Koe Wetzel's '9 Lives' Debuts at No. 5 Country Album, No. 15 All-Genre as 'Damn Near Normal World Tour' Begins

Texan renegade singer-songwriter Koe Wetzel continues his meteoric rise with his latest release, 9 Lives, debuting at No. 15 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart (No. 2 among new releases, behind only the “Twisters” soundtrack), marking Wetzel’s fourth Top 10 entry. With 36,200 in total consumption, 9 Lives surpasses the debut week of his previous album, Hell Paso, which entered at No. 3 with 25,000 units in October 2022.
 
“We’ve been honing and growing a certain sound, and we’re hitting it: it’s what the people have been expecting from me, but we hadn’t gotten there yet,” reflects Wetzel about the album that is resonating with fans in an unprecedented way. “This weekend we saw thousands of people singing the lyrics to every single song from the time we get onto that stage until we were done,” he marvels. “When you see that, you realize what you’re saying means something to people – and that’s more important than anything.”
 
9 Lives also arrives at No. 3 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart and features Wetzel’s first two Hot Country Songs Top 10 hits, “High Road” with Jessie Murph (currently No. 9, having peaked at No. 8) and “Sweet Dreams” (currently No. 19, having peaked at No. 10). Additionally, these tracks are making waves on the Billboard Country Streaming Songs chart, with “High Road” at No. 7 and “Sweet Dreams” at No. 25, having also debuted on at No. 29 and No. 47 respectively on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart.
 
“When we made music together, it was all about his heart, being honest with his feelings, and giving it the backdrop of confidence that didn’t feel like he was only being vulnerable, [that he was] also being a badass,” adds producer Gabe Simon in a conversation with American Songwriter about the new album recorded both in Texas and Tennessee. “It needed to be honest but also bulletproof.”
 
That backdrop of confidence was also on full display as Wetzel kicked off his Damn Near Normal World Tour with a sold-out weekend in his home state. Joining Morgan Wallen in performing to more than 50,000 fans on Friday, July 26 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, Wetzel then began his own headlining run in front of nearly 16,000 fans in Houston on Saturday, July 27. Photos from opening weekend of the tour that continues through mid-November are available HERE.
 
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows, visit KoeWetzelMusic.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @KoeWetzelMusic, TikTok @Koe_Wetzel and Twitter/X @KoeWetzel.

(Credit Trevor Lamb)

About Koe Wetzel
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down: The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. His 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no- holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” and the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” and “Good Die Young” plus the Gold-certified “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has 2.8 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” In 2023 alone, he sold more than 275,000 tickets, and appeared for a third time on POLLSTAR’s Top Worldwide Tours. Wetzel has played prominent festival sets this summer and opened for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour in Texas, while also headlining his own Damn Near Normal World Tour, currently underway. His new album, 9 Lives (Columbia), is available everywhere now as lead single “High Road” with Jessie Murph arrives as his debut Country radio single while also climbing both the Hot AC and Top 40 charts.

Koe Wetzel Drops "Hatchet" Video as '9 Lives' Earns Critical Acclaim

“There’s an undeniable thrill that comes along with Wetzel’s music… Wetzel has never been shy about his sins, and on 9 Lives he leans even harder into his misdeeds.”
– Rolling Stone
 
“nods to R&B and ’70s soft rock amid the echoes of Waylon Jennings and Puddle of Mudd”
–Los Angeles Times
 
“unvarnished and unfiltered — sonically and lyrically”
– Billboard
 
“A Rising Music Powerhouse”
–  Forbes
 
“He’s outlaw country in his music and in life”
– GRAMMY.com
 
“Koe Wetzel is charging at pop stardom like an outside linebacker preparing to sack a quarterback from his blind side.”
– Tennessean
 
“Koe’s voice, which is objectively phenomenal, while at times raspy and dark in its timbre, always possesses that quintessential twang and clarity that defines country music.”
– Fort Worth Magazine
 
“This is a sea change for Koe… not only sonically but also a more personal look at who Koe is.”
– Today’s Country with Kelleigh Bannen 
 
“While 9 Lives is ultimately a contradiction of an album – equal parts outrageous and subdued, proud yet self-deprecating, volatile and still virtuous – it's a welcome one.”
– Holler

With fans having already pushed new album 9 Lives to the upper echelons of Apple Music’s album charts during the preorder window, Koe Wetzel’s new Columbia Records project arrived Friday, July 19 with a vengeance. With singles “Sweet Dreams” and “High Road” (with Jessie Murph) debuting at No. 47 and No. 29 respectively on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, Wetzel’s latest offering is connecting with his devout following. 
 
“I’ve never been afraid to say what’s on my mind or get too personal… I kind of do it because I know people out there are going through the same stuff or have gone through the same stuff, and they might not know how to cope with it,” Wetzel shared with “Today’s Country” host Kelleigh Bannen. “I just wanted to be honest with people and just give them the truth. I think that’s why people have related with us and our music so much… It’s kind of like my therapy pretty much; sometimes it’s hard for me to say things so I just take it out through the music.”
 
Critical acclaim has followed as well, with the album produced predominantly by Gabe Simon (Noah Kahan’s Stick Season) alongside a string of trusted collaborators like Josh Serrato, Amy Allen, Carrie K and Sam Harris (X Ambassadors) earning praise and recognition from Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Billboard, Forbes, GRAMMY.com and more:

Wetzel continues building on the album’s momentum with the release of an official music video for album standout “Hatchet.” Filmed at his lake home in East Texas, which he described in the July/August print issue of American Songwriter as his “sanctuary,” the video brings to life Simon and Mick Coogan’s flowing tangle of how hard love is, embodying the duality of Wetzel as a guy who is fully a man’s man, but also has that romantic tenderness that undermines his machismo.
 
“I remember hearing that song and really resonating with the lyrics when I was kind of going through the same thing at the time,” remembers Wetzel of the outside cut. “It’s one of those songs you feel like you could have written yourself and I’m really glad it found a home on this project.”
 
The new music arrives as Wetzel’s substantial catalog continues to resonate, with fan favorite “Good Die Young” off Sellout, his 2020 major label debut, earning RIAA Platinum certification on 9 Lives release day to mark Wetzel’s ninth RIAA-certified hit to date.
 
For more information on all things Koe Wetzel and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows – including a hometown stadium show as he joins Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour in Arlington, Texas tomorrow, July 26 and his headlining Damn Near Normal World Tour kicking off this Saturday, July 27 – visit KoeWetzelMusic.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @KoeWetzelMusic, TikTok @Koe_Wetzel and Twitter/X @KoeWetzel.

Photo by John Park / Design by Dalton Latham, Courtesy of Columbia Records

About Koe Wetzel
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down: The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. His 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no- holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” and the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” plus the Gold-certified “Good Die Young” and “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has 2.8 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” In 2023 alone, he sold more than 275,000 tickets, and appeared for a third time on POLLSTAR’s Top Worldwide Tours. Wetzel will play prominent festival sets this summer and open for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour in Texas, while also headlining his own Damn Near Normal World Tour. His new album, 9 Lives (Columbia), is available everywhere now as lead single “High Road” feat. Jessie Murph arrives as his debut Country radio single.

Koe Wetzel's '9 Lives' Arrives

For nearly a decade, the name Koe Wetzel has carried with it an “if you know, you know” reputation. To a devoted cult audience, the Texas singer-songwriter has been a genre disrupter, mixing country with rock, hip-hop, and grunge; a live performer as powerful and unpredictable as a tornado; and a notorious party animal who never met a bottle of tequila he couldn’t finish. Wetzel remains all of those things, but on his new album 9 Lives, available now via Columbia Records, he proves that there’s more to his story — and that a mass audience awaits. Listen HERE.
 
Produced predominantly by Gabe Simon (Noah Kahan’s Stick Season) alongside a string of trusted collaborators like Josh Serrato, Amy Allen, Carrie K and Sam Harris (X Ambassadors), 9 Lives finds the Pittsburg, Texas, native showing off his versatility as a writer and his prowess as an interpreter of songs.
 
“The way Gabe Simon goes into making music, he cares so much about it,” Wetzel explains of his producer. “He comes at it wanting to get everything out of the songs. Gabe came in and extracted everything from me; he got me talking about stuff, everything going on in my life. Usually, I go in with all the melodies, and then write the lyrics. Not this time.”
 
Simon went for the jugular. Laughing, Wetzel says, “Every song we wrote or found, we kept. There was a freedom: we sat down and talked about the shit going on in my life. By pulling all of that out of me, going in the vocal booth, that’s how free I was – and the most open I’ve ever been. You can hear it in the songs.”
 
You can also hear the urgency. Recorded at legendary Sonic Ranch in the border town of Tornillo, Texas, as well as Melody Mountain in Stephensville, Texas, they had that Lone Star fire. Add sessions at Nashville’s Blackbird and historic RCA Studio A, it alchemized a rush to 9 Lives that’s palpable. Recorded largely live, the tracks went down almost as lightning fast as the writing, with eight of the songs written in a pair of three-day bursts; one in El Paso, the other in Nashville.
 
A bleary-eyed, scene-setting lament “Continued” turns into a full-on rocking country proposition. A kick drum pumps and a chicken-wire electric guitar drops a few notes as the swaggering “9 Lives (Black Cat)” leans into an unrepentant catalog of misadventures survived. Bar fights, rodeo clowns, preachers, dealers, the twins next door, cheap tequila, bathroom snow and “a 12-pack, two dime bags, flat-lined twice, just to come right back” make a vivid world that only the fearless survive. And so it goes…
 
“Every record’s almost turning a new leaf, always a left turn because of how honest I am. I want fans to know that there's a different side of me, not just the sex, drugs, and rock & roll Koe that they may have heard about online,” Wetzel says. “I've grown up a little bit. I’m no longer the 20-year-old kid that's partying down and getting thrown in jail all the time. 9 Lives reveals a vulnerable side that people may not be used to hearing.”
 
Grown does not mean completely settled down, though. For everyone who caught the lightning bolt that was the state-of-scrapping musician Noise Complaint, there’s rowdy singalong “Bar Song,” all the raw swerve’n’blister in the high-flying autobiographic “Twister,” the atmospheric truth-telling that defines his “Damn Near Normal” and barn-storming take on how he keeps running while missing that certain one in “Runnin’ Low.”
 
“I like to drink,” he says, owning the obvious. On a record that conversationally drops Ambien, Xanax, El Paso dust, blow, THC… he knows his way around the contraband in his songs. “It’s a family tradition. My dad’s side is all Southern Baptist: no drinking, no cursing – though he loved Creedence, ZZ Top’s ‘LaGrange,’ BTO, Petty. My mom’s Methodist: let’s party, go hard. 

Wetzel’s diverse musical background is evident on one of the album’s most surprising tracks, a cover of the late XXXTentacion’s “Depression & Obsession.”
 
“I always loved that era of music – that Lil Peep era, XXXTentacion – he was one of my favorite artists out of that group,” Wetzel reflects. “I feel like there’s a lot of music that we didn’t get from him, so it’s kind of just a nod to him and I hope we did it justice.” 
 
A Lone Star native through and through, he was also heavily impacted by Charlie Robison’s Good Times, the album arriving in Wetzel’s life as a Christmas gift in seventh grade. A Texas Music sensation who had signed to a major Nashville label then bailed, the songs, attitude and harder sound from Robison captured Wetzel’s imagination. He also gravitated to some of the deeper, soul-baring songs.
 
To homage that spark, Wetzel offers a minor-keyed strum that’s as much low-impact Nirvana as it is High Plains Drifter on “Reconsider.” That slow-moving lament comes from Robison’s Better Days, with Wetzel realizing along the way that it – like many Texas music classics – was originally by Keith Gattis.
 
“I thought Charlie had written a lot of them, but then I find out about Keith Gattis. I never got to meet him; he and Charlie died six months apart. I have so many emotions right now about all that, you can hear them.”
 
For a guy who is fully a man’s man, he also has that romantic tenderness that undermines his machismo. Whether Gabe Simon and Mick Coogan’s flowing tangle of how hard love is on “Hatchet” or his own smoky, haunted “Sweet Dreams,” the notion of love that might still be salvaged comes with a throb that pulls listeners in.
 
Just as potent is Wetzel’s ability to let go of the rope. Sometimes hilarious – the sweet pop/folk “Leigh” recounts his losing record with women, particularly those whose names all have that suffix in common: Haleigh, Baleigh, Kaleigh and more – and other times flat indifferent – the soaring “High Road” (with a version featuring rising star and labelmate Jessie Murph currently delivering as his Country radio debut) – he’s not afraid to get out of something that ain’t working. 
 
That sense of self permeates 9 Lives, especially the closer, “Last Outlaw Alive,” with a ragged gravitas to the loping celebration of a dying way of life. Laconic doesn’t have to mean sleepy. Like the many vibes and rhythms on Wetzel’s album, he – and the players – deliver a spark.
 
“The thing about this album is writing can be grueling. But this time, after writing a song, there was always that adrenaline rush. What do you do with that? Put it into the songs, no matter how fast or slow.”
 
Having defined a rogue rock/cowboy ethos over his album, Wetzel found a new intensity. “Being on the road for so long, you start to think you’ve hit a plateau. You wonder, ‘Is this what I’ll be known for? Will these songs be what it’s all about?’
 
“I get a lot of joy playing the older songs. But you want to grow. I love playing those records I grew up on, so I understand. But I’ve been honing and growing a certain sound, and we’re hitting it. This is where the rest of it begins…”
 
For more information on all things Koe Wetzel and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows – including a hometown stadium show as he joins Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour in Arlington, Texas on July 26 and his headlining Damn Near Normal World Tour kicking off July 27 – visit KoeWetzelMusic.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @KoeWetzelMusic, TikTok @Koe_Wetzel and Twitter/X @KoeWetzel.

About Koe Wetzel
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down: The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. His 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no- holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” and the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” plus the Gold-certified “Good Die Young” and “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has 2.8 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” In 2023 alone, he sold more than 275,000 tickets, and appeared for a third time on POLLSTAR’s Top Worldwide Tours. Wetzel will play prominent festival sets this summer and open for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour in Texas, while also headlining his own Damn Near Normal World Tour. His new album, 9 Lives (Columbia), is available everywhere now as lead single “High Road” feat. Jessie Murph arrives as his debut Country radio single.

Koe Wetzel Arrives at Country Radio: “High Road” With Jessie Murph Impacts Today, July 8

With recent releases “Sweet Dreams” and “High Road” both immediately catapulting Koe Wetzel onto the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, with the publication declaring him as “one of 2024’s bigger breakout artists, but certainly no rookie,” he now debuts at country radio as “High Road” with Jessie Murph impacts via RECORDS Nashville today, July 8, ahead of his forthcoming fifth studio album 9 Lives arriving next Friday, July 19 via Columbia Records.

Pre-save the album HERE.
 
Prior to its radio debut, “High Road” has already achieved remarkable streaming success with first week consumption reaching 106,000 and a total of more than 64.3 million worldwide streams to date, plus over 1.7 million views on the official lyric video and over 600,000 first-week views on the official music video, filmed at New York City’s iconic Power Station Studio and directed by Michael Herrick.
 
The song has also made significant chart impacts, debuting at No. 3 on Spotify Top Songs Debut USA (No. 7 Global) while also peaking at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 10 on the Apple U.S. Top 200 Songs Chart (No. 19 worldwide), No. 17 on the Spotify Daily Top Songs U.S. Chart (No. 22 weekly) and No. 5 on the iTunes Top 200 Songs Chart. 
 
Written by Wetzel alongside Amy Allen, Carrie Karpinen and producer Gabe Simon, “High Road” had quickly become a fan-favorite on social media even ahead of its release, with lyrics that showcase a mature level of vulnerability that defines the still hard-rocking album:
 
       Imma let you cool down while I walk out
       You ain’t messing me up like the times before
       I don’t need a ticket to your shit show
       Knock yourself out and hit a new low
       Imma take the high road, take the high road, take the high road
 
“High Road” joins lead single “Damn Near Normal,” title track “9 Lives (Black Cat)” and recent release “Sweet Dreams” in offering an early preview of the highly anticipated new album. Wetzel offered fans a further preview of the album’s multi-faceted narrative with a special trailer introducing nine unique Koe Wetzels as MusicRow’s “genre disruptor” praised by Billboard for “music that’s unvarnished and unfiltered” showcased his comedic acting skills. Watch HERE.
 
The Texas-born live phenom also plans to take his new music global this year with his recently announced Damn Near Normal World Tour already featuring multiple sold-out dates. Additionally, Wetzel will perform prominent sets at several festivals, including Country Thunder, WE Fest, Watershed and more, plus a hometown stadium show as he joins Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour in Arlington, Texas on July 26.
 
For more information on all things Koe Wetzel and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows, visit KoeWetzelMusic.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @KoeWetzelMusic, TikTok @Koe_Wetzel and Twitter/X @KoeWetzel.

About Koe Wetzel
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down: The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. His 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no- holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” and the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” plus the Gold-certified “Good Die Young” and “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has 2.6 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” In 2023 alone, he sold more than 275,000 tickets, and appeared for a third time on POLLSTAR’s Top Worldwide Tours. Wetzel will open for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour this July and play prominent sets at festivals like Country Thunder and Watershed this summer, while also headlining his own Damn Near Normal World Tour. His new album, 9 Lives (Columbia), is set for release July 19.
 
About Jessie Murph
19-year-old powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Jessie Murph has been having an exciting 2024. Most recently she released her new single, “Cold,” to rave reviews and brought her sold-out global headline tour to North America after hitting major markets abroad and 40 cities across the U.S. & Canada. Earlier this year, Jessie, who was featured as MTV’s PUSH artist in January, showcased her soulful side with “Son of a Bitch.” The Billboard 21 Under 21 honoree’s latest single comes on the heels of her hit track, “Wild Ones,” with Jelly Roll, which has tallied over 200M streams worldwide since release in October, broke through top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart. Jessie and Jelly Roll teamed up to perform the critically and commercially acclaimed track on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and are nominated for Best Music Collaboration at the 2024 Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards.
 
2023 proved to be another standout year for Jessie who released her debut mixtape drowning in February to high praise. In May, she dropped “Cowboys and Angels,” which, along with her single “Texas (ft. Maren Morris),” ushered in a new era that etches raw emotion through her strikingly sincere songs laced with soul-gripping storytelling, hip hop-infused production and alternative experimentation anchored by her modest pop appeal. Named an ‘Artist to Watch’ by Genius, Pandora and Amazon Music, Jessie also collaborated with Diplo and Polo G on “Heartbroken,” which hit the Top 40 at pop radio in the U.S. Between praise from various outlets including SPIN, Rolling Stone, Flaunt Magazine, NYLON and amassing over 1 billion streams globally, Jessie is just getting started.

Damn Near Normal World Tour Dates:
July 27             The Woodlands, Texas  ||  Cynthia Woods Pavilion  
Aug. 7              Missoula, Mont.  ||  Big Sky Brewing Company Amphitheater 
Aug. 8              Nampa, Idaho  ||  Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater  
Aug. 9              Sandy, Utah  ||  Sandy Amphitheater – SOLD OUT
Aug. 10            Las Vegas, Nev.  ||  The Theater at Virgin Hotel Hotels Las Vegas  
Aug. 15            Minneapolis, Minn.  ||  The Armory  
Aug. 16            Council Bluffs, Iowa  ||  Stir Cove (Harrah’s Casino) – SOLD OUT
Aug. 21            Cleveland, Ohio  ||  Jacobs Pavilion  
Aug. 22            Columbus, Ohio  ||  KEMBA Live! Outdoor – SOLD OUT
Aug. 23            Pittsburgh, Pa.  ||  Stage AE – SOLD OUT
Aug. 24            Washington, D.C.  ||  The Anthem – SOLD OUT
Aug. 28            Boston, Mass.  ||  Roadrunner  
Aug. 29            Uncasville, Conn.  ||  Mohegan Sun Arena  
Aug. 30            Atlantic City, N.J.  ||  Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena  
Aug. 31            Reading, Pa.  ||  Santander Arena  
Sept. 4              Charleston, W.V.  ||  Charleston Coliseum  
Sept. 5              Roanoke, Va.  ||  Berglund Center  
Sept. 6              Columbia, S.C.  ||  Colonial Life Arena  
Sept. 7              Cary, N.C.  ||  Koka Booth Amphitheatre  
Sept. 12            Kansas City, Kan.  ||  Azura Amphitheater  
Sept. 13            Camdenton, Mo.  ||  Ozarks Amphitheater  
Sept. 18            St. Louis, Mo.  ||  Chaifetz Arena  
Sept. 20            Huntsville, Ala.  ||  The Orion Amphitheater  
Sept. 21            Macon, Ga.  ||  Atrium Health Amphitheater  
Sept. 25            Alexandria, La.  ||  Rapides Parish Coliseum  
Sept. 26            Tuscaloosa, Ala.  ||  Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater  
Sept. 27            Nashville, Tenn.  ||  Ascend Amphitheater – SOLD OUT
Sept. 28            Little Rock, Ark.  ||  First Security Amphitheater  
Oct. 3               Pikeville, Ky.  ||  Appalachian Wireless Arena  
Oct. 4               Indianapolis, Ind.  ||  Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park  
Oct. 5               Evansville, Ind.  ||  Ford Center  
Oct. 10             Abilene, Texas  ||  Expo Center of Taylor County  
Oct. 11             Lubbock, Texas  ||  Cooks Garage  
Oct. 13             Morrison, Colo.  ||  Red Rocks Amphitheatre – SOLD OUT
Oct. 26             Manchester, U.K.  ||  Academy 3
Oct. 27             London, U.K.  ||  The Garage
Oct. 30             Glasgow, U.K.  ||  Oran Mor
Oct. 31             Birmingham, U.K.  ||  Academy 2
Nov. 1              Leeds, U.K.  ||  Brudenell Social Club
Nov.3               Amsterdam, Netherlands  ||  Melkweg (Oude Zaal)
Nov. 5              Hamburg, Germany  ||  Bahnhof Pauli
Nov. 6              Berlin, Germany  ||  Frannz Club
Nov. 7              Cologne, Germany  ||  Club Volta 
 
Additional Shows:
July 12              Friant, Calif.  ||  Table Mountain Casino
July 18             Twin Lakes, Wis.  ||  Country Thunder Wisconsin
July 26             Arlington, Texas  ||  AT&T Stadium (with Morgan Wallen)
July 31             Davenport, Iowa  ||  Mississippi Valley Fair
Aug. 1              Detroit Lakes, Minn.  ||  WE Fest
Aug. 3              Sweet Home, Ore.  ||  Oregon Jamboree Music Festival
Aug. 4              George, Wash.  ||  Watershed Festival
Aug. 17            Wichita, Kan.  ||  Bulls, Bands and Barrels
Sept. 14            Prior, Okla.  ||  Born & Raised
Sept. 19            Louisville, Ky.  ||  Bourbon & Beyond

Koe Wetzel's "High Road" with Jessie Murph Out Now; New Album 9 LIVES Available 7/19

With recent release “Sweet Dreams” sending fans into a frenzy and pushing Koe Wetzel to a Billboard Hot 100 debut and the No. 1 album on Apple Music’s country chart with just three songs available, the journeyman turned bona fide cultural force continues to tease 9 Lives, his forthcoming fifth studio album set for July 19 release on Columbia Records, via today’s release of “High Road” with MTV PUSH Artist and Billboard 21 Under 21 honoree Jessie Murph. Listen Below and pre-order / pre-save the album HERE.
 
“‘High Road’ is a good example of how this album shows a different side of me than people might expect. Every record’s almost turning a new leaf, always a left turn because of how honest I am,” he admits with a laugh. “But this? It’s what the people have been expecting from me, but we hadn’t gotten there yet. It’s a grown-up version of me.”
 
Written by Wetzel alongside Amy Allen, Carrie Karpinen and producer Gabe Simon, “High Road” has already become a fan-favorite on social media ahead of its release with lyrics that showcase that mature level of vulnerability that defines the still hard-rocking album:
 
       Imma let you cool down while I walk out
       You ain’t messing me up like the times before
       I don’t need a ticket to your shit show
       Knock yourself out and hit a new low
       Imma take the high road, take the high road, take the high road
 
“High Road” joins lead single “Damn Near Normal,” title track “9 Lives (Black Cat)” and recent release “Sweet Dreams” in offering an early preview of the highly anticipated new album. Wetzel offered fans a further preview of the album’s multi-faceted narrative with a special trailer introducing nine unique Koe Wetzels as MusicRow’s “genre disruptor” praised by Billboard for “music that’s unvarnished and unfiltered” showcased his comedic acting skills. Watch HERE.
 
With an at-capacity Whiskey Jam performance already under his belt this week, Wetzel continues to share the new music with CMA Fest fans in Nashville, taking the stage at both SiriusXM’s Music Row Happy Hour and at Spotify House tomorrow, June 8.

The Texas-born live phenom also plans to take his new music global this year with his recently announced Damn Near Normal World Tour. Additionally, Wetzel will perform prominent sets at several festivals, including Country Jam, Rock the Country, Country Thunder Wisconsin, WE Fest, Watershed and more, plus a hometown stadium show as he joins Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour in Arlington, Texas this July.
 
For more information on all things Koe Wetzel and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows, visit KoeWetzelMusic.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @KoeWetzelMusic, TikTok @Koe_Wetzel and Twitter/X @KoeWetzel.

Damn Near Normal World Tour Dates:
July 27             The Woodlands, Texas  ||  Cynthia Woods Pavilion  
Aug. 7              Missoula, Mont.  ||  Big Sky Brewing Company Amphitheater 
Aug. 8              Nampa, Idaho  ||  Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater  
Aug. 9              Sandy, Utah  ||  Sandy Amphitheater  
Aug. 10            Las Vegas, Nev.  ||  The Theater at Virgin Hotel Hotels Las Vegas  
Aug. 15            Minneapolis, Minn.  ||  The Armory  
Aug. 16            Council Bluffs, Iowa  ||  Stir Cove (Harrah’s Casino)  
Aug. 21            Cleveland, Ohio  ||  Jacobs Pavilion  
Aug. 22            Columbus, Ohio  ||  KEMBA Live! Outdoor  
Aug. 23            Pittsburgh, Pa.  ||  Stage AE  
Aug. 24            Washington, D.C.  ||  The Anthem  
Aug. 28            Boston, Mass.  ||  Roadrunner  
Aug. 29            Uncasville, Conn.  ||  Mohegan Sun Arena  
Aug. 30            Atlantic City, N.J.  ||  Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena  
Aug. 31            Reading, Pa.  ||  Santander Arena  
Sept. 4              Charleston, W.V.  ||  Charleston Coliseum  
Sept. 5              Roanoke, Va.  ||  Berglund Center  
Sept. 6              Columbia, S.C.  ||  Colonial Life Arena  
Sept. 7              Cary, N.C.  ||  Koka Booth Amphitheatre  
Sept. 12            Kansas City, Kan.  ||  Azura Amphitheater  
Sept. 13            Camdenton, Mo.  ||  Ozarks Amphitheater  
Sept. 18            St. Louis, Mo.  ||  Chaifetz Arena  
Sept. 20            Huntsville, Ala.  ||  The Orion Amphitheater  
Sept. 21            Macon, Ga.  ||  Atrium Health Amphitheater  
Sept. 25            Alexandria, La.  ||  Rapides Parish Coliseum  
Sept. 26            Tuscaloosa, Ala.  ||  Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater  
Sept. 27            Nashville, Tenn.  ||  Ascend Amphitheater  
Sept. 28            Little Rock, Ark.  ||  First Security Amphitheater  
Oct. 3               Pikeville, Ky.  ||  Appalachian Wireless Arena  
Oct. 4               Indianapolis, Ind.  ||  Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park  
Oct. 5               Evansville, Ind.  ||  Ford Center  
Oct. 10             Abilene, Texas  ||  Expo Center of Taylor County  
Oct. 11             Lubbock, Texas  ||  Cooks Garage  
Oct. 13             Morrison, Colo.  ||  Red Rocks Amphitheatre  
Oct. 26             Manchester, U.K.  ||  Academy 3
Oct. 27             London, U.K.  ||  The Garage
Oct. 30             Glasgow, U.K.  ||  Oran Mor
Oct. 31             Birmingham, U.K.  ||  Academy 2
Nov. 1              Leeds, U.K.  ||  Brudenell Social Club
Nov.3               Amsterdam, Netherlands  ||  Melkweg (Oude Zaal)
Nov. 5              Hamburg, Germany  ||  Bahnhof Pauli
Nov. 6              Berlin, Germany  ||  Frannz Club
Nov. 7              Cologne, Germany  ||  Club Volta
Nov. 10            Stockholm, Sweden  ||  Nalen
Nov. 11            Oslo, Norway  ||  Rockefeller Music Hall
Nov. 13            Copenhagen, Denmark  ||  Lille Vega
 
Additional Shows:
June 8               Nashville, Tenn.  ||  SiriusXM’s Music Row Happy Hour / Spotify House
June 21             Grand Junction, Colo.  ||  Country Jam
June 29             Poplar Bluff, Mo.  ||  Rock The Country
July 18             Twin Lakes, Wis.  ||  Country Thunder Wisconsin
July 26             Arlington, Texas  ||  AT&T Stadium (with Morgan Wallen)
July 31             Davenport, Iowa  ||  Mississippi Valley Fair
Aug. 1              Detroit Lakes, Minn.  ||  WE Fest
Aug. 3              Sweet Home, Ore.  ||  Oregon Jamboree Music Festival
Aug. 4              George, Wash.  ||  Watershed Festival
Aug. 17            Wichita, Kan.  ||  Bulls, Bands and Barrels
Sept. 14            Prior, Okla.  ||  Born & Raised
Sept. 19            Louisville, Ky.  ||  Bourbon & Beyond

About Koe Wetzel
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down: The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. His 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no- holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” and the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” plus the Gold-certified “Good Die Young” and “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has 2.6 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” In 2023 alone, he sold more than 275,000 tickets, and appeared for a third time on POLLSTAR’s Top Worldwide Tours. Wetzel will open for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour this July and play prominent sets at festivals like Country Thunder and Watershed this summer, while also headlining his own Damn Near Normal World Tour. His new album, 9 Lives (Columbia), is set for release July 19.
 
About Jessie Murph
19-year-old powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Jessie Murph has been having an exciting 2024. Most recently she released her new single, “Cold,” to rave reviews and brought her sold-out global headline tour to North America after hitting major markets abroad and 40 cities across the U.S. & Canada. Earlier this year, Jessie, who was featured as MTV’s PUSH artist in January, showcased her soulful side with “Son of a Bitch.” The Billboard 21 Under 21 honoree’s latest single comes on the heels of her hit track, “Wild Ones,” with Jelly Roll, which has tallied over 200M streams worldwide since release in October, broke through top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart. Jessie and Jelly Roll teamed up to perform the critically and commercially acclaimed track on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and are nominated for Best Music Collaboration at the 2024 Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards.
 
2023 proved to be another standout year for Jessie who released her debut mixtape drowning in February to high praise. In May, she dropped “Cowboys and Angels,” which, along with her single “Texas (ft. Maren Morris),” ushered in a new era that etches raw emotion through her strikingly sincere songs laced with soul-gripping storytelling, hip hop-infused production and alternative experimentation anchored by her modest pop appeal. Named an ‘Artist to Watch’ by Genius,Pandora and Amazon Music, Jessie also collaborated with Diplo and Polo G on “Heartbroken,” which hit the Top 40 at pop radio in the U.S. Between praise from various outlets including SPIN, Rolling Stone, Flaunt Magazine, NYLON and amassing over 1 billion streams globally, Jessie is just getting started.

Koe Wetzel Drops "Sweet Dreams" Ahead of Highly-Anticipated Album '9 Lives,' Out July 19

“I want fans to know that there's a different side of me, not just the sex, drugs and rock & roll Koe that they may have heard about online,” Platinum-selling country rock sensation Koe Wetzel shared when unveiling his forthcoming fifth studio album, 9 Lives, set for July 19 release via Columbia Records. With today’s release of emotional ballad “Sweet Dreams,” Music Row’s “genre disruptor” demonstrates just that. Listen Below and pre-order / pre-save the album HERE.
 
Written by Wetzel alongside Amy Allen, Josh Serrato, Sam Harris and producer Gabe Simon, “Sweet Dreams” showcases a vulnerable side of the man praised by Billboard for “music that’s unvarnished and unfiltered” with a chorus that lays bare his raw, emotional depth:
 
        It’s hard to have sweet dreams when I’m such a nightmare  
        I don’t wanna talk about it, rather not go there  
        When I find a good thing, I burn it down slow  
        Only see your face now when my eyes are closed  
 
“I had an R&B type song in mind, like something off Usher’s Confessions album, with a badass drumbeat and a really cool melody. I had written in my notes a few weeks earlier: ‘Sweet Dreams,’” Wetzel says of writing and recording the moody track. “When we got to the Sonic Ranch in El Paso, we tried it. We stepped back to look at the song and got really excited about the way it came out.”
 
“Sweet Dreams” joins lead single “Damn Near Normal” and title track “9 Lives (Black Cat)” in offering an early preview of the album. Wetzel offered fans a further preview of the album’s multi-faceted narrative with a special trailer introducing nine unique Koe Wetzels as he showcased his comedic acting skills. Watch HERE.
 
The Texas-born live phenom also plans to take his new music global this year with his recently announced Damn Near Normal World Tour. Additionally, Wetzel will perform prominent sets at several festivals, including Hangout, Country Jam, Rock the Country, Country Thunder Wisconsin, WE Fest, Watershed and more, plus a hometown stadium show as he joins Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour in Arlington, Texas this July.
 
For more information on all things Koe Wetzel and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows, visit KoeWetzelMusic.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @KoeWetzelMusic, TikTok @Koe_Wetzel and Twitter/X @KoeWetzel.

Damn Near Normal World Tour Dates:
July 27             The Woodlands, Texas  ||  Cynthia Woods Pavilion  
Aug. 7              Missoula, Mont.  ||  Big Sky Brewing Company Amphitheater 
Aug. 8              Nampa, Idaho  ||  Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater  
Aug. 9              Sandy, Utah  ||  Sandy Amphitheater  
Aug. 10            Las Vegas, Nev.  ||  The Theater at Virgin Hotel Hotels Las Vegas  
Aug. 15            Minneapolis, Minn.  ||  The Armory  
Aug. 16            Council Bluffs, Iowa  ||  Stir Cove (Harrah’s Casino)  
Aug. 21            Cleveland, Ohio  ||  Jacobs Pavilion  
Aug. 22            Columbus, Ohio  ||  KEMBA Live! Outdoor  
Aug. 23            Pittsburgh, Pa.  ||  Stage AE  
Aug. 24            Washington, D.C.  ||  The Anthem  
Aug. 28            Boston, Mass.  ||  Roadrunner  
Aug. 29            Uncasville, Conn.  ||  Mohegan Sun Arena  
Aug. 30            Atlantic City, N.J.  ||  Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena  
Aug. 31            Reading, Pa.  ||  Santander Arena  
Sept. 4              Charleston, W.V.  ||  Charleston Coliseum  
Sept. 5              Roanoke, Va.  ||  Berglund Center  
Sept. 6              Columbia, S.C.  ||  Colonial Life Arena  
Sept. 7              Cary, N.C.  ||  Koka Booth Amphitheatre  
Sept. 12            Kansas City, Kan.  ||  Azura Amphitheater  
Sept. 13            Camdenton, Mo.  ||  Ozarks Amphitheater  
Sept. 18            St. Louis, Mo.  ||  Chaifetz Arena  
Sept. 20            Huntsville, Ala.  ||  The Orion Amphitheater  
Sept. 21            Macon, Ga.  ||  Atrium Health Amphitheater  
Sept. 25            Alexandria, La.  ||  Rapides Parish Coliseum  
Sept. 26            Tuscaloosa, Ala.  ||  Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater  
Sept. 27            Nashville, Tenn.  ||  Ascend Amphitheater  
Sept. 28            Little Rock, Ark.  ||  First Security Amphitheater  
Oct. 3               Pikeville, Ky.  ||  Appalachian Wireless Arena  
Oct. 4               Indianapolis, Ind.  ||  Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park  
Oct. 5               Evansville, Ind.  ||  Ford Center  
Oct. 10             Abilene, Texas  ||  Expo Center of Taylor County  
Oct. 11             Lubbock, Texas  ||  Cooks Garage  
Oct. 13             Morrison, Colo.  ||  Red Rocks Amphitheatre  
Oct. 26             Manchester, U.K.  ||  Academy 3
Oct. 27             London, U.K.  ||  The Garage
Oct. 30             Glasgow, U.K.  ||  Oran Mor
Oct. 31             Birmingham, U.K.  ||  Academy 2
Nov. 1              Leeds, U.K.  ||  Brudenell Social Club
Nov.3               Amsterdam, Netherlands  ||  Melkweg (Oude Zaal)
Nov. 5              Hamburg, Germany  ||  Bahnhof Pauli
Nov. 6              Berlin, Germany  ||  Frannz Club
Nov. 7              Cologne, Germany  ||  Club Volta
Nov. 10            Stockholm, Sweden  ||  Nalen
Nov. 11            Oslo, Norway  ||  Rockefeller Music Hall
Nov. 13            Copenhagen, Denmark  ||  Lille Vega
 
Additional Shows:
May 18             Gulf Shores, Ala.  ||  Hangout Music Festival
June 21             Grand Junction, Colo.  ||  Country Jam
June 29             Poplar Bluff, Mo.  ||  Rock The Country
July 18             Twin Lakes, Wis.  ||  Country Thunder Wisconsin
July 26             Arlington, Texas  ||  AT&T Stadium (with Morgan Wallen)
July 31             Davenport, Iowa  ||  Mississippi Valley Fair
Aug. 1              Detroit Lakes, Minn.  ||  WE Fest
Aug. 3              Sweet Home, Ore.  ||  Oregon Jamboree Music Festival
Aug. 4              George, Wash.  ||  Watershed Festival
Aug. 17            Wichita, Kan.  ||  Bulls, Bands and Barrels
Sept. 14            Prior, Okla.  ||  Born & Raised
Sept. 19            Louisville, Ky.  ||  Bourbon & Beyond

About Koe Wetzel
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down: The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. His 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no- holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” and the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” plus the Gold-certified “Good Die Young” and “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has 2.6 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” In 2023 alone, he sold more than 275,000 tickets, and appeared for a third time on POLLSTAR’s Top Worldwide Tours. Wetzel will open for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour this July and play prominent sets at festivals like Country Thunder and Watershed this summer, while also headlining his own Damn Near Normal World Tour. His new album, 9 Lives (Columbia), is set for release July 19.