JOSH ROSS - "Kicked Out Of Bars" - Universal Music Canada/MCA/CORE Records

Josh Ross has built his reputation on emotionally charged country-rock, but “Kicked Out Of Bars” reveals another side of the Canada-born, Nashville-based artist: playful, reckless and thoroughly ready to have a good time. The new single arrives during one of the most consequential stretches of his career, trading some of the heartbreak that has fueled his biggest songs for a rowdy story about a night that goes gloriously off the rails.

Written by Ross alongside Matt Geroux, Mason Thronley, Joe Fox and Brad Rempel, and produced by Geroux in Nashville, “Kicked Out Of Bars” draws on the combustible energy that has become a defining feature of Ross’ live performances. The song wastes little time establishing its personality. Its driving rhythm, rock-leaning guitars and infectious hooks give it the feel of a track designed to turn a crowd from listeners into participants.

That communal quality is arguably the song’s greatest asset. The premise is immediately recognizable: everybody either has a story about taking things too far or knows someone who does. Ross turns that familiar scenario into a celebration rather than a cautionary tale, delivering the kind of larger-than-life country anthem that can soundtrack a night out, a road trip or a particularly enthusiastic last call.

The track also fits naturally into Ross’ musical identity. His official biography describes an artist who blends modern country with rock inclinations, a warm vocal rasp, emotionally direct songwriting and memorable hooks. On “Kicked Out Of Bars,” his rough-edged vocal delivery gives the song enough grit to keep its party-ready premise from becoming disposable. He sounds fully invested in the mischief, balancing country familiarity with the rock energy that has become central to his live sound.

That evolution comes at an important moment. Ross has already collected four No. 1 singles at Canadian Country radio and made history with back-to-back U.S. Country radio No. 1s through “Single Again” and “Hate How You Look.” His debut EP, Complicated, earned his first JUNO Award in 2025 for Country Album of the Year, while his debut album, Later Tonight, expanded his songwriting palette across 15 tracks. With more than 1.5 billion global streams, Ross has also established an audience well beyond Canada.

Now a co-leading nominee with seven nominations at the 2026 CCMA Awards, following previous wins including Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year, Ross has plenty of momentum behind him. “Kicked Out Of Bars” feels like a smart artistic choice within that larger trajectory. It does not attempt to replicate the emotional formula of his previous successes. Instead, it broadens his appeal by showing that the same artist capable of selling vulnerability can also deliver swagger, humor and pure kinetic energy.

Most importantly, the song sounds built for the stage. Ross has said audiences were already singing along when he performed it live, and that reaction makes sense: the track has the immediacy of a chorus people can learn after one listen and the muscular production to make it land in a packed venue.

“Kicked Out Of Bars” may be about getting shown the door, but musically Josh Ross is doing the opposite. He is opening another door in his sound—one leading toward a louder, lighter and more carefree side of an artist who continues to expand his country-rock vocabulary. It is an exuberant addition to Ross’ growing catalog and exactly the sort of summer anthem capable of leaving a lasting impression long after the season ends.

(Review Written By: Chad Carlson)