Where I’ve Been, isn’t Where I’m Going

Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going is the third album by American musician Shaboozey, released on May 31, 2024, through American Dogwood and Empire Distribution. It was preceded by the US top-three single "A Bar Song (Tipsy)", and includes collaborations with Paul Cauthen, Noah Cyrus and BigXthaPlug.
Critical reception
Grayson Haver Currin of Pitchfork wrote that the album "does not feel like a mere receptacle for one of the year's most unlikely hits", calling it "remarkably assured" and "a sophisticated self-help journey that only occasionally masquerades as a good time. He has spent a long while trying to find some space where the sounds of hip-hop and country could overlap, where the defiant swagger, nostalgic circumspection, and quivering heartbreak of both genres could fuse together". David Browne of Rolling Stone felt that Shaboozey "comes across like someone raised on country who also appreciates hip hop. In doing so, he's effectively changed the game", describing it as "a full-on barrage of post-genre possibilities".
Billboard's Kyle Denis commented that "at a tight 12 tracks, there's no real filler on Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going. Shaboozey assembled his strongest hooks and smartest arrangements to craft a record that embraces both country music tradition and modernity". A staff review from Taste of Country opined that the album "deals with subjects such as heartbreak, depression and even suicide. While the project does feature some more light-hearted tracks, Shaboozey chooses to let us all in on his journey of authenticity and humility." Holler's Soda Canter said that "Shaboozey oozes with ignitable star power as he expertly mixes his hip hop, country and Americana musical influences along with his past experience as a filmmaker", calling it a "creatively diverse cocktail".