Kane Brown’s ‘Whiskey Sour’ Chart Performance: A Strategic Country Radio Success Story

You can’t mention “modern country music” and not immediately think of Kane Brown. From viral hits to sold-out arenas, he’s made a name for himself with his unique sound: blending traditional country storytelling with modern elements from other genres.  

Kane Brown’s “Whiskey Sour,” one of the standout singles in his catalog, proves he knows exactly what fans want to listen to. The track has quickly become more than just a fan favorite; it’s now a strategic manual on how to achieve country radio success.

Following its January 2022 release, “Whiskey Sour” started strong on streaming platforms. The 3.2 million first-week streams and No. 31 chart debut positioned the song competitively. It made the top country debut for the week, according to Music Row.  

The track is a breakup ballad that a lot of people who have suffered heartbreak can relate to. With lyrics like, “So now I take my whiskey sour / Sittin' barside after hours / Thinkin' how can I get over / If the love was never ours? / And I know you got my message / All my X's and my O's / And it kills me by the hour / Now I take my whiskey sours alone,” it speaks of the pain of missing a love you initially thought was forever yours.  

For Brown, “Whiskey Sour” represents a deliberate move toward a more traditional country sound. The track also marks the Georgian native’s debut as a co-producer alongside Ilya Toshinsky. “Whiskey Sour” uses traditional instrumentation, including the melancholic banjo, acoustic guitar, and fiddle that create the song's stripped-back sound, in contrast with his typical pop-country approach.

Critical Country gave the track a 6/10 rating, especially because of the instrumental elements, and how it’s more of a country song, and “a major step in the right direction for Kane Brown.” They also loved the “strikingly rich fiddle riff, accompanied by a couple of acoustic guitars” and how the song stayed “stripped back the whole way through” to just let Brown’s voice “break out and shine.”

Brown’s music has been criticized, especially by traditionalists, since they claim it lacks traditional country elements and is more aligned with pop and R&B. With “Whiskey Sour,” Brown proves he’s a country music artist through and through.

Brown’s “Whiskey Sour” demonstrates the viability of traditional country sounds in the streaming era. In recent years, the genre became one of the fastest-growing streaming genres, showing that its accessibility is beyond country music fans. Artists became more mainstream and able to introduce their music to fans of other genres.

Brown, who is experimenting with genre-blending, makes the genre more appealing to Gen Z listeners, rising from 29% in Q4 2022 to 38% in Q1 2024. The 3.2 million first-week streams and No. 31 chart debut suggest listeners are now looking for more authentic country sounds.