Josh Kear
Kear in 2018
Background information Genres Occupation Songwriter Years active 1996–present
Musical artist
Josh Kear is a multi-Grammy Award winning songwriter based inNashville, Tennessee .[ 1]
In 2007, Kear co-wroteCarrie Underwood 's hit "Before He Cheats " withChris Tompkins .[ 2] The song dominated the US Hot Country Songs chart for five weeks and earned aGrammy Award for Best Country Song .[ 3] [ 4] The song is one of the longest-charting hits in Billboard history, and was the third longest-running hit of the 2000s decade.[ 5] [ 6]
In 2011, Kear co-wrote "Need You Now " withLady Antebellum .[ 7] The track held the top position on the country chart for five weeks and remained at number one on the adult contemporary chart for 14 weeks.[ 8] The song received twoGrammy Awards in 2011, achieving recognition as both Country Song of the Year and Overall Song of the Year.[ 9] "Need You Now" was also awarded the ASCAP Global Impact Award.[ 10]
In 2013, Kear received his third Grammy Award for Country Song of the Year with "Blown Away " which he co-wrote with Chris Tompkins.[ 11] [ 9] He made history as the first songwriter to secure the Country Song of The Year Grammy on three separate occasions.[ 9] [ 12] In the same year, he received the title of ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year at the 51st annual ASCAP Country Music Awards.[ 13] [ 14]
Kear has been credited for numerous chart-topping songs in the country music genre. Among his notable works,Lee Brice 's "Drinking Class " was the most played country song on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2015.[ 15] He also pennedLuke Bryan 's "Most People Are Good ," which held the number one spot on the same chart for three consecutive weeks,[ 16] [ 17] as well asDierks Bentley 's "Woman, Amen "[ 18] andRunaway June 's "Buy My Own Drinks."[ 19] Additionally, Kear has written or co-written several other number one songs, such asFlorida Georgia Line 's "God, Your Mama and Me ,"[ 20] Tim McGraw 's "Highway Don't Care ,"[ 21] Dierks Bentley 's "Drunk on a Plane ,"[ 22] Blake Shelton 's "Neon Light ,"[ 23] Carrie Underwood 's "Blown Away ,"[ 3] Frankie Ballard 's "Helluva Life ,"[ 24] and Luke Bryan's "Drunk On You ."[ 17]
His recent singles include "Ghost Story" by Carrie Underwood,[ 25] "No Body " by Blake Shelton,[ 26] and "Watermelon Moonshine " byLainey Wilson .[ 27]
Kear has received over twenty ASCAP country airplay awards, two ASCAP pop airplay awards, and three ASCAP country Song of the Year awards for "Before He Cheats ",[ 28] "Need You Now "[ 29] and "Drunk On You ".[ 14] [ 12]
Kear is an advocate for songwriter's rights. He has appeared before theSenate Judiciary Committee , together withSmokey Robinson , advocating for American songwriters and aiding in the passage of theMusic Modernization Act .[ 7] In 2014, he participated in a performance for theLibrary of Congress as part ofASCAP 's "We Write The Songs" series, joining the likes ofRandy Newman ,Carly Simon andHeart .[ 30] Additionally, Kear co-created the theme song for ASCAP's 100th Anniversary, "More Than The Stars", in collaboration with various songwriters includingNe-Yo ,Dan Wilson ,Stargate , andBill Withers .[ 31]
In June 2020, Josh Kear entered into a global publishing agreement withSony/ATV Publishing .[ 12]
Selected artists who have recorded Josh Kear's songs[ edit ] ^ "Josh Kear Joins Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville (Exclusive)" .MusicRow . 2020-06-29. Retrieved2020-07-09 .^ "SWEET & SOUR NOTES; Local Grammy voters find things to like -- and dislike -- in this year's crop of nominees; Carrie Underwood" .Post-Tribune .ProQuest 344141083 .^a b "Carrie Underwood" .Billboard .^ "50th Annual Grammy Awards" .^ "Chart Beat" .Billboard .^ "Fred and his readers discuss Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats," ringles, Reba McEntire and more" .Billboard .^a b Collins, Michael."Songwriters, music executives urge Congress to pass first music copyright reform in decades" .The Tennessean . ^ "Lady A" .Billboard .^a b c "Artists. Josh Kear" .Grammy . Retrieved2 July 2023 .^ Roland, Tom (November 7, 2011)."Brad Paisley, Ben Hayslip, Allen Shamblin Win Big at ASCAP Country Music Awards" .Billboard . ^ "Underwood, Kear and Tompkins Celebrate No. 1 "Blown Away" " . January 17, 2013.^a b c d "Sony/ATV Nashville signs Grammy-winning songwriter Josh Kear to worldwide publishing deal" .Music Business Worldwide . June 29, 2020.^ "Josh Kear: Top ASCAP Country Writer" .Music Connection . May 30, 2014.^a b Billboard Staff (November 5, 2013)."George Strait, Josh Kear, Warner/Chappell Among ASCAP Country Music Award Honorees" .Billboard . ^ "Lee Brice" .Billboard .^ Whitaker, Sterling (27 March 2018)."Luke Bryan Scores 20th No. 1 Single With 'Most People Are Good' " .Taste of Country . ^a b "Luke Bryan" .Billboard .^ Hudak, Joseph (February 14, 2018)."Dierks Bentley on the Changing Way Women Are Depicted in Country Songs" .Rolling Stone . ^ Paulson, Dave."Story Behind the Song: Runaway June's 'Buy My Own Drinks' " .The Tennessean . ^a b "Florida Georgia Line" .Billboard .^ "Tim McGraw" .Billboard .^ "Dierks Bentley" .Billboard .^ "Blake Shelton" .Billboard .^ "Frankie Ballard" .Billboard .^ Freeman, Jon (March 18, 2022)."Carrie Underwood Exacts Mental Revenge in New Song 'Ghost Story' " .Rolling Stone . ^ Nicholson, Jessica (August 19, 2022)."Blake Shelton Brings '90s Vibe to 'No Body': Stream It Now" .Billboard . ^ Freeman, Jon (August 12, 2022)."Lainey Wilson Writes Her Version of 'Strawberry Wine' With Nostalgic New Song 'Watermelon Moonshine' " .Rolling Stone . ^ "Wiseman, Rich Tops At ASCAP Country Awards" .Billboard . October 15, 2007.^ "ASCAP Country Music Awards Honors Dierks Bentley, Brett James, Alan Jackson" .American Songwriter . September 15, 2010.^ "Songwriters Jam at Library of Congress" .Roll Call . May 7, 2014.^ "ASCAP 100th Birthday Song/Video Features Grant, Kelley, Haywood, Kear" .MusicRow . December 18, 2013.^ "A Great Big World Best Songs List: Top, New, & Old" .AllMusic .^a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av "Josh Kear | Credits" .AllMusic .^ "Danielle Bradbery Best Songs List: Top, New, & Old" .AllMusic .^a b "Songwriter Josh Kear Shares His Inspiration For Living Life" .HuffPost . February 23, 2011.^ Roden, Ally (August 19, 2021)."Did You Know Carrie Underwood's 'Before He Cheats' Was Originally Written For Gretchen Wilson?" .Country Now . ^ Torrento, Jaclyn (January 8, 2020)."Josh Kear" .Nashville Songwriters Association International . ^ Houghton, Cillea (January 29, 2023)."3 Songs You Didn't Know Kelsea Ballerini Wrote for Other Artists" .American Songwriter . ^ Rau, Nate."Nashville publisher Big Yellow Dog finds success inside and outside the mainstream" .The Tennessean . ^ "Mitchell Tenpenny Opens Up About The Writing And Recording Process Behind New Album, "This Is The Heavy" " .CMT . Archived fromthe original on October 20, 2022.
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s "Need You Now " –Dave Haywood ,Josh Kear ,Charles Kelley &Hillary Scott (songwriters) (2010) "Mean " –Taylor Swift (songwriter) (2011) "Blown Away " –Josh Kear &Chris Tompkins (songwriters) (2012) "Merry Go 'Round " –Shane McAnally ,Kacey Musgraves &Josh Osborne (songwriters) (2013) "I'm Not Gonna Miss You " –Glen Campbell &Julian Raymond (songwriters) (2014) "Girl Crush " –Hillary Lindsey ,Lori McKenna , &Liz Rose (songwriters) (2015) "Humble and Kind " –Lori McKenna (songwriter) (2016) "Broken Halos " –Mike Henderson &Chris Stapleton (songwriters) (2017) "Space Cowboy " –Luke Laird ,Shane McAnally , &Kacey Musgraves (songwriters) (2018) "Bring My Flowers Now " –Brandi Carlile ,Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth , &Tanya Tucker (songwriters) (2019) 2020s
International National Artists