Corey Kent is using his new single to dig into the kind of habit most guys know too well: going back to something that’s bad for you. The Oklahoma native just announced his next album, Heartland Rock and Roll, out Sept. 25, 2026, and marked the news with the release of “Cigarette Burns,” a slow, heavy-lidded look at a love he can’t quite quit.
The track pairs Kent’s rough-edged vocal with a hazy, mid-tempo groove as he leans into the metaphor of lighting up an old relationship he knows will sting:
I might just chase that fire
Chain smoke her right back next to me
Kill me some cowboy killers
No filter on them memories
He knows exactly what he’s doing, and he does it anyway:
Light up an old flame even though it’s gonna hurt
I kinda love the way a cigarette burns
Written by Zach John King, Ben Stennis, Lauren Hungate and Jameson Rodgers, “Cigarette Burns” fits the lane Kent calls “heartland rock and roll”—a mix of country, rock and soul that’s been building across his last two albums. He cites Kings of Leon’s Come Around Sundown as a key influence and says the song feels like a fresh sound for country radio: “Timeless, yet new.”
For Kent, Heartland Rock and Roll is the first time his sound finally has a name. After racking up over a billion streams, multiple RIAA certifications, and hits like “Wild As Her” and “Something’s Gonna Kill Me,” he’s leaning into what sets him apart instead of sanding it down. If “Cigarette Burns” is any indication, this record is where he stops chasing trends and doubles down on who he is.