Lauren Alaina’s Breakthrough Hit: ‘Road Less Traveled’

When "Road Less Traveled" hit the charts in 2016, it established a new chapter for Lauren Alaina. After riding out the emotional aftermath of her time on American Idol, Lauren Alaina released a breakout hit that took her from a former reality show contestant to a true country music star.

Lauren Alaina's rise to fame began in 2011 at age 16, when she became the youngest contestant ever to reach the finale of American Idol, finishing as runner-up to Scotty McCreery in season 10. The small-town cheerleader from Rossville, Georgia, suddenly found herself in the national spotlight.

Her debut album, Wildflower, was rush-released on Oct. 11, 2011, when she was only 17. While it debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 69,000 copies, its momentum quickly faded. By January 2013, U.S. sales had stalled at 303,000 copies. Though the record held promise, Alaina had co-written only one track, and none of the singles broke into the Top 25 on country radio.

Meanwhile, her personal life was unraveling. Her parents divorced in 2013. Her father then entered alcohol rehabilitation. Alaina also battled an eating disorder that was intensified by cruel online criticism.

The struggles Alaina faced fueled the authenticity that would later define "Road Less Traveled." As a teenager, she quietly battled bulimia, at times hiding it even from her family. In an interview with People, she admitted that her father didn't know about her eating disorder until she discussed it publicly. His decision to seek help for alcoholism inspired her to face her demons too. By 2012, she had taken control of her health and committed to body positivity.

The turning point came in 2013 at Major Bob Music on 17th Avenue in Nashville, where Alaina entered a writing session with producer Jesse Frasure and pop star Meghan Trainor. Frasure had prepared a track with what he described as a "OneRepublic-y kind of feel," setting the tone for a song that could straddle pop and country influences.

The trio brainstormed the theme, drawing inspiration from Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken." Together, they crafted "Road Less Traveled," tackling the chorus first and then working backward.

Alaina later recalled that the message of the song was exactly what she needed to hear herself: "It was like therapy. It was what I had been struggling to say." Over the course of preparing her sophomore album, she wrote more than 300 songs but ultimately chose just 12 — each one reflecting her newfound honesty and growth.

Despite its promising creation, recording "Road Less Traveled" proved difficult. Producer Busbee sought to blend organic country sounds with modern pop production, layering banjo, hand claps, kick drum, and spacey synths into a seamless track.

During the initial takes in the summer of 2014, Alaina struggled. She had to undergo surgery on her vocal cords on Aug. 12, 2014. For months, she faced the terrifying possibility that her career may be over before her comeback could begin.

When her voice healed, the results surprised even her. Returning to the studio, she discovered new vocal power and range. "I didn't realize how much my voice had grown until I got back in the studio," she said.

Mercury Nashville released "Road Less Traveled" to radio on July 11, 2016. For Alaina, it was her sixth single — an almost unheard-of number of chances in an industry where female artists often struggle to receive consistent airplay. Many had written her off, but the song's slow-burning climb proved otherwise.

Against the odds, "Road Less Traveled" eventually reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, her first-ever chart-topper. It also peaked at No. 8 on Hot Country Songs and No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100. Certified Platinum by the RIAA, it sold more than 1 million units in the U.S., with 203,000 copies sold by May 2017 and 220,000 by July 2017.

For Alaina, the song's success was deeply personal. "Everything happens when it's supposed to," she reflected. She was grateful not only for the chart position but for the opportunity to finally tell her story.

Critics responded positively to the song and the accompanying album Road Less Traveled. Country Exclusive rated the album 7.5/10, praising it as "an example of good pop country, something being done right in the mainstream." They emphasized its personal nature, noting, "Lauren Alaina did something very few mainstream artists — pop, country, or otherwise — can claim — she made a very personal record."

Some critics dismissed the single as leaning too heavily on pop production, but others applauded its uplifting message and Alaina's commanding vocals. Building Our Own Nashville described the album as "brave, truth-telling, and gripping."

Commercially, the album debuted at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Top Country Albums chart.

The impact of "Road Less Traveled" didn't just stop with the music charts. Alaina starred in a full-length film titled Road Less Traveled in 2017, directed by Blair Hayes and written by Michael and Samantha Shear. Filmed in Knoxville, Tennessee, the movie followed Charlotte, a country singer returning to her hometown of Harmony, Tennessee, just before her wedding, where she reconnects with an old flame.

The cast included Donny Boaz, Jason Burkey, and Charlene Tilton. Released on June 6, 2017, the movie featured five songs from Alaina's album on its soundtrack. Alaina expressed her excitement about the project, calling it a new creative frontier.

"Road Less Traveled" was way more than just another hit — it was a pivotal moment that enabled Lauren Alaina to reinvent herself and her career altogether. By leveraging vulnerability and authenticity, Lauren Alaina transformed her personal challenges into an empowering anthem for those facing their own struggles.