Megan Moroney is arguably one of the best new(er) names in country music. Her songs range from “Oh my goodness, this is so fun!” to “Wow, should I call him?” to “Wow, I’m never calling him again.” This is exactly the vibes from her newest album, “Cloud 9,” and I’m so here for it. So put your pink sparkly boots on because we’re taking a Rocky Top trip down to review cloud nine.
1. “Cloud 9”
This title track sets the emotional tone of the whole album. It’s a love song that captures the dizzy, head-in-the-clouds feeling of a relationship that makes even the boring, annoying parts of life (“rush-hour traffic,” noisy neighbors) seem beautiful. It’s about being so happy that nothing else really matters, like you’re floating on air because you’ve finally found someone who lifts you up.
2. “Medicine”
A playful, quasi-honky-tonk track where Moroney shifts from hurt to taking back her power. Instead of sitting in sadness after a breakup, she delivers wit and attitude, clapping back at former partners with fun metaphors (“You should try crying in the shower!”). It’s sass, confidence and emotional catharsis all in one.
3. “6 Months Later”
This one is quintessential Moroney as she flips time on its head. The narrator imagines a scenario where her ex comes crawling back half a year after ghosting her… and she’s moved on, maybe even playing a little with the idea of making him regret it. It’s a song about self-growth, karma and that sweet moment when you realize you no longer need someone who once hurt you.
4. “Stupid”
Here, the humor takes center stage. Moroney pokes fun at a guy who might be handsome but is also clueless. She laughs at the idea that someone so “stupid” could ghost someone like her, and that self-aware joke becomes the emotional core of the song. It’s fun, self-deprecating and clever, making it feel less like heartbreak and more like comedy therapy. We cope with humor around here.
5. “Beautiful Things”
One of the most tender songs on the record, “Beautiful Things,” was inspired by Moroney’s niece and centers on compassion, empathy and wisdom across generations. It’s not just about romantic love, it’s about the beauty and pain of life itself. It’s a comforting balm, offering grace and acknowledgment that sometimes the hardest parts of life are also the most beautiful in retrospect.
6. “Convincing”
A summertime, beach-or-vacation type of tune. It’s less about deep soul searching and more about predictable optimism. You meet someone, maybe there’s a spark and you’re trying to decide whether it’s real. This track reflects that beach-fling mood where nothing is too serious… yet.
7. “Liars & Tigers & Bears”
With a whimsical yet wise title, this track feels like Moroney talking to her younger self. It’s reflective, addressing anxiety, self-doubt and the fear of the unknown while acknowledging how far she’s come. The imagery and metaphor suggest a kind of emotional wilderness she’s navigated to get where she is now.
8. “I Only Miss You (feat. Ed Sheeran)”
This duet with Sheeran is a traditional, melancholic look at missing someone, who you’re not fully over yet. The voices interplay beautifully, creating a dialogue of longing and wondering if “over is really over.” It’s one of the more emotional and grounded moments on the album.
9. “Wedding Dress”
This one paints a stark picture: even if life moves on and you marry someone else, there’s a haunting fear that you’ll always miss that person who left you. It’s reflective, vulnerable and a raw look at how heartbreak can leave permanent marks, even after healing.
10. “Change of Heart”
As the title implies, this track explores uncertainty in love, the flip-flopping feeling when you’re not quite sure how you feel or what you want next. Musically and lyrically, it conveys that emotional push and pull, like trying to decide whether to stay or go.
11. “Bells & Whistles (feat. Kacey Musgraves)”
This collab with Musgraves leans into country chic and wistfulness. It’s about the allure of novelty, all the charm and “bells and whistles” that draw you in, and maybe whether that’s enough to make love last. The duet blends both artists’ strengths: storytelling and emotional nuance.
12. “Table for Two”
This one leans into quiet romantic optimism, the charm of simple love and imagining a future with someone. It’s not dramatic heartbreak or triumphant revenge; it’s about comfort, hope and possibility. It feels like the small, everyday moments that make love feel real.
13. “Wish I Didn’t”
Released early and with a fun action-movie style video, “Wish I Didn’t” is clever and a little dangerous, a warning to a beau not to screw it up, “Don’t make me wish I didn’t,” Moroney sings. It’s flirtatious, sharp and funny, flipping the usual vulnerability of love into an assertive challenge.
14. “Who Hurt You?”
This is one of the most personal and raw songs on the album. Moroney delves into why someone would break hearts repeatedly, asking bluntly, “Who hurt you so bad?” It’s widely discussed as one of her most vulnerable moments, where she essentially tells her truth without holding back.
15. “Waiting on the Rain”
Closing out the album on a bittersweet note, this track explores that feeling of waiting for something you know is coming. It’s giving heartbreak, distance or closure, before it even happens. It’s reflective, sorrowful and resigned in the loveliest possible way.
Final Thoughts
“Cloud 9” isn’t just an album, it’s a journey from blissful love, through heartache and humor, to self-reflection and peace. Each song adds a piece to that emotional map, and Moroney’s songwriting keeps it feeling deeply personal even when she’s touching universal themes.