American Kids

Chesney heard the tune during a writers' retreat with McAnally, and according to Chesney: "It was unlike anything I'd ever heard... it just grabs you and holds on, but even more importantly, it feels really good."{{cite web|url=http://www.countryweekly.com/news/kenny-chesney-teases-new-song-american-kids-and-forthcoming-album|title=Kenny Chesney Teases New Song "American Kids" and Forthcoming Album|date=June 10, 2014|work=Country Weekly |author=Tammy Ragusa}} He also said that "there is so much more to being alive than partying, tailgates and bonfires," and that "American kids are so much more complicated, more fun, more real".{{cite web |url=http://www.people.com/article/kenny-chesney-new-single-american-kids |title=LISTEN: Kenny Chesney Releases New Single, 'American Kids' |work=People |author=Katie Kauss |date=June 20, 2014 }}

The song received mostly good reviews by critics with some mixed reactions. Matt Bjorke of Roughstock described the song as "groove-filled" with "perfect" delivery by Chesney, that the "flair for nostalgia" by the songwriters brought the song to life, and also that "the final production of the track easily makes it something radio and fans are certain to eat up".{{cite web |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2014/06/11993-single-review-kenny-chesney-american-kids/ |title=Single Review: Kenny Chesney – American Kids|author= Matt Bjorke|work= Roughstock |date= June 20, 2014 }} The song was described as "catchy" and "highly relatable",{{cite web |url=http://thedailycountry.com/6/post/2014/06/single-review-kenny-chesney-american-kids.html |title=Single Review Kenny Chesney "American Kids" |date=June 21, 2014 |work=The Daily Country }} and Melinda Newman of Billboard thought that the song "captures the zeitgeist of American youth in a way that John Mellencamp once owned."{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6259245/kenny-chesney-the-big-revival-album-review |title= Album Review: Kenny Chesney Mixes Country Salvation With a Good Time on 'The Big Revival' |author= Melinda Newman |date= September 23, 2014 |magazine=Billboard }} For the Country Record called the song "refreshingly original" by not following the "current country clichés" about tailgates, beers and girls,{{cite web |url=http://forthecountryrecord.com/2014/06/20/kenny-chesney-american-kids-single-review/ |title=Kenny Chesney 'American Kids' – Single Review |author=Vickye Fisher |work=For the Country Record |access-date=2014-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027153915/http://forthecountryrecord.com/2014/06/20/kenny-chesney-american-kids-single-review/ |archive-date=2014-10-27 |url-status=dead }} Country Perspective called the song "a feel good song that is fun and light-hearted" that is hard to hate, but nevertheless did not love the song.{{cite web |url=http://countryperspective.com/2014/06/26/review-kenny-chesneys-american-kids/ |title=Review – Kenny Chesney's "American Kids" |author=Josh Schott }}

The song received 117 radio adds on its first week of release,{{cite web |url=http://www.countrymusicrocks.net/2014/06/kenny-chesney-to-release-new-album-the-big-revival-september-23.html |title=Kenny Chesney to Premiere 'American Kids' Video|author= Gayle Thompson June 28, 2014 |work=Country Music Rocks |date= 30 June 2014}} and debuted at No. 27 on the Country Airplay chart, which is Chesney's 10th top-30 debut and this total is the most of any artist since the chart was launched in 1990.{{cite web |url=http://www.axs.com/uk/kenny-chesney-s-american-kids-video-drops-june-30-13216 |title=Kenny Chesney's 'American Kids' video drops June 30|author=Jason Scott |work= AXS |date= June 27, 2014 }} It also debuted at No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 17 on the Hot Country Songs chart with 40,000 downloads sold in less than three full days of sales.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/6140995/chart-moves-michael-jackson-tops-adult-rb-kenny-chesney-soars-onto-hot-country |title=Chart Moves: Michael Jackson Tops Adult R&B; Kenny Chesney Soars Onto Hot Country Songs; Michelle Williams' Destiny's Child Reunion Leads Hot Gospel Songs|author=Gary Trust |date= June 27, 2014 |magazine=Billboard }} In the following week, it reached No. 1 on the Country Digital Songs chart and No. 6 on the Hot Country Songs chart with 74,000 copies sold after a full week of sale.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6150190/miranda-lambert-carrie-underwood-vault-to-no-1-on-hot-country |title=Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood Vault To No. 1 On Hot Country Songs |author=Gary Trust |date=July 3, 2014 |magazine=Billboard}} The song peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6266691/kenny-chesney-conan-american-kids |title=Kenny Chesney Brings 'American Kids' to 'Conan'|author= Elias Leight |date= September 30, 2014 |magazine=Billboard }} and No. 7 on the Hot Country Songs chart.{{cite magazine |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/readers-poll-the-10-best-country-songs-of-2014-so-far-20140715/7-kenny-chesney-american-kids-0954262 |title=Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Country Songs of 2014 So Far | magazine=Rolling Stone |date=15 July 2014 }} The song reached its millionth sales mark in October 2014.{{cite web |url= https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/chart-watch--maroon-5-busts-up-all-female-top-five-214218531.html |title=Chart Watch: Maroon 5 Busts Up All-Female Top Five|author= Paul Grein |date=October 29, 2014 |work=Yahoo Music! Chart Watch}} As of April 2015, the song has sold 1,266,000 copies in the US.{{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2015/04/34491-country-musics-top-30-digital-singles-week-april-22-2015/ |title=Country Music's Top 30 Digital Singles: Week of April 22, 2015|author= Matt Bjorke |date= April 22, 2015 |work=Roughstock }}

The music video was directed by Shaun Silva and was released on June 30, 2014. It shows Chesney partying and making music with a group of young men and women in a brightly colored school bus.{{cite web |url=http://www.etonline.com/music/147854_kenny_chesney_american_kids_video_preview_exclusive/index.html |title=EXCLUSIVE: Go Behind-the-Scenes of Kenny Chesney's 'American Kids' Music Video|author=Sophie Schillaci June 27, 2014 }}{{cite web |url=http://themusicuniverse.com/watch-kenny-chesney-premieres-american-kids-music-video/ |title=Watch: Kenny Chesney premieres 'American Kids' music video Jun. 30 |work=The Music Universe |date=June 30, 2014 }} Some have suggested the bus in the video is a nod to Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters and their bus Further.{{cite web |url=http://radio.com/2014/06/30/kenny-chesney-american-kids-watch-new-video-colorful-ride-young/ |title=Kenny Chesney's 'American Kids' Video Is a Playful Tribute to Being Young in the U.S.A. |author=Kurt Wolff |date=June 30, 2014 |work=Radio.com }} According to Chesney, "[t]he spirit of this thing — the song, the bus, the idea of the kids riding around, having fun, playing music and just celebrating life — makes you want to get involved," and that "[f]un is where and how you make it."{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/kenny-chesney-drops-american-kids-video-declares-the-big-revival-20140630 |magazine=Rolling Stone |title=Kenny Chesney Drops 'American Kids' Video, Declares 'The Big Revival' |author=Beville Dunkerley |date= June 30, 2014 }}

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{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Kenny Chesney|title=American Kids|award=Platinum|number=5|certyear=2025|relyear=2014|access-date=July 11, 2025}}

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{{Reflist}}

{{Kenny Chesney 2010-2029 singles}}

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Category:2014 songs

Category:2014 singles

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:Kenny Chesney songs

Category:Music videos directed by Shaun Silva

Category:Song recordings produced by Buddy Cannon

Category:Songs about teenagers

Category:Songs about the United States

Category:Songs written by Rodney Clawson

Category:Songs written by Luke Laird

Category:Songs written by Shane McAnally