American Authors are basking in their breakout moment: the Brooklyn-based pop-rockers are still enjoying the success of their debut single, “Best Day of My Life,” which currently sits at its peak position of No. 23 on the Hot 100. The group’s debut album, “Oh, What a Life,” is due out Mar. 3, but American Authors is sharing its title track a few days early, in an exclusive premiere with Billboard:
On the album, American Authors mix current folk-rock trends (think Mumford & Sons, Phillip Phillips, or Of Monsters and Men) with the pristine pop production of acts like fun.. On this new song, the Authors follow up on what made their debut single so alluring: folksy buildups, emotional reflection, and a mountain of a sing-along chorus.
“‘Oh, What A Life’ pretty much sums up the entire album,” says frontman Zac Barnett, explaining what makes this the ideal title track. “It describes the highs and lows and the good times and bad times that we’ve had together as a band over the years.”
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Lead guitarist/banjo player James Adam Shelley also weighed in on the new track: “This song really sums up our experience working on this record. It’s about our lives going after a dream and the sacrifices made. The imagery of the song was based around me mountaineering in the Himalayas and summiting Mount McKinley in Alaska.”
American Authors first entered Billboard’s radar last November, when the early success of “Best Day of My Life” on Adult Pop Songs earned it a spot in the weekly Bubbling Under column. Early exposure in a Lowe’s TV ad and the official trailer for Vince Vaughn’s “Delivery Man” got the track going, and now, the Authors that wrote it are gearing up for a potentially very successful debut album.