it was just a joke and the disc jockey (do they still call it that these days?) would come through my speakers laughing at any second.
October 10, 2019 @ 7:59 pm
I never thought that Sam Hunt was a country singer. But then, 90% of what Trashville has released is garbage anywhere. And then, when you have someone like Zac Brown, who put out what he just did, and doesn’t care what his audience thinks? No wonder people don’t like ‘ country music ‘ these days.
October 10, 2019 @ 8:07 pm
I enjoyed William Michael Morgan’s much-improved cover of Hunt’s I Met a Girl, and though Hunt’s Body Like a Back Road wasn’t really country, I thought the songwriting was strong. Kinfolks is neither country nor strong. It’s certainly not a song I’ll be introducing to my kinfolks. And while I’m here, may I say the new Dan + Shay single 10,000 Hours is equally empty and awful.
This pop country — or whatever the painful genre wants to call itself — literally has no soul or inspiration and has no business identifying as country. As Music Row Magazine’s new music reviewer Robert K. Oermann said at the top of his DISClaimer column today: “There’s an awful lot of pop music being marketed as ‘country’ in today’s listening session.”
October 11, 2019 @ 5:02 am
Empty and awful, that’s how I feel about ALL Dan and Shays stuff!
This new Hunt song equally just goes right thru me.
October 11, 2019 @ 6:19 am
Dan & Shay should change their name to Empty & Awful. Truth in advertising!!!
October 10, 2019 @ 9:07 pm
Wonderful. Now I have to listen to some Whitey fuckin Morgan to erase this horseshit from my memory forever.
October 11, 2019 @ 6:22 am
Or someone could do what I did…….just woke up having my coffee, reading this review, gave this shit a listen……….spit out my coffee and put on the new Cody Jinks…….
ahhhhhhhh…much better. 🙂
Oh and to top off the day Sarah Shook and The Disarmers are in town this evening at a real actual dive bar.
November 1, 2019 @ 2:58 am
@JB Chicago
I had to go find a dog’s ass to lick just to get this bad taste outta my mouth. Got me some Turnpike Troubadours to heal my ears.
October 10, 2019 @ 10:00 pm
Wow, one year and some traditional leaning talk later, his music hasn’t changed.
October 10, 2019 @ 10:49 pm
“Like a persistent venereal rash you think you’ve finally licked, only to experience a severe flare up right before you’re headed out on a hot date, here comes Sam Hunt…”
In 2019 America, the truth is about as endangered as a grizzly bear. But I know I can always find it at SCM.
October 11, 2019 @ 1:28 am
1:06 in before he said the word. that’s where i shut ‘er down .
if trigger hadn’t posted the title i’d still be wondering what it was . brilliant songwriting …..
this thing is just way too busy and congested lyrically to waste time on trying to get to the narrative …if there is one . he seems to love the sound of his own voice having a one-sided conversation with himself . even at that , it sounds like every other piece of absolute horseshit passing itself off as music on ‘country’ radio .
trigger …I love what you do here …..and i’m reluctant to suggest this .
how ’bout if you screen this stuff, weed out the garbage like Hunt and then bury it in the yard . i’m not sure we need to know about a lot of this crap . and i’m not sure YOU really want to continue giving it even the slightest bit of exposure .
I’m gonna suggest devoting ” Hunt ” time to folks who really matter and who ARE writing and playing country music . i don’t think we need to give hunt , urban , aldean , maren morris , underwood or countless other main-streamers ANY coverage or exposure whatsoever . I trust you ….and i think most folks here know where you’re coming from . i think we’d all be happy leaving this to your discretion . let’s not give the sam hunts of the genre any more attention . there are so many authentic sincere ARTISTS who need the exposure and the ‘buzz’ . its seems almost criminal to be giving it to sam hunt and other pop punters.
this song isn’t worth anyone’s time .
October 13, 2019 @ 4:48 pm
I hope he doesn’t start weeding out the rubbish. These reviews are not only a good thing to write, but they are in fact necessary to write (at least I think so). Personally, I found this site through an article Trigger wrote about one of these pop “country” artists and a lot of what it said truly spoke to me; I hadn’t found anybody else who wasn’t just beating around the bush and shilling whatever they were paid to give good reviews to (which is how a lot of these muzak careers that a lot of people on this site despise are created). As a result of finding this site, I’ve been exposed to many musicians I would’ve likely never heard of otherwise. And I’m sure I’m not the only one that this has happened to!
On top of that, it has helped me realize that country as a genre isn’t, in fact, dead, as I originally thought and many around me have also thought; you just have to look beyond radio, which unfortunately HAS become a dead medium for discovery, it seems, and look directly to the source, which is not the critics but the fans. In my mind, by writing these reviews, it is showing what the fans do and do not want, and it should be taken seriously by any genuine artist.
October 11, 2019 @ 2:39 am
Trigger,
What do you think of the Carly Pearce/Lee Brice collab? In a world full of Sam Hunt, I find myself not hating their new song.
October 11, 2019 @ 4:48 am
I heard it on the way in to work today and was pleasantly surprised to hear Carly Pearce sounding more traditional and less pop-wannabe.
October 11, 2019 @ 9:38 am
Might have something on the song and Carly Pearce specifically here soon.
October 11, 2019 @ 6:50 pm
I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY NOW ..
gotta love the pure , mostly acoustic vibe of this duet . the sound is refreshing and rootsy even though it sounds like a demo and could use a bit more colour to complete it .
lyrically I’m unimpressed ….amateurish
October 11, 2019 @ 2:55 am
Sam Hunt?
Sounds like a DustinLynchChrisLaneColeSwindellRussellDickersonDylan ScottJordanDavisChaseRiceBillyCurrington album filler track.
More?
Ok…
Tim McGraw feat. Shy Carter – “Way Down” – Track – Released
“Way down, way down, way down, way down, way down, way down”…i’m pretty sure i missed a couple of “way down, way down, way down, way down, way down”. God awful…trying to stay relevant ends in a trainwreck for TMcG.
King Calaway – Rivers – Album (12 Tracks) – Released (10/03)
Boygroup pop. Album is discounted here. First single “World For Two” is still on the charts after 25 weeks without coming close to the Top 40.
Kaylee Bell – “Wasted On You” – Track – Released
Australian “country” singer. Faceless radio fodder.
When i write what i really think about the Blanco Clown album…well…not country (surprise)…annoying…a voice only a mother can love…but it’s 2019 & Mr. Clown ruled the country sales charts for three month. The album will be a hit. I can see an ACM award or two in 2020. Album is discounted here too.
Brantley Gilbert…too cool for school. Still trying to be a stone cold rocker. Poor guy. Getting older & trying hard to hold on to the image he created.
One or two ballads & Lukas Nelson, Willie Nelson, Colt Ford, Jamey Johnson & Alison Krauss as guests…oh…handclaps! Yes…even Brantley G. can’t release an album without clap-track. Welcome to 2019 Mr. G.
October 11, 2019 @ 3:04 am
When Sam Hunt claimed Tyler Childers as an influence he was name dropping. This marketing machine knows what he’s doing. Name drop Childers, put out a song with a countrified name, hop on the traditional bandwagon…. And then what? More of his same garbage. He doesn’t have enough talent to actually write and sing true country music. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: Nashville is where people go when they are not talented enough to get noticed in LA and NYC, which is where pop music is made. “Artists” who don’t have a chance on the pop or rap charts are flocking to Nashville to pass their crappy music off as country. But you are right, it’s not 2014 anymore so we’ll see how this dud goes over.
October 11, 2019 @ 3:13 am
Thanks to my listening to that track above (presumably), Youtube has now started putting Sam Hunt in my mixes. Grrr…
October 11, 2019 @ 4:25 am
Screw this shit, and screw that fucker. New Cody Jinks out today, listened to it on the way into work. It does a body good, go get it.
And if you don’t find your toe involuntarily tapping to “Tonedeaf Boogie,” I don’t know what to tell you. Just call it a day and go get some medical help, there’s something wrong with you.
October 11, 2019 @ 4:30 am
All I hear are the fake urban enunciation’s coming from this con artists mouth. Hmmm, Sammy, gotta tell you Bro, you got no street cred, you ain’t from the hood, yer a rich white aging jock trying to masquerade as an R&B third tier Pop star. Last time I checked Sammy, yer doing what some call cultural appropriation. Wankery, sir….absolute mind rot inducing wankery.
Here’s a suggestion, take some of that ill-gotten gain and buy a couple Chuck E Cheese franchises and then at least you would be of some benefit to society. The children would all thank you and no one would have to ever be subjected to this nonsense taking up valuable chart space. Win, Win for all involved!
Here, I’ll pony up the first five bucks to make it happen for you….Bro.
October 11, 2019 @ 5:21 am
“You’re the only one if you” is a line from Taylor Swift’s recent single. Not that it’s a crime, just curious if that’s where he picked it up.
October 11, 2019 @ 12:14 pm
And as irritating as “ME!” is, at least it’s not pretending to be something it isn’t. It’s not straight-up bubblegum pop in country clothing.
October 11, 2019 @ 5:43 am
Back to basics. From Metro Bro to straight up Bro.
October 11, 2019 @ 5:47 am
Maybe but it will sell a million copies….
October 11, 2019 @ 8:32 am
So? That just tells me that the label marketing team/independent radio “consultants (aka the perk deliverers) know what they’re doing. If it sells a million, it has nothing to do with song quality, Mr. Peach Picker Worshiper.
October 11, 2019 @ 12:11 pm
“Disco Duck” sold a million copies too. Didn’t mean it was any good.
October 11, 2019 @ 3:40 pm
I didn’t say I liked it. I don’t care for Sam Hunt. I just said it will a million copies.
October 11, 2019 @ 5:47 am
Listening to that track was just like licking a persistent venereal rash before heading out on a hot date.
October 11, 2019 @ 5:47 am
Well, it made it about half a dozen somewhat promising notes before hopelessly bogging down in an autotune swamp. Back to After the Fire to wash the goop away.
Trigger, I know there’s a bunch of higher profile recent releases to cover, but Louise Mandrell just released her first album in 30 years. Did you happen to give it a listen? It’s a pretty tasty collection of Country standards.
October 11, 2019 @ 7:44 am
Louise Mandrell….wow that’s a past one for sure. Barbara got most of the attention back then. Saw Barb and the Mandrell sisters at the State Fair when I was knee high. They had a great schtick, they would all trade instruments onstage sort of like musical chairs, except that they could all actually play competently. Barbara could smoke a pedal steel for real! Crystal Gayle has new one out as well, speaking of eighties gals.
October 11, 2019 @ 8:53 am
The Louise Mandrell album is great. It’s better than the Crystal Gayle album (a little bit too schmalzy for my taste). But Crystal got her sistas…Peggy Sue & Loretta Lynn on “Put It Off Until Tomorrow”.
Louise Mandrell – Playing Favorites – Album (15 Tracks) – Released (10/03)
Crystal Gayle – You Don’t Know Me – Album (15 Tracks) – Released (09/05)
October 11, 2019 @ 9:44 am
Both the Crystal Gayle and Louise Mandrell albums are on my radar. With so many original records being released right now, they’re going to be difficult to cover. But I will try to get to them.
October 11, 2019 @ 6:26 am
Sam Hunt should keep Tyler Childers name out of his auto tuned mouth. He’s taking it in vain.
October 11, 2019 @ 6:32 am
this song sucks out the wazoo, but still beats the shit out of Blanco Brown.
October 11, 2019 @ 6:56 am
He did play football so maybe he has CTE and doesn’t know it and that would definitely explain his garbage songs.
October 11, 2019 @ 7:37 am
This song sucks. It sure as He– ain’t country.
October 11, 2019 @ 8:25 am
Still more country than Zac Brown
October 11, 2019 @ 8:35 am
Persistent venereal rash?? Jeezus that’s NAS-TEH! 🙂
October 11, 2019 @ 8:43 am
I was listening to Marty Stuart when I read this review, so I couldn’t bring myself to give Sam Hunt a listen. No need to turn off one of the best to pollute my ears with one of the worst.
October 11, 2019 @ 9:18 am
I hope at this year’s CMA awards , we don’t have to painfully sit through performances of Sam Hunt and the Bieber collab…. Fun fact, Jon Pardi has never fully performed at the CMAs ever… Back in 2017 he sang Dirt on my Boots on a small stage for about 20 seconds before cutting to a commercial. This is how Nashville treats their only country mainstream act. Hopefully we get a better cma awards next month
October 11, 2019 @ 11:55 am
I don’t watch award shows but it would be great it they can invite Jon Pardi, Codi Johnson, Midland, Brothers Osborne, Ashley McBryde to perform full songs.. now if only they get on the Tyler Childers, Cody Jinks, Margo Price gravy train… damn that was a good day dream.
October 11, 2019 @ 2:25 pm
Usually whoever is nominated gets to perform (so Midland , Brothers Osborne should be there) and Cody Johnson and Ashley McBride are up for new artist awards.. But their performances will likely be 20 seconds before the commercials . Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are NOT nominated for anything but I’m sure they’ll sneak in a performance for them sadly, especially since Aldean has a new album to promote… But so does Pardi. It’s Jon’s time to shine. He needs more TV exposure in order to become a bigger star in the mainstream. I might be just a Pardi fanboy but his team and Capitol Records need to promote him more. I hope he gets to perform. Say no to Sam Hunt and Justin Bieber. Plus I’m sure Lil Nas X will perform too…. Ugh
October 11, 2019 @ 11:20 am
This idiot is ruining “country” music! Midland, Alan Jackson and George can teach him what country music really is. I swear, women vote for this yahoo because they think he’s HOT! He’s not and he’s not country either. Since country radio sucks these days thanks to morons like Sam, I will continue to listen to Midland’s new CD, which is awesome, Cody Johnson, and many others who sing country songs! Can’t stand this fool or his music!!
October 11, 2019 @ 11:57 am
Is that a Buick Park Avenue?
October 11, 2019 @ 3:00 pm
Country radio shouldn’t give this track the time of day. It’s not just that it’s not country, it’s not even a decent Sam Hunt song. This sounds like a reject from the Montevallo sessions. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hunt hadn’t even touched this track since 2014.
October 11, 2019 @ 3:03 pm
Already playing Sam’s new single on our country station FOX…..haven’t heard not one of these singles Miranda Lambert has been releasing. I listen to the early morning local news, then turn it off until next morning.
October 11, 2019 @ 3:19 pm
Did Downtown’s Dead flop hard at radio last year because Sam hadn’t committed to a second album yet? Or did it flop because the song didn’t connect with the mainstream? Because this new song is the same vibe as Downtown. I can’t see this doing well at radio… Maybe another top 15 “hit”??
FGL has had a tough time at radio lately too. So has Keith Urban (We Were seems to be stalling at #10 )
October 11, 2019 @ 4:53 pm
This along with the Dan + Shay and Justin beiber song all coming to country radio at once is way too much. These two song song go back on all the progress made recently becuse they’re all youre going to hear. One surprisingly good release lately was the HARDY HIXTAPE. A lot of good collaborations on there. Also, Brantley Gilbert’s new album has some pretty good cuts.
October 11, 2019 @ 5:33 pm
Finally. a country song I can do the Cabbage Patch to.
October 12, 2019 @ 2:03 am
I actually made 0:42 into this tarpit
October 12, 2019 @ 8:26 am
It’s not for melodic or interesting of a song. Plus suburban soccer moms have no idea what “kinfolks” are so this song ain’t gonna do much on radio.
October 12, 2019 @ 2:46 pm
I stopped it at 29 seconds which was about 30 seconds too late
October 12, 2019 @ 4:45 pm
That smug face. Yeeeech!
October 12, 2019 @ 9:07 pm
Man y’all are funny. Why do you keep listening to crap you know is horrible? To this day, I’ve never heard more than 10 seconds of this dude, in passing, by accident.
October 13, 2019 @ 12:51 pm
Trigger I get you don’t like Sam Hunt and I don’t disagree that his music is not really country but you just posted about Carly Pearce and the pressures that are on these artists to produce this type of music over a more traditional country music sound, did you ever stop to think he’s felt that pressure himself from his label? I mean without knowing what has gone on behind closed doors you are assuming that he was lying and he didn’t want to make more traditional country. I geuss time will tell, I just think it’s a bit unfair to give Carly Pearce the benefit of the doubt then not afford it to other artists, given the pressures they are under to write, record and put out this kind of music because that’s what the record labels want.
October 13, 2019 @ 3:32 pm
I addressed the difference between Carly Pearce’s situation and Sam Hunt’s situation specifically in the Carly Pearce article, and think I was pretty thorough about why they’re significantly different. Carly has been playing traditional country and bluegrass since she was 11-years-old. Sam Hunt decided to try and become a superstar when he couldn’t put together an NFL career. I have no doubt that Sam’s efforts are purposeful, though I’m sure he feels pressure to release commercial music just as much as anyone. But if anything, his success would give him the creative freedom to do whatever he wants. I also left the door open in this article for Sam to actually release some more traditional-style material on his record, which he very well may do. But this song is what it is, and it’s not very good.
October 13, 2019 @ 2:20 pm
Given that the number one song on the chart right now is ‘One Thing Right’ from Kane Brown & Marshmellow it’s hard to rag on him for not making what radio wants to play right now. And this is the thing, you can attack these artists all you like but until radio stops playing and supporting this stuff it isn’t going to go away and so why should they stop making it? It’s getting them number ones and radio play. Until country radio stops supporting this un-country music and starts playing & supporting proper country music, labels will keep pressuring their artists to make this stuff.
October 13, 2019 @ 3:41 pm
I actually think the Kane Brown/Marshmello collaboration, and the Dan+Shay/Justin Bieber collaboration spell trouble for Sam Hunt, as does the continued success of Luke Combs. “Kinfolks” is very 2014. When Hunt first showed up, it was new and fresh. Now he’s just another guy trying to push EDM as country, and unlike those other collaborations, he’s not going to get those crossover spins. We’ll have to see how well it does, but I suspect it will open decent, but then struggle. It will probably get to #1 on radio, because any song by a country male will go #1 on radio. But I don’t see this being a significant single.
October 14, 2019 @ 12:42 pm
“He’s the face tattoo and felony conviction of music”…this could be the best comment in a review I’ve ever read. Literally laughed out loud.
March 24, 2020 @ 2:27 pm
The word is “kinfolk” a way. Not kinfolks. I can’t even listen to the song because he doesn’t even use the right word!
April 14, 2020 @ 11:40 pm
This went #1 lmaoo. Hilarious, especially after your pathetic “good riddance he’s fake country boo hoo” review of Downtown’s Dead then desperate rushed review of this a year later. On top of that, Hard to Forget is also soaring up country radio right now 6 years after his debut single. Sam’s here to stay, sucks to be lame hating ass reviewer who was totally wrong about this mans commercial career.
May 8, 2020 @ 5:48 pm
Sounds like a bunch of boomers here talking about when country was “good” you see this in Rock but I never thought I would see this in Country. Stop bitchin if you don’t like it