Bigger Houses is the fifth studio album by American country pop duo Dan + Shay. It was released through Warner Bros. Nashville on September 15, 2023. All tracks on the album were produced by duo member Dan Smyers and Scott Hendricks. It serves as the follow-up to their previous album, Good Things (2021). The album was supported by one single, "Save Me the Trouble", and four promotional singles: "Heartbreak on the Map", "Always Gonna Be", the title track, and "We Should Get Married".

Bigger Houses
Dan and Shay sitting on the roof of a model house in the middle of a field
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2023 (2023-09-15)
Length37:47
LabelWarner Nashville
Producer
Dan + Shay chronology
Good Things
(2021)
Bigger Houses
(2023)
It's Officially Christmas: The Double Album
(2024)
Singles from Bigger Houses
  1. "Save Me the Trouble"
    Released: July 14, 2023
  2. "Bigger Houses"
    Released: February 5, 2024

Background and promotion

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In a press release for promoting the album, duo member Dan Smyers said: "Some of our records have been more pop- or hip-hop/R&B-infused. But on this record, I wanted to make tracks that we could hop up at any bar anywhere with our live band and play the songs as they were recorded. Ultimately, this music, this whole album, is something that I'll be able to look back on in a decade or two and be really proud of the way it turned out".[1] Dan + Shay announced the album and its release date on July 14, 2023, along with the lead single, "Save Me the Trouble", and three promotional singles: "Heartbreak on the Map", "Always Gonna Be", and the title track; all songs were released alongside official music videos.[2][3] The fourth and final promotional single, "We Should Get Married", was released on August 25, 2023.[4]

Track listing

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Bigger Houses track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Breakin' Up with a Broken Heart"2:59
2."Save Me the Trouble"
  • Smyers
  • Mooney
  • Gorley
  • Jordan Minton
  • Jordan Reynolds
3:20
3."Heartbreak on the Map"3:16
4."Always Gonna Be"
  • Smyers
  • Mooney
  • Gorley
  • Minton
  • Reynolds
2:52
5."For the Both of Us"
2:45
6."Then Again"
2:50
7."Heaven + Back"
3:08
8."What Took You So Long"
  • Smyers
  • Minton
  • Reynolds
  • Robbins
3:04
9."Missing Someone"3:05
10."We Should Get Married"
  • Smyers
  • Mooney
  • Albert
3:41
11."Neon Cowgirl"
3:30
12."Bigger Houses"
  • Smyers
  • Albert
  • Minton
  • Reynolds
3:17
Total length:37:47

Personnel

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Dan + Shay

  • Dan Smyers – vocals, production, programming (all tracks); synthesizer (4, 6), cello (9)
  • Shay Mooney – vocals

Additional musicians

  • Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (1–11)
  • Nir Z – drums, percussion (1–11)
  • Derek Wells – electric guitar (1–11)
  • Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar (1–5, 7–10, 12), mandolin (1, 4, 12), Dobro (1, 12), banjo (4, 7), resonator guitar (4), bass (12)
  • Aubrey Hayniefiddle (1, 4, 5, 10, 11)
  • Gordon Mote – piano (1–11), Hammond B3 organ (1–4, 7, 9, 10), string arrangement (2, 5, 8), synthesizer (2, 3), keyboards (10, 11)
  • Paul Franklinsteel guitar (1, 4–10), lap steel guitar (9)
  • Russ Pahl – steel guitar (2, 3)
  • Charles Judge – string arrangement (2, 8), synthesizer (2, 5, 8)
  • Abby Smyers – vocals (4)
  • Nick Gold – cello (5, 8)
  • Sari Reist – cello (5, 8)
  • Joel Reist – upright bass (5, 8)
  • Carl Larson – viola (5, 8)
  • Seanad Chang – viola (5, 8)
  • Alicia Enstrom – violin (5, 8)
  • Alison Hoffman – violin (5, 8)
  • Jenny Bifano – violin (5, 8)
  • Jessica Blackwell – violin (5, 8)
  • Jimin Lim – violin (5, 8)
  • Ilya Toshinskiy – acoustic guitar (6, 11)
  • Jordan Reynolds – programming, resonator guitar (6)
  • Matt Dragstrem – electric guitar, programming (7)
  • Jimmy Robbins – programming (8)

Technical

  • Scott Hendricks – production
  • Andrew Mendelson – mastering
  • Justin Niebank – mixing
  • Jeff Balding – engineering
  • Brian David Willis – editing
  • Drew Bollman – additional mixing
  • Michael Walter – additional engineering (4), engineering assistance (1, 5–8)
  • Tate Sablatura – engineering assistance (2, 3)

Charts

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Chart performance for Bigger Houses
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[5] 16
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[6] 43
UK Country Albums (OCC)[7] 10
US Billboard 200[8] 34
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[9] 9

References

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  1. ^ Hollabaugh, Lori (July 14, 2023). "Dan + Shay Return With New Album 'Bigger Houses' Set For Fall". MusicRow. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  2. ^ Rizzo, Carita (July 14, 2023). "Dan + Shay Tease New Album With Anthemic Single 'Save Me the Trouble'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  3. ^ O'Connell, Madeleine (July 14, 2023). "Dan + Shay Drop Three New Songs In Preparation For Forthcoming 'Bigger Houses' Album". CountryNow. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  4. ^ O'Connell, Madeleine (August 25, 2023). "Dan + Shay Break the Mold of Conventional Wedding Songs With 'We Should Get Married'". CountryNow. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  5. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Country Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  6. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  7. ^ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  8. ^ "Dan Shay Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  9. ^ "Dan Shay Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2023.