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"No News" is a song recorded by American country music band Lonestar. It was released in January 1996 as the second single from their debut album, Lonestar. "No News" reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in April 1996 (see 1996 in country music), giving the group its first number-one single. It was written by Phil Barnhart, Sam Hogin, and Mark D. Sanders.

Content

The song's narrator tells of how his former lover has left him and disappeared without a trace. Having heard "no news" from her or her family on her whereabouts, he starts to speculate. Multiple scenarios are offered such as missing her plane, getting lost at the mall, touring with Pearl Jam, the Grateful Dead, and Jimmy Buffett, victim of human sacrifice or alien abduction and believes the government may be covering it up. The single version and updated 2023 version replaced the line "Joined the cult, joined the Klan" with "playin' guitar with the band".

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price, of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it "different, catchy, and utterly infectious." She goes on to say that the production is "first-rate" and that the performance is "right on the mark."

Music video

This was the band's first music video, and it was directed and produced by Deaton-Flanigen Productions. The video premiered on CMT on January 20, 1996, when CMT named it a "Hot Shot". It begins following the narrative of the song as the woman leaves her man and boards a bus. While on the bus, the previously conservatively-dressed woman begins letting her hair down and dancing provocatively, causing such a stir that the bus overheats and breaks down. She then hitchhikes with a Boss Hogg-like character who pulls up in a Cadillac convertible; he and the girlfriend ride off as the video ends. In between the scenes, her ex-lover sits at home. Scenes also feature the band performing the song outside. A portion of their debut single "Tequila Talkin'" was played at the beginning of the video.

Chart positions

"No News" debuted at number 57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of January 13, 1996. The song was commercially released as a double A-side with the band's debut single "Tequila Talkin'"; this double-sided single reached number 22 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.

Year-end charts

References

1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
2. Wahlert, Brian. "Lonestar review". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
3. Billboard, January 27, 1996
4. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2930." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. April 1, 1996. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
5. "Lonestar Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
6. "Lonestar Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
7. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1996". RPM. December 16, 1996. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
8. "Best of 1996: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1996. Retrieved July 20, 2013.

• 1996 singles
• 1995 songs
• Lonestar songs
• Music videos directed by Deaton-Flanigen Productions
• Songs written by Mark D. Sanders
• Song recordings produced by Don Cook
• BNA Records singles
• Songs written by Sam Hogin
• Songs written by Phil Barnhart (songwriter)