Zac Brown Band drops first new music in nearly 2 years and announces tour
By Chloe Melas, CNN
Published
11:08 AM EST, Fri November 9, 2018
The Zac Brown Band celebrates a 2013 Grammy win.
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Joe Klamar/Getty Images
(CNN) —
The Zac Brown Band sure has been busy.
The band on Friday dropped its new single, “Someone I Used To Know,” its first new music in nearly two years.
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
The Grammy for best new artist highlights some of the brightest new faces of the music world, but the artists don't always live up to the hype the award creates. However, that's not always the case: Christina Aguilera, who won in 2000 thanks to her self-titled debut album, has had three Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. She's now a judge on NBC's "The Voice."
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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
Shelby Lynne was not new to the industry but finally had her chance to shine in 1999 with her album "I Am Shelby Lynne." She won best new artist in 2001. She had a mixed reaction to her next few releases. Lynne has since started her own label, Everso Records.
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Mark Davis/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
After signing with Clive Davis, Alicia Keys raked in five Grammys in 2002 with her debut album "Songs In A Minor." In addition to best new artist, she also won song of the year for "Fallin'." She won four additional Grammys in 2005. Four of her five albums have hit No. 1. Keys has been married to Swizz Beatz since 2010.
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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
In 2002, Norah Jones launched her solo music career and released the critically acclaimed album "Come Away with Me." The certified diamond album has sold 10 million copies. Billboard named her the top jazz artist of the 2000-2009 decade. She's also engaged in some side projects, including a country band called the Little Willies.
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Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
The American rock band Evanescence can thank its 2003 album "Fallen," which sold more than 7 million copies in the United States, for its 2004 best new artist Grammy. The band has had a few lineup changes, but its records, including "The Open Door," have sold well. The band took a hiatus from the scene, but in 2015 it announced a return to the stage on a mini tour.
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PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP/GettyImages
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
The Los Angeles group Maroon 5's album "Songs About Jane" went platinum in 2004. The next year, the band beat out rapper Kanye West to win the Grammy for best new artist. The group released its fifth album in 2014. Lead singer Adam Levine is a judge on NBC's "The Voice."
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Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
John Legend's album "Get Lifted" in 2004 helped the pianist and vocalist to rise to fame. He's won a string of Grammy Awards -- including best new artist in 2006 -- as well as a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
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Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
Carrie Underwood first became known to audiences with her 2005 win on "American Idol." In 2007, the Oklahoma country singer won best new artist at the Grammys, one of many awards she has on her shelf. Her more recent hits include "Blown Away" and "Two Black Cadillacs." She's also done some acting, starring as Maria von Trapp in NBC's live version of "The Sound of Music."
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KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
Amy Winehouse's album "Back to Black" helped her win the Grammy for best new artist in 2008 against competition that included Taylor Swift. Winehouse battled substance abuse and health issues and never released another album. She died in 2011 from accidental alcohol poisoning at the age of 27.
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Jo Hale/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
Adele has come a long way from when her demo was posted on Myspace. Her album "19" led her to defeat the likes of the Jonas Brothers and Lady Antebellum for best new artist in 2009. Known for basing her music on her relationships, Adele recently released her third album "25," with her hit "Hello."
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Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
The Zac Brown Band, a country group from Georgia, beat out Keri Hilson to grab the best new artist Grammy award in 2010. The band has released four albums, including "The Foundation" and "Uncaged." It has collaborated with artists such as Jimmy Buffett, Avicii and Kid Rock.
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Joe Scarnici/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
Jazz artist Esperanza Spalding won best new artist in 2011 over competitors including Drake and Justin Bieber, becoming the first jazz artist to win the Grammy in the category. Her newest album, "Emily D+Evolution," is due in March.
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Kris Connor/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
Bon Iver, a folk band featuring singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, earned the best new artist Grammy in 2012, beating out Nicki Minaj and Skrillex. The band has yet to release a follow-up to "Bon Iver, Bon Iver," the album that put it on the map.
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Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
Fun is known for three hit singles from the album "Some Nights": "We Are Young," "Some Nights" and "Carry On." The group won best new artist in 2013; "We Are Young" also won song of the year. In February 2015, the band announced on its site that it's not splitting up but is working on other projects.
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Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
The Seattle hip-hop group Macklemore & Ryan Lewis formed in 2008. Its songs, such as "Thrift Shop" and "Same Love," helped the group win best the new artist Grammy in 2014. The duo is set to release a second album, "This Unruly Mess I've Made," at the end of February.
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Brian Rasic/Getty Images
Photos: Best new artist: Where are they now?
Sam Smith not only took home the best new artist Grammy in 2015, but his song "Stay with Me" won a Grammy for record of the year and song of the year. Smith recently won a Golden Globe for best original song for the theme for the James Bond film "Spectre."
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The catchy song was co-written by Shawn Mendes and features lyrics including, “It’s been a long time comin’ / Couldn’t keep on runnin’ / Had to hit rock bottom to know / When you keep on losin’ with the path you’re choosin’ / Then it’s time to let go / Of someone that I used to know.”
The band is expected to debut the single Friday night during an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
The Zac Brown Band also announced it will embark on a spring tour. It’s an extension of the band’s popular “Down The Rabbit Hole Live Tour” this summer.
The tour will kick off March 1 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to the band’s website. Fifteen show dates include stops in Louisiana, Alabama, Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri and Illinois.
“This is an exciting time for us and we can’t wait to get back out on the road and play for our fans next spring,” Zac Brown said in a news release. “In the meantime, we’re hard at work in the studio and really proud of ‘Someone I Used To Know.’ It’s a special track and is just the beginning. There’s a lot more to come.”