Lady Antebellum's "Own the Night" was a Top Album 7 Years Ago

The country music group Lady Antebellum scored their second No. 1 album with “Own the Night” on this day in 2012. The Nashville-based singers comprising of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood released their third studio album on September 13, 2011. The record climbed its way up until it hit the highest spot of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart early the following year. Before this, “Own the Night” had topped Billboard’s 200 shortly after its release. Additionally, it sold more than 300,000 copies in the U.S. in its very first week, becoming one of the most successful country albums of 2011. The record spawned four singles including their fifth top country hit “Just a Kiss.”

About the Album

“Own the Night” has four tracks on its list: “Just a Kiss,” “We Owned the Night,” “Dancin’ Away with My Heart,” and “Wanted You More.” The album received mixed-to-favorable reviews. Some critics commented on it positively, with some calling it “an improvement over their two previous albums.” However, other music reviewers were not that impressed with the record. They even considered it as a “step downward” from the first two releases. They specifically pointed to the “lack of personality” and “lyrical content” of the songs as the main reasons for the unfavorable review.

The negative assessments did not hinder the album, though, to reach major commercial success. It did not only sell well in the U.S. but also in other countries, topping the Australian Country Albums chart, Canadian Albums chart, and the U.K. Albums chart. Such was a solid indication of the album’s massive international success. Apart from ruling the music charts in these countries, the album also garnered platinum certifications, except in the U.K. To top it all, the album won the Best Country Album at the 54th Grammy Awards.

The album’s leading track “Just a Kiss” was also a big hit giving the group their fifth No. 1 country single. Moreover, it became their highest debut crossover single peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, the other three singles performed moderately on the country music chart.