Hear Hunter Hayes’ Romantic New Song ‘You Should Be Loved’

Earlier this summer, Hunter Hayes released the new track “Rescue” accompanied by a paint-splattered video. It was the first new music from the singer-guitarist since 2016’s “Amen,” which resurfaced as a video capturing Hayes’ life on the road, showing the 26-year-old onstage, backstage and interacting with fans. Today, those fans get another taste of what’s to come from Hayes in “You Should Be Loved,” a tune that’s part Fifties doo-wop, part Michael Bublé-inspired romanticism and a taste of Hayes’ Louisiana swamp-pop roots.

Penned by Hayes with Sam Ellis and Blair Daly, “You Should Be Loved” features vocal accompaniment by Atlanta-based pop trio the Shadowboxers, who earlier this summer opened a series of shows on Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s Soul2Soul Tour, joining McGraw backstage for an unplugged cover of Leo Sayer’s “More Than I Can Say.” In a recent Facebook Live chat with the group Hayes admitted he was reluctant to approach them, saying, “When I want to collaborate with someone I’m kind of nervous to ask because I don’t want to hear no.” 

Hayes added that the song’s doo-wop feel may be a throwback but it’s a style he grew up hearing while growing up in his native Louisiana, and also inspired by one of his idols, country-pop crossover legend Ronnie Milsap. Of the song’s obvious multi-genre appeal, Hayes told the group, “Country is my home, so I’m happy to have you guys on a track with steel guitar. That makes me smile.”

Confirming that there is more new music to come, Hayes said, “When we released ‘Rescue,’ I talked about how I want to put out more music more frequently… this has been in the works for so long it feels so good to finally get it out.” “You Should Be Loved,” he notes, is the beginning of what he calls a “new schedule” of releasing fresh material to the public. “I’ll tell you more about [it] later,” he added.

Hunter Hayes’ next concert date is tomorrow, October 7th, at CitadelPalooza, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.