Article Contributed by Big Feat PR
Published on 2026-03-04
Photo credit: Lance Wilson
The Band of Heathens have claimed the No. 1 spot on the official Americana charts with both their single “Take The Cake,” as well as their landmark new album Country Sides which simultaneously rise to No. 1 on both stops —topping both charts simultaneously is a career first and milestone moment in the band’s 20th year!
Chad Staehly, of the band’s management stated, “It has been an amazing ride working with The Band of Heathens, watching them relentlessly hone their craft going on 20 years now. They came out of the gate in 2005 like a meteor and somehow they just keep getting better and better. I’ve never seen anything like it in 25 years of working in this business.”
Originally released January 14 and premiering via Whiskey Riff, “Take The Cake” the song has quickly built momentum, spending three weeks in the Top 5 before ascending to the top of the chart. The track also cracked the Top 40 at AAA radio. A swampy, groove-driven slice of country rock and roll, the song pairs nifty electric piano with greasy guitar licks as its soulful vocals explore a timeless question: in a world of takers and givers, which side are you on?
Exclusively speaking to Whiskey Riff, co-founder of the band, Gordy Quist shared, “‘Take the Cake’ is digging its heels in against our human nature to hoard and protect everything that we’ve got, because generosity always wins and comes back around to make the world a better place.”
Released February 20, Country Sides is a self-produced, guitar-fueled masterclass in roots rock, created alongside longtime collaborator Jim Vollentine (Spoon, Patty Griffin, White Denim). Tracked in just over a week at the band’s studio, The Finishing School, the album captures barroom piano rockers and soulful, swaggering anthems that celebrate self-reliance and life on the margins. Highlights include the free-wheeling “She’s The Night,” the rousing “Lead Don’t Follow” — debuted by SPIN — and the contemplative “Pleasing People,” which wrestles with tuning out outside noise while remaining true to oneself.
Celebrating their 20th anniversary, The Band of Heathens have long been saluted as one of the most fiercely independent bands in rock and roll. Founded in Austin by Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist, the band built their rag-tag rock and roll from barrooms to the national stage without the backing of a record label. Their enduring creative partnership evokes the timeless chemistry of Jagger/Richards or Garcia/Weir — rooted in grit, trust, and an unbreakable musical bond.
“There’s the conventional way and then there’s our way,” the band reflects. “Realizing that we needed to go our own way was the only way we could do this. Finding our own voice and standing firm in what made us different was a challenge early on, but we realized pretty quickly it was the only way to have longevity in this business.”
“We’re grateful to be 20 years into this and to have a fan base that has hopped on the creative journey with us wherever we have decided to turn,” Quist adds. “We’ve always felt like outsiders on an island. Without the muscle of a major label, we just focused on making organic music that resonates with us.”
“We’ve always followed our creative instincts,” Jurdi says. “Now, it feels like the thing we’ve been doing all along has come full circle.”
Their independence has yielded success. Their recording of “Hurricane” has been certified platinum, and with more than 1 billion streams and nine acclaimed studio albums, the band’s self-made path has earned praise from Rolling Stone, Relix, American Songwriter and beyond.
From late-night jams at Austin’s legendary Momo’s to stages including the Grand Ole Opry, CBS Saturday Morning, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Montreux Jazz Festival, Lollapalooza and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, their live résumé reflects the same hard-earned authenticity that defines their recordings.
“Middle age has brought a new perspective into focus,” Quist says. “The passage of time, struggle, relationships, and love have all been themes in our writing for a while, but it’s interesting how they’ve taken another twist as we’ve taken stock of the band’s 20-year journey.”
Now, with both “Take The Cake” and Country Sides sitting at No. 1 on the Americana chart respectively, The Band of Heathens’ two-decade journey stands as proof that forging your own path can lead to the top. Country Sides is both a continuation and celebration of that ethos — a reminder that what’s crafted with care at the edges often outshines what’s mass-produced at the center. After all, it’s often the sides that steal the show — and The Band of Heathens have once again made them the main event.
No Direction
High on Our Own Supply
She’s the Night
Lead Don’t Follow
Forever’s Not a Long Time
Finish Something I Started
Pleasing People
Good as I Can Be
Take the Cake
Just as Much
Letting Go
Mar 6 Fri – Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater+
Mar 12 Thu – El Dorado, AR – First Financial Music Hall at the Murphy Arts District
Mar 13 Fri – Jackson, MS – Duling Hall
Mar 14 Sat – Huntingdon, TN – Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center
Mar 15 Sun – Indianapolis, IN – Turntable
Mar 17 Tue – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
Mar 18 Wed – Chicago, IL – Garcia’s
Mar 19 Thu – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line
Mar 20 Fri – Ottawa, KS – Ottawa Municipal Auditorium
Mar 21 Sat – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
Apr 10 Fri – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
Apr 11 Sat – Walhalla, SC – Wahlalla Performing Arts Center
Apr 12 Sun – Charleston, WV – Mountain Stage
Apr 14 Tue – Asheville, NC – Revival Asheville
Apr 15 Wed – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre
Apr 16 Thu – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
Apr 17 Fri – Isle of Palms, SC – The Wind Jammer
Apr 18 Sat – Pelham, TN – The Caverns #
Apr 19 Sun – Waverly, AL – Standard Deluxe Inc
Apr 21 Tue – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry House
Apr 22 Wed – New Orleans, LA – Chickie Wah Wah
Apr 23 Thu – Baton Rouge, LA – Manship Theatre
Apr 24 Fri – Houston, TX – Wolfsmith Heights
Apr 25 Sat – Helena, AL – Old Town Live
May 1 Fri – New Braunfels, TX – Gruene Hall
May 2 Sat – New Braunfels, TX – Gruene Hall
Jun 13 Sat – Plano, TX – The Lexus Box Garden at Legacy Hall
+ – co-bill show with Jamestown Revival and special guest Sela Campbell
# – with very special guest Wilder Blue
COUNTRY SIDES OUT NOW – LISTEN HERE
“TAKE THE CAKE”
LISTEN HERE | WATCH VISUALIZER HERE
