What Signing with Atlantic Means for Sturgill Simpson

Chances are you’ve heard of Sturgill Simpson at this point. If you haven’t here’s a quick summary: in 2013, Sturgill released his critically acclaimed debut project High Top Mountain, announcing his arrival onto the independent music scene. Last year, the 36-year-old released another, even more critically lauded collection with his sophomore album Metamodern Sounds In Country Music. It was an album that connected with the masses, making it onto several end of year rankings, several of those being lists across all genres. Not only that, but Simpson is currently sitting at #14 on the country album sales chart, outselling genre heavyweights such as Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney, red-hot newcomers like Cole Swindell and Chase Rice, and consistent hit makers Lee Brice and Little Big Town. Sturgill is making waves, and his recently announced signing with Atlantic Record bodes very, very well for his commercial future.

Signing with a major label, such as Atlantic, means Sturgill’s music, which is already exploding within the industry, will reach an even larger audience, and an even higher level of commercial height. If Mr. Simpson’s music is already outselling that of proven stars on an independent label like Thirty Tigers, the possibilities of what he could do with Atlantic are endless. Could he start to garner mainstream airplay? There’s a possibility there. Of course, traditionally tinted music is frowned upon at radio, but if fans are into him enough, could they really avoid it? Another potential accomplishment for the Kentucky native, would be mainstream award nominations at a show like the CMA’s or the ACM’s. A Grammy nomination in the Americana category is only the first step towards stardom. If Brandy Clark can receive a CMA nod, there’s no reason to believe that the “Turtles All The Way Down” signer can’t.

The sky’s the limit for Sturgill Simpson. Backed with a blossoming fanbase, all the critical support in the world, and now a major label record deal (one that gives him full creative control to boot), there will be no stopping the singer-songwriter.

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