# Parker McCollum Says He Wanted to Quit Country Music Right When His Career Was Taking Off

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/parker-mccollum-says-he-wanted-to-quit-country-music-right-when-his-career-was-taking-off/
- Published: 2026-11-01T14:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-01T15:15:22+00:00
- Original publisher: Rolling Stone
- Original article: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/parker-mccollum-interview-quitting-music-1235650478/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- McCollum says he nearly quit as his career was taking off.
- He now puts songwriting and performance ahead of fame.
- His new acoustic album strips songs back to voice and guitar.

## Summary

Parker McCollum says he considered quitting country music a few years ago, even as his career was gaining momentum, because he felt overwhelmed and dissatisfied with himself and his work. He now says artistic growth matters more to him than fame or awards, and his recent releases reflect a move towards music that feels more personal and under his control.

His self-titled 2025 album won Album of the Year at the ACM Awards and is also nominated for the same honour at the upcoming CMA Awards. McCollum’s surprise acoustic album, *Live From Sound City*, was recorded over four days in Los Angeles, with stripped-back versions of hits, new songs and covers. He describes the sessions, which produced 1,600 minutes of music, as a test of what he could do with just his voice and guitar.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.