Whether Brett Young is touring with Sam Hunt in 2023 is a question on the minds of many country music fans. Both artists have risen to fame in recent years with their own unique brands of country music that blend pop and rock influences. After reviewing their touring schedules and recent collaborations, a clear picture emerges on if fans can expect to see Brett Young joining Sam Hunt on the road this year.
Brett Young’s 2023 Tour Plans
Brett Young is an American country pop singer and songwriter who first gained recognition after appearing on the singing competition show Nashville Star in 2006. However, it wasn’t until the release of his single “Sleep Without You” in 2016 followed by his self-titled debut album in 2017 that Young achieved breakthrough success. Hits like “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Like I Loved You,” and “Mercy” propelled Young’s career and cemented his reputation for romantic ballads and wedding songs.
In 2023, Brett Young is embarking on his own headlining tour across the United States. The tour is titled “The Weekends Tour” after his 2022 album of the same name. It kicks off on January 26th in Orlando, Florida and continues through late May, concluding in rapidly Young’s hometown of Anaheim, California. Notable tour stops include Nashville, Dallas, New York, Chicago, Boston, and more.
Based on his published touring schedule, Brett Young will be quite busy headlining his own tour in venues and amphitheaters across America throughout the first half of 2023. Unless plans change, it appears unlikely he would have time to simultaneously join another artist’s tour.
Sam Hunt’s 2023 Tour Plans
Sam Hunt is a Georgia-born singer, songwriter and musician who blends country music with pop, rock and R&B influences. Since releasing his debut album Montevallo in 2014, Hunt has become one of the most streamed and recognizable voices in modern country music known for hit songs like “Leave the Night On,” “House Party,” and “Body Like a Back Road.”
At the moment, Sam Hunt does not have a major solo tour scheduled for 2023. His last headlining tour was the Southside Summer Tour which ran from mid-2021 into early 2022. For the remainder of 2022, Hunt only performed occasionally at festivals and special events.
It’s likely Hunt will plan a new headlining tour at some point in 2023 to support his next album release. However, no concrete tour dates or locations have been announced yet. Hunt is keeping fans guessing for now.
Without a scheduled tour, it would in theory be possible for Hunt to join select dates of another artist’s tour this year. But again, there has been no word from Hunt’s camp on any upcoming co-headlining tours or special collaborative appearances.
History of Brett Young and Sam Hunt Collaborating
When speculating if two artists might tour together, it’s often insightful to look at their history of past collaborations. Brett Young and Sam Hunt have crossed paths a few times in recent years, indicating they have a friendly relationship and mutual musical appreciation.
In 2018, Brett Young was one of the opening acts selected to join Sam Hunt’s The Nashional Tour. Young played a supporting role at amphitheaters in cities like Atlanta, Toronto, Dallas and more. This demonstrates the two have experience successfully touring together in the past.
Both artists were also featured together on the compilation album The Cadillac Three Sessions in 2021. Young and Hunt each recorded exclusive cover songs for this special project celebrating classic country hits. Fans noted how well their individual styles blended together on the collaborative release.
Most recently in December 2022, Brett Young made a surprise appearance at Sam Hunt’s Nashville concert. Young joined Hunt on stage to help perform their hit duet “Turn It Up.” Their natural chemistry and smooth harmonies were on full display in the impromptu live collaboration.
While not extensive, Young and Hunt obviously have mutual admiration for one another as fellow musicians and friends. Their handful of past collaborations leave the door open for more opportunities to team up in the future if their touring schedules one day align.
Potential Benefits of Joint Tour
Headlining a major concert tour is a massive undertaking requiring great expense and coordination. Country artists like Brett Young and Sam Hunt stand to gain in several ways by joining forces and resources to co-headline a tour together.
Financially, they could share production costs for staging, lighting, transportation, and more. A collaborative tour also widens their shared fanbase and helps cross-promote audiences to one another. Fans of Brett Young might buy tickets to finally see Sam Hunt live, and vice versa.
Creative benefits include getting to collaborate on stage each night for special duet performances of songs like “Turn It Up.” The artists could cover each other’s catalog or produce new songs together inspired by being on tour. Co-headlining also splits up solo headlining duties so neither artist has to carry the full show themselves each night.
Lastly, joining forces simply makes touring logistics easier. Their teams can coordinate schedules, venues, travel and promotion as a united front. A collaborative tour with a friend could be more enjoyable for the singers compared to the grind of an independent solo tour.
Setlist Possibilities on Joint Tour
If Brett Young and Sam Hunt did embark on a co-headlining tour together, fans would be treated to an incredible combined setlist of their greatest hits. Here are just some of the songs a Young-Hunt setlist could potentially include:
- Brett Young – “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Mercy,” “Here Tonight,” etc.
- Sam Hunt – “Body Like a Back Road,” “Breaking Up Was Easy In The 90’s,” “Downtown’s Dead,” etc.
- Duets – “Turn It Up,” other covers or new originals
Both artists have more than enough beloved songs to easily fill a 2+ hour rotating setlist every night of tour. Their catalogs also pair nicely together, flowing smoothly from Young’s romantic ballads into Hunt’s lively country-pop anthems.
Extra treats for fans would include the pair swapping verses on their respective hits, mashing up their tracks together, or bringing out special unreleased songs. Each show could be a unique experience thanks to the wealth of material Young and Hunt have to work with.
Conclusion
In summary, while Brett Young and Sam Hunt are not presently scheduled to tour together in 2023, the possibility can’t be ruled out in the future. Their active touring schedules this year make joining forces logistically difficult. However, their friendship and mutual musical admiration leave the door open down the road.
A Brett Young and Sam Hunt co-headlining tour would undoubtedly be a hot ticket among country music fans. Their catalogs pair naturally for an ideal setlist, and allows them to creatively collaborate on new music and performances. Touring together also makes practical sense by sharing expenses and resources. Only time will tell if these rising country stars plan such a team-up.
