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It’s been more than a decade since award-winning country music artist Jon Pardi crashed onto the Nashville country scene. Despite his California roots, Pardi is known for his honky tonk sound and has often been praised for bringing authenticity back to the country music genre with his work. 

With fourteen RIAA-certified singles, featuring six number ones (such as the back-to-back six-time platinum “Head Over Boots” and “Dirt On My Boots”), the California native has earned international acclaim. Pardi’s reputation for punchy, guitar-heavy country music has earned him over 9.3 billion global streams, and his newest album Honkytonk Hollywood – released on April 11 – further expands his musical sound into rock ‘n’ roll territory. 

“All my albums have been rock and roll with a country flare – this one keeps on rockin’,” Pardi explains. “It’s also the most grown-up record I’ve ever made. It’s all my soul, basically.”

The making of the album 

The inspiration for the album came about one year ago, when one of Pardi’s singles fell flat, causing him to reevaluate and challenge his previous creative direction. Taking steps out of his normal routine, he was looking to stay true to himself while also giving his signature sound a new spark. 

Pardi drew inspiration from a quote he heard in a Tom Petty documentary. In the doc, Petty explained that he would change his recording approach every few albums because he had changed, and therefore his songwriting and sound had too. “I’m like, ‘Tom Petty, from the grave, is telling me to try something new,’” Pardi recalls. “I decided, ‘Let’s do whatever we want and be super creative,’ and that’s where it all came about.” 

Pardi enlisted Jay Joyce (who has previously worked with country’s finest, including Eric Church, Brothers Osborne, and more) as producer, and loaded up the album with 17 diverse tracks. Pardi’s touring band handled the majority of recording, and depending on the day, their work might result in a country twang and fierce rhythm or focus more on the soft sound of West Coast nostalgia. 

“It really felt like we were making music,” Pardi explains. “It was like your high school dream of what it would be like to make a record in Nashville, without knowing the business.” 

Pardi, who co-wrote eight of the album’s songs alongside Luke Laird, Ross Copperman, Hillary Lindsey, and more, has also rebranded himself a bit. Now a husband and father of two, Pardi explains that creating this album was similar to maturing in a way. Themes such as inner resilience and the experience of parenthood also permeate Pardi’s perspective on the album, shifting his sound from the traditional, working-class anthems that he’s known for.

Shifting perspective on the album 

The title track, “Honkytonk Hollywood,” sits at the center of the album and is the track that holds it all together. The track is a tribute to the dual nature of Pardi’s life and mindset, and the “Hollywood” to his personal “Honkytonk” – his wife, Summer. “That ‘Honkytonk Hollywood’ title alone spoke to me, like Nashville but also with West Coast vibes,” he says. “And then the whole song is basically about Summer, so how am I going to turn it down?” 

“Boots Off” kicks off the album with a strong guitar hook and roadhouse sound, which is the first of many hot-and-heavy long songs on the album. “Friday Night Heartbreaker” follows it up with a groovy, hard-rock beat. “She’s a Friday night heartbreaker, hair-raiser, game-player, better do yourself a favor,” he croons at the end of the chorus. 

“She Gets to Drinking” follows with a catchy guitar hook and a softer swing, while “Rush” calls upon more alt-rock influences with crunchy, howling vocals. “She Drives Away” and “He Went to Work” both hearken back to Pardi’s new roles as a husband and father. The family-centered ballads both center around themes of parenthood and the sacrifices that parents have to make. 

“Kinda Wanna Keep It That Way” closes out the album with Pardi declaring his creative independence. The acoustic track embodies the self-confidence of a man who has truly found himself sonically and figured out just where he fits in as far as the music industry is concerned, and he kind of wants to keep it that way. 

“We did what we wanted and it stands out because of it,” Pardi notes. “Taking the chance paid off.” 

Jon Pardi’s Honkytonk Hollywood was released on Friday, April 11. Listen to the full album below.