Another week at #1.
As of today, Koe Wetzel and Jessie Murph officially spent a second week at the top of both the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase chart with their hit “High Road,” which first went #1 last week (both charts are used by labels use to officially track their songs performance).
Of course, the radio competition is a bit different towards the end of the year because there’s not songs being added until next year at this point and tracking is a little different, but still… two weeks at the top is impressive no matter what.
The song was featured on Koe’s 9 Lives album that came out in July, and got to the top pretty quickly after being officially sent to country radio upon the album’s release this past Summer. It’s the first #1 for both artists, and according to Billboard, it also makes Murph:
“Only the second female artist to rule Country Airplay in 2024, with both having led this month, after Ella Langley’s ‘You Look Like You Loved Me,’ with Riley Green, spent a week on top two weeks earlier.”
Koe shared a post on Instagram last week thanking fans for making this year so special and helping get his song to the top of the charts. “High Road” has also been certified Platinum by the RIAA, meaning it has moved over one million units since its release earlier this year:
“#1 at Country Radio.. It’s been an unbelievable year and to cap it off with this is just unreal. Huge shoutout to Jessie Murph and to the fans for already making this one Platinum. Thank y’all for taking a chance on a kid from East Texas.. Merry Christmas!”
Clearly, fans are loving this song, and I’m sure it’s the first of many more to come:
“High Road” was written by Koe along with Amy Allen, Carrie Karpinen and producer Gabe Simon, and finds Koe taking the “high road” both literally and metaphorically, as he uses a different approach to a conflict in a rocky relationship, deciding not to fight back but rather take some time to cool off (which also includes getting stoned, if that wasn’t obvious).
The duet version (there’s also a solo version that has been on the radio some) is Koe’s first official single at country radio, and along with the release of the new record, has really helped him reach a new audience that will only continue to grow. Koe has talked about how this album was created to put him in the mainstream spotlight, and is definitely softer, and much less profane and explicit, than records that are cult favorites like Noise Complaint and Harold Saul High.
Clearly, that strategy has proven successful, and it’s very well-deserved and hard-earned. Koe has worked for years, touring more than just about anybody both in Texas and all over the country, earning fans over with his high-energy, hardcore rock and roll live show that is second to none.
The Texas native also released a Christmas EP earlier this month called Wetzel’s Wonderland Chapter 2, and spent a good majority of the year on the road for his Damn Near Normal international tour.
Turn it up…
“High Road”
9 Lives Track List:
(songwriters in parentheses)
“Continued” Skit
“9 Lives (Black Cat)” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon)
“Casamigos” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Sam Nelson Harris, Ben Burgess, Gabe Simon)
“Damn Near Normal” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon, Carrie Karpinen, Sam Harris)
“Leigh” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon)
“Twister” (Ropyr Wetzel, Steve Rusch, Ben Burgess, Josh Serrato)
“High Road” feat. Jessie Murph (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon, Carrie Karpinen, Jessie Murph, Laura Veltz, Josh Serrato)
“Reconsider” (Keith Gattis cover: Charles John Brocco, Keith Quenton Gattis)
“Hatchet” (Gabe Simon, Mike Coogan)
“Sweet Dreams” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Josh Serrato, Gabe Simon, Sam Harris)
“Runnin’ Low” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Sam Harris, Gabe Simon, Ben Burgess)
“Bar Song” (Blake “Shy” Carter, Breyan Isaac, Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, Dave Gibson)
“Last Outlaw Alive” (Josh Serrato, Ben Burgess, Sam Harris)
“Depression & Obsession” (XXXTentacion cover: Jahseh Onfroy)
“Good Times” (Ropyr Wetzel, Steph Jones, Gabe Simon, Charlie Handsome, Josh Serrato)