“This Is It”: Scotty McCreery and Mitchell Tenpenny point to Cole Swindell’s “Break Up in the End” as the best song of 2018

ABC/Image Group LAIn the past twelve months, Scotty McCreery scored his first number one, married his longtime girlfriend Gabi Dugal, and now has another top ten with the song he wrote about his proposal, “This Is It.”

But when he contemplates his favorite song of 2018, the North Carolina native admits his thoughts turn to heartbreak.

“I tell you what. Got married this year, so this shouldn’t be it,” Scotty tells ABC Radio, “but to me Cole Swindell‘s ‘Break Up in the End’ was like the most well-written song of the year. Like every time I heard it, I’d look at Gabi and go ‘That is just well written!’ So I think it’s a good song.”

Newcomer Mitchell Tenpenny, who made it to #1 with his debut single, “Drunk Me,” agrees with Scotty.

“Man, I like ‘Break Up in the End.’ I think it’s a great song,” Mitchell says. “Just the story of that, I’ve felt that emotion. I believed every word coming from Cole on that. I thought it was just a really good song.”

Cole himself admits he’s a little overwhelmed by the admiration of his peers.

“That is insane, because I think about Scotty’s ‘Five More Minutes,’ Mitchell’s ‘Drunk Me,’” he reacts. “I mean, I literally would have loved to have had either one of those songs…”

“You want the fans to love it,” Cole reflects, “but when the people that are in the same business respect songs you record — especially recording outside songs that maybe you didn’t write, that’s how much I believe in our songwriters and our community. So for Scotty and Mitchell to say that, I’m a huge fan of them.”

Cole’s second single from his All of It album, “Love You Too Late,” is currently climbing the chart.

Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.