Where It All Began (Dan + Shay album)

Where It All Began is the debut studio album by American country music duo Dan + Shay. It was released on April 1, 2014 via Warner Bros. Nashville.[1][2] The album includes the singles "19 You + Me", "Show You Off", and "Nothin' Like You".[3]

Where It All Began
Studio album by Dan + Shay
Released	April 1, 2014
Recorded	2013–14; Nashville, Tennessee (The Mix Tank, Sound Emporium, Ocean Way Studios, Blackbird Studios)
Genre	Country
Length	41:40
Label	Warner Bros. Nashville
Producer	Dan Smyers Scott Hendricks Danny Orton Chris DeStefano
Dan + Shay chronology
Where It All Began (2014) Obsessed (2016)
Singles from Where It All Began
"19 You + Me" Released: October 14, 2013 "Show You Off" Released: May 12, 2014 "Nothin' Like You" Released: February 23, 2015

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Country Weekly	B[5]
Got Country Online	[6]
Roughstock	[7]
USA Today	[8]

Where It All Began has garnered generally positive reviews from five music critics. Brian Mansfield of USA Today gave the album three stars out of four, saying stating that the duo "make[s] the music of first dates and summertime flings that last forever in the memory", and their "sun-kissed harmonizing and carefree delivery may be informed by contemporary pop, but they're storytellers at heart."[8] Alanna Conaway of Country Weekly gave the album a B grade, writing that the duo "have emerged [...] as true songwriters and vocalists, and still have plenty of directions to go with future albums."[5] However, Conaway believes that the album could have been better in the lyrical department because they focus on "the good memories and moments in life."[5] Mark Deming of AllMusic rated it three out of five stars, saying that "As far as craft goes, Dan + Shay clearly know what they're doing and are remarkably canny" and "If country radio needs clean-cut but hunky young men to croon with maximum professionalism for female listeners (and the guys who want to get to know them better), there's no question Dan + Shay can fill the bill, and Where It All Began shows they do what they do very well indeed."[4] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock rated the album four out of five stars, stating that the release "feels like the album will indeed be the point where the duo and fans point to and say" this is the place it started, which according to him is "Not bad for the music world’s latest 'overnight sensation.'"[7] Tara Toro of Got Country Online rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, writing that "The songs flow together nicely, but at times tend to sound alike, especially lyrically."[6] In addition, Toro closes with saying that this "is an easy to listen to youthful album that many country fans surely wont 'say no' to adding to their library."[6]

Commercial performance

Where It All Began debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200 and number one on the US Top Country Albums, selling 29,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[9][10] As of June 2016, the album has sold 157,000 copies in the United States.[11] On January 10, 2018, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 in the United States.[12]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Show You Off"	Dan Smyers Shay Mooney Danny Orton	3:03
2.	"Stop Drop + Roll"	Smyers Mooney Orton	3:17
3.	"19 You + Me"	Smyers Mooney Orton	3:37
4.	"What You Do to Me"	Smyers Mooney Orton	3:30
5.	"Can't Say No"	Smyers Mooney Rhett Akins Ben Hayslip	2:54
6.	"First Time Feeling"	Smyers Mooney Hayslip	3:59
7.	"Nothin' Like You"	Smyers Mooney Chris DeStefano Ashley Gorley	3:06
8.	"Somewhere Only We Know"	Smyers Mooney Cary Barlowe	3:06
9.	"Parking Brake"	Smyers Mooney Nathan Chapman	3:36
10.	"I Heard Goodbye"	Smyers Mooney Orton	3:42
11.	"Party Girl"	Smyers Mooney Nicolle Galyon	3:53
12.	"Close Your Eyes"	Smyers Mooney Orton	3:57
Total length:			41:40

All songs produced by Dan Smyers, Scott Hendricks, and Danny Orton, except "Can't Say No", produced by Smyers and Hendricks, and "Nothin' Like You", produced by Chris DeStefano.

Personnel

Dan + Shay

• Shay Mooney – acoustic guitar, lead vocals, background vocals
• Dan Smyers – banjo, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion, programming, background vocals

Additional musicians

• Tim Akers – programming
• Eric Darken – percussion
• Chris DeStefano – bass guitar, drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, mandolin, and programming on "Nothin' Like You"
• Carolyn Dawn Johnson – background vocals on "Party Girl"
• Anthony LaMarchina – cello
• Craig Nelson – acro bass
• Danny Orton – drums, keyboards, programming
• Carol Rabinowitz – cello
• Adam Shoenfeld – electric guitar
• Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar
• Bryan Sutton – banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2014) Peak position Canadian Albums (Billboard)[13] 12 UK Country Albums (OCC)[14] 11 US Billboard 200[15] 6 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[16] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2014) Position US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[17] 44 Singles Year Single Peak chart positions US Country [18] US Country Airplay [19] US [20] CAN Country [21] CAN [22] 2013 "19 You + Me" 7 11 42 23 47 2014 "Show You Off" 29 21 111 — — 2015 "Nothin' Like You" 5 1 51 4 72 "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[23]	Gold	500,000
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

References

1. Howell, Coti (February 19, 2014). "Dan + Shay Reveal Album Details for 'Where It All Began'". Taste of Country. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
2. Allers, Hannahlee (February 19, 2014). "Dan + Shay Reveal Album Details for 'Where It All Began'". The Boot. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
3. Bjorke, Matt (February 11, 2014). "Dan + Shay "Where It All Began" Tracklist and Cover Art". Roughstock. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
4. Deming, Mark (March 30, 2014). "Where It All Began - Dan + Shay". AllMusic. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
5. Conaway, Alanna (April 7, 2014). "Where It All Began by Dan + Shay". Country Weekly. American Media, Inc. 21 (14): 66–67. ISSN 1074-3235. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
6. Toro, Tara (March 23, 2014). "ALBUM REVIEW: Dan + Shay "Where It All Began"". Got Country Online. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
7. Bjorke, Matt (March 28, 2014). "Album Review: Dan + Shay - Where It All Began". Roughstock. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
8. Mansfield, Brian (March 31, 2014). "Listen Up: Other notable releases". USA Today. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
9. Conaway, Alanna. "Country Album Chart News: The Week of April 9, 2014: Where It All Began for Dan+Shay and Nickel Creek's A Dotted Line Debut". Roughstock. Cheri Media. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
10. Caulfield, Keith. "5 Seconds Of Summer Debuts At No. 2 on Billboard 200; 'Frozen' Still No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
11. "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016.
13. "Dan + Shay Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
14. "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company.
15. "Dan + Shay Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
16. "Dan + Shay Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
17. "Top Country Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
18. "Dan + Shay Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
19. "Dan + Shay Album & Song Chart History - Country Airplay". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
20. "Dan + Shay Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
21. "Dan + Shay Album & Song Chart History - Canada Country". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
22. "Dan + Shay Album & Song Chart History - Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
23. "American album certifications – Dan + Shay – Where It All Began". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 10, 2018. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.