Jon Pardi Defines Country Music Genre On His Own Terms With 'Honkytonk' Era

Jon Pardi unveils “my personal definition of country music” with his newly-debuted record that serves as a nod to his home state, Honkytonk Hollywood.

Pardi, the first California-born country star to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, delivered his fifth studio record on Friday (April 11). The 17-track project includes “Friday Night Heartbreaker” (the first track to release from the highly-anticipated project), “Gambling Man,” “Love The Lights Out,” “She Drives Away” and more. Some of the ballads offer snapshots of Pardi's life as a dad to two young daughters. He and his wife, Summer Pardi, welcomed firstborn daughter Presley Fawn Pardi in February 2023. Baby No. 2, daughter Sienna Grace Pardi, followed in July 2024. Pardi said the album “is my personal definition of country music. Huge thanks to all the songwriters, my band for playing on it, Jay Joyce for producing it, and everyone else who worked hard to make this thing happen.”

Pardi announced long-awaited details about his new studio record in January. He said at that time he hoped the album would honor his home state as first responders battled devastating wildfires. He said in a statement at the time: “All my albums have been rock and roll with a country flare – this one keeps on rockin’. It’s also the most grown-up record I’ve ever made, all my soul basically. ‘Honkytonk Hollywood’ is for the Nashville that’s in my blood and it’s also a nod to my California roots. And right now, more than ever, I hope it’s a way to honor and lift up the people of my home state.”

Honkytonk Hollywood blends “pristine, pure-country tenderness” with “fuzzed-out fiddles and soaring tripled guitars, or grungy bass lines and bottomless grooves,” per a press release issued Friday morning. Find the full album on iHeartRadio here, and listen to a few of the tracks below.

1. Boots Off

2. Friday Night Heartbreaker

3. She Gets to Drinking

4. Gambling Man

5. Hey California

6. Rush

7. She Drives Away

8. He Went to Work

9. Last Call Thing

10. Honkytonk Hollywood

11. Love The Lights Out

12. Nice Place to Visit

13. Hard Knocks

14. Don’t You Wanna Know

15. Bar Room Blue

16. Who I Don’t Wanna Be

17. Kinda Wanna Keep It That Way

“Friday Night Heartbreaker”

“She Drives Away”

“He Went to Work”

“Last Call Thing”

“Honkytonk Hollywood”

“Love The Lights Out”

“Bar Room Blue”