Dan + Shay Pen Heartfelt Tribute To Wives, Debut Powerful 'Bigger Houses'
By Kelly Fisher
September 15, 2023
Dan + Shay debuted their long-awaited fifth studio album, Bigger Houses, on Friday (September 15), the duo’s first project since revealing they nearly quit music and rebuilt their relationship from the ground up. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney “truly believe this is our best work yet,” and took a moment to share a heartfelt tribute to their wives and others in the hours leading up to the album’s release.
The award-winning duo shared that their wives, Abby Smyers and Hannah Mooney, “have not only inspired these songs, but you have believed in us through every step of our journey, which we know hasn’t always been easy. We’re more grateful for your love + support than we could ever put into words.” Smyers and Mooney also spotlighted the songwriters, musicians, crew and others who played a role in the making of Bigger Houses, and “for holding down the fort and making sh*t happen for us. And most importantly, thank you to our fans. You are truly the reason we are still here and promise to never let that go unnoticed. We hope this album makes you proud and we can’t wait to see y’all on the road very, very soon.”
1. Breakin’ Up With a Broken Heart – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley
2. Save Me The Trouble – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Ashley Gorley, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds
3. Heartbreak On The Map – Dan Smyers, Jimmy Robbins, Ernest Keith Smith
4. Always Gonna Be – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Ashley Gorley, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds
5. For The Both of Us – Dan Smyers, Andy Albert, Jordan Reynolds
6. Then Again – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Andy Albert, Lori McKenna, Jordan Reynolds
7. Heaven + Back – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Matt Dragstrem, Josh Thompson
8. What Took You So Long – Dan Smyers, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds, Jimmy Robbins
9. Missing Someone – Trannie Anderson, Adam Doleac, Dylan Guthro, Gordie Sampson
10. We Should Get Married – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Andy Albert
11. Neon Cowgirl – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Zach Crowell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Ashley Gorley
12. Bigger Houses – Dan Smyers, Andy Albert, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds
Abby Smyers gushed that Bigger Houses is her favorite Dan + Shay record, “hands down. I am so proud of how hard these guys have worked to create this album but also how hard they have worked (and continue to work) on themselves as a duo and as individuals. I love you both very much and [Dan Smyers], you are absolutely one of kind. I feel so lucky to walk alongside you. I love you unconditionally. Listen to Bigger Houses right now + then again + again + again.”
Dan + Shay revealed earlier this year that they nearly quit music after undergoing intense burnout. Smyers and Mooney went four months without speaking to one another, and met in March 2022 to discuss the future of the band. Though they considered calling it quits after 10 years, Smyers and Mooney opted to work through it and come back stronger than ever.
Dan + Shay said they’re now “a million times the closest we’ve ever been,” and now feels that the band is more sustainable than ever. Mooney said that although he doesn’t know what the group’s “destination” is, they’ve learned valuable lessons along their journey to continue moving forward. “…it’s changed our lives. I mean honestly, the process of this album completely changed our lives.”
Dan + Shay announced their list of tour stops in 2024, kicking off the “Heartbreak On The Map Tour” in February. See the full list of dates here.
Listen to a few of the new Dan + Shay tracks below, and find the full Bigger Houses album on iHeartRadio here.