Alabama Shakes “Hold On” released

Hold On Alabama Shakes

Writer(s): Brittany Howard (see lyrics here) Released: February 6, 2012 First Charted: February 18, 2012 Peak: 93 BB, 33 A40, 11 AA, 17 MR, 81 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.50 US, -- UK, 0.54 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 73.10 video, 213.81 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The blues-rock band Alabama Shakes formed in 2009 in Athens, Alabama. Singer/guitarist Brittany Howard approached bassist Zac Cockrell in a high school psychology class about meeting to write songs. They recruited drummer Steve Johnson, who worked at a local music store. Guitarist Heath Fogg rounded out the band. SF They released an EP in September 2011 and then got signed to a record deal. They released their first album, Boys & Girls, in 2012. It “was a significant revitaliser of Southern soul with tha added appeal of modern rawness and authenticity.” FO The band were nominated for Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Performance, the latter for the album’s lead single “Hold On.” Howard was only in her early 20s when she recorded the song, but she sounds like a seasoned blues singer. He performance is “rich and sultry, almost like a more delectable reincarnation of all our favourite folk and soul musicians combined.” FO “The explosiveness of Howard’s vocals holds such brevity that it’s difficult to imagine them not coming as a natural attachment to the instrumental arrangements.” FO Fogg and Cockrell created the original riff on which the song was based FO and then Howard made up words on the fly when the band were performing one night at The Brick in Decatur. SF The lyrics “appear bleak as Howard sings about the surprise of growth, but she once explained that this wasn’t the central meaning.” FO As she told NME, “when you’re younger…you can’t imagine yourself ever being grown.” FO The song is “perhaps the pinnacle of her thunderous artistic expression and unwavering dedication to the art.” FO It tapped into something bigger. She said, “You’re holding on, but at the same time, you’re tired of waiting for things to get better.” FO Resources: FO Far Out magazine (4/17/2024). “The Story Behind the Song: The improvisational process of Alabama Shakes’ ‘Hold On’” by Kelly Murphy SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/23/2025.