Things That We Drink To Explained

Things That We Drink To is the second studio album, and first American released by Australian country music singer Morgan Evans. The album was announced on 31 August 2018 and was released on 12 October 2018.^[1] The project is a musical reflection of Evans' journey from Australia to Nashville. Evans co-wrote each track alongside the album's producer, Chris DeStefano. The two played every instrument heard on the sonically diverse project, showcasing Evans' musicianship in addition to his adept songwriting.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, the album won the ARIA Award for ARIA Award for Best Country Album.^[2]

Background

In 2016, Evans travelled from Australia to Nashville, Tennessee to make a new home in the United States. Morgan began songwriting and working alongside some of the industry's best who've helped him turn this journey into 11 songs. Evans told Taste of Country "I've learned to be more honest and tell my story rather than the story that I think someone wants to hear." Evans wrote hundreds of songs and culled the parts of his identity he hadn't yet shared into an album.^[3] Since moving to Nashville, Evans married fellow country star Kelsea Ballerini, embarked on his first American tour and released his first U.S. radio single, "Kiss Somebody" and lost his manager Rob Potts who died in a motor cycle accident in October 2017.^[4]

Critical reception

Taste of Country said "Celebration is an overall theme of Things That We Drink To as Evans looks back on the times that have defined him since he started building a new life on the other side of the world."^[3]

Chris Parton from Rolling Stone said called the album a "...breezy mix of up-tempo jams, lovestruck anthems and loop-driven creative mojo." adding "Things That We Drink To a truly revealing debut, both personally and artistically."^[5]

Commercial performance

Things That We Drink To debuted at No. 9 on Top Country Albums with 4,000 copies sold, or 7,000 in equivalent album units.^[6] The album has sold 5,200 copies in the United States as of November 2018.^[7]

Track listing

From Nash Country Daily:^[8]

Personnel

• Kelsea Ballerini – duet vocals on "Dance with Me"
• Chris DeStefano – banjo, bass guitar, drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, programming, background vocals
• Morgan Evans - acoustic guitar, lead vocals, background vocals
• David Hodges – piano
• Katie Ohh – background vocals
• Kirby Smith – background vocals
• Nir Z. – drums

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2018)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[9]	5
US Billboard 200[10]	106
US Country Albums (Billboard)[11]	9

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for Things That We Drink To

Chart (2018)	Position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[12]	18
Chart (2019)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[13]	94
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[14]	4
Chart (2020)	Position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[15]	13
Chart (2021)	Position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[16]	16
Chart (2022)	Position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[17]	18
Chart (2023)	Position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[18]	41

Notes and References

1. Web site: THINGS THAT WE DRINK TO: MORGAN EVANS' DEBUT ALBUM . Warner Music Nashville. 31 August 2018. 13 October 2018.
2. Web site: ARIA Awards: 2019 ARIA Awards Nominated Artists Revealed . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . 10 October 2019 . 10 October 2019 .
3. Web site: MORGAN EVANS' 'THINGS THAT WE DRINK TO' IS CELEBRATION OF LIFE AFTER GOOD FRIEND'S DEATH . Taste of Country. 12 October 2018 . 13 October 2018.
4. Web site: INTERVIEW: MORGAN EVANS RAISES A GLASS TO MEMORABLE MOMENTS ON 'THINGS THAT WE DRINK TO'. The Boot. 12 October 2018. 13 October 2018.
5. Web site: 'Kiss Somebody' Singer Morgan Evans on New Album, Singing With Wife Kelsea Ballerini. Rolling Stone. 12 October 2018. 13 October 2018.
6. Record 'Best': Luke Combs First Soloist to Send First Four Singles to No. 1 on Country Airplay Chart . October 23, 2018 . Jim. Asker. Billboard .
7. News: Top 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: November 14, 2019. Matt. Bjorke. November 14, 2018. Roughstock. November 29, 2018.
8. Web site: Morgan Evans Announces Oct. 12 Release of Debut Album, "Things That We Drink To" . Nash Country Daily . October 21, 2018 . Jim Casey.
9. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums. Australian Recording Industry Association. 22 October 2018. 20 October 2018.
10. Billboard 200: October 27, 2018. Billboard. 23 October 2018.
11. Billboard Country Update. Billboard. 18. 22 October 2018. 23 October 2018.
12. Web site: 2018 Annual ARIA Country Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. 10 January 2019.
13. Web site: ARIA End of Year Albums Chart 2019. Australian Recording Industry Association. 10 January 2020.
14. Web site: 2019 Annual ARIA Country Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. 10 January 2019.
15. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Country Albums for 2020. Australian Recording Industry Association. 15 January 2021.
16. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Country Albums for 2021. Australian Recording Industry Association. 15 January 2022.
17. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Country Albums Chart for 2022. Australian Recording Industry Association. 8 January 2023.
18. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Country Albums Chart for 2023. Australian Recording Industry Association. 14 January 2024.
19. Web site: Things That We Drink To (CD). JB Hi-Fi. 13 October 2018.
20. Web site: Things That We Drink To (DD). iTunes Store. 13 October 2018.