10/24/2025, 07:00 PM EDTJordan Davis
Six years into his record deal with Columbia Records, Mitchell Tenpenny is leaning in even more. On his new album "The 3rd," the Nashville native is leaning into his story, his fans, his roots and his influences – all with an eye on the future.
Country radio knows Tenpenny as a reliable hitmaker and husky-voiced storyteller with an ear for undeniable hooks and unforgettable melodies. Fans who care to listen deeper recognize that he not only produces country radio smashes but is also a genre disruptor unafraid of punctuating his country storytelling with edgy lyrics, hard-driving drum beats and heavy guitars.
"The 3rd" is Tenpenny's most authentic – and adventurous - album yet. Named after a song that was named after him, "The 3rd" is a testament to his personal growth and artistic evolution. No longer playing games, Tenpenny has crafted an album that resonates with his own experiences and emotions. This honest and empathetic collection showcases his maturity as a man, singer, songwriter, and storyteller and invites listeners to join him on his creative journey through life and music.
"I want this record to be all over the place," Tenpenny said. "I want somebody to be able to find their song in the record, something that helps them or just something stylistically different from everything else. It just encapsulates everything I've done and all the genres I've loved."
Tenpenny's music has generated more than 2.4 billion global streams since his debut. His chart-topping #1 songs include "Drunk Me," "Truth About You" and "At The End of a Bar." Fans of those will find plenty to love on "The 3rd," but the gold and platinum-selling double ACM nominee wanted to dig even deeper.
To set the tone, Tenpenny returned to the first song he learned on guitar as a child – "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls. He has ended his set with the rock anthem for 18 months because he loved finishing his stadium shows with the song's ending lyrics, "I just want you to know who I am."
Tenpenny approached recording the song similarly to The Goo Goo Dolls. His masculine, gritty voice slices through the lyrics with the conviction of someone who understands the nuances of the beloved late-'90s rock smash. He didn't plan to record it the day he did and gingerly approached the idea with his band, explaining it would be easy because everyone already knew it. When he put the song out, fans streamed it more than 1 million times in its first week.
"We started recording it, and it's not an easy song," he said. "It's actually very complicated and beautiful. We cut out a few parts but kept all the signature parts in there."
The album's title track – and first song - is so personal that it's ripped from Tenpenny's family tree. The tenderhearted chart-topper is the third James Mitchell Tenpenny in his family, and he feels the weight of the responsibility that comes with that history. The singer vulnerably wonders in the song if he's making his family proud if he is living up to his potential, and what happens if he doesn't have a son to carry on the name.
Tenpenny has always loved Dierks Bentley's song "My Last Name," and his co-writers, Andy Albert, Paul DiGiovanni, and Devin Dawson, suggested they use the song to inspire Tenpenny.
"Whenever we get in the room, we just want to write something that makes us feel something," Tenpenny said. "They all had the idea of coming in and writing something about my last name."
"The 3rd" is a relatable gut punch for anyone concerned with meeting familial expectations. Its unflinching sincerity is the unbreakable tie that binds the album.
"It just kind of all arrived around this concept of I'm getting older," Tenpenny said of the album. "I'm maturing, hopefully. I'm just kind of playing all the games. I'm married now, and life's real. I just wanted to make music again that I like."
In honor of his late father whom he lost to cancer in 2014 created the 10Penny Fund to help provide inspirational support to cancer patients and their families beyond traditional medical treatment. The Fund invests in sustainable + meaningful programs that motivate patients, encourage healing and build a community of support.
There are 20 songs on the album, and Tenpenny's life falls between the first song, "The 3rd," and the 10th, "Set In Stone" -- both of which explore his legacy and have lyrics tied to his name. He imagines the album as if it's vinyl with 10 songs on each side. Songs 11-20 reflect his diverse musical influences that feed his artistry.
He dropped "Iris" in the fifth spot because it's both reflective of his story and his influences. He also wanted to position "Iris" early enough in the album so if someone was flipping through songs, they would hear it and understand his heart for music.
At no. 11, "Make It Rain" is another of his favorites on the album. The song reflects his rock influence and was built from a fabricated story and a guitar riff he'd had for over a decade. Tenpenny was scrolling through his phone when he saw headlines about farmers struggling with crops because it wasn't raining.
"I thought there's a cool concept: if God ain't going to do it, then I'm going to make it rain," he said. "They're going to go in, rob the bank, and steal the money."
Tenpenny gave "Same Moon" a Brooks & Dunn vibe and wrote it about his wife. Because both are touring artists, they are rarely together. But, looking at the moon at the same time makes them feel like their hearts are in the same room – even if they're thousands of miles apart.
He thinks "Started Stopping" has an infectious melody and said his Colbie Caillat duet "Guess We'll Never Know" is another favorite. He laughs that Kanye West inspired it on an award show. West quipped that many people wondered what would happen if he didn't win, but that didn't happen, so he guessed we'd never know.
"I was like, 'Oh my God, that's an awesome concept for a love song,'" he said. "I love that because it's kind of where I'm at in life with my life as well. It's weird how a freaking Kanye quote can turn into a love song."
He wrote "Tennessee In Me" as a Tennessee native for himself. The music reminds him of Dave Barnes and Josh Hoge, and Tenpenny didn't intend to include it on the album. He loved their melodies and songwriting. As a Tennessean, he wanted a song with Tennessee in the title, and "Tennessee In Me" was born.
With influences ranging from Brooks & Dunn to hard rock, "The 3rd" is an eclectic mix of songs, styles, and genres that are each meaningful and representative of the singer. His distinct voice glides through uptempo tracks laced with synth, anchored with loops and driven by banjo then turns convicted and passionate, soaring with hard-driving guitar solos and wailing through heartbreaking choruses.
"The Third" is both his story – and a made-up narrative. Stitching each genre, style, and story so seamlessly together is a musical triumph for himself and his fans. The 20-song collection showcases not only the courage and unparalleled artistry of James Mitchell Tenpenny but also his life. His story is just beginning.
