Leather (album)
{{hatnote|For the similarly-titled album by Frank Zappa, see Läther.}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Leather
| type = studio
| artist = Cody Johnson
| cover = CodyJohnsonLeather.jpg
| alt = A photo of Johnson's tattooed and dirty hand
| released = {{Start date|2023|11|3}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Country
| length = 40:19
| label = Warner Music Nashville
| producer = Trent Willmon
| prev_title = Human: The Double Album
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Leather
| type = studio
| single1 = The Painter
| single1date = August 11, 2023
| single2 = Dirt Cheap
| single2date = March 11, 2024
| single3 = I'm Gonna Love You
| single3date = September 27, 2024
| single4 = The Fall
| single4date = April 28, 2025{{cite web|url=https://musicrow.com/single-track-releases/|title=Single/Track Releases and Radio Add Dates|website=Music Row|accessdate=April 11, 2025}}
}}
}}
Leather is the ninth studio album and third major-label album by American country music singer Cody Johnson. It was released on November 3, 2023, via Warner Music Nashville,{{cite web|url=https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2023/07/25/cody-johnson-announces-new-single-the-painter-is-dropping-next-month-deluxe-album-leather-coming-this-fall/|title=Cody Johnson Announces New Single "The Painter" Is Dropping Next Month, Confirms Deluxe Album Leather Coming This Fall|author=Casey Young|date=July 25, 2023|website=Whiskey Riff|access-date=July 25, 2023}} "The Painter" was issued in August 2023 as the lead single.
Content
Johnson stated that the 12 tracks released on November 3, 2023, were the intended first part of a double album. The deluxe edition was released a year later on November 1, 2024, and included a set of 13 additional tracks.{{cite web|url=https://musicrow.com/2024/09/cody-johnson-bulks-up-leather-with-13-extra-tracks-on-new-deluxe-edition/|title=Cody Johnson Bulks Up 'Leather' With 13 Extra Tracks On New Deluxe Edition|author=Lorie Hollabaugh|date=September 30, 2024|website=Music Row|access-date=November 24, 2024}} Johnson co-wrote three of the album's 25 tracks and it was produced by Trent Willmon.{{cite web|url=https://holler.country/news/general/leather-by-cody-johnson-lyrics-and-meaning|title=Leather by Cody Johnson – Lyrics & Meaning|author=Maxim Mower|date=November 3, 2023|website=Holler|access-date=November 4, 2023}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = Entertainment Focus
| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://entertainment-focus.com/2023/11/02/1349203/|title=Cody Johnson – Leather album review|author=James Daykin|date=November 2, 2023|website=Entertainment Focus|access-date=November 4, 2023}}
}}
Matt Bjorke of Roughstock wrote that "while Cody's uptempo gems are fantastic, he really shines on ballads where he can showcase his conversational storytelling vocals", highlighting "Whiskey Bent" with Jelly Roll and "Leather".{{cite web|url=https://roughstock.com/news/2023/11/46483-album-review-cody-johnson-leather|title=Album Review: Cody Johnson – Leather|website=Roughstock|last=Bjorke|first=Matt|date=November 3, 2023|access-date=November 4, 2023}} Entertainment Focus{{'}}s James Daykin felt that Johnson "delves into themes deeply rooted in country traditions, weaving tales of love, loss, resilience, and the enduring spirit of a cowboy" and called it "a cohesive and emotionally charged album".
Leather won Album of the Year at the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 20, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://tasteofcountry.com/cody-johnson-leather-2024-cma-awards-album-of-the-year-winner/|title=No One Was More Pumped for Cody Johnson's CMA Win Than Jelly Roll|author=Carena Liptak|date=November 20, 2024|website=Taste of Country|access-date=November 24, 2024}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Leather track listing
| title1 = Work Boots
| length1 = 2:49
| writer1 = {{hlist|Jason Afable|Brett Beavers|Canaan Smith}}
| title2 = Double Down
| length2 = 3:09
| writer2 = {{hlist|Clint Daniels|Jeff Hyde|Adam James}}
| title3 = Watching My Old Flame
| length3 = 3:24
| writer3 = {{hlist|Daniels|Kat Higgins|Wynn Varble}}
| title4 = That's Texas
| length4 = 2:43
| writer4 = {{hlist|Erik Dylan|Wyatt McCubbin|Andy Sheridan}}
| title5 = Dirt Cheap
| length5 = 3:59
| writer5 = Josh Phillips
| title6 = Jesus Loves You
| length6 = 4:51
| writer6 = {{hlist|Michael Hardy|Mark Holman|Chase McGill}}
| title7 = Whiskey Bent
| note7 = featuring Jelly Roll
| length7 = 3:16
| writer7 = {{hlist|Rocky Block|James|Mikey Reaves}}
| title8 = Leather
| length8 = 3:13
| writer8 = {{hlist|Ian Munsick|Rivers Rutherford|Jeremy Spillman}}
| title9 = People in the Back
| length9 = 2:39
| writer9 = {{hlist|Devin Dawson|Austin Taylor Smith|Mark Trussell}}
| title10 = Long Live Country Music
| note10 = featuring Brooks & Dunn
| length10 = 3:24
| writer10 = {{hlist|Wade Kirby|Phil O'Donnell|Trent Willmon}}
| title11 = The Painter
| length11 = 3:31
| writer11 = {{hlist|Benjy Davis|Higgins|Ryan Larkins}}
| title12 = Make Me a Mop
| length12 = 3:16
| writer12 = {{hlist|Jessi Alexander|Connie Harrington|Allen Shamblin}}
| total_length = 40:19
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Deluxe edition disc two track listing
| title1 = Overdue
| length1 = 2:45
| writer1 = {{hlist|Marv Green|Jake Worthington}}
| title2 = The Fall
| length2 = 3:17
| writer2 = {{hlist|Ray Fulcher|Bobby Pinson|Jeremy Stover}}
| title3 = How Do You Sleep at Night?
| length3 = 3:13
| writer3 = {{hlist|Zach Abend|Nick Donley|Hardy|Ryan Hurd}}
| title4 = Country Boy Singin' the Blues
| length4 = 3:52
| writer4 = {{hlist|Johnson|Matt Rogers|Ben Stennis}}
| title5 = Georgia Peaches
| length5 = 3:53
| writer5 = {{hlist|Johnson|Jody Bartula|Jake Mears}}
| title6 = Damn Good Life
| length6 = 3:16
| writer6 = {{hlist|Alexander|Frank Rogers|Jonathan Singleton}}
| title7 = C'mon Cowgirl
| length7 = 3:17
| writer7 = {{hlist|Aby Gutierrez|James|Jonathan Stark}}
| title8 = I Wished It Was You
| length8 = 4:03
| writer8 = {{hlist|Abend|Troy Cartwright|Davis}}
| title9 = Take It Like a Man
| length9 = 2:48
| writer9 = {{hlist|Adam Craig|M. Rogers|Jordan Walker}}
| title10 = I'm Gonna Love You
| note10 = with Carrie Underwood
| length10 = 3:08
| writer10 = {{hlist|Chris Stevens|Kelly Archer|Travis Denning}}
| title11 = Made in the USA
| length11 = 3:47
| writer11 = {{hlist|Emily Falvey|James|Stennis}}
| title12 = Over Missin' You
| length12 = 3:28
| writer12 = {{hlist|Helene Cronin|Jesse Raub Jr.|Patrick Savage|Sean Scott White}}
| title13 = The Mustang
| length13 = 4:56
| writer13 = {{hlist|Johnson|Wesley Bayliss}}
| total_length = 1:26:00
}}
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Leather ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA){{cite magazine|title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 13 November 2023|magazine=The ARIA Report|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|issue=1758|page=6|date=November 13, 2023}}
| 88 |
|---|
| scope="row"| Australian Country Albums (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/country-albums-chart/2023-11-13|title=ARIA Top 40 Country Albums Chart|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=November 13, 2023|access-date=November 11, 2023}}
| 10 |
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|55|artist=Cody Johnson|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2023}} |
| {{album chart|UKDigital|51|date=20231110|rowheader=true|access-date=November 11, 2023}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|18|artist=Cody Johnson|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2023}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardCountry|5|artist=Cody Johnson|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2023}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for Leather ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2024/top-billboard-200-albums/|title=Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2024|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 30, 2024}}
| 147 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Top Country Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2024/top-country-albums/|title=Top Country Albums – Year-End 2024|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 3, 2025}}
| 30 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Leather"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Leather|artist=Cody Johnson|type=album|award=Gold|access-date=April 4, 2025|relyear=2023|certyear=2025}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Accolades
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+Year-end lists |
| Publication
! data-sort-type="number"| Rank ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| List |
|---|
| Billboard
| align=center| 3 | The 10 Best Country Albums of 2024{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-country-albums-2024/jelly-roll-beautifully-broken-2/|title=Staff Picks: 10 Best Country Albums of 2024 |magazine=Billboard|date=December 10, 2024|access-date=December 12, 2024}} |