Format Digital download Genre Country
R&B Label Broken Bow | Recorded 2014 Length 3:05 | |
Released September 28, 2015 (2015-09-28) | ||
"Mind Reader" is a song recorded by American country music artist Dustin Lynch. It was released to country radio on September 28, 2015 as the third single from his second studio album Where It's At (2014). The song was written by Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip. It received mixed reviews from critics divided over the production and lyrics.
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"Mind Reader" reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making this Lynch's third number-one hit on that chart. It also reached numbers 8 and 57 on both the Hot Country Songs and Hot 100 charts respectively. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 271,000 copies in the United States as of June 2016. The song received similar chart success in Canada, peaking at number 8 on the Country chart.
The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Mason Dixon and features a girl reading tarot cards as she's going on a night out with Lynch in Nashville.
Critical reception
An uncredited Taste of Country review stated that "Since his platinum-selling debut single “Cowboys and Angels,” Lynch has released country-rocker after country-rocker and received a mixed bag of reviews and radio airplay (although he’s coming off back to back number-one hits). “Mind Reader” is a more nourishing single than any since his debut and he should be rewarded with another strong seller." Nash Country Weekly writer Jim Casey gave the single a C+, praising the "R&B edginess" of Lynch's voice while criticizing the lyrics as "stale" and the production as "confused juggling synths and distorted guitar with steel."
Commercial performance
The song first entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at number 43 for the week of September 13, 2014, as it was made available before the release of the album Where It's At, and sold 11,000 copies. The following year, when it was released as a single, it entered the Country Airplay chart at number 57 for the week of October 17, 2015, and re-entered the Hot Country Songs chart for the week of December 5, 2015. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of March 12, 2016. It has sold 271,000 copies in the US as of June 2016.
Music video
A lyric video directed by Ford Fairchild premiered on Lynch's Vevo channel on October 19, 2015. The official music video was directed by Mason Dixon and premiered in March 2016. It begins with a girl looking at tarot cards, and cuts to her having a night out with Lynch in Nashville. The video ends with Lynch arriving at the girl's house and presumably going on said night out.
Live performance
On March 1, 2016, Lynch performed the song live at the Grand Ole Opry.