MAX McNOWN ANNOUNCES THIRD STUDIO ALBUM LEAVE ON A LIGHT OUT SEPTEMBER 25 ON FUGITIVE RECORDINGSNEW 17-TRACK LP CHANNELS THE WHIRLWIND OF THE PAST FEW YEARS INTO SONGS ROOTED IN GRATITUDE FOR THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ANCHOR HIS LIFE
RELEASES INFECTIOUS NEW SINGLE “FIRST BORN DAUGHTER”“A young artist who is taking the country music industry by storm”THE TODAY SHOW“[one of the] brightest newly minted stars to come out of Nashville in recent years”GRAMMY.com“Max McNown’s music is imbued with stories of grief and darkness, resilience and light—and ever-evolving perspectives.”FORBES
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Max McNown has announced his third studio album, Leave On A Light, arriving September 25 through Fugitive Recordings.The forthcoming 17-track collection channels the whirlwind of McNown’s recent rise into songs grounded in gratitude, love and the relationships that sustain him. Centred on his distinctive blend of indie folk and country soul, the album expands McNown’s sound while maintaining the emotionally direct, lyric-first songwriting that has driven his global breakthrough.Coinciding with the album announcement, McNown’s bright and infectious new single “ First Born Daughter: ” is being taken to Australian radio. Pairing buoyant guitars with an instantly memorable melody, “ First Born Daughter” is an affectionate celebration of the qualities McNown admires most in his wife.
First Born Daughter’ is an easy-listening track inspired by the woman I bet my life on,” shares McNown. “ As a middle child, I know every position in the birth order can come with its own benefits and quirks. As the oldest child in her family, my wife has developed negative views of some of her personality traits—traits I ironically love the most. The song flips the script and shines a light on all the ways marrying her was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
The single reflects the wider emotional heart of Leave On A Light, which McNown describes as a tribute to the people who know and support him beyond his career.Centered on his exquisitely detailed form of indie folk and country soul, Leave On A Lightboth broadens McNown’s sound and further reinforces his lyric-first ethos, with even his most inventive musical choices serving the pure emotional truth of his storytelling. In bringing the new LP to life, McNown worked closely with longtime collaborator and producer Jamie Kenney at the famed Blackbird Studio, and widened his creative circle to include co-writers like Julian Bunetta (Gracie Abrams, Kelsea Ballerini) and A-list musicians like guitarist Charlie Worsham (Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson).Amid an explosive ascent that solidified his status as one of his generation’s most compelling singer/songwriters, the 25-year-old artist came to a deeper conviction in music’s power to honor what matters most, such as the people and values who anchor his life. Born from a year of extraordinary momentum, including completing his sold-out, continent-hopping headline tour, Leave On A Light essentially finds McNown more grounded than ever in his artistic vision, arriving as the fullest expression yet of his singular songwriting voice.
In a way, most of the songs on this album are love songs,” says McNown. “They’re a tribute to my wife and my family, the people who care about who I am outside of music and give me a place of peace and unconditional love to come home to.”
Reaffirming the depth and character of his lyricism, the forthcoming album repeatedly pushes those love songs into unexpected terrain, forgoing surface-level sentiment for a far more nuanced inquiry into the human heart. On “Something to Someone,” for instance, McNown gives voice to a universal theme: the longing to be fully seen and loved.Also featuring “Done For,” an early-2026 release that landed on coveted playlists like Spotify’s Hot Country, Leave On A Light has already added to a fast-growing list of milestones that includes taking the stage at major festivals like Lollapalooza and Stagecoach, selling out a two-night stand at the historic Ryman Auditorium, and touring with superstars like Parker McCollum. For McNown, one of the most meaningful outcomes of his rapid rise is the chance to create songs that help listeners see their own lives with more clarity. “One of my favorite songwriters, Mags Duval, once told me that songs aren’t meant to tell people how they should feel—they’re meant to serve as mirrors,” he exclusively shares with Billboard Country. “More than anything, I hope this album encourages people to look inward and brings them toward a greater appreciation for what they have right now. Life is so fragile—even waking up isn’t guaranteed—and I hope I can help people to feel a deeper gratitude for even the smallest things in their lives.”In Australia, McNown has already established a strong connection with Australian audiences. On the Countrytown Hot 50, “Better Me for You (Brown Eyes)” climbed to No. 2, “Forever Ain’t Long Enough” reached No. 3 and “Done For” peaked at No. 8. ABOUT MAX McNOWNMax McNown’s rise has been meteoric – he has gone from teaching himself how to play the guitar within months and busking around SoCal just a few years ago, to auditioning (and gracefully turning down) a major TV talent show and gaining a legion of supporters on TikTok (currently has 2.6M followers). Since blazing his own path as a singer-songwriter, the Nashville-based artist’s breakout hit “A Lot More Free” has gone RIAA Certified Platinum in the U.S., amassed over 400M worldwide streams to date, and made its Billboard Hot 100 debut, which launched him to the top of Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart. Featured on his 2023 debut EP and his 2024 full-length Wandering album, it also peaked in the Top 10 at Hot AC Radio, Top 20 at Pop, and Top 30 at Triple A, plus landed at #1 on TikTok’s Breakthrough USA chart, #2 on iTunes Country chart, hit the Spotify Viral 50 Global Playlist, and even got a nod from Kelly Clarkson when she performed the song on her Kellyoke series on The Kelly Clarkson Show. The rising star’s follow-up track, “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes),” which is the lead single from his 2025 sophomore album Night Diving (The Cost of Growing Up), also went double Platinum in the U.S, and landed McNown his highest charting position on the Billboard Hot 100 (at #26). The song, which amassed 500M worldwide streams to date, spent 36 weeks on the Hot 100 chart. It also landed him his first entry onto the Spotify US Top 200 Chart (#120 peak), #6 at Country Radio, Top 30 at Pop, #8 at Hot AC, Top 20 AC, plus #1 on iTunes Country Songs Chart, and Top 5 on iTunes All Genres Chart. A consistent chart-climber across genres, McNown proves to be a true, multi-format artist. Ultimately, the forthcoming album, Leave On A Light, reveals a rare artist whose breakout success has brought him even closer to his truest instincts.