We're less than a week away from Morgan Wallen headlining at BST Hyde Park and anticipation is building rapidly.
After his sell-out UK debut at The O2 in London last December, the country superstar will be back on this side of the pond for his biggest show yet, leading a star-studded lineup including Riley Green, ERNEST and Ella Langley.
Whilst fans are sure to be looking forward to hearing the big hits like ‘Last Night', ‘You Proof' and ‘Whiskey Glasses', personally I'm more excited about Wallen potentially branching out and delving into some songs UK fans haven't heard live yet. So here's the 10 songs we're most hoping to hear next week – will any of them make it onto the setlist?
1: Happy Hour
Well, I did promise you deep cuts. This track, the second on Wallen's 2018 debut album ‘If I Know Me', is a bouncy, twangy number with a poppy touch that sees Wallen shrugging off a breakup and having the time of his life as he downs shots and buys whiskey sours for older women. There's a playfulness to the song that makes it still feel fresh and fun, and it also marks one of the first points in his longtime collaboration with HARDY. To me it would be the perfect throwback to his early days and the ideal way to kick things off on a (hopefully) sunny summer evening.
2: Somebody's Problem
This was something of a surprise omission from Wallen's O2 show, but it feels perfect for the Hyde Park gig. A rapidly delivered ode to a summer fling that's crammed with lyrical detail – from the '30-A sticker on the back windshield' to a ‘two-tone tank top' sported by Wallen's love interest – and a bright guitar melody alongside his trademark raspy drawl, this could provide a really lovely light moment in the set and I think it would work so well with the sun setting over London.
3: 865
Switching things up, this song from Wallen's sophomore release ‘Dangerous' has a slightly more downbeat tone and a stripped-back approach, as he reflects on trying to get over an ex and resisting the urge to drunk dial. There's a real rawness and yearning in his delivery that lifts it above the usual “I shouldn't call but…”-type tracks, and in a way it almost feels like a prelude to ‘Last Night' – I can see these two songs working really well as a mash-up of some kind. (Also, I'd be interested to see how many people have actually tried to call the number in the chorus…)
4: Whiskey'd My Way
One thing you can definitely say about Wallen is that he's adept at turning his hand to pretty much every country sound in the book. Whilst he may be better known for his use of snap tracks, this rollicking barroom number with a touch of 90s indie (just me who hears REM in that intro?) practically demands you to raise your beer in the air and sing along to the anthemic chorus. Throw in some very clever turns of phrase like ‘oughta be in the moving on hall of fame', a bluesy guitar riff and a big soaring note, and I think this one could be really special live.
5: Keith Whitley
This tribute to the late great 80s country star might have got lost in the shuffle of Wallen's mammoth triple album ‘One Thing At A Time', but I think it's very much a hidden gem. With a slightly surprising self-awareness and a yearning for a lost love that shows off the soulfulness in Wallen's voice as well as plenty of references to the likes of ‘When You Say Nothing At All', ‘Miami, My Amy' and ‘Don't Close Your Eyes', it's one of the standout tracks on that project and I think absolutely deserves a chance to shine on stage. Wallen also continues the Whitley nods in the grunge- and 00s-rock influenced ‘Whiskey Friends', and I think the one-two punch of those two would work – especially mixed with a well-timed ‘Mr Brightside' cover (if you know you know…
6: Man Made A Bar
One of the most popular cuts from ‘One Thing At A Time', this track – originally recorded as a collaboration with Eric Church – highlights Wallen's ability to bring a story to life. It's a smart take on a breakup song, bringing to life the perfect place to drown your sorrows, and the bittersweet quality of Wallen's rendition works really well. I can definitely see this going down a storm with the crowd!
7: Spin You Around
When life gives you lemons, make a new hit song. After Wallen's first label Panacea Records released a new ‘deluxe edition' of his 2015 EP ‘Stand Alone' with eight new songs, he took it upon himself to re-record this track from the project. It's a gentle, sweet acoustic tune which sees him approaching a girl in a bar, and there's a Sam Hunt-esque vibe about it that I really like. I can already see the couples dancing and swaying to this one!
8: Lies Lies Lies
We've only heard this as an Abbey Road Sessions recording, but Wallen's already announced that he'll be releasing it as a single on 4th July, so it makes complete sense to premiere it at BST. There's a spiky, dark feeling about this that seems very different from what he's done before, as he sings about letting go of a toxic ex before the song takes a twist, and it's an interesting clue about where he could be going next. Given that he's recently wiped his Instagram account – as has ERNEST – could that be hinting to more than just the single dropping next week? We'll have to wait and see…
9: Flower Shops
OK, this technically isn't a Wallen song, and it's probably more likely that we'll get to hear his and ERNEST's other duet ‘Cowgirls' (which to be fair is a banger). But if the two of them are going to appear on stage together, then this is the song I'd like to hear – and to Wallen's credit, he does have form on bringing his collaborators out to play their songs in his sets. With a folkier feel than some of Wallen's other songs, this would provide a really nice acoustic moment and give him a chance to show off the richness in his voice as well as his vulnerable side.
10: I Had Some Help
Again, technically not Wallen's song, but his collaboration with Post Malone is already shaping up to be one of the biggest hits of the summer, and frankly leaving it out of his set would be criminal. Whilst a Posty special guest appearance might be too much to hope for (although we can dream!), a solo performance of this would absolutely bring the party and get 50,000 people jumping up and down and belting it out. With its earworm of a chorus and high-energy feel, it would make for an incredible finale and send the entire audience away on a high. Let's make it happen!
Morgan Wallen will be performing at BST Hyde Park on Thursday 4 July. To see the full lineup and buy your tickets, please visit https://www.bst-hydepark.com/events/morgan-wallen-4-july/
