Old Dominion Drops Nashville Tribute Song on New Album ‘Barbara’

Old Dominion has previewed its heartfelt new single, "Goodnight Music City," calling it a poignant homage to Nashville's vibrant musical landscape. The song references Broadway honky-tonks, the historic Ryman Auditorium, cowboy boots, rhinestones, and the steady dreams of "tip jar troubadours" in a city built by perseverance. It arrives as part of the band's sixth studio album, Barbara, which debuted on Aug. 22, and comprises 13 tracks described by the band as their most personal work to date.

Frontman Matthew Ramsey shares, "I think it's just really where we are as songwriters and as men in our lives, and it just kind of came out that way," he shared with us. "I think we were just trying to pick the best songs that we could and things that we were excited about doing, and we're much more comfortable writing about that kind of thing. I don't know that we even knew we made such a personal record until we were done, and everybody was like, wow, this is really personal and we're going, 'you're right. It is.'"

The album Barbara features standout tracks such as "Making Good Time," "Water My Flowers," "Miss You Man," and "Late Great Heartbreak." It follows Old Dominion's previous releases — Meat and Candy, Happy Endings, Old Dominion, Time, Tequila & Therapy, and Memory Lane — and marks a creative milestone since their debut in 2015.

On Aug. 26, the band premiered the music video for "Goodnight Music City." Featuring members Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers, Geoff Sprung, and Brad Tursi, the video weaves in emotional nostalgia and reflection on their journey together and life in Music City.

With "Goodnight Music City" and Barbara, Old Dominion delivers both a celebration and a goodbye to the place that shaped them, melding emotional honesty with melodic craftsmanship that resonates deeply with fans.