This piece takes a dip into the world of US country-rock performer Jason Cross. In a day interspersed with the exciting tasks of washing clothes and ironing, a diversion into the music of an exciting independent artist seems entirely satisfactory!
This is a packed feature, with an interview followed by a review of Jason’s new single, “Old Rock”, alongside a dip into the wider song catalogue.
Artist Bio
Jason Cross is a fully independent country-rock artist known for his gritty sound, country swagger and commanding stage presence. Since moving to Nashville in 2020, Cross has built a distinctive musical identity, blending hard-hitting rock with raw country storytelling.
Since releasing his debut single, “It Ain’t Me”, in 2021, Cross has independently released more than 20 singles, earning millions of streams and securing placements on major Spotify playlists, including All New Country, New Music Friday Country and Fresh Finds Country. His growing momentum has led to opportunities to support national acts including Jon Langston, Chase Matthew, Lakeview, Granger Smith, Tyler Farr, Craig Morgan, Scotty McCreery and Buckcherry.
In 2025, Cross joined Lakeview’s Blue Collar Country Tour, performing across 15 cities in 12 states before launching his own 25-stop Hits Hometown Acoustic Tour. This fan-driven run brought intimate performances to backyards, barns and small-town bars across nine states, with 10% of proceeds benefiting Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
With a new wave of gritty, hook-heavy music rolling out through 2026, Cross continues to build momentum while staying rooted in the heart, hustle and authenticity that have defined his career from the start.
The Interview
When I first approached your music, I headed to Spotify and listened to “Hot Girls, Cold Beer”. It was a fun, festival-type track – definitely one for the summer! Was that a good entry point to your music, or would you have steered me somewhere else?
Jason: To be completely honest, I’ve always found it difficult to pick just one song to suggest to a new listener. I have a little bit of something for everyone and every mood, I think. Overall, you’re either getting an upbeat party anthem, a strong ballad or a heavy, headbanging hype song. I would say “Hot Girls” is a good representative of at least one of the flavours you could expect from my catalogue.
Having listened to that one, I jumped around and took in a few other random songs! That works for me, but I’m the youngest on the team, lol. My editor (Mark) despairs of this approach! He likes vinyl, where you listen to an organised sequence of tracks from an artist. Do you think the way we consume music is changing, and is that a good or bad thing?
Jason: I’ll start by saying Mark definitely knows how to listen to music! I most definitely think it has changed, even since CDs were a thing. The biggest reason is the rapid consumption of music in today’s society. It’s almost as if listeners would prefer one single to chew on every five or six weeks rather than a whole album for a year.
There’s also a sort of strategy to frequent releases to gain traction and build a foundation of new listeners, especially as an independent or underground artist. Having said that, the day I do make my debut album, I feel like it needs to take my listeners on a journey from start to finish, just like the vinyl records Mark was referring to.
“Too Good Not To” was my favourite track of yours – I really liked it! Dark and atmospheric, a song of the night: sexual and sensual! Tell me about it. It seems to find you exploring your inner rocker.
Jason: Let’s gooo!! That fires me up because it’s definitely one of mine, haha. It may not have been the first “rock-sounding” song that I released, but as far as the lyrics go, this one didn’t have much to do with anything “country”. So yes, I’d say it scratched at my inner rocker more than most at the time of its release.
I grew up listening to and loving bands like Puddle of Mudd, Seether and Nickelback, and that one definitely drew a lot of inspiration from my childhood musical heroes. Not to mention, it’s one of my favourites to perform live. It always seems to get the crowd going.
I’ll also touch on “Routine Town”, which changes direction and delivers a big, emotive ballad. Do you have a routine for songwriting? Do you make notes of lyrics as they come to you? Does a song lie around for a while waiting for you to return to it, or do you hit it and complete it in one session?
Jason: “Routine Town” is a song I’ll always hold close to me. It perfectly depicts the town I grew up in, Parma, Michigan. I’ve always been a sucker for a small town and a simple way of life. Moving to the big city of Nashville just heightened those feelings.
When it comes to writing, I keep extensive notes of lines and title ideas that I jot down as they come to me in everyday life. Some ideas are easier to write the way they deserve to be written than others. Most of the time, they just flow out and come to fruition in a single session, but every now and then I’ll leave them unfinished, especially when I know there’s more to it than I might be able to come up with that day.
We’re receiving a lot of submissions now where artists are using AI, either in the background during production or more prominently – for example, using an AI vocalist over their music. Where do you stand on the whole AI debate? Is it a useful tool or a dangerous development?
Jason: I personally don’t believe in using AI in music for any reason at all. I used to think it was okay to use as a tool to make a quick demo and hear a song’s rough production potential, but overall, I think it hurts music as a whole.
Taking human creativity and emotion out of a song’s creation only takes away its true potential, its genuineness and the way it can impact the listener. AI may be a useful tool in some fields, but it has no place in the creation of music, in my opinion.
Do you set goals for yourself musically? And do you measure success through ticket sales, Spotify streams, social media followers or chart positions? As we head towards the end of 2026, where do you check and balance your progress?
Jason: I set a ton of goals for myself in music and shift gears regularly to meet them. I think the number of monthly listeners an artist has on Spotify is a pretty good representation of where they’re at on their journey, mostly because it seems to be the primary source of digital streaming for people all over the world.
I’m constantly setting a new target for monthly listeners to hit, and I think that can relate directly to ticket sales when touring. Followers on social media are very important as well, but what’s even more important is the amount of interaction and engagement you get from those followers.
A big goal I set and reset for myself, outside the numbers game, is my live performance. Nailing my vocal parts, connecting with the crowd on a personal level and making an impact on them are all important. I want to ensure that people leave the show with something they can hold on to and take home with them. Whether it’s the way I speak to them on stage or the moments I create during the show, I’m always looking for ways to improve.
It’s a freezing winter’s night in Alaska, and the tour bus has broken down miles from anywhere. Luckily, you stumble across what appears to be an abandoned house. There’s a roaring fire, a table full of food and the electricity still works. While you wait for morning, you can choose only one book and one film to keep you company. What are you picking?
Jason: I’m not a big bookworm by any means, but if I had to pick one, I’d go with ‘Hatchet’ because it was my favourite in high school, lol. As far as movies go, I’d probably roll with ‘The Godfather’ and hope they had the whole series because, truth be told, I’ve never seen it, and that seems like it would be a good time to dive in!
Is there anything you can share with us about the months ahead?
Jason: As far as the future goes, I’ve got a bunch of new music to get out into the world, and I feel like I’m in a really great spot creatively. Personally, I feel like my songs are getting better in every aspect, from writing to production, and are representing me as an artist better than ever before.
So be on the lookout for new music pretty regularly. I love getting feedback from fans and critics alike, and I’m fired up to see what they’ve got to say about the stuff I’ve been working on. I’m also looking forward to hitting the road and touring again next year.
Review: “Old Rock” and Beyond
Released on 18 September 2026, “Old Rock” is available across streaming platforms. The track settles into a laid-back rock sound, with the image of “a rolling stone turning up in the sticks…” It retains that big-chorus sound I’ve come to associate with Jason after listening to several of his songs.
There’s a neat fusion of country storytelling and a darker rock feel here, with the guitars delivering a rock riff without question. This is a track that would rip through late-night rock radio in style!
“Too Good Not To”
“Too Good Not To” is a solid rock number, one that blows away the cobwebs and slices some serious mustard! It’s the sort of song made for driving down an open road: confident, brash and full of attitude.
It went straight onto my playlist, and those were a very enjoyable few minutes! You really do have to give it a listen. It sounds too good not to!
“Routine Town”
“Routine Town” is a hard-edged country track, and it’s good! We discuss it in the interview, where Jason explains how the song draws on memories of small-town life and the routines that bind communities together.
“Same bar, same crowd every Friday…” There’s something about that which resonates with me. The bigger the city, the less connected we sometimes seem to be as a community. Do these places still look the same as they did in the rear-view mirror? I hope so!
“Hot Girls, Cold Beer”
This is the party song, the Friday-night soundtrack and my pick for that particular mood. There’s a lot to like here, and I still think it’s an excellent entry point into Jason’s music.
The lyrics capture much of the spirit of the track, while that infectious chorus stays with you long after the song has finished. You’ll probably find yourself singing it in your head afterwards. It’s a good-time number that knows exactly what it wants to be.
“Mud”
Going back to 2024, “Mud” earns its place in this selection through its strong backing riff, deep rhythm and drums that work hard beneath a big country chorus wrapped in rock instrumentation.
The delivery moves into an almost spoken-word style in places, giving the storytelling room to breathe before the track tears back through the speakers. There’s a neat guitar break towards the end, too. It’s another example of Jason finding that sweet spot between country narrative and rock muscle.
Final Thoughts
Jason Cross is an artist who seems comfortable moving between different musical moods without losing sight of his identity. Whether he’s delivering a party anthem, a reflective small-town ballad or a darker, guitar-driven rocker, there’s a recognisable blend of country storytelling and rock energy running through his work.
“Old Rock” is a welcome addition to that catalogue, and the songs explored here offer several reasons to investigate further. With more music on the way and a return to touring planned for 2027, Jason Cross is certainly one to keep an ear on. If you like your country with a little grit, a big chorus and a rock ‘n’ roll edge, he’s well worth a listen.
*
Love what we do? Rock the Joint Magazine is completely free—no paywalls, no ads ruining the vibe—just passionate music journalism for 1,000+ readers a day. If you enjoy hanging out with us, please consider hitting the “Support Us” button and buying us a coffee on Ko-Fi. Even a small donation genuinely helps keep the magazine running, lets us publish more features, and reminds us that people value independent music writing—it’s nice for us to feel appreciated too!
You can stream music from Jason Cross here
Artist Website here
By Lorraine Foley
&
Mark C. Chambers
Join Rock the Joint Magazine on the road to the best independent music journalism, interviews, and reviews. We cover Rock, Country, Jazz, Blues and Christian music. Support us on Ko-Fi (link on each page) to help the magazine grow and value independent journalism.
