If Parker McCollum’s new self-titled album PARKER MCCOLLUM sounds different — grittier, gutsier, maybe even a little haunted — that’s because it is.
This time, there was no chasing trends, no polishing for perfection, and no coasting on past No. 1s. Instead, the Texas-born hitmaker holed up in New York’s iconic Power Station recording studio for a wild seven-day stretch, stripped everything down to the core, and created the most vulnerable record of his career. The result? A 14-track odyssey that trades radio-ready sheen for full-blown soul.
“We just went in, let it rip, and whatever landed on the other end of the line is what you’re hearing,” McCollum told Celeb Secrets and other reporters during a media session in Nashville earlier this month, digging into his now‑viral mantra that the album had to be “real, not perfect.”
“You can hear exactly what someone was doing when they make a record… how much of themselves are in it. That’s what I wanted,” he continued.
The result? A project that ditches polish for pulse. His sun‑baked baritone creaks over dobro on “Permanent Headphones,” snarls through the outlaw swagger of “Solid Country Gold,” and bleeds on the cinematic opener “My Blue.” He’s also got brand‑new snapshots (“Watch Me Bleed,” penned on the road last fall) and a steel toned duet with fellow Texan Cody Johnson with “Good TimeCharlie’s Got the Blues,” which feels tailor-made for a 2AM neon.
If you think Parker is trying to adapt to the progression of the genre, think again. He’s just out here chasing the feeling and we can’t get enough of it.
“We weren’t trying to make a record that sounded like anybody,” he continued. “We just said, ‘Man, we’re gonna go in and let it rip. Whatever’s on the other end of the line is what we’ll put out.’ And you can hear that.”
Burnt out from the road and fresh off the tail end of the Burn It Down Tour, McCollum landed in NYC “fried, done, and wearing Jimmy John’s on my shirt,” he joked. But the exhaustion was almost the secret sauce. There was no time to overthink — just Parker, his band, and the emotions that bubbled up after years of living, loving, losing, and leveling up.
With producers Frank Lidell (Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack) and Eric Masse by his side, Parker dove headfirst into long studio days, using his own guitar as the heartbeat of the album. He even stepped up vocally, refusing to comp take after take. What you hear is what he felt — even if it was a little rough around the edges.
And if the album feels tight, that’s intentional. McCollum laughed when asked how he culls filler:
“I had about fourteen songs I wanted to cut—pretty easy. People say they write 200 songs for a record; I don’t think I’ve written 200 in my whole life,” he told us.
To celebrate the record, Parker put on his best threads and clocked in for a special “shift” at Raising Cane’s in Austin earlier this month (June 12), where he celebrated 20 years of Cane’s in Texas while giving us (along with some lucky fans) a sneak peek inside his highly-anticipated self-titled fifth studio album. With hand-battered chicken fingers and a first listen to some unreleased tracks, it was the ultimate Texas-sized combo that you can read all about right here.
Just yesterday (June 26), the 33-year-old hit the road to kick off his PARKER MCCOLLUM Tour, and the lineup is as stacked as your go-to summer playlist. Expect crowd-warming sets from Ashley Cooke, Kameron Marlowe, Hudson Westbrook, Laci Kaye Booth, Corey Smith, and Vincent Mason. From Franklin, TN to Red Rocks and all the way back home to The Woodlands, this tour promises to be Parker’s most electric yet — so get ready for plenty of sing-a-longs, steel guitars, and maybe even a few tears.
After pushing himself creatively like never before, you’d think Parker might be ready for a break — but that’s just not how he’s wired.
“Honestly, I haven’t thought about it,” he told reporters when asked what’s next. “I just wanna keep chasing great songs. That’s always been it for me. If I find something that gives me chills again, I’ll know I’m on the right track.”
And that’s what makes PARKER MCCOLLUM such a moment — it’s an album built on instinct, honesty, and a little Texas-sized grit.
Take a listen to PARKER MCCOLLUM below and don’t forget to let us know what you think of the album by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecretscountry.
With reporting by Jozie Schroder.
