The Select (album)

The Select is the debut studio album by American country music artist Ty Myers. The album was released on January 24, 2025, via Columbia Records. The album was co-produced by Tommy Detamore and Brandon Hood.

Myer wrote 12 of the songs himself, with the remainder co-written or written alongside prominent collaborators including John Mayer, Jessi Alexander, Rhett Akins, and Anderson East.

The album's title pays homage to Le Select, a Parisian brasserie often frequented by Ernest Hemingway, one of Myers' literary inspirations. Combining elements of country, blues, rock, and soul, The Select has been praised for its youthful yet mature songwriting, raw authenticity, and versatile sound.

Background

Myers first gained attention in 2023 when his song "Tie That Binds" went viral on TikTok, earning him a national audience at age 16. That breakout led to a record deal with Columbia Records. His 2024 debut EP Ends of the Earth solidified his momentum, producing hits like the title track and "Drinkin' Alone".

Sessions for The Select were split between veteran producer Tommy Detamore, who emphasized traditional country instrumentation, and Brandon Hood, who helped broaden the project's sonic palette to include R&B, Americana, and horn-driven arrangements.

Musically, the album blends country storytelling with bluesy guitar riffs, soulful vocal delivery, and modern production flourishes. Myers showcases versatility, moving between intimate ballads like "Thought It Was Love" and up tempo songwriting such as "Can't Hold Me Down". Critics noted that Myers's songwriting carries lyrical depth uncommon for his age, particularly on tracks like "Worry Is a Sickness" and "Ends of the Earth".

Two cover songs appear on the album: "Man on the Side" by John Mayer, which Myers reinterprets with steel guitar, and "Somewhere Over You", a reimagining of a song his father recorded, which Myers transformed into a horn-laden soul-country track.

The Select was released digitally on January 24, 2025, with a limited-edition signed 10-song CD and vinyl editions following on March 28, 2025. A deluxe edition, The Select (Deluxe), was released later that year, adding two new songs and acoustic renditions of three fan favorites, including "Firefly" and "Worry Is a Sickness".

Critical reception and commercial performance

The Select received widespread acclaim from critics. No Depression called Myers "a generational talent," while MusicRow praised his authentic storytelling. Billboard highlighted Myers as Country Rookie of the Month in January 2025, citing his blend of influences and old-soul maturity.

Reviewers noted the record's emotional authenticity and musical variety. Holler described "Drunk Love" as a "bewitching tune," and praised the album's lyrical sophistication. Country Central emphasized Myers' versatility, pointing to the contrast between songs like "Thought It Was Love" and "Too Far Gone" as proof of his depth as both a performer and writer.

Upon release, the album debuted strongly on streaming platforms, earning over nine million streams per week by early 2025. By March, tracks like "I Thought It Was Love" had become viral smashes, reaching over 2.2 million weekly global streams. Myers' career streaming total surpassed 230 million within the album's release window.

Track listing

Note

• The deluxe edition features five bonus tracks at the beginning, labeled as "Disc 1", followed by the original album as "Disc 2".

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. Track numbers are based on the standard edition track listing, with deluxe edition bonus tracks numbered 17–21.

Musicians

• Ty Myers – lead vocals (all tracks), acoustic guitar (tracks 14–16)
• Brandon Hood – electric guitar (1–13, 18, 20), acoustic guitar (1–3, 5–7, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20), programming (1, 2, 6–9, 11, 13, 17, 18), solo (2, 5–7, 9, 18), bass (2, 7), guitars (3, 4, 12, 21), 12-string guitar (21)
• Tom Bukovac – electric guitar (1–13, 17, 18), acoustic guitar (8), solo (10)
• Trey Keller – background vocals (1–13, 17–21)
• Chris McHugh – drums (1–13, 17)
• Gordon Mote – keyboards (1–3, 5–11, 13, 17, 18, 20, 2), organ (4, 12), piano (19)
• Bruce Bouton – steel guitar (1, 3–8, 10–13, 17, 18), Dobro (2, 9)
• Eric Darken – percussion (1–4, 6–9, 11–13, 17, 18, 20)
• Kris Donegan – electric guitar (1, 2, 4–7, 9, 12, 13, 17, 18), acoustic guitar (10)
• Mark Hill – bass (1, 3–6, 8–13, 17, 18)
• Seth Morton – programming (1, 13)
• Jim Hoke – horn (6, 9)
• Emmanuel Echem – trumpet (6), horn (9)
• Kristin Wilkinson – strings, viola (11, 19)
• Annaliese Kowert – violin (11, 19)
• David Angell – violin (11, 19)
• David Davidson – violin (11, 19)
• Jung-Min Shin – violin (11, 19)
• Chris Farrell – viola (11, 19)
• Kevin Bate – cello (11, 19)
• David Dorn – keyboards (13)
• Drew Womack – background vocals (14–16)
• Tom Batts – bass (14–16)
• John Owens – drums (14–16)
• Jess Meador – fiddle (14–16)
• John Caroll – guitar (14–16)
• Ronnie Huckaby – keyboards (14–16)
• Tommy Detamore – steel guitar (14–16)

Technical

• Brandon Hood – production (1–13, 17–21), recording (2–13, 17, 20, 21), additional engineering (1, 19), engineering assistance (1, 2, 6–8, 11, 13), editing (1–13, 18–21)
• Tommy Detamore – production, recording, mixing, mastering (14–16)
• Seth Morton – recording (1–4, 6–13, 17–21), mixing (1–13, 17–21)
• Nolan Verner – recording (2)
• Trey Keller – recording (3, 12), editing (1–13, 18)
• Chris Ashburn – engineering assistance (1–3, 9, 11, 17, 18)
• Harrison Tate – engineering assistance (2, 3, 6–9, 11, 13)
• Mark Hagen – editing (1, 2, 4–13, 18–21)
• Nathan Dantzler – mastering (1–13, 17–21)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References