The Point of No Return? Chapter 2
In recent years, this is the first time anyone has had a career quite like HARDY. After the success of his debut album, A ROCK, HARDY quickly gained a strong fan base. Known for his clever lyrics and unique rock influence, songwriter Michael Hardy found early success on Nashville’s Music Row, writing songs for country giants like Florida Georgia Line and Blake Shelton before becoming a solo recording artist. However, it wasn’t long until he shelved the genre that propelled him into stardom. With his wings stretched wide, the self-proclaimed “CROW” of country music has flown off into rock music, leaving his “mockingbird” side behind.
Many fans of HARDY were shocked in 2022 when they heard “SOLD OUT” for the first time. They weren’t sure what they were hearing, and no one expected that the HARDY they loved would still be missing in 2024. Aside from his work on HIXTAPE, the mockingbird & THE CROW is the last tangible evidence that HARDY even wants to make country music. With only half of that album being remotely country, there isn’t enough to justify calling HARDY a country artist anymore. Here and there, we’ve seen features on other country artists’ songs, but he’s more interested in making jarring rock-vomit reminiscent of Kid Rock’s worst moments.
After giving Mr. Michael Hardy’s recent project QUIT a listen, you might find yourself going back and reading some of the lyrics to make sure you weren’t mistaken. Phrases like “Everybody’s seen ‘em ‘cause she pulled ’em out for beads at Mardi Gras in New Orleans” from “GOOD GIRL PHASE” can be quite shocking when shuffling his full catalog. The crowd reaction received from this project was similar to when Kanye West released his gospel album “JESUS IS KING,” leaving fans to wonder if this was a phase or if there was really no going back. With HARDY, it is hard to say.
Long ago, somebody wrote quit on a napkin and threw it into the tip jar of a young Michael Hardy, and he has still never let it go. This experience may have fueled songs like “ROCKSTAR” and “SOLD OUT,” which speak on HARDY’s frustrations in blunt, literal lyrics, a shift from his savvier country songs. It almost seems as if once HARDY had a platform from his success in country music; he decided to do what he truly wanted all along and be a whiny rockstar/rapper constantly complaining about the weight of the massive chip on his shoulder.
As a country/rock artist, A ROCK was HARDY’s best moment. Separating the two feels like we’re only seeing half of HARDY at a time when we’ve already heard songs like “BOOTS” that combine the two so well. No, fans don’t need more songs like “REDNECKER” to put HARDY back in the country spotlight, but why give them broccoli when they’ve already tried the apple pie? His country/rock sound was working. Let’s break down HARDY’s current state in music into pros and cons:
Pros:
- HARDY has found new fans with his deep dive into rock music. Sending his new sound to rock radio has expanded his reach and diversified his listeners.
- HARDY’s music resembles his non-country influences like Nickelback, Limp Bizkit, and Puddle of Mudd.
- At the very least, HARDY shows interest in the country world by featuring on other country artists’ albums and singles while still occasionally making HIXTAPE projects.
Cons:
- After being so far into his cocky redneck role, HARDY is doing all he can to be seen differently. His rockstar persona isn’t authentic because he didn’t get there by “kickin’ it in Cali with today’s who’s-who.” HARDY gained a following by putting his pen to paper in Nashville and trying his hardest to make it as a country songwriter. Nobody would know his name without someone solidified in country music, giving him a chance and encouraging him to be an artist.
- HARDY is constantly saying that he is an evolving artist. That is a terrifying statement for his fans. This statement implies that he will be somersaulting further from his fans’ desire and may give up his career in country music altogether. Maybe we will see a jazz album.
- Purely judging his album QUIT as fully rock, the quality just isn’t there. If you want to hear a decent song from this project, go straight to “PSYCHO.”
- The songwriting showcased in HARDY’s first album isn’t nearly as present in his recent work.
While his longtime fans hang on by a thread, HARDY continues to add to his discography. It’s unclear whether the voices of his devoted fans or his own voice holds more influence over his creative process. Still, when looking forward to the coming years in HARDY’s career, returning to his country music work would be a favorable choice for his following. However, he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down on his deep dive into butt-rock, although it’s high time he throws his fans a bone.
In the future, a blend of his strongest country material mixed with his rock influence could be what it takes to create an album that pleases HARDY’s fanbase as a whole. Seeing one of his influences without the others can take away what made his music unique and exciting. Now that the world has seen so many sides of HARDY, it’s clear that he likes more than one kind of music. In his next album, he may combine the styles of what he has done before, or he may try something completely different… whatever he releases next, his best move is to let the voice of his supporters lead the way.
