Pageant Material

Most of Pageant Material was recorded live in Nashville's historic RCA Studio A. In an interview with The Boot published May 21, 2015, Musgraves describes the recording process: "We recorded most everything in a big circle in one of my favorite old studios on the planet – historic RCA Studio A in Nashville. That lent itself to the record having that concise feel that we wanted. Then we added a 10-piece string section later."{{cite news|last1=Allers|first1=Hannahlee|title=Kacey Musgraves Reveals 'Pageant Material' Influences|url=http://theboot.com/kacey-musgraves-pageant-material-influences/?trackback=tsmclip|accessdate=June 8, 2015|publisher=Townsquare Media|work=The Boot|date=May 21, 2015}}

Promotional appearances in the media to support the album included performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (June 9, 2015), Late Night with Seth Meyers (June 10, 2015), Good Morning America (June 23, 2015), The View (June 24, 2015), Jimmy Kimmel Live! (September 14, 2015), The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (January 8, 2016) and The Late Late Show with James Corden (April 6, 2016).{{cite web|last=Cantor|first=Brian|title=Kacey Musgraves is scheduled to visit "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "Late Night with Seth Meyers."|url=http://headlineplanet.com/home/2015/06/03/kacey-musgraves-performing-on-fallons-tonight-show-meyers-late-night/|publisher=Headline Planet|date=June 3, 2015|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}{{cite web|last=Carley|first=Brennan|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/09/kacey-musgraves-dimestore-cowgirl-jimmy-kimmel-live-video-watch/|title=Kacey Musgraves Brought 'Dime Store Cowgirl' All the Way to 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'|work=Spin|publisher=Buzzmedia|date=September 15, 2015|accessdate=September 15, 2015}}{{cite web|last=Cantor|first=Brian|title=Kacey Musgraves Performs "Late To The Party" on Colbert's "Late Show" (Watch)|url=http://headlineplanet.com/home/2016/01/09/kacey-musgraves-performs-late-to-the-party-on-colberts-late-show-watch-now/|publisher=Headline Planet|date=January 9, 2016|accessdate=January 9, 2016}}{{cite web|last=Cantor|first=Brian|title=Kacey Musgraves Performs "High Time" On James Corden's "Late Late Show"|url=http://headlineplanet.com/home/2016/04/07/first-look-kacey-musgraves-performs-on-james-cordens-late-late-show/|publisher=Headline Planet|date=April 7, 2016|accessdate=April 7, 2016}} On June 26, 2015, Musgraves performed "Follow Your Arrow" for National Public Radio's Tiny Desk Concerts in support of the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States, which took place on the same day.{{cite web|last=Thompson|first=Stephen|url=https://www.npr.org/event/music/417843524/kacey-musgraves-sings-one-for-marriage-equality|title=Kacey Musgraves Sings One For Marriage Equality|publisher=National Public Radio|date=June 26, 2015|accessdate=June 26, 2015}}

To further support the album, Musgraves embarked on the Kacey Musgraves Country & Western Rhinestone Revue concert tour. Described as a "throwback country" tour, dates on the first leg included locations across the United States and Europe. The first leg of the tour began on August 27, 2015, in Atlanta, Georgia, and concluded on November 22, 2015, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The second leg of the tour, which spanned portions of the US, UK and Ireland began in Dallas, TX on January 21, 2016, and concluded in Columbia, MO, on April 30, 2016.

Musgraves' younger sister, Kelly Christine Sutton, is credited with the album cover's photograph and design.{{cite magazine|last=Vain|first=Madison|title=Kacey Musgraves reveals the classic influences of her hugely anticipated new album|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/14/kacey-musgraves-pageant-material|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 14, 2015|accessdate=June 8, 2015}}

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 7.3/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/7314/Kacey-Musgraves-Pageant-Material.aspx|title=Pageant Material by Kacey Musgraves reviews|work=AnyDecentMusic?|accessdate=December 7, 2019}}

| MC = 78/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/pageant-material/kacey-musgraves|title=Reviews for Pageant Material by Kacey Musgraves|work=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=January 17, 2016}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pageant-material-mw0002847860|title=Pageant Material – Kacey Musgraves|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|publisher=All Media Network|work=AllMusic|accessdate=June 9, 2015}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2Score = B+{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/kacey-musgraves-is-the-perfect-blend-of-dolly-parton-an-1798184164|title=Kacey Musgraves is the perfect blend of Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson|last=Eakin|first=Marah|work=The A.V. Club|date=June 23, 2015|access-date=September 10, 2018}}

| rev3 = Billboard

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6598211/kacey-musgraves-pageant-material-album-review|title=Kacey Musgraves' 'Pageant Material' Is Sharper and More Nashville-Friendly: Album Review|last=Tannenbaum|first=Rob|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|magazine=Billboard|date=June 16, 2015|accessdate=June 16, 2015}}

| rev4 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/11683749/Kacey-Musgraves-Pageant-Material-review-good-natured-rebellion.html|title=Kacey Musgraves, Pageant Material, review: 'good-natured rebellion'|last=Brown|first=Helen|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=June 20, 2015|accessdate=June 20, 2015}}

| rev5 = The Guardian

| rev5Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/18/kacey-musgraves-pageant-material-review|title=Kacey Musgraves: Pageant Material review – country princess files down her spikes|last=Hann|first=Michael|work=The Guardian|date=June 18, 2015|accessdate=June 18, 2015}}

| rev6 = The Irish Times

| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/kacey-musgraves-pageant-material-album-review-1.2271188|title=Kacey Musgraves: Pageant Material {{!}} Album review|last=Breen|first=Joe|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=July 3, 2015|accessdate=September 10, 2018}}

| rev7 = Nash Country Weekly

| rev7Score = A{{cite web|url=http://www.countryweekly.com/reviews/pageant-material-kacey-musgraves|title=Pageant Material by Kacey Musgraves|last=Paxman|first=Bob|publisher=American Media, Inc.|work=Nash Country Weekly|date=June 22, 2015|accessdate=July 16, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627022721/http://www.countryweekly.com/reviews/pageant-material-kacey-musgraves|archivedate=June 27, 2015|url-status=dead}}

| rev8 = Pitchfork

| rev8Score = 8.0/10{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20679-pageant-material/|title=Kacey Musgraves: Pageant Material|last=Hopper|first=Jessica|work=Pitchfork|date=June 24, 2015|accessdate=June 24, 2015}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/kacey-musgraves-pageant-material-20150623|title=Pageant Material|last=Hermes|first=Will|author-link=Will Hermes|publisher=Wenner Media LLC|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=June 23, 2015|accessdate=June 23, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626211625/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/kacey-musgraves-pageant-material-20150623|archivedate=June 26, 2015|url-status=dead}}

| rev10 = Spin

| rev10Score = 9/10{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/06/review-kacey-musgraves-pageant-material/|title=Review: Kacey Musgraves Outgrows the Trailer Park on 'Pageant Material'|last=Carley|first=Brennan|publisher=Buzzmedia|work=Spin|date=June 22, 2015|accessdate=June 22, 2015}}

| rev1score =

}}

Pageant Material received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 78 out of 100, which indicates "generally favorable reviews" based on 25 reviews.

Writing for Hits Daily Double, Lenny Beer and Simon Glickman called Pageant Material an "album for the ages," comparing its greatness to Adele's 21, and added, "it's a nearly perfect set."{{cite news|last2=Glickman|first2=Simon|last1=Beer|first1=Lenny|title=Exploring the Nearly Perfect New Set by Mercury Nashville's Kacey Musgraves|url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=296075|accessdate=May 20, 2015|work=Hits Daily Double|date=May 19, 2015}} Glamour's Alexandra Schwartz called the album "nearly flawless" and listed it among the best albums of 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.glamour.com/entertainment/blogs/obsessed/2015/12/the-10-albums-of-2015-that-you|title=The Best Albums of 2015|last=Schwartz|first=Alexandra|date=December 11, 2015|work=Glamour|publisher=Condé Nast|accessdate=December 12, 2015}} Paul Grein of HITS Daily Double predicted the album would be in contention for Album of the Year at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.{{cite news|last1=Grein|first1=Paul|title=GREIN ON GRAMMYS: OPENING SALVO|url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=296393|accessdate=June 12, 2015|work=Hits Daily Double|date=June 12, 2015}} Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic rated the album four out of five stars and states: "Pageant Material favors softness, sometimes nearly swooning in its slowness, especially on the gorgeous keynote "High Time" and the closer "Fine," both so deliberate and hazy they evoke memories of lazy high-school dances." Billboard{{'}}s Rob Tannenbaum's four and a half stars out of five review claimed it is "an even better album than her last, with more consistency and variety." Glenn Gamboa of Newsday rated the album an "A", calling it "great stories told extraordinarily well," and "nothing short of a musical miracle" in today's country music climate.{{cite news|last=Gamboa|first=Glenn|title='Pageant Material' review: Banner effort from Kacey Musgraves|date=June 19, 2015|newspaper=Newsday|url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/pageant-material-review-kacey-musgraves-banner-effort-1.10558342|accessdate=June 19, 2015}} Additionally, it was the Spin "album of the week" and called a "sophomore masterpiece" by reviewer Brennan Carley.

Pageant Material debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart with 60,000 equivalent album units; it sold 55,000 copies in its first week, with the remainder of its unit total reflecting the album's streaming activity and track sales. It marked Musgraves' best week of album sales to date.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6613193/breaking-benjamin-first-no-1-album-billboard|first=Keith|last=Caulfield|title=Breaking Benjamin Earns Its First No. 1 Album on the Billboard 200 Chart|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|date=July 1, 2015|accessdate=July 1, 2015}} As of September 2016, the album has sold 179,400 copies in the US.{{cite news|url=http://roughstock.com/news/2016/09/40854-country-album-sales-chart-september-19-2016|title=Country Album Sales Chart: September 19, 2016|first=Matt|last=Bjorke|date=September 19, 2016 |work=Roughstock}}

All tracks are produced by Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, and Kacey Musgraves.

{{track listing

| total_length = 46:23

| headline = Pageant Material track listing

| title1 = High Time

| writer1 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Laird|McAnally}}

| length1 = 2:57

| title2 = Dime Store Cowgirl

| writer2 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Laird|McAnally}}

| length2 = 3:35

| title3 = Late to the Party

| writer3 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Brandy Clark|Josh Osborne}}

| length3 = 3:38

| title4 = Pageant Material

| writer4 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Laird|McAnally}}

| length4 = 3:56

| title5 = This Town

| writer5 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Laird|Clark}}

| length5 = 2:57

| title6 = Biscuits

| writer6 = {{hlist|Musgraves|McAnally|Clark}}

| length6 = 3:18

| title7 = Somebody to Love

| writer7 = {{hlist|Musgraves|McAnally|Osborne}}

| length7 = 3:15

| title8 = Miserable

| writer8 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Osborne|Clark}}

| length8 = 3:00

| title9 = Die Fun

| writer9 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Laird|McAnally}}

| length9 = 3:29

| title10 = Family Is Family

| writer10 = {{hlist|Musgraves|McAnally|Osborne}}

| length10 = 2:34

| title11 = Good Ol' Boys Club

| writer11 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Laird|Natalie Hemby}}

| length11 = 3:18

| title12 = Cup of Tea

| writer12 = {{hlist|Musgraves|McAnally|Osborne}}

| length12 = 2:42

| title13 = Fine

| writer13 = {{hlist|Musgraves|Ashley Arrison|McAnally}}

| length13 = 3:55

| title14 = Are You Sure

| note14 = featuring Willie Nelson) (hidden track

| writer14 = {{hlist|Nelson|Buddy Emmons}}

| length14 = 3:56

}}

Notes

• "Are You Sure" is a part of track 13 on CD pressings of the album (giving track 13 a length of 7:50), but a separate track on all other digital platforms. On all versions of the album, "Fine" ends at 3:37 and is followed by 18 seconds of silence.

Credits adapted from AllMusic{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pageant-material-mw0002847860/credits|title=Pageant Material – Kacey Musgraves – Credits – AllMusic|work=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network|accessdate=June 29, 2015}} and liner notes.{{Cite AV media notes |title=Pageant Material |others=Kacey Musgraves |year=2015 |type=CD booklet |publisher=Mercury Nashville |id=B0022816-02}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• David Angell – violin
• Monisa Angell – viola
• Misa Arriaga – acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, gut string guitar, shaker, background vocals
• Zeneba Bowers – violin
• Zach Casebolt – violin
• David Davidson – violin
• Fred Eltringham – bells, drums, percussion, shaker, tambourine, biscuit pan
• Ian Fitchuk – bells, Hammond B3, harp, Mellotron, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano
• Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar
• Natalie Hemby – background vocals
• Adam Keafer – bass, upright bass
• Anthony La Marchina – cello
• Luke Laird – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, gut string guitar, tambourine, background vocals
• Shane McAnally – background vocals
• Kacey Musgraves – acoustic guitar, vocals, whistling
• Willie Nelson – background vocals, "Trigger"
• Josh Osborne – acoustic guitar, vocals
• Kyle Ryan – banjo, electric guitar, vocals, spoon
• Lindsay Smith-Trostle – cello
• Wei Tsun Chang – violin
• Katelyn Westergard – violin
• Kristin Wilkinson – viola
• Karen Winkelmann – violin
• Charlie Worsham – banjo, acoustic guitar, guitalele
• Misa Arriaga – gang vocals on "Biscuits"
• Luke Laird – gang vocals on "Biscuits"
• Shane McAnally – gang vocals on "Biscuits"
• Kyle Ryan – gang vocals on "Biscuits"

{{col-2}}

• Ryan Gore – engineer, mixing
• Kelsey Granda – production coordination
• Gena Johnson – assistant engineer
• Luke Laird – producer, programming
• Jordan Lehning – conductor, string arrangements
• Shane McAnally – producer
• Andrew Mendelson – mastering
• Kacey Musgraves – producer
• Karen Naff – design
• Jarod Snowden – editing
• Kelly Christine Sutton – art direction, design, photography
• Stephanie Wright – A&R

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|relyear=2015|certyear=2024|title=Pageant Material|artist=Kacey Musgraves|type=album|award=Silver|id=19796-4271-2|access-date=March 15, 2024}}

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

{{Reflist|30em}}

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Category:2015 albums

Category:Kacey Musgraves albums

Category:Mercury Nashville albums

Category:Albums produced by Shane McAnally

Category:Alternative country albums by American artists

Category:Country pop albums