This Feels Big: Miranda Lambert Inks New Deal with MCA
Miranda Lambert has already secured what will likely go down as a Hall of Fame career in country music as one of the most awarded artists in the genre’s history. But as she searches for a second wind behind her storied career, she will do so with a new label, and at an interesting time for Lambert and country music.
On Monday morning (4-20), it was announced that Miranda has signed a new recording contract with MCA to release a future album. Lambert was signed to Nashville-based Sony imprints for the first nine albums of her career, including landing seven #1 albums in a row, and a #2 with her final album for the label, 2022’s Palomino.
Then in 2024, Miranda Lambert released her latest album Postcards From Texas via a deal with Republic/Big Loud as she also became a founder of Big Loud’s regional imprint, Big Loud Texas. Postcards From Texas received positive reviews, but debuted at #8 on the country charts, and outside the Top 20 for the first time in her country career, aside from her side project The Marfa Tapes.
Now perhaps the hope is a new label can help rekindle some of that Miranda Lambert early career magic, and at a time that very well might be opportune. Lambert was a co-producer on Ella Langley’s new album Dandelion, and also co-wrote the album’s massive hit “Choosin’ Texas.” The album debuted at #1 in all of music this week, while “Choosin’ Texas” continues to be the most popular song in the United States.
“Throughout my life and career, I have found that the common thread in every chapter is finding the right people – songwriters, musicians, collaborators and team members – to match the moment,” Miranda Lambert said in a prepared statement. “I am honored to join a roster and a team with such a rich history of championing artistry. I look forward to sharing this new music with the world under their banner.”
It’s likely the partnership will include Miranda Lambert still publishing under her Vanner Records imprint. But what about Lambert’s role at Big Loud Texas after she was so integral with the founding of this important infrastructure to Texas music?
The good news for folks in Texas is Lambert is not leaving her executive role at Big Loud Texas. She will continue in her place as Founder, and will continue to work in the capacity of artist and business development for the label and publishing company.
Though no word about new music comes with the new label announcement, you can be assured something is likely on the horizon. And now with women and a more traditional country sound surging in popularity in country, perhaps this will be the perfect time for Miranda Lambert to catch that second wind.
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April 20, 2026 @ 6:55 pm
Hmmm….How many times have we known country radio to go big for someone after they’ve already given up on them?
April 20, 2026 @ 6:57 pm
But I guess she could still go big without any airplay in today’s day and age. Garth did it.
April 20, 2026 @ 7:15 pm
Yeah, once radio has passed you over, it’s over. But who cares at this point? Thomas Rhett now has 25 #1 songs. How many of them can you name?
April 21, 2026 @ 8:36 am
I can’t name any of them. Maybe “Die a Happy Man” which wasn’t awful. Other than that…I have no clue…
April 21, 2026 @ 12:51 pm
The line about dancing under stars in the pouring rain is pretty awful lol.
I actually think he’s best when he leans 100% in one direction. Country Again, Side A was pretty great. Some of his definitively pop songs like “Notice” are great songs when you don’t factor in genre distinction.
April 22, 2026 @ 4:20 am
Miranda not only signed with a new label, she also has a new man in her life. She is finally ready to tell her story and why she has had to pretend for the past three years. It isn’t my story to tell, even though I know the full story and truth.
Just keep watch for news and updates coming in the not too distant future.
April 21, 2026 @ 11:30 am
Cole swindell has to be the ultimate guy who has so many radio hits and no fans
April 21, 2026 @ 5:12 pm
25?
Holy crap. That is depressing.
April 21, 2026 @ 4:36 am
WILL DON’T YOU BUT I GAVE UP ON YOU ALREADY.
April 21, 2026 @ 6:14 am
This is great. I noticed Chuck Ainsley mixed the Langley record. He was Tony Browns mixer for all those epic MCA albums. My daughter loves that album and it is pretty dang good. Long live real country music.
April 21, 2026 @ 6:51 am
I recently went back through her discography and was reminded as to why I was a huge fan back in the day. I’m still a fan now. She’s got a great voice and is a great songwriter as well and pushed the envelope. While I haven’t fully loved an album of hers since the “The Marfa Tapes”, each album has some fantastic deep cuts. The only thing I used to critize her for starting with her album “Platinum” is that she often choose the weakest songs to push as singles. I still would buy the albums for the deeps cuts and have a huge Miranda playlist.
She’s a future hall of famer for sure and from a mainstream perspective one of the best artists to come out of the 2000’s.
I really really hope she doesn’t try for radio success though as previously stated she has some awful radio songs.
“It All Comes Out in the Wash”
“Little Red Wagon”
“Something Bad”
“We Should Be Friends”
“Strange”
April 21, 2026 @ 12:00 pm
She wasn’t the one choosing the singles.
April 21, 2026 @ 12:53 pm
I always struggled with her because she leaned so hard into the angry songs. “Gunpowder and Lead” should have been a one-off. Every angry-sounding radio hit since then has paled in comparison. Even “Mama’s Broken Heart” was more annoying than catchy.
April 21, 2026 @ 11:23 pm
Gunpowder and Lead is a fantastic song. She has scores of non-angry girl songs. Dive a little deeper. Carousel, Run, Dear Diamond, Over You etc.
April 22, 2026 @ 5:22 am
That’s a fair critiscm. While those two songs wouldn’t rank in my top 20 Miranda songs I do enjoy them. If you can get past those she does have some great deep cuts on all of her albums. Personally “Crazy Ex Girlfriend” and “Revolution” are no skips for me but that varies from person to person.
Here’s 3 deep cuts from each album I enjoy:
Kerosene: “What About Georgia”, ” I Wanna Die” and “Love Your Memory”
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: “Desperation”, “Dry Town” and “Down”
Revolution: “Airstream Song”, “Making Plans” and “Sin for Sin”
Four the Record: “Dear Diamond”, “Same Old You” and “Nobody’s Fool”
Platinum: “Hard Staying Sober”, “Old Shit” and “All That’s Left”
The Weight of these Wings: “To Learn Her”, “Runnin Just in Case” and “You Wouldn’t Know Me”
Wildcard: “Track Record”, “Dark Bars” and “Tequila Does”
Palomino: “Carousel”, “Tourist” and “Pursuit of Happiness”
Postcards From Texas: “Dammit Randy”, “Run” and “Living on the Run”
April 21, 2026 @ 5:17 pm
“Fastest Girl in Town” was her worst single.
Dumbest song of the era.
“Let’s go to town for a little while
I’ll be wearin’ nothin’ but a tattoo and a smile”
“I see the blue lights, we better run
Throw out the bottle and I’ll hide the gun
If he pulls us over, I’ll turn on the charm
You’ll be in the slammer and I’ll be on his arm”
Pure idiocy.
April 21, 2026 @ 7:28 am
Does this move include keeping Jack Ingram and Jon Randall on to write songs?
April 21, 2026 @ 7:43 am
I hope so. The Marfa tapes is my favorite .
April 21, 2026 @ 12:02 pm
Randall is one of the best from-the-heart writers in Nashville, and he’s a hell of a nice guy to boot. Ingram knows his way around a song, as well. Lambert writing with those two ups her game, which is already pretty damn high.
April 21, 2026 @ 11:59 am
Lambert will do good no matter where she lands, but she will never match her previous success as an artist, which is a good thing–this gives her the freedom to do exactly what she wants.
April 21, 2026 @ 4:32 pm
I always wander into the comments section of these articles about successful mainstream artists in fear of what I might find. Fortunately, there are two ladies that are generally well liked/respected in the peanut gallery – Miranda and Ashley McBryde. Which is pretty astounding in this SCM world of snobs like me and the rest of you. Miranda is great and this is good news. Hard Stop.
Now Trigger, it seems the way to keep your comment sections generally positive is to only post articles about Lambert and McBryde. Nothing ever again about Walnut, Relly Joll, Asscock, or even Eric Church or Lainey and these comment sections will be a joy to read!
April 22, 2026 @ 3:16 pm
There was a time when every Miranda Lambert post degenerated into a pure mess. People of this site were really upset about the Evan Felker situation. It was vicious.
April 21, 2026 @ 8:47 pm
Miranda is easily my favorite mainstream female country artist. She’s one of my favorites period and I tend to like the older and older sounding stuff. Sure, she has a few songs I’m not that into. Overall though she always puts out solid albums. I can’t wait to hear her new material. Good for her that she landed a new major deal. Hope it gives her a well deserved boost all around!