Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Tim McGraw
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Tim McGraw made an impact.
Tim McGraw is a highly successful American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums, with 10 reaching number one on the Top Country Albums charts. His 1994 album, Not a Moment Too Soon, was the top country album of that year. McGraw's albums have generated 65 singles, 25 of which have topped the Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts, solidifying his status as a major figure in country music.
1989: Dropped Out of College
In 1989, on the day of Keith Whitley's death, Tim McGraw dropped out of college and moved to Nashville to pursue a music career.
1990: Attention of Curb Records
In 1990, Tim McGraw came to the attention of Curb Records, leading to his signing with the label.
March 29, 1991: Debut Single Release
On March 29, 1991, Tim McGraw released his debut single, "What Room Was the Holiday In", which did not initially chart.
April 1993: Debut Album Release
In April 1993, Tim McGraw released his debut album, "Tim McGraw", which was commercially unsuccessful.
1993: First Single Since 1993 to not reach top 10
In 1993, Tim McGraw released "Drugs or Jesus" became McGraw's first single since 1993 to not ever reach within the Top 10 on the U.S. country charts
1994: Established Swampstock Event
In 1994, Tim McGraw established the annual Swampstock event to raise money for hometown little league programs.
1994: Release of "Not a Moment Too Soon"
In 1994, Tim McGraw released his second album "Not a Moment Too Soon", and the first single "Indian Outlaw" sparked controversy.
1994: Academy of Country Music Awards
In 1994, Tim McGraw won Academy of Country Music awards for Album of the Year and Top New Male Vocalist.
1994: Top Country Album of the Year
In 1994, Tim McGraw's breakthrough album "Not a Moment Too Soon" was the top country album of the year.
1995: Release of All I Want
In 1995, Tim McGraw released his third studio album, "All I Want", which debuted at No. 1 on the country charts.
1995: "Down on the Farm" peaks
In 1995, the third single from the album "Not a Moment Too Soon" peaked at number 2.
1996: Hosted Annual New Year's Eve Concert
From 1996 to 1999, Tim McGraw hosted an annual New Year's Eve concert in Nashville with special guests, including Jeff Foxworthy.
1996: "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart" Number One
In 1996, Tim McGraw's "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart" became his fourth number one on the U.S. country charts.
1996: The Dancehall Doctors
Since at least 1996, the members of The Dancehall Doctors have been working with Tim McGraw.
1997: "It's Your Love" Top Country Song
In 1997, "It's Your Love" was the top country song of the year, according to Billboard Year-End.
1997: Acting Appearance on The Jeff Foxworthy Show
In 1997, Tim McGraw made his first acting appearance on The Jeff Foxworthy Show, playing Foxworthy's rival.
1997: Everywhere Album Release
In 1997, Tim McGraw released his fourth album, "Everywhere", which topped the country charts.
1997: New Year's Eve Concert Raised Funds for Country Music Foundation
In 1997, Tim McGraw's New Year's Eve show raised over $100,000 for the Country Music Foundation Hall of Fame and Museum.
1998: "Just to See You Smile" Top Country Song
In 1998, "Just to See You Smile" was the top country song of the year, according to Billboard Year-End.
1998: "Just to See You Smile" Longest Chart Run
In 1998, Tim McGraw's "Just to See You Smile" set a record for the longest run on the country charts at the time, at 42 weeks.
1998: "Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me"
In 1998, Tim McGraw's duet with Faith Hill "Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me", from her album Faith, reached the Top 5 of the US country charts.
1999: Started "The Bread and Water Tour"
Beginning in 1999, Tim McGraw started "The Bread and Water Tour", where proceeds from select shows would go to a charity from that community.
1999: "Breathe" featuring "Let's Make Love"
In 1999, Faith Hill's album "Breathe" featured "Let's Make Love" with Tim McGraw.
1999: Release of A Place in the Sun
In 1999, Tim McGraw released his fifth album, "A Place in the Sun", which debuted atop both the US country and pop album charts.
October 12, 2000: Donation to Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
On October 12, 2000, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill gave the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society $375,000 to assist families of sailors affected by the terrorist attack on the USS Cole.
2000: Produced The Clark Family Experience Album
In 2000, Tim McGraw and Byron Gallimore co-produced the only album released by The Clark Family Experience.
2000: Grammy Award
In 2000, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Collaboration for "Let's Make Love".
2000: Greatest Hits Album Release and Soul2Soul Tour
In 2000, Tim McGraw released his first Greatest Hits album and embarked on the Soul2Soul Tour with Faith Hill.
April 2001: Release of Set This Circus Down
In April 2001, Tim McGraw released his sixth studio album, "Set This Circus Down", which spawned four number one hits.
2001: Retrospective on McGraw's Career
In 2001, Billboard published a retrospective on McGraw's career, featuring opinions on his debut single.
2002: Recording with The Dancehall Doctors
In 2002, Tim McGraw challenged country music traditions by recording "Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors" with his touring band.
2003: She's My Kind of Rain Peak
In 2003, Tim McGraw's "She's My Kind of Rain" peaked at No. 2 on the charts.
2004: "Live Like You Were Dying" Top Country Song
In 2004, "Live Like You Were Dying" was the top country song of the year, according to Billboard Year-End.
2004: Acting Roles in Black Cloud and Friday Night Lights
In 2004, Tim McGraw played a sheriff in "Black Cloud" and received critical acclaim for his role as the overbearing father in "Friday Night Lights".
2004: Release of Live Like You Were Dying
In 2004, Tim McGraw released "Live Like You Were Dying", which was dedicated to his father Tug McGraw.
2004: Over and Over Crossover Hit
In 2004, Tim McGraw's duet with Nelly on "Over and Over" became a crossover hit.
2004: Back When Success
In late 2004, Tim McGraw's "Back When" peaked at number one.
2005: NFL Season Song and Arena Football Owner
Throughout the 2005 NFL season, Tim McGraw sang an alternate version of "I Like It, I Love It" every week and became a minority owner of the Arena Football League's Nashville Kats.
April 2006: Soul2Soul II Tour
In April 2006, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill began their Soul2Soul II Tour.
October 20, 2006: Release of 'Flicka' and Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
On October 20, 2006, Tim McGraw's first lead role in the film "Flicka" was released. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame around the same time.
2006: McGraw Joins Def Leppard Onstage
In 2006, Tim McGraw joined Def Leppard onstage for the song "Pour Some Sugar On Me".
2006: Lead Role in Flicka
In 2006, Tim McGraw played a lead role in the movie "Flicka".
March 27, 2007: Let It Go Album Release
On March 27, 2007, Tim McGraw released his eleventh studio album, Let It Go.
May 15, 2007: Academy of Country Music Awards Show
On May 15, 2007, Tim McGraw performed "If You're Reading This" at the Academy of Country Music awards show.
July 12, 2007: Donation to Kailey Kozminski
On July 12, 2007, Tim McGraw donated $5,000 to Kailey Kozminski, the daughter of a Grand Rapids police officer who was killed on July 8, 2007.
2007: Produced Halfway to Hazard's Self-Titled Debut Album
In 2007, Tim McGraw and Byron Gallimore produced Halfway to Hazard's self-titled debut album.
2007: Acted in 'The Kingdom'
In 2007, Tim McGraw appeared in the film "The Kingdom", reuniting him with the director of Friday Night Lights, Peter Berg.
January 18, 2008: USA Today Feature
On January 18, 2008, USA Today stated that Tim McGraw was featured on the Def Leppard album Songs from the Sparkle Lounge and co-wrote "Nine Lives".
April 25, 2008: Songs from the Sparkle Lounge Release
On April 25, 2008, Def Leppard released the album Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, featuring Tim McGraw.
May 2008: Live Your Voice Tour and New Song Debut
In May 2008, Tim McGraw hit the road with the Live Your Voice tour and debuted a new song at the Stagecoach Music Festival.
July 2008: Let It Go Single Release
In July 2008, Tim McGraw's album's sixth single and its title track, "Let It Go", was released to country radio.
October 7, 2008: Greatest Hits 3 Release
On October 7, 2008, Tim McGraw released his third greatest-hits package, Greatest Hits 3.
October 2008: Dispute over Greatest Hits Collection
In October 2008, there was a dispute over the release of Tim McGraw's third Greatest Hits collection without his permission.
November 22, 2008: First Appearance on Saturday Night Live
On November 22, 2008, Tim McGraw made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live.
June 2009: It's A Business Doing Pleasure With You Single Release
In late June 2009, Tim McGraw's single "It's A Business Doing Pleasure With You" was shipped to radio outlets.
October 20, 2009: Southern Voice Album Release
On October 20, 2009, Tim McGraw's twelfth studio album, Southern Voice, was released.
2009: Appeared in 'The Blind Side'
In 2009, Tim McGraw appeared in the film "The Blind Side" as Sean Tuohy.
2009: ACM Awards Cancellation
In 2009, Tim McGraw was set to debut a new song at the ACM Awards but then canceled his performance.
September 12, 2010: Dirty Girl Premiered at Toronto Film Festival
On September 12, 2010, Tim McGraw starred in "Dirty Girl," which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.
November 30, 2010: Number One Hits Compilation Release
On November 30, 2010, Curb Records released Tim McGraw's fourth greatest hits compilation, Number One Hits.
2010: Emotional Traffic Album Finished
As of fall 2010, Tim McGraw had finished work on the album Emotional Traffic, his last album with Curb Records.
2010: Lead Role in Country Strong
In 2010, Tim McGraw played a lead role in the movie "Country Strong".
January 2, 2011: Emotional Traffic Tour Announcement
On January 2, 2011, Tim McGraw announced plans for his Emotional Traffic Tour.
March 30, 2011: Tim McGraw Radio Launch
On March 30, 2011, Sirius XM launched Tim McGraw Radio, a commercial-free music channel devoted to Tim McGraw's music.
May 13, 2011: Curb Records Breach-of-Contract Suit
On May 13, 2011, Curb Records filed a breach-of-contract suit against Tim McGraw.
November 2011: Permission to Record for Another Label
In November 2011, a judge granted Tim McGraw permission to record music for another label, ending his relationship with Curb Records that began in 1990.
December 2011: Christmas Single Release
In December 2011, Tim McGraw released his first Christmas single, "Christmas All Over the World".
January 24, 2012: Emotional Traffic Album Release
On January 24, 2012, Tim McGraw's album Emotional Traffic was released.
May 21, 2012: Signing with Big Machine Records
On May 21, 2012, Tim McGraw signed with Big Machine Records.
July 2012: Trial Scheduled
In July 2012, a trial between Curb Records and Tim McGraw was scheduled to begin.
February 5, 2013: Two Lanes of Freedom Album Release
On February 5, 2013, Tim McGraw's debut album for Big Machine, entitled Two Lanes of Freedom, was released.
March 16, 2013: C2C: Country to Country Festival Performance
On March 16, 2013, Tim McGraw performed at the C2C: Country to Country festival in London.
January 2014: Lookin' for That Girl Single Release
In January 2014, Tim McGraw released "Lookin' for That Girl" as the lead-off single to his second album for Big Machine.
February 4, 2014: Love Story Greatest Hits Release
On February 4, 2014, Curb Records released Tim McGraw's eighth greatest hits album, Love Story.
September 16, 2014: Sundown Heaven Town Album Release
On September 16, 2014, Tim McGraw's album, Sundown Heaven Town, was released.
August 10, 2015: Top of the World Single Release
On August 10, 2015, Tim McGraw released a new single titled "Top of the World" to digital retailers.
August 17, 2015: Top of the World Radio Release
On August 17, 2015, Tim McGraw's single "Top of the World" was released to radio.
2015: Appeared in Tomorrowland
In 2015, Tim McGraw appeared in Brad Bird's "Tomorrowland" as Eddie Newton.
February 1, 2016: Humble and Kind Radio Release
On February 1, 2016, Tim McGraw's single "Humble and Kind" was released to country radio.
July 11, 2016: How I'll Always Be Radio Release
On July 11, 2016, Tim McGraw's single "How I'll Always Be" was released to country radio.
October 4, 2016: Soul2Soul World Tour Announcement
On October 4, 2016, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill announced that they would be going back on the road together on the Soul2Soul World Tour.
January 2017: How I'll Always Be Peak on Country Airplay
In January 2017, Tim McGraw's "How I'll Always Be" reached number 3 on the Country Airplay.
April 7, 2017: Soul2Soul World Tour Start
On April 7, 2017, the Soul2Soul World Tour began in New Orleans.
November 17, 2017: The Rest of Our Life Album Release and Hall of Fame Exhibit Opening
On November 17, 2017, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill released their duet album, The Rest of Our Life, and an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened, celebrating their careers.
March 2018: C2C: Country to Country Festival Incorporation
In March 2018, the Soul2Soul World Tour incorporated the C2C: Country to Country festival held in the UK and Ireland.
2019: Bestselling Books Released
In 2019, Tim McGraw released two bestselling books. The first, co-written with Jon Meacham, titled "Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation" reached No. 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list. His second book, "Grit and Grace", also reached No. 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list in 2019.
February 2020: Rejoined Big Machine Records
In February 2020, Tim McGraw rejoined Big Machine Records, a label he was previously signed to from 2011 to 2017.
August 21, 2020: Released 'Here on Earth' Album
On August 21, 2020, Tim McGraw released his new album, "Here on Earth".
January 2021: Performed at Celebrating America Inaugural Special
In January 2021, Tim McGraw performed on the "Celebrating America" inaugural special, which celebrated the inauguration of Joe Biden.
January 2021: Released "Undivided" Single
In January 2021, Tim McGraw released the single "Undivided" with Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line; it was later included on a deluxe edition of his album, Here on Earth.
2021: Lead role in 1883
In 2021, Tim McGraw played a lead role in "1883".
March 10, 2023: Released "Standing Room Only" Single
On March 10, 2023, Tim McGraw released the title track "Standing Room Only" as the lead single from his upcoming album. The song reached number 2 on the U.S. Country Airplay chart.
April 2023: Gifted Guitar to Brandon Davis
In April 2023, Tim McGraw surprised rising country star Brandon Davis with a new guitar after his gear was stolen.
August 25, 2023: Released 'Standing Room Only' Album
On August 25, 2023, Tim McGraw released his sixteenth studio album, "Standing Room Only".
November 21, 2023: Surprise-Released 'Poet's Resumé' EP
On November 21, 2023, Tim McGraw surprise-released a six-track EP titled "Poet's Resumé".
