Brad Paisley is no stranger to hit records. Whether it’s his classic 2003 album, Mud On the Tires, or 2011’s This Is Country Music, Paisley has been a country music staple for the better part of three decades. However, one of his best entries has to be his 2007 record, 5th Gear, which came out 17 years ago today.
5th Gear is arguably Paisley at his most successful. Everything that he is known for and excels in is on full display throughout the record. There are plenty of tongue-in-cheek, hilarious tracks such as “Ticks,” “Mr. Policeman” and “Online”. The guitar work throughout every single song is phenomenal, with “Throttleneck” being the standout. Finally, Paisley’s signature charm and vulnerability shine in this incredibly diverse record and he strikes an excellent balance of fun, introspective and passionate songs throughout the album’s 17 tracks.
The album also features one of the strongest runs of songs you’ll find from any artist, especially from a commercial standpoint. Tracks 2-5 feature four straight #1 hits with “Ticks,” “Online,” “Letter to Me” and “I’m Still a Guy” all reaching #1 as singles.
Paisley also re-released Waitin’ on a Woman on a deluxe version of the album. The track would eventually become the fifth and final single off of the record and also go #1, making all five singles released off of 5th Gear #1 hits.
Along with the five #1s, 5th Gear also contains Paisley’s first collaboration with Carrie Underwood, “Oh Love.” which would eventually receive a Grammy nomination for Best Country Collaboration. However, they would lose to “Lost Highway” by Willie Nelson and Ray Price.
Critically, 5th Gear was a resounding success. Along with the Best Country Collaboration nomination, 5th Gear also received Grammy nominations for Best Country Album and Best Country Instrumental for “Throttleneck.” It took home the award that night, making it his first of three Grammy awards.
Commercially, it was another highly successful album for Paisley as well, being certified platinum by the RIAA on April 9, 2008. It went #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and peaked at #3 all-genre.
Listen to Ticks, Online and Letter to Me here: