This Could Truly Be The End for Florida Georgia Line

The only thing worse than the music of Florida Georgia Line is how their demise has been this slow and plodding drama that’s been unfolding over a couple of years now. Just stick a fork in it already fellas, and maybe resurrect it 20 years from now in Vegas as a nostalgia act.

But in the latest sign that things aren’t going so well between the duo, Tyler Hubbard has just signed a new recording contract as a solo artist with EMI Nashville, which is a division of UMG Nashville. It’s not before the duo’s other member Brian Kelley had already signed a solo deal with Warner Music Nashville in 2021, and released a solo album called Sunshine State of Mind last June that quickly faded from memory.

But Tyler Hubbard signing a solo deal is much more significant, because Hubbard has always been the more dominant singer and face of the group, with Brian Kelley resigned more to harmonies (often low in the mix), aside for a track or two on some of their later records where Kelley sang lead. In short, Tyler Hubbard is Florida Georgia Line. They chose to move forward as a duo since the pair wrote together, and because being a duo puts you in a less competitive lane in mainstream country music.

Unlike Brian Kelley who failed to find any real mainstream country traction with his solo effort, Tyler Hubbard could very well launch a successful solo career with his much more discernible voice. So no, Tyler Hubbard is probably not going away entirely, but Florida Georgia Line has definitely found tough times in the post Bro-Country era. Three of the duo’s last five singles settled outside the Top 10 as mainstream country mostly moved on from the project. They have yet to release a new single in 2022.

Earlier this year, Brian Kelley of the duo told People that he and Tyler Hubbard were “…taking a break from recording our music,” and that they will “support each other on the next chapter of our musical and creative journey, which is going to be individually for a while.” In November of 2020, friction between the two over the U.S. Presidential election and COVID-19 stoked breakup rumors, and by January of 2021, they were searching for more freedom from each other.

Still, inexplicably, the Country Music Hall of Fame currently is hosting a Florida Georgia Line exhibit, much to the chagrin of many actual country music fans and Hall of Fame patrons. But that exhibit might be the last place you can see Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line together for the foreseeable future.

Florida Georgia Line still has yet to officially call it a “break up” though, and the duo is still signed to Big Machine Records.

© 2023 Saving Country Music