Wastin' Whiskey
{{short description|2022 song by James Barker Band}}
{{infobox song
| name = Wastin' Whiskey
| artist = James Barker Band
| album =
| type = single
| cover = Wastin' Whiskey.jpeg
| border =
| recorded =
| studio =
| released = {{start date|2022|03|25}}
| format =
| label = Starseed
| length = {{duration|m=3|s=10}}
| genre = Country
| writer = {{hlist|James Barker|Jared Keim|Travis Wood}}
| producer = Todd Clark
| chronology = James Barker Band singles
| prev_title = New Old Trucks
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title = Meet Your Mama
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|KAnpxmbJHe4|"Wastin' Whiskey"}}|header=Lyric Video}}
}}
"Wastin' Whiskey" is a song recorded by Canadian country group James Barker Band. The group's frontman James Barker wrote the song with Jared Keim and Travis Wood, while Todd Clark produced the track.{{cite web |title=Wastin' Whiskey - Single by James Barker Band|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/2l6aTa5socmv2iQZzF514T?si=UU2Kr83xQOaJRy9HqWR1uw|website=Spotify|date=March 25, 2022|access-date=June 4, 2022}}
Background
The band previewed "Wastin' Whiskey" on multiple social media platforms including Twitter and TikTok prior to its release.{{cite web|url=https://country104.com/news/8540612/listen-james-barker-band-preview-another-new-song-and-it-sounds-fantastic-updated/|title=[LISTEN] James Barker Band preview another new song... and it sounds fantastic [UPDATED]|date=January 27, 2022|first=Matthew|last=Weaver|work=Country 104}}{{cite web|url= https://canadianbeats.ca/2022/03/29/james-barker-band-delivers-what-could-be-another-1-single-with-the-release-of-wastin-whiskey/|title=James Barker Band delivers what could be another #1 single with the release of "Wastin' Whiskey"|date=March 29, 2022|first=Nanci|last=Dagg|work=Canadian Beats Media}} They also promoted the release of the track with a video titled "Wastin' Whiskey Roulette" where each of the band members took sips of unknown liquids out of shot glasses.{{cite web|url= https://www.country935.ca/2022/03/23/james-barker-band-play-wastin-whiskey-roulette/|title=James Barker Band Play "Wastin' Whiskey Roulette"|first=Ryan|last=Gosse|work=93.5 Country|date=March 23, 2022}} The song is part of a large crop of new music the band intended to release as a potential album including "Over All Over Again" and "New Old Trucks". James Barker cited the song as the group's first "fan-driven" single, as the initial clip of the song that the band posted to TikTok quickly received over one million views in under a month,{{cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/qa-james-barker-band-talks-platinum-hits-tik-tok-and-more|title=Q&A: James Barker Band talks platinum hits, Tik Tok and more|first=Stuart|last=Derdeyn|work=Vancouver Sun|date=June 3, 2022}} prompting the band to choose it as their next release to radio. He said that the song "came together in just a few hours – everything from the lyrics to production" and that most of the original vocals are the ones on the final version of the track.
Critical reception
Nanci Dagg of Canadian Beats Media stated that the song "takes listeners back to the all-too-relatable agony of not being able to get over a broken heart, regardless of how many drinks you down," noting "heartbreak-fuelled electric guitar licks and Barker's smooth vocals". Lauren Lee of Front Porch Music favourably reviewed the track, saying that the band "perfectly [captures] that oh-so-relatable feeling of desperation that comes with the end of a relationship – the inability to move on, no matter how deeply you try to drown your sorrows".{{cite web|url=https://frontporchmusic.ca/music/james-barker-band-waistin-whiskey|title=James Barker Band Helps Drown Your Sorrows In "Wastin' Whiskey"|first=Lauren|last=Lee|date=May 19, 2022|work=Front Porch Music|access-date=June 4, 2022}}
Accolades
Commercial performance
"Wastin' Whiskey" reached a peak of number two on the Billboard Canada Country chart for the week of August 27, 2022, marking the band's tenth top ten hit.Canada Country peaks:
- Before December 1, 2021: {{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/james-barker-band/chart-history/CCW |title=James Barker Band Chart History (Canada Country) |magazine=Billboard |access-date=June 20, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211201062400/https://www.billboard.com/artist/james-barker-band/chart-history/ccw/ |archive-date=December 1, 2021|url-status=dead}}
- "Wastin' Whiskey": {{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/canada-country/2022-08-27|title=Canada Country chart for August 27, 2022|magazine=Billboard |access-date=August 23, 2022}}{{Subscription required}} It also reached a peak of number 67 on the Canadian Hot 100 for the same week. It has been certified Gold by Music Canada.
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Chart performance for "Wastin' Whiskey" ! Chart (2022) ! Peak |
| scope="row"| Canada (Canadian Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-hot-100/2022-08-27|title=Canadian Hot 100: August 27, 2022|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 23, 2022|url-access=subscription}}
| 67 |
|---|
| scope="row"| Canada Country (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/canada-country/2022-08-27|title=Canada Country chart for August 27, 2022|magazine=Billboard |access-date=August 23, 2022 |url-access=subscription}}
| 2 |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=James Barker Band|title=Wastin' Whiskey|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2022|access-date=October 11, 2022|refname="MC"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{James Barker Band}}
{{authority control}}
Category:James Barker Band songs
Category:Starseed Records singles
Category:Songs written by James Barker (singer)
Category:Songs written by Travis Wood (songwriter)