If I'm Honest

According to Shelton the album is very personal and addresses his high and lows of 2015 from his divorce from Miranda Lambert in July 2015 and met and started dating Gwen Stefani in November 2015. Shelton said of the album, "I don’t even know how to talk about this album as a piece of music as I do just kind of a timeline. As country artists go, I think we’re supposed to sing about our life experiences, and I’ve done that before, but not to this extent."{{Cite web |last=Watts |first=Cindy |title=Blake Shelton finds grace in God, Gwen Stefani |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/05/18/blake-shelton-finds-grace-god-gwen-stefani/84508738/ |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}

Shelton said about the process of choosing an album title, "I was like, I need a title that represents a timeline, like 12, 13 months of my life. Like if somebody just took those months and wrote a story about it, that's what I want the album to represent."{{cite web|last1=Inocencio|first1=Marc|title=Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani Perform 'Go Ahead and Break My Heart' at iHeartRadio Concert|url=http://www.iheart.com/news/blake-shelton-gwen-stefani-perform-go-14694759/|website=iHeartRadio|date=May 9, 2016|archive-date=May 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517214626/http://www.iheart.com/news/blake-shelton-gwen-stefani-perform-go-14694759/}} What If I Tell the Truth was the album's working title but was changed as it was deemed too similar to Stefani's album This Is What the Truth Feels Like.

One of the album's tracks, "Green", was previously included on Shelton's 2008 album Startin' Fires.

The album's tenth track "Friends", is the theme song to the 2016 film The Angry Birds Movie, which was released on the same day as the album. The song is also featured on its corresponding soundtrack.

Shelton has said that "Every Goodbye" was written with him in mind, explaining, "It’s so dead-on with where my life was when I first started making the record. It’s basically telling you how things got rolling in my personal life again."{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Jeff |date=May 20, 2016 |title=Blake Shelton If I'm Honest Album Review: Most Revealing Lyrics |url=https://people.com/country/blake-shelton-if-im-honest-album-review-most-revealing-lyrics/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=People.com |language=en}} He said that one of the songwriters told him, "Well you know, we tried to put ourselves in your spot."

"Came Here to Forget" is the album's first single, and it was released on March 8, 2016. The song debuted at number one on the Country Digital Chart and has sold 136,000 copies as of March 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7262647/country-songs-charts-cole-swindell-carrie-underwood|title= Cole Swindell & Carrie Underwood Take Over Country Songs Charts|date=March 15, 2016|access-date=April 19, 2016|first=Jim|last=Asker|magazine=Billboard}}{{cite web|url=http://roughstock.com/news/2016/03/40056-top-30-digital-country-singles-chart-march-29-2016|title=Top 30 Digital Country Singles Chart: March 29, 2016|first=Matt|last=Bjorke|work=Roughstock|date=March 27, 2016|access-date=April 19, 2016|archive-date=June 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611232627/http://roughstock.com/news/2016/03/40056-top-30-digital-country-singles-chart-march-29-2016|url-status=dead}}

The second single from the album, "Savior's Shadow", was released on April 8, 2016.{{cite web|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160502232230/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/saviors-shadow-single/id1101230740|url = https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/saviors-shadow-single/id1101230740|title = iTunes Store (US) - Music - Blake Shelton - Savior's Shadow - Single|archive-date = May 2, 2016|access-date = April 21, 2016|date = April 8, 2016|work = iTunes Store (US)}} This song impacted Christian radio on April 11, 2016 in addition to the country format.{{cite magazine|last1=Roland|first1=Tom|title=Blake Shelton Steps Out of His Own Past With 'Savior's Shadow'|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/7364644/blake-shelton-saviors-shadow|access-date=23 June 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=May 11, 2016}}

"She's Got a Way with Words" was released on June 6, 2016 as the album's third overall and second promotional single.{{cite magazine|title=Billboard Country Update|url=http://www.billboard.com/files/pdfs/country_update_0531.pdf|magazine=Billboard|access-date=23 June 2016|date=May 31, 2016}}

"A Guy with a Girl" became the album's fourth single on September 26, 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://headlineplanet.com/home/2016/09/19/blake-sheltons-next-single-guy-girl-impacts-country-radio-926/|title = Blake Shelton's Next Single "A Guy with a Girl" Heads to Country Radio on 9/26|date = 20 September 2016}}

"Every Time I Hear That Song" was released as the fifth and final single on February 20, 2017.

{{Music ratings

| MC = 58/100{{cite web|author=Metacritic|author-link=Metacritic|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/if-im-honest/blake-shelton/critic-reviews|title=Critic Reviews for I'f I'm Honest from Blake Shelton|website=Metacritic|date=May 20, 2016|access-date=May 25, 2016}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/if-im-honest-mw0002928102|title=I'f I'm Honest – Blake Shelton | Review|publisher=AllMusic|date=May 20, 2016|access-date=May 20, 2016}}

| rev2 = Consequence of Sound

| rev2score = C{{cite web|first=Janine|last=Schaults|title=Blake Shelton – If I'm Being Honest | Album Reviews|website=Consequence of Sound|url=https://consequence.net/2016/05/album-review-blake-shelton-if-im-being-honest/|date=May 24, 2016|access-date=May 24, 2016}}

| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev3score = C{{cite magazine|first=Jim|last=Farber|title=Blake Shelton's If I'm Honest: EW Review |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/20/blake-sheltons-if-im-honest-ew-review |magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 20, 2016|access-date=May 20, 2016}}

| rev4 = Knoxville News Sentinel

| rev4score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web|first=Chuck|last=Campbell|title=Music review: Truth is elusive on Blake Shelton's 'Honest' |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/entertainment/columnists/chuck-campbell/music-review-truth-is-elusive-on-blake-sheltons-honest-336233d0-69a2-2d19-e053-0100007f3a02-380692321.html |work=Knoxville News Sentinel|date=May 24, 2016|access-date=May 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525144126/http://www.knoxnews.com/entertainment/columnists/chuck-campbell/music-review-truth-is-elusive-on-blake-sheltons-honest-336233d0-69a2-2d19-e053-0100007f3a02-380692321.html|archive-date=May 25, 2016}}

| rev5 = Newsday

| rev5score = B+{{cite web|first=Glenn|last=Gamboa|title='If I'm Honest' review: Blake Shelton opens up about his past, present love life |url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/if-i-m-honest-review-blake-shelton-opens-up-about-his-past-present-love-life-1.11813712 |work=Newsday|date=May 18, 2016|access-date=May 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624010308/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/if-i-m-honest-review-blake-shelton-opens-up-about-his-past-present-love-life-1.11813712|archive-date=June 24, 2021}}

| rev6 = Rolling Stone

| rev6score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|first=Keith|last=Harris|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/blake-shelton-if-im-honest-20160520|title=Blake Shelton's New Album: If I'm Honest|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=May 20, 2016|access-date=May 20, 2016}}

}}

If I'm Honest was met with generally mixed reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 58, based on 5 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote that the album "is at its core a balladeer's record," and that Shelton pulls off "these romance tunes with a sly, masculine grace that complements the album's sleek modern surfaces." Jim Farber of Entertainment Weekly stated that, "What's more: the album’s breezy Nashville-pop tunes never strike below the surface. Small wonder the toss-off songs seem more credible." Rolling Stone{{'}}s Keith Harris reported that "Shelton's warmly confident delivery makes those romantic twists and turns sound both lived in but universal".

Glenn Gamboa of Newsday opined that the bulk of the album "is a mix of letting old relationships go and starting new ones." In a review for the Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood suggests in the home of country music, "the default setting is polished professionalism; rawness actually takes time. And here Shelton seldom pushes beyond that finesse to reach something less smooth."{{cite web|first=Mikael|last=Wood|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-blake-shelton-review-20160519-snap-story.html|title=Review: Blake Shelton could use more truth on the too-polished 'If I'm Honest' |work=Los Angeles Times|date=May 20, 2016|access-date=May 20, 2016}} Erik Ernst, writing for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, opines that "this disc's balance of modern verve, emotional introspection and country inflection is where Shelton is supposed to be."{{cite web|first=Erik|last=Ernst |url=http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/album-reviews-bob-dylan-ariana-grande-eric-clapton-blake-shelton-b99726840z1-380251031.html|title=Album Reviews: Bob Dylan, Ariana Grande, Eric Clapton, Blake Shelton |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=May 20, 2016|access-date=May 20, 2016}} In its review for Consequence of Sound, Janine Schaults commented that "The Country pop star's post-breakup album flounders under too many glitzy, cheesy pop flourishes." Chuck Campbell from the Knoxville News Sentinel said that "Blake Shelton sounds more like a savvy marketer than any kind of artist".

The album debuted at No. 3 on US Billboard 200 chart, selling 153,000 copies (170,000 album equivalent units) during its first week.{{cite magazine|last1=Caulfield|first1=Keith|title=Drake's 'Views' Still No. 1 on Billboard 200, Ariana Grande and Blake Shelton Debut at Nos. 2 & 3|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7386082/drake-views-no-1-on-billboard-200-album-chart-ariana-grande-blake-shelton|access-date=June 10, 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=May 29, 2016}} It also debuted at No. 1 the Top Country Albums chart. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on August 23, 2016.{{Certification Cite Ref |region=United States |artist=Blake Shelton |title=If I'm Honest |type=album}} It became the eleventh best-selling album of 2016 in the United States with over 522,000 copies sold that year.{{cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/music/top-15-albums-2016-slideshow-wp-000902015/photo-p-album-sold-522k-copies-photo-000902628.html |title=The Top-Selling Albums of 2016 |work=Yahoo Music! |first=Paul |last= Grein|date=December 20, 2016 }} As of November 2017, the album has sold 627,300 copies in the U.S.{{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2017/11/42518-top-10-country-albums-chart-november-13-2017 |title=Top 10 Country Albums Chart: November 13, 2017 |first= Matt |last= Bjorke |date= November 13, 2017 |work=Roughstock }}

{{Track listing

| headline = If I'm Honest track listing

| title1 = Straight Outta Cold Beer

| writer1 = {{hlist|Marv Green|Ben Hayslip|Justin Wilson}}

| length1 = 2:45

| title2 = She's Got a Way with Words

| writer2 = {{hlist|Wyatt Earp|Andy Albert|Marc Beeson}}

| length2 = 3:11

| title3 = Bet You Still Think About Me

| writer3 = {{hlist|Park Chisolm|Mark Irwin}}

| length3 = 3:55

| title4 = Every Time I Hear That Song

| writer4 = {{hlist|Aimee Mayo|Chris Lindsey|Brad Warren|Brett Warren}}

| length4 = 3:35

| title5 = Came Here to Forget

| writer5 = {{hlist|Deric Ruttan|Craig Wiseman}}

| length5 = {{duration|m=3|s=40}}

| title6 = Every Goodbye

| writer6 = {{hlist|Ryan Hurd|busbee|Liz Rose}}

| length6 = 3:10

| title7 = It Ain't Easy

| writer7 = {{hlist|Matt Dragstrem|Hayslip|Rhett Akins}}

| length7 = 3:31

| title8 = A Guy with a Girl

| writer8 = {{hlist|Ashley Gorley|Bryan Simpson}}

| length8 = 3:10

| title9 = Go Ahead and Break My Heart

| note9 = featuring Gwen Stefani

| writer9 = {{hlist|Blake Shelton|Gwen Stefani}}

| length9 = 4:25

| title10 = Friends

| note10 = from The Angry Birds Movie

| writer10 = {{hlist|Shelton|Jessi Alexander}}

| length10 = 3:03

| title11 = One Night Girl

| writer11 = {{hlist|Gorley|Dallas Davidson}}

| length11 = 3:41

| title12 = Doing It to Country Songs

| note12 = featuring The Oak Ridge Boys

| writer12 = {{hlist|Jacob Lyda|Paul Overstreet|Marty Dodson}}

| length12 = 3:02

| title13 = Green

| writer13 = {{hlist|George Teren|Wiseman}}

| length13 = 3:11

| title14 = You Can't Make This Up

| writer14 = {{hlist|Gorley|Zach Crowell|Rodney Clawson}}

| length14 = 3:30

| title15 = Savior's Shadow

| writer15 = {{hlist|Shelton|Alexander|Jon Randall}}

| length15 = 2:45

| total_length = 50:31

}}

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the standard edition of If I'm Honest.{{cite AV media notes |title=If I'm Honest |type=international deluxe edition liner notes |others=Blake Shelton |publisher=Warner Bros. Nashville |year=2016}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Blake Shelton – lead vocals
• Roy Agee – trombone
• Duane Allen – background vocals
• Hari Bernstein – viola
• Jessica Blackwell – violin
• Joe Bonsall – background vocals
• Tom Bukovac – electric guitar
• Perry Coleman – background vocals
• Paul DiGiovanni – programming
• Charles Dixon – cello
• Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar
• William Lee Golden – background vocals
• Aubrey Haynie – fiddle, mandolin
• Steve Herrmann – trumpet
• Wes Hightower – background vocals

{{col-2}}

• Jim Horn – saxophone
• Charlie Judge – string arrangements, synthesizer
• Troy Lancaster – electric guitar
• Tony Lucido – bass guitar
• Gordon Mote – Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards, piano
• Emily Nelson – cello
• Russ Pahl – pedal steel guitar
• Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar
• Gwen Stefani – guest vocals
• Richard Sterban – background vocals
• Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar
• Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar
• Derek Wells – acoustic guitar, electro-acoustic guitar
• Nir Z. – drums, percussion, programming

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for If I'm Honest}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Blake Shelton|relyear=2016|title=If I'm Honest|award=Gold|type=album|certyear=2017|access-date=September 9, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Blake Shelton|relyear=2016|title=If I'm Honest|award=Platinum|type=album|salesamount=627,300 |salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Blake Shelton}}

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Category:2016 albums

Category:Blake Shelton albums

Category:Warner Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Scott Hendricks