Career Timeline of Walker Hayes: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Walker Hayes, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Walker Hayes is an American country pop singer and songwriter known for his commercially successful music. He has released four studio albums across Capitol Records Nashville and Monument Records. Hayes achieved significant chart success with his single "Fancy Like," which reached number one on both the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts in 2021 and 2022.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2002: Graduation from Birmingham–Southern College

In 2002, Walker Hayes graduated from Birmingham–Southern College with a bachelor's degree in music and an emphasis on piano.

2005: Move to Nashville

In 2005, Walker Hayes and his wife moved to Nashville to pursue a career in country music.

September 18, 2010: "Pants" Debuts on Hot Country Songs Chart

On September 18, 2010, Walker Hayes' first single, "Pants," debuted at No. 60 on the Hot Country Songs charts.

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December 2010: "Pants" Music Video Release

In December 2010, Walker Hayes debuted the music video for his song "Pants".

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2011: Reason to Rhyme Album Release

In 2011, Walker Hayes released his first studio album, Reason to Rhyme, on Capitol Records Nashville.

2014: Collaborations and Job at Costco

In 2014, Walker Hayes co-wrote and sang guest vocals on "Dirty Side" from Colt Ford's album Thanks for Listening and co-wrote Rodney Atkins' single "Eat Sleep Love You Repeat". After losing his contract with Capitol Records, he worked at a Costco to support himself.

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2016: Signing with SMACK/RareSpark

In 2016, Walker Hayes signed a publishing and production deal with Shane McAnally and SMACK/RareSpark, through which he released two extended plays: 8Tracks Vol. 1 and 8Tracks Vol. 2.

2017: Boom Album Release

In 2017, Walker Hayes released his second studio album, Boom, on Monument Records.

August 2018: "90's Country" Release

In August 2018, Walker Hayes released the single "90's Country", which contains references to titles of country songs from the 1990s.

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June 4, 2021: Country Stuff EP Release

On June 4, 2021, Walker Hayes released the EP Country Stuff, featuring the song "Fancy Like" which became a viral hit.

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2021: "Fancy Like" Success

Between late 2021 and early 2022, Walker Hayes' song "Fancy Like" reached the number one position on both the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts.

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July 2022: "Y'all Life" Single Release

In July 2022, Walker Hayes released the single "Y'all Life".

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2022: Country Stuff the Album Release

In 2022, Walker Hayes released his third studio album, Country Stuff the Album, on Monument Records.

July 28, 2023: Strait Two Stepping EP Release

On July 28, 2023, Walker Hayes released Strait Two Stepping, a two song extended play including the songs "Stetson" and "Show Me the Country".

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August 25, 2023: "Good with Me" Single Release

On August 25, 2023, Walker Hayes released the single, "Good with Me", which later appeared on his second studio album New Money.

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September 29, 2023: New Money Album Release

On September 29, 2023, Walker Hayes released his second studio album New Money.

2023: New Money Album Release

In 2023, Walker Hayes released his fourth studio album, New Money, on Monument Records.

July 2024: Collaboration with Connor Price

In July 2024, Walker Hayes teamed up with Canadian rapper Connor Price on the song, "Smoke", which was met with negative reviews.

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August 16, 2024: "Ball Player" Release

On August 16, 2024, Walker Hayes released "Ball Player", a song about his feelings towards his kids' athletic careers, intended as an apology to them.

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October 11, 2024: Fifth Studio Album Release

On October 11, 2024, Walker Hayes released his upcoming fifth studio album.

October 2024: Announcement of "5 to 9" as Next Single

In October 2024, Walker Hayes announced “5 to 9” as his next single from his upcoming fifth studio album, describing the song as “bigger than Fancy Like”.

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