How I'll Always Be

"How I'll Always Be"
"How I'll Always Be"
Single by Tim McGraw
from the album Damn Country Music
Released	July 11, 2016
Genre	Country
Length	3:33
Label	Big Machine
Songwriter(s)	Chris Janson; Jamie Paulin; Jeremy Stover;
Producer(s)	Byron Gallimore; Tim McGraw;
Tim McGraw singles chronology

"How I'll Always Be" is a song recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw and written by Chris Janson, Jamie Paulin, and Jeremy Stover. It was released on July 11, 2016, as the third single from McGraw's fourteenth studio album Damn Country Music.

Content

The song is about the narrator's beliefs, saying that they represent "how [he'll] always be." It is mainly accompanied by steel guitar.^[1]

Critical reception

A review from Taste of Country was favorable, praising the instrumentation and the "throwback" feel of the song.^[2]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2016–2017)	Peak position
Canada Country (Billboard)^[3]	9
US Billboard Hot 100^[4]	70
US Country Airplay (Billboard)^[5]	3
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[6]	9

Year end charts

Chart (2016)	Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)^[7]	59
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[8]	74

Chart (2017)	Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)^[9]	60
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[10]	83

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[11]	Gold	500,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Stefano, Angela (June 27, 2016). "Tim McGraw Selects 'How I'll Always Be' as Next Single". The Boot. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
^ Dukes, Billy (June 27, 2016). "ToC Critic's Pick: Tim McGraw, 'How I'll Always Be'". Taste of Country. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
^ "Country Airplay: Year End 2016". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
^ "Hot Country Songs: Year End 2016". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
^ "Country Airplay Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
^ "American single certifications – Tim McGraw – How I'll Always Be". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

[1] Stefano, Angela (June 27, 2016). "Tim McGraw Selects 'How I'll Always Be' as Next Single". The Boot. Retrieved 15 December 2016.

[2] Dukes, Billy (June 27, 2016). "ToC Critic's Pick: Tim McGraw, 'How I'll Always Be'". Taste of Country. Retrieved 15 December 2016.

[sc_Billboardcanadacountry_Tim_McGraw-3] "Tim McGraw Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Tim_McGraw-4] "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2017.

[sc_Billboardcountryairplay_Tim_McGraw-5] "Tim McGraw Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2016.

[sc_Billboardcountrysongs_Tim_McGraw-6] "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2016.

[7] "Country Airplay: Year End 2016". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 5, 2017.

[8] "Hot Country Songs: Year End 2016". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 5, 2017.

[9] "Country Airplay Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2017.

[10] "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2020.

[United_StatesTim_McGrawHow_I'll_Always_BesingleCertRef-11] "American single certifications – Tim McGraw – How I'll Always Be". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 6, 2023.

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v t e Tim McGraw singles
Singles discography
Tim McGraw	"What Room Was the Holiday In" "Welcome to the Club" "Memory Lane" "Two Steppin' Mind"
Not a Moment Too Soon	"Indian Outlaw" "Don't Take the Girl" "Down on the Farm" "Not a Moment Too Soon" "Refried Dreams"
All I Want	"I Like It, I Love It" "Can't Be Really Gone" "All I Want Is a Life" "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart" "Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It"
Everywhere	"It's Your Love" "Everywhere" "Just to See You Smile" "One of These Days" "Where the Green Grass Grows" "For a Little While"
A Place in the Sun	"Please Remember Me" "Something Like That" "My Best Friend" "Some Things Never Change" "My Next Thirty Years"
Set This Circus Down	"Grown Men Don't Cry" "Angry All the Time" "The Cowboy in Me" "Unbroken"
Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors	"Red Rag Top" "Tiny Dancer" "She's My Kind of Rain" "Real Good Man" "Watch the Wind Blow By"
Live Like You Were Dying	"Live Like You Were Dying" "Back When" "Drugs or Jesus" "Do You Want Fries with That" "My Old Friend"
Reflected: Greatest Hits Vol. 2	"When the Stars Go Blue" "My Little Girl"
Let It Go	"Last Dollar (Fly Away)" "I Need You" "If You're Reading This" "Suspicions" "Kristofferson" "Let It Go" "Nothin' to Die For"
Southern Voice	"It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You" "Southern Voice" "Still"
Number One Hits	"Felt Good on My Lips"
Country Strong	"Me and Tennessee"
Emotional Traffic	"Better Than I Used to Be"
Two Lanes of Freedom	"Truck Yeah" "One of Those Nights" "Highway Don't Care" "Southern Girl"
Sundown Heaven Town	"Lookin' for That Girl" "Meanwhile Back at Mama's" "Shotgun Rider" "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools"
Damn Country Music	"Top of the World" "Humble and Kind" "How I'll Always Be"
The Rest of Our Life	"Speak to a Girl" "The Rest of Our Life"
Here on Earth	"Neon Church" "Thought About You" "I Called Mama" "Undivided" "7500 OBO"
Standing Room Only	"Standing Room Only"

v t e Chris Janson
Discography
Studio albums	Buy Me a Boat Everybody Real Friends
Extended plays	Chris Janson Take It to the Bank
Singles	"'Til a Woman Comes Along" "Better I Don't" "Buy Me a Boat" "Power of Positive Drinkin'" "Holdin' Her" "Fix a Drink" "Drunk Girl" "Good Vibes" "Done" "All I Need Is You"