Listen to Chris Young's New Single, 'Raised on Country'

Chris Young is kicking off 2019 with a brand-new single! The Tennessee native just released "Raised on Country," the debut single from his upcoming eighth studio album.

"Raised on Country," which says, "I was raised on Merle, raised on Willie / Got my honky-tonk attitude from Joe Diffie / Daddy did too, it's family tradition / When someone cranks it up you can't help but listen / My upbringing sounds like George Strait singing / 'Cause if you know me, I was raised on country," is a bit of a departure for Young, but reminds Young of his childhood, and why he fell in love with country music in the first place.

"It's a bit of a name-dropper in the chorus, which is not something I've done a whole lot," Young told Billboard. "It evokes what I grew up on, whether that's more recent artists like Joe Diffie or artists that were from a different time in the genre like Willie Nelson. It's just a straightforward party country anthem."

Young has written many of his hits over the years, but calls "Raised on Country" one of the best he has ever recorded.

"I remember listening to country music on the radio as I grew up and I fell in love with it," Young shared on social media. "This is an anthem/a party/and an ode to what I love. Enjoy!!! Here we go!"

"Raised on Country" is just one of many songs on the new record that Young says will show fans how much he has evolved as an artist, while still staying true to who he is.

"There's going be love songs," Young revealed. "There's going to be a sexy song on the record. I think if I didn't put at least one love song and one straight-out sexy song on the record, people would be like, 'Is he okay?' I've been so successful with them. But there will be a lot topically that maybe hasn't been touched on before in my songwriting, and definitely just opening up a lot to people and showing them more of me."

Young's previous Losing Sleep album included two hit singles, with both the title track and "Hangin' On." While Young is grateful for the success, his next record will return to his more traditional roots.

"If 'Losing Sleep' and 'Hangin' On' were a little more pop production, this one is probably a little more organic," Young told Taste of Country. I wouldn't even say traditional, but the way that we've tracked some of this stuff it's more organic instrumentation."

Download "Raised on Country" on iTunes.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/CBS Photo Archive