Better Than You Left Me
Mickey Guyton
Written by Mickey Guyton, Jennifer Hanson, and Jenn Schott, “Better Than You Left Me” is Mickey Guyton’s debut single that, according to The Guardian, “has the country music world all abuzz.”
The ballad scored the biggest radio debut in country music history when it hit airwaves two weeks ago, earning first-week adds on 79 stations across America.
The song’s lyrics tell of singer Guyton’s past relationship, which she contextualizes here in (bright green) verified annotations (at left).
The song is lyrically substantive in an era of eye-roll-inducing “sweet little somethin’” trivialities. It is instrumentally rich in an age of drum machines and handclaps. And it’s unapologetically retro at a time when country’s men are chasing every EDM and hip-hop trend to the point of desperation. Factor in the passion and conviction with which Guyton delivers the song’s climactic bridge, and there you have a recipe for a soon-to-be smash hit that will resonate with country fans of all kinds. Guyton may just leave country music better than she found it.
– Grady Smith
Watch the official music video below.