Dan + Shay

Biography

Dan + Shay is an American country music duo composed of vocalists and songwriters Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney. They are signed to Warner Records Nashville and have released six albums, Where It All Began×Where It All Began1 April 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Show You Off3:042Stop Drop + Roll3:18319 You + Me3:384What You Do To Me3:315Can’t Say No2:556First Time Feeling4:007Nothin’ Like You3:078Somewhere Only We Know3:079Parking Brake3:3710I Heard Goodbye3:4311Party Girl3:5412Close Your Eyes3:57, Obsessed×Obsessed3 June 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1All Nighter3:232Road Trippin’3:333From the Ground Up4:154Already Ready3:225How Not To3:136Lipstick3:297Round the Clock3:238Lately4:049Sway3:1010Obsessed5:00, Dan + Shay, Good Things×Good Things13 August 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 24 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Good Things2:292Steal My Love2:423You3:164Body Language2:255Give in to You2:236Irresponsible2:447Lying2:268One Direction3:189Let Me Get Over Her3:0310Glad You Exist2:251110,000 Hours2:4812I Should Probably Go to Bed2:50Disc 21Good Things2:292Steal My Love2:423You3:164Body Language2:255Give in to You2:236Irresponsible2:447Lying2:268One Direction3:189Let Me Get Over Her3:0310Glad You Exist2:251110,000 Hours2:4812I Should Probably Go to Bed2:50, Bigger Houses×Bigger Houses15 September 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Breakin’ Up With a Broken Heart2:592Save Me the Trouble3:203Heartbreak on the Map3:164Always Gonna Be2:525For the Both of Us2:466Then Again2:517Heaven + Back3:098What Took You So Long3:049Missing Someone3:0510We Should Get Married3:4111Neon Cowgirl3:3012Bigger Houses3:17 and It's Officially Christmas: The Double Album. Of their nine singles, five have topped the Country Airplay chart and three have topped the Hot Country Songs chart. The duo have collaborated with Justin Bieber, Charlie Puth, Rascal Flatts, Lindsey Stirling, RaeLynn, and Kelly Clarkson. From 2019 to 2021, the duo won three consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the songs "Tequila×Tequila10 January 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Tequila3:15", "Speechless×Speechless6 August 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Speechless3:33", and "10,000 Hours" (with Justin Bieber).

2013–2015: Where It All Began

Before the duo's foundation, Mooney was a solo artist on T-Pain's Nappy Boy Entertainment label and Smyers was a member of a group called Bonaventure as well as a previous member of the band Transition on Floodgate Records. The two met in Nashville, Tennessee, in December 2012 at Dan's house during a party. There they would perform together for the first time and started writing the day after they met. The first song they ever wrote together got put on hold for Rascal Flatts. Within two months, the duo had multiple publishing offers and signed with Warner/Chappell Music.
On October 14, 2013, the debut single, "19 You + Me×19 You + Me20 August 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track119 You + Me3:37", was released to country radio. Dan + Shay wrote the song with Danny Orton. The song received a positive review at Taste of Country which praised the "warm details" and "emotion". Their debut album, Where It All Began×Where It All Began1 April 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Show You Off3:042Stop Drop + Roll3:18319 You + Me3:384What You Do To Me3:315Can’t Say No2:556First Time Feeling4:007Nothin’ Like You3:078Somewhere Only We Know3:079Parking Brake3:3710I Heard Goodbye3:4311Party Girl3:5412Close Your Eyes3:57, was released on April 1, 2014, which Orton produced with Scott Hendricks. The album's second single, "Show You Off×Show You Off18 March 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Show You Off3:03", was released to country radio on May 12, 2014. They performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, performing "19 You + Me" in 2014. They made their Grand Ole Opry debut on February 1, 2014. They also received a 2014 Academy of Country Music Awards Vocal Duo of the Year nomination. The album's third single, "Nothin' Like You", was released to country radio on February 23, 2015. It reached number one on the Country Airplay chart in December 2015.
Dan + Shay was the opening act for Hunter Hayes on his We're Not Invisible Tour, which began in March 2014. Dan + Shay opened for Blake Shelton on the 2014 leg of his Ten Times Crazier Tour. The tour began in June 2014 and ended in October 2014. Following the end of the Ten Times Crazier Tour, Dan + Shay embarked on their own 10-date headlining tour, the Where It All Began Tour. The tour began on October 9, 2014, in Minneapolis and concluded in Columbus, Ohio, on October 26, 2014. After the conclusion of the "Where It All Began Tour", Dan + Shay set out on the road once more with Hunter Hayes on his Tattoo (Your Name) Tour.

2015–2017: Obsessed

In August 2015, the duo announced the Just the Right Kind of Crazy Tour across the Midwest and eastern United States. Their second album's first single, "From the Ground Up×From the Ground Up5 February 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1From the Ground Up (single version)4:14", was released to country radio in February 2016. On June 3, 2016, the duo released their second studio album, Obsessed×Obsessed3 June 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1All Nighter3:232Road Trippin’3:333From the Ground Up4:154Already Ready3:225How Not To3:136Lipstick3:297Round the Clock3:238Lately4:049Sway3:1010Obsessed5:00. The album's second single, "How Not To×How Not To17 September 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1How Not To", was released to country radio on September 26, 2016. The duo joined Darius Rucker on his Good for a Good Time Tour from June - September 2016. In November 2016, the duo started their The Obsessed Tour and continued to support it until April 2017. It reached number one on the Country Airplay chart in July 2017. The album's third single, "Road Trippin'", was released to country radio on July 17, 2017. In 2017, the duo supported Thomas Rhett on his Home Team Tour.

2018: Dan + Shay

In January 2018, it was announced that the duo joined Rascal Flatts on the Back to Us Tour. In January 2018, the duo released "Tequila×Tequila10 January 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Tequila3:15", the lead single from their self-titled third studio album, which was released on June 22, 2018. "Tequila" has since become their highest-charting song on the US Billboard Hot 100, with it reaching the top 40. On August 6, 2018, the duo released the second single from the album "Speechless×Speechless6 August 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Speechless3:33". The album also features a collaboration with Kelly Clarkson on "Keeping Score". From October to December the duo supported Chris Young on his Losing Sleep World Tour. On February 11, 2019, the duo released the third single from the album "All to Myself×All to Myself3 May 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1All to Myself2:50". In August, they released Dan + Shay (The Vocals), which includes the vocal tracks of the two singles from the album.

2019–2023: Good Things

From February to April, the duo went on their 2019 Dan + Shay Tour. On March 27, 2019, it was announced that the duo would join Shawn Mendes in Australia and New Zealand on his 2019 tour. On October 4, 2019, they released "10,000 Hours", a collaboration with Canadian singer Justin Bieber, after his and Hailey Bieber's wedding in South Carolina four days before. The song debuted at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also won the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. The duo co-wrote Eric Ethridge's 2020 single "Dream Girl". From June to September 2019, the duo supported Florida Georgia Line on their Can't Say I Ain't Country Tour. In October 2019, the duo announced their Dan + Shay The (Arena) Tour originally set to start in March 2020. The Band Camino and Ingrid Andress were announced as opening acts. On March 12, 2020, after performing in Columbus, the duo announced the tour would be postponed to summer and fall 2020. Dates were postponed again to 2021, which also led to some cancellations after they were unable to reschedule from 2020 postponements. On July 31, 2020, the duo released the second single from the album, "I Should Probably Go to Bed×I Should Probably Go to Bed31 July 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1I Should Probably Go to Bed2:49". On February 5, 2021, they released the third single from the album, "Glad You Exist×Glad You Exist5 February 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Glad You Exist2:24". On July 16, 2021, the duo announced their fourth album Good Things×Good Things13 August 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 24 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Good Things2:292Steal My Love2:423You3:164Body Language2:255Give in to You2:236Irresponsible2:447Lying2:268One Direction3:189Let Me Get Over Her3:0310Glad You Exist2:251110,000 Hours2:4812I Should Probably Go to Bed2:50Disc 21Good Things2:292Steal My Love2:423You3:164Body Language2:255Give in to You2:236Irresponsible2:447Lying2:268One Direction3:189Let Me Get Over Her3:0310Glad You Exist2:251110,000 Hours2:4812I Should Probably Go to Bed2:50 while releasing the album's title track "Good Things" as a single and revealing the album's release date of August 13, 2021. On August 16, 2021, "Steal My Love×Steal My Love13 August 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Steal My Love2:41" was released as the album's fourth single. In August 2021, the duo collaborated with Carrie Underwood on a cover of "Only Us" from Dear Evan Hansen, which they recorded for the soundtrack album of the musical's 2021 film adaptation. It was released as a single on September 3, 2021. On November 2, 2021, the duo revealed they had to cancel two shows, in Orlando and Atlanta, on their Dan + Shay The (Arena) Tour due to a positive COVID-19 test within their touring camp. On July 18, 2022, "You" was released as the album's fifth single. On March 31, 2023, Dan + Shay were featured on the single "That's Not How This Works" by American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, which was their first song to be featured on.

2023–present: Bigger Houses and It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album

In July 2023, Dan + Shay revealed that they almost broke up after their 2021 tour. Dan Smyers stated, "I was in, like, the lowest low of my entire life. Came off the road, and I was like, 'Man, I f---ing hate music. I'm ready to quit". They also confirmed their fifth studio album, Bigger Houses×Bigger Houses15 September 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Breakin’ Up With a Broken Heart2:592Save Me the Trouble3:203Heartbreak on the Map3:164Always Gonna Be2:525For the Both of Us2:466Then Again2:517Heaven + Back3:098What Took You So Long3:049Missing Someone3:0510We Should Get Married3:4111Neon Cowgirl3:3012Bigger Houses3:17 and released three singles, "Save Me the Trouble", "Bigger Houses", and "Heartbreak on the Map" on July 14, 2023. The album was released on September 15, 2023. On October 17, 2024, Dan + Shay released their first Christmas album, It's Officially Christmas×Officially Christmas9 November 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Officially Christmas2:58: The Double Album.
The announced their sixth studio album, Young×Young21 August 2026 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Young2:472Say So3:213Marry You Again3:064Forever Like This2:595Her, the Kids, and Jesus3:046Dogs in Our Twenties3:277Already Yours2:428The Old Guys3:139Bible in the Truck3:0910The Price of Love4:19, would be released on August 21, 2026.
On June 11, 2026, the band performed the Star Spangled Banner before the USA-Paraguay game at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In popular culture

The Dan + Shay song "Stop Drop + Roll" was featured on the Nashville season two episode "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad". They were also featured on The Bachelorette in an episode that aired on June 7, 2016.
The duo also collaborated with violinist, dancer, and YouTuber Lindsey Stirling on a song from her third album Brave Enough. The song was entitled "Those Days", and the album was released on August 19, 2016. In 2017, the duo were featured on CMT Crossroads, along with Earth, Wind & Fire.
In 2018, the duo was featured on The Voice with Chevel Shepherd. On May 19, 2019, the duo performed their song "Speechless×Speechless6 August 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Speechless3:33" with American Idol Top 3 contestant Madison VanDenburg. In 2020, the duo was featured on The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo!. In 2021, the duo was featured on The Voice for a second time as Blake Shelton's Battle advisors. In June 2023, it was announced that the duo would become coaches on the 25th season of The Voice as the first ever duo coach on the American version on the show.

Musical style and influences

Dan + Shay's musical style has been described as country, country pop, and pop. They also utilize elements of country rock, soft rock, and R&B. In describing their sound, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic stated, "specializing in country-pop so smooth it would also sound at home on adult contemporary radio" and "their inherent sweetness served as a counterpoint to the swaggering bro-country that dominated mainstream country during the mid-2010s." Taste of Country compared them to Rascal Flatts and Love and Theft.
The duo has cited many musical influences. Dan Smyers cited artists such as Ryan Adams, Tom Petty, Kenny Chesney and Alison Krauss as musical influences. Shay Mooney cited artists such as Rascal Flatts, Dave Matthews Band, Usher and Kenny Chesney as musical influences. Billboard noted musical influences from The Beach Boys, Electric Light Orchestra, Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn on the duo's fourth album, Good Things×Good Things13 August 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 24 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Good Things2:292Steal My Love2:423You3:164Body Language2:255Give in to You2:236Irresponsible2:447Lying2:268One Direction3:189Let Me Get Over Her3:0310Glad You Exist2:251110,000 Hours2:4812I Should Probably Go to Bed2:50Disc 21Good Things2:292Steal My Love2:423You3:164Body Language2:255Give in to You2:236Irresponsible2:447Lying2:268One Direction3:189Let Me Get Over Her3:0310Glad You Exist2:251110,000 Hours2:4812I Should Probably Go to Bed2:50. According to Dan Smyers in an interview:

"We write country songs — the topline, the lyrics of these songs...We grew up listening to all kinds of music, not just country but pop, rock, R&B, hip-hop, everything… and you hear that in the music."

Dan Smyers

Daniel "Dan" Smyers, born (1987-08-16) August 16, 1987 was raised in Wexford, Pennsylvania, where he attended North Allegheny Senior High School. He started playing music at the age of 12. Smyers attended Carnegie Mellon University with plans to study finance and play football. He moved to Nashville in 2010, after graduating from college the same year. Two years later he would meet Shay.
Prior to joining Dan + Shay, Smyers fronted an emo band called Transition, which also includes members like Harrison Wargo (who later formed The Morning Light) and Dustin Hook (who left to join My American Heart and is now the full-time touring bassist for Dan + Shay ), the band released one full-length record in 2006 on Floodgate Records produced by Mike Herrera, who is best known for his work with MxPx. Transition appeared on the Vans Warped Tour in both 2004 and 2006, and had opened for bands including All Time Low, MxPx, Streetlight Manifesto & Reel Big Fish He was also in a rock band called Bonaventure.
Instruments: Vocals, guitar, bass, piano
Smyers and Abby Law were in a relationship for many years before becoming engaged in 2016 and were married on May 13, 2017. Law made a cameo in a Dan + Shay videos for their songs "Nothin' Like You", "Speechless×Speechless6 August 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Speechless3:33" and "10,000 Hours". Smyers and Abby work with Wags & Walks Rescue Nashville to save dogs and place them in their forever homes. They have five dogs together as of March 2021.

Shay Mooney

James Shay Mooney, born (1991-12-27) December 27, 1991 was raised in Natural Dam, Arkansas, and was home-schooled until the fifth-grade, but later attended Union Christian Academy and Van Buren High School. At the age of 14, he started writing songs, and at 16, he started learning how to play guitar. Following high school, he attended Valley Forge Christian College for one year before completely pursuing his music career. Mooney had a record deal with rapper T-Pain on Pain's Nappy Boy Entertainment label. However, the deal ended once he formed Dan + Shay.
Instruments: Vocals, piano, guitar
On January 24, 2017, his fiancée Hannah Billingsley gave birth to their first child, a son. Mooney and Billingsley were married on October 20, 2017, in Arkansas. On February 21, 2020, the couple welcomed their second son. On January 17, 2023, Billingsley gave birth to the couple's third son. On January 20, 2025, Billingsley gave birth to the couple's fourth son.

Touring band

Justin Richards – guitar
Dustin Hook – bass
Andrew Cook – drums
Izaac Burkhart – guitar, keys, backing vocals