“Glad You Exist” – Dan + Shay
★★★★☆
Dan + Shay’s first release of 2021, “Glad You Exist,” is a simple but powerful song about gratitude and love. Upon first listen, it might seem like a love song for a significant other, but both artists remarked that they wrote it for everyone who plays an important role in their lives, including family, friends, and fans. The chorus culminates with “Take a moment just to take it in / ʼCause every high and every low led to this / I’m just so glad you exist.” This section slows listeners down, offering them a moment of self-reflection. Instead of dwelling on the past, the song focuses on living in the moment—a reminder that ups and downs are just a part of life.
Sometimes when artists release songs like “Glad You Exist,” the lyrics can feel contrived or feigned, but this is not at all the case with Dan + Shay’s new single. Honest lyrics carried with sparse accompaniments allow the listener to focus on the song’s theme of gratitude. Every line flows smoothly from one to the other, building upon Dan + Shay’s gratitude message, and the melody is simple but catchy. The sweetly played guitar and piano riffs give the song an intimate sound—and surely make the listener glad that Dan + Shay exist.
“Near Mrs.” – LANCO
★★★★★
The five-man country band, LANCO, returned to the music scene with their newest single “Near Mrs.” This song finds the band reflecting on past failed relationships, but ultimately being grateful they led to something greater. “Near Mrs.” is a truly fantastic example of playful but expert songwriting, which seems to be in short supply in modern music, and leaves the listener eager to see what comes next for LANCO.
“American Cliché” – FINNEAS
★★★★☆
FINNEAS, brother to Billie Eilish, released “American Cliché,” an upbeat, synth-heavy love song, on Thursday. While he does not experiment with any new sounds on this single, he nonetheless delivers a high-energy pop song that is sure to be a crowd favorite whenever concerts finally return.
Photo Courtesy of Warner Music Nashville
