Midwest Rock & Roll

Midwest Rock & Roll is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Ryan Hurd, released on March 21, 2025, through Big Machine Records.^[1][2] Hurd co-wrote all twelve tracks, crafting a collection that draws on his Midwestern upbringing and reflects the emotional aftermath of leaving home to pursue a music career.^[3] The album incorporates rock influences from bands popular in Hurd's youth, including, blended with contemporary country production. As of November 2025 the album has spawned four singles, including the title track, "Go to Bed Sober" featuring Sasha Alex Sloan, "This Party Sucks", and "Die for It".^[4] Music critics highlighted the album's heavier, rock leaning direction compared to Hurd's 2021 debut, Pelago.^[5]

In early January 2024, amid the finalization of his divorce from Maren Morris, Hurd began teasing new material and confirmed that he had returned to the recording studio to begin work on his second full-length album.^[6]

Hurd spent much of 2024 writing with long-time collaborators Aaron Eshuis, Mark Holman, and Randy Montana, ultimately co-writing all twelve tracks that would appear on the album.^[1] He also signed a new record deal during this period, which he said helped give the project renewed focus as he refined the direction and tone of the material.^[7]

In multiple interviews, Hurd explained that the album draws heavily from his upbringing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and from the rock and emo-influenced bands he listened to in high school, including The Fray, Hoobastank, and Lifehouse, describing the project as a "coming-of-age album" that returns to the emotional and sonic palette of his teenage years.^[8] Hurd said he wanted the album to reflect the feeling of "playing in your first band" and to capture the blend of country and rock that shaped his early musical identity.^[4]

The writing process for the album was deliberately slow and intentional, with Hurd and his collaborators shaping the track list around a cohesive sound. "Die for It" was written with Holman and Montana, was the turning point that set the overall tone for the record, leading directly to the creation of tracks such as "Midwest Rock & Roll", "Funerals", and "Lighthouse."

Reflecting on the project shortly before its release, Hurd described Midwest Rock & Roll as a personal but not fully autobiographical album that documents a return to the musical core of who he was in his youth. He explained that the record symbolizes "returning to who I was and putting that down on paper", while building on two decades of growth as a songwriter in Nashville.^[1] Holman and Montana co-wrote the title track, "Die for It," "Funerals," and "Lighthouse," forming a core creative unit behind the album's rock-inspired direction.^[9] He described "Paul." as the album's most personal track, inspired by a 2022 encounter with Paul McCartney at the Grammy Awards.^[10]

Hurd first teased new material in early January 2024 when he posted a brief studio clip on Instagram responding to a fan request for new music.^[11] His first new release of the year, the single "Midwest Rock & Roll", released on March 1, 2024.^[12] It was followed by the single "Go to Bed Sober" a duet with Sasha Alex Sloan written with co-wrote and produced by King Henry, issued in April 2024.^[13] One week later, Hurd released an acoustic cover of Noah Kahan’s "Growing Sideways", continuing a steady run of non-album promotional songs throughout 2024.^[11]

Hurd formally announced his sophomore album on February 7, 2025, confirming that the album would be released on March 21 via Big Machine Records.^[14][15] Coinciding with the announcement, he issued the album’s third single, "Die for It", and its accompanying music video.^[15] The album's fourth pre-release track, "This Party Sucks", followed on October 25, 2024, marking his first official release under Big Machine Records after signing to the label earlier that month.^[16]

Promotion for the album included an acoustic performance in London in February 2025, where Hurd previewed new material with producer Aaron Eshuis.^[17] During the trip, he also appeared in select UK press interviews promoting the album's themes and inspirations.^[18]

On May 2, 2025, Hurd announced that a deluxe version of Midwest Rock & Roll would be released on May 30, 2025, featuring four new tracks, including London Sessions re-recorded of "Paul.", a collaboration with Carter Faith, and two Beatles and Paul McCartney cover songs.^[19] To coincide with the announcement, Hurd released “Paul. (London Sessions)” as an instant-great promotional track.^[19]

The singles released from the album included "Midwest Rock & Roll", "Go to Bed Sober", and "This Party Sucks", all of which previewed the album's themes and sonic direction.^[2]

The album blends modern country production with notable alternative-rock and mid-2000s emo rock influences drawn from Hurd's teenage listening habits, including The Fray, Hoobastank, and Lifehouse.^[3] Critics noted that the title track incorporates a heavier, alternative rock sensibility compared to Hurd's earlier work.^[20]

Hurd described "California 1972" as influenced by 1970s Los Angeles rock traditions, citing elements reminiscent of Randy Newman, Elton John, and Laurel Canyon–era songwriting.^[3]

The album's final song, "The Last Song I’ll Ever Write" is a piano ballad Hurd commented on, saying it serves as a reflection of his feelings about the end of his marriage Maren Morris after their divorce was finalized in January 2024.^[3]

Music critics commentary on the album praised the title track for its emotional delivery and stylistic shift. Country Central rated "Midwest Rock & Roll" an 8.5/10, highlighting Hurd's broader vocal range and heavier rock elements.^[21][20]

The Tennessean described the album as Hurd's most personally revealing work and noted that it reconnects him with the rock music of his youth while maintaining his lyrical grounding in country songwriting traditions.^[22]

Credits adapted from AllMusic.^[23][24]

• Ryan Hurd – vocals
• Sasha Alex Sloan – vocals (track 10)
• Tony Lucido – bass
• Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (track 10)
• Derek Wells – electric guitar
• Mark Holman – guitar, keyboards
• Dave Cohen – keyboards
• Phil Lawson – drums
• King Henry – guitar, keyboards (track 10)

• Aaron Eshuis – producer, programming, recording, editing
• Mark Holman – producer
• King Henry – producer, programming, recording
• Drew Bollman – recording
• Mike Stankiewicz – engineer
• Jim Cooley – mixing
• Sean Moffitt – mixing
• Nathan Dantzler – mastering
• Harrison Tate – assistant mastering engineer
• Mike "Frog" Griffith – production coordination
• Rose Hutcheson – production coordination
• Jase Keithley – mixing assistant