Freedom (Reba McEntire song)

"Freedom"
"Freedom"
Single by Reba McEntire
from the album Stronger Than the Truth
Released	March 22, 2019
Genre	Contemporary country
Length	3:50
Label	Big Machine; Rockin' R;
Songwriter(s)	James Brunswick; Tommy Cecil; Jaida Dreyer; John Pierce;
Producer(s)	Buddy Cannon; Reba McEntire;
Reba McEntire singles chronology

"Freedom" is a song recorded by American country artist Reba McEntire. It was composed by James Brunswick, Tommy Cecil, Jaida Dreyer and John Pierce. The track was the lead single off McEntire's 2019 album titled Stronger Than the Truth. "Freedom" became a charting single on the American country chart following its release in March 2019. It was met with favorable review from critics and writers.

Background and content[]

"Freedom" was written by songwriters James Brunswick, Tommy Cecil, Jaida Dreyer and John Pierce. The track describes a woman who has recently found love. The song make compares the woman's freedom to that of American pride and patriotism.^[2]^[3]^[1] When Reba McEntire first heard the song, she thought it was "a patriotic song". After several listens to the track, she realized it was more of a love song: "And so it is an anthem, but it's an anthem about love," she told popculture.^[3] McEntire recorded the track with producer Buddy Cannon. McEntire also served as co-producer on the recording.^[4]

Critical reception[]

"Freedom" received favorable reviews from writers and critics. Billy Dukes of Taste of Country described the song as a "fist-pumping anthem" in his review. All the fist-pumping gifs apply — rare is the country song that inspires such an involuntary celebration, especially one that is at its core an absolute love song."^[1] Bobby Jean Sawyer of Wide Open Country called the song "euphoric" and "joyous" in a 2019 article for the site.^[5]

Release and chart performance[]

"Freedom" was released as a single on March 22, 2019.^[1] According to McEntire, her professional team all agreed that the song should be the lead single of her upcoming album: "Everybody was unanimous on ["Freedom"] being the first single, because it's an anthem. When you first listen to it, some people might think it's a patriotic anthem, but once you listen to the words, you know it's an anthem for this woman finding true love."^[2] The song spent one week on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, peaking at number 52 in March 2019.^[6] "Freedom" was the lead release off her 2019 studio album titled Stronger Than the Truth. The album and single were both released on Big Machine Records in conjunction with the Rockin' R. label.^[4] In April 2019, McEntire performed the single at the Academy of Country Music Awards. She also hosted the program that evening.^[7]

Track listing[]

Digital single^[8]

"Freedom" – 3:50

Charts[]

Chart performance for "Freedom"
Chart (2019)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[9]	52

References[]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Dukes, Billy. "Reba McEntire's New Single 'Freedom' Is a Fist-Pumping Anthem". Taste of Country. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b Liptak, Carena. "Story Behind the Song: Reba McEntire, 'Freedom'". The Boot. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b Thompson, Gayle (April 9, 2019). "Reba McEntire Finds Personal Connection to Current Single, 'Freedom'". PopCulture. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b McEntire, Reba (April 5, 2019). "Stronger Than the Truth (CD Liner Notes and Album Information)". Big Machine Records/Rockin' R Records. 3003984.
^ Sawyer, Bobbie Jean. "Hear Reba McEntire's Euphoric New Single, 'Freedom'". Wide Open Country. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^ ""Freedom" chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^ Unterberger, Andrew (April 7, 2019). "Reba McEntire Shifts Back to Performance Mode For New Song 'Freedom' at 2019 ACM Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^ "Spotify -- "Freedom"". Spotify. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
^ "Reba McEntire Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2021.

[Taste-1] Dukes, Billy. "Reba McEntire's New Single 'Freedom' Is a Fist-Pumping Anthem". Taste of Country. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

[The_Boot-2] Liptak, Carena. "Story Behind the Song: Reba McEntire, 'Freedom'". The Boot. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

[PopCulture-3] Thompson, Gayle (April 9, 2019). "Reba McEntire Finds Personal Connection to Current Single, 'Freedom'". PopCulture. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

[Liner_Notes-4] McEntire, Reba (April 5, 2019). "Stronger Than the Truth (CD Liner Notes and Album Information)". Big Machine Records/Rockin' R Records. 3003984.

[5] Sawyer, Bobbie Jean. "Hear Reba McEntire's Euphoric New Single, 'Freedom'". Wide Open Country. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

[6] ""Freedom" chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

[7] Unterberger, Andrew (April 7, 2019). "Reba McEntire Shifts Back to Performance Mode For New Song 'Freedom' at 2019 ACM Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

[8] "Spotify -- "Freedom"". Spotify. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

[sc_Billboardcountrysongs_Reba_McEntire-9] "Reba McEntire Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2021.

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v t Reba McEntire singles
Albums Singles Videos
1970s	"I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" (with Jacky Ward) "Sweet Dreams"
1980s	"(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven" "I Can See Forever in Your Eyes" "I Don't Think Love Ought to Be That Way" "Today All Over Again" "Only You (And You Alone)" "I'm Not That Lonely Yet" "Can't Even Get the Blues" "You're the First Time I've Thought About Leaving" "Why Do We Want (What We Know We Can't Have)" "There Ain't No Future in This" "Just a Little Love" "He Broke Your Memory Last Night" "How Blue" "Somebody Should Leave" "Have I Got a Deal for You" "Only in My Mind" "Whoever's in New England" "Little Rock" "What Am I Gonna Do About You" "Let the Music Lift You Up" "One Promise Too Late" "The Last One to Know" "Love Will Find Its Way to You" "A Sunday Kind of Love" "I Know How He Feels" "New Fool at an Old Game" "Cathy's Clown" "'Til Love Comes Again" "Little Girl"
1990s	"Walk On" "You Lie" "Rumor Has It" "Fancy" "Fallin' Out of Love" "For My Broken Heart" "Is There Life Out There" "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" "The Greatest Man I Never Knew" "Take It Back" "The Heart Won't Lie" (with Vince Gill) "It's Your Call" "Does He Love You" (with Linda Davis) "They Asked About You" "Why Haven't I Heard from You" "She Thinks His Name Was John" "Till You Love Me" "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" "And Still" "On My Own" "Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands" "Starting Over Again" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" "The Fear of Being Alone" "How Was I to Know" "I'd Rather Ride Around with You" "What If It's You" "If You See Him/If You See Her" (with Brooks & Dunn) "Forever Love" "Wrong Night" "One Honest Heart" "What Do You Say"
2000s	"I'll Be" "We're So Good Together" "I'm a Survivor" "Sweet Music Man" "I'm Gonna Take That Mountain" "Somebody" "He Gets That from Me" "My Sister" "You're Gonna Be (Always Loved by Me)" "Love Needs a Holiday" "Because of You" (with Kelly Clarkson) "The Only Promise That Remains" (with Justin Timberlake) "Every Other Weekend" (with Kenny Chesney or Skip Ewing) "Strange" "Consider Me Gone"
2010s	"I Keep On Loving You" "Turn On the Radio" "If I Were a Boy" "When Love Gets a Hold of You" "Somebody's Chelsea" "Going Out Like That" "Until They Don't Love You" "Just Like Them Horses" "Softly and Tenderly" "Back to God" "God and My Girlfriends" "Freedom"
2020s	"Does He Love You" (with Dolly Parton)
Other singles	"Mind Your Own Business" (with Hank Williams Jr.) "Oklahoma Swing" (with Vince Gill) "Cowgirls Don't Cry" (with Brooks & Dunn) "Forever Country" (with Various artists) "Be a Light" (with Thomas Rhett) "What If"