Honkytonk Hollywood

Honkytonk Hollywood is the fifth studio album by American neotraditional country artist Jon Pardi. The album is was released on April 11, 2025, via Capitol Nashville. It is Pardi's first album to be produced by Jay Joyce.

Background

Honkytonk Hollywood was initially announced in September 2024 with the release of the album's lead single "Friday Night Heartbreaker". In December 2024, Pardi announced his Honkytonk Hollywood tour to promote his upcoming album. The tour will span 16 shows across 13 states/territories across the United States and Canada. On January 17, 2025, he officially announced the album with a release date of April 11, 2025. The album's title track was released as a promotional single alongside the announcement. It is Pardi's first album with producer Jay Joyce after co-producing his previous albums with Bart Butler and Ryan Gore.

Pardi describes the album as his "most grown-up record I've ever made."

Track listing

Reception

Honkytonk Hollywood was met with mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Entertainment Focus called it his most "adventurous album yet", blending his honky-tonk roots with Southern rock, 80s anthems, and California country influences to showcase a bold evolution in his sound. Get Ready to ROCK called it ambitious and original within a narrow genre, and one of the year's better country albums.

Honkytonk Hollywood debuted at number 145 on the US Billboard 200 and number 27 on Top Country Albums chart, the lowest sales week in his career.

Personnel

• Jon Pardi – vocals (all tracks), acoustic guitar (tracks 2, 3, 5, 8–10, 12, 15, 16), electric guitar (5)
• Jay Joyce – production, mixing (all tracks); synthesizer (tracks 1, 2, 4–6, 8–17), programming (1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14, 16, 17), acoustic guitar (2, 4, 5, 17), electric guitar (2, 3, 7–9, 11), Hammond B3 (3, 9, 12, 15, 16), percussion (6, 10, 11, 16), tambourine (7), keyboards (12, 15, 16)
• Kevin Murphy – drums (all tracks), bongos (17)
• Rob McNelley – electric guitar
• Terry Palmer – electric guitar (tracks 1–6, 8–16), background vocals (1, 2, 4–6, 8, 10–12, 15, 17)
• Lee Francis – bass (tracks 1–6, 8–16), upright bass (7, 17)
• Derek Bahr – electric guitar (tracks 1–6, 8–11, 15, 16), background vocals (4–6, 9, 10, 15, 17), acoustic guitar (7, 13), banjo (14)
• Jeff Hyde – acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 3–5, 7, 8, 10–17), banjo (9), background vocals (13)
• Matt Heasley – keyboards (tracks 1, 2, 7), piano (1, 3, 4, 12, 13, 15), Hammond B3 (1, 6, 8–11, 13, 14, 16), Rhodes (3, 5, 11), synthesizer (4, 9, 14, 16), Mellotron (4), Wurlitzer electric piano (10–12, 17)
• Billy McClaran – mandolin (tracks 1, 11), fiddle (2–17), background vocals (4–7, 8, 11, 13–15)
• Alex Cordell – steel guitar (tracks 2–4, 6–17)
• Hailey Whitters – background vocals (track 3)
• Hillary Lindsey – background vocals (track 3)
• Sarah Buxton – background vocals (track 12)
• Ryan Tyndell – electric guitar (track 13)
• Andrew Mendelson – mastering
• Jason Hall – mixing, engineering
• Bobby Louden – recording, engineering assistance
• Jimmy Mansfield – recording, engineering assistance
• Court Blankenship – production coordination

Charts

References