The basics
Quick facts
Intro
American singer
Gender:
Male
Work field:
Birth:
2 April 1986(Perryville, Perry County, Missouri, USA)
Star sign:
Instruments:
Biography menu
Menu

Jump to

Introduction Musical career Musical stylings Personal life Discography
The details
Biography

Introduction

Christopher Pierre Janson (born April 2, 1986) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Janson has recorded three full-length albums, Buy Me a Boat, Everybody, and Real Friends, through Warner Bros. Records Nashville, along with one extended play each for Bigger Picture Music Group, Columbia Records, and Warner Bros. Nashville. He has charted multiple singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, including "Good Vibes" and "Done", both of which went to number one on the latter. In addition to his material, Janson has performed on albums by Holly Williams and Lee Brice and has co-written singles for Tim McGraw, LoCash, Randy Houser and Hank Williams Jr.

Musical career

Janson was born on April 2, 1986, in Perryville, Missouri. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, after finishing high school.

In June 2009, Janson co-wrote and recorded two duets with Holly Williams on her album Here with Me: "I Hold On" and "A Love I Think Will Last." Janson signed to BNA Records in October 2009 and released his debut single, "'Til a Woman Comes Along," in April 2010. Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave the single a five-star rating, with his review praising Janson's vocals as well as the arrangement. The song debuted at No. 56 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated for the week ending May 1, 2010.

After BNA was restructured, Janson left the label. He co-wrote Tim McGraw's 2012 single "Truck Yeah," played harmonica on the track "Beer" from Lee Brice's album Hard 2 Love, and wrote the title track to Justin Moore's 2013 album Off the Beaten Path.

In 2013, he signed to Bigger Picture Music Group and released "Better I Don't." Janson wrote the song with his wife, Kelly, and Pat Bunch, and Keith Stegall produced it. "Better I Don't" peaked at number 40 on Country Airplay in mid-2013. A second single, "Cut Me Some Slack," peaked at number 60 before Bigger Picture closed in 2014. That same year, Columbia Records released Take It to the Bank, which included "Til a Woman Comes Along" and other songs that he had recorded while on BNA.

Chris Janson in 2017

Janson self-released the single "Buy Me a Boat" in early 2015. The song debuted at No. 33 on Hot Country Songs after it received airplay on the Bobby Bones Show. It was officially released as a single via Warner Bros. Records Nashville in May 2015, and became Janson's first top-5 hit by August. In September, Janson announced that his debut studio album (also titled Buy Me a Boat)would be released on October 30. "Buy Me a Boat" peaked at No. 3 on Country Airplay and No. 1 on Mediabase. The album also includes the singles "Power of Positive Drinkin'" and "Holdin' Her". Also, in 2015, Janson co-wrote LoCash's "I Love This Life." Also, in 2016, Janson co-wrote Randy Houser's "Song Number 7."

Janson performed on the third day of the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Janson's second album for Warner Bros., Everybody, was released in September 2017. Its lead single is "Fix a Drink", which was followed in 2018 by "Drunk Girl". "Good Vibes" followed in 2019.

On February 6, 2018, during his first, sold-out headlining show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, country star Keith Urban invited Janson to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Musical stylings

Nashville Gab wrote that "He is explosive on stage and completely unpredictable. I compare his live set to a wild horse, it's not meant to be tamed. He brings a blue-collar, redneck edge to every show that seems to be lacking in country music these days. Chris Janson is the future of country music..."

Personal life

Chris Janson is married to Kelly Lynn. They have four children, two of whom are from Lynn's previous marriage.

Discography

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart
positions
Sales
US Country
US
Buy Me a Boat
  • Release date: October 30, 2015
  • Label: Warner Bros.
4 18
  • US: 117,100
Everybody
  • Release date: September 22, 2017
  • Label: Warner Bros.
7 53
  • US: 46,600
Real Friends
  • Release date: October 18, 2019
  • Label: Warner Bros.
12 110
  • US: 9,900

Extended plays

Title Details Peak chart
positions
Sales
US Country
USHeat
Chris Janson
  • Release date: September 3, 2013
  • Label: Bigger Picture Music Group
47 27
Take It to the Bank
  • Release date: February 25, 2014
  • Label: Columbia Nashville
  • US: 5,000
The Fix a Drink EP
  • Release date: June 9, 2017
  • Label: Warner Bros. Nashville
  • US: 900
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Sales Album
US Country
US Country Airplay
US
CAN Country
CAN
2010 "'Til a Woman Comes Along" 52 52 Take It to the Bank
2013 "Better I Don't" 40 Chris Janson
"Cut Me Some Slack" 60
2015 "Buy Me a Boat" 2 3 41 2 50
  • US: 3x Platinum
  • CAN: Gold
  • US: 1,084,000
Buy Me a Boat
"Power of Positive Drinkin'" 46 35 49
2016 "Holdin' Her" 25 20 49
  • US: 168,000
2017 "Fix a Drink" 10 2 67 4
  • US: Gold
  • US: 152,000
Everybody
"Drunk Girl" 12 7 79 25
  • US: Gold
  • US: 180,000
2019 "Good Vibes" 8 1 48 1
  • US: Gold
  • US: 77,000
Real Friends
"Done" 8 1 41 3 84
2020 "Waitin' on 5" 42
2021 "Bye Mom" 38 TBD
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Other charted songs

Year Single Peak chart positions
US Country Airplay
2020 "It Is Christmas" 41

Music videos

Year Video Director
2010 "'Til a Woman Comes Along" Chris Hicky
"Let Me Tell Ya the Story" Unlisted
2013 "Better I Don't" Wes Edwards
2015 "Buy Me a Boat" P. R. Brown
2016 "Power of Positive Drinkin'" Michael Monaco
"Holdin' Her" Edgar Esteves
2017 "Fix a Drink" Michael Monaco
"Redneck Life" Unlisted
"Drunk Girl" (acoustic live video) Alex Chaloff
2018 "Drunk Girl" Jeff Venable
"It Is Christmas" Justin Key
2019 "Good Vibes" Michael Monaco
"Done" Jim Shea