“’Beating My Heart,’ the launch from second full-length OK NOW, is a joyous up-tempo romantic romp, featuring hook after hook, from tinkling piano to driving percussion and a start-and-stop bridge, alongside a joyous effortless vocal that soars with falsetto to the high heavens…instantaneous hit potential, and proper promotion could propel the artist to superstar status.” (Billboard magazine)

(October 17, 2008 – New York, NY) American heartland singer-songwriter and pianist Jon McLaughlin’s second Island Records album, OK NOW, released last week (October 7th), has nabbed the #1 spot on the iTunes pop album chart, and landed as the #5 overall album as well. OK NOW also enters the Soundscan chart at #49. OK NOW streeted in the CBA marketplace this past Tuesday, October 14th.

The rave reviews that have greeted OK NOW (see quotes above from USA Today and Billboard) build on the acceptance of Jon’s Top 25 Hot AC hit single “Beating My Heart.” The song picked up more than 1,000 Hot 100 Airplay spins last week, bringing its audience over 2.5 million. The video for “Beating My Heart” now enters its second month of daytime rotation at VH1. It is also being seen by 8 million G, PG, and PG-13 movie-goers this entire month, during Screenvision’s pre-show at 370 theatres across the country, on 4,000-plus screens.

Jon McLaughlin is no stranger to this level of popular success. Earlier this year, his triumphant Oscar night performance of “So Close,” (his Academy Award-nominated song from the Disney movie Enchanted) ignited an astonishing 1,514% overnight sales increase at Amazon for his first major label album and Island debut Indiana (released May 2007), which neatly took over the #1 spot on the Movers & Shakers chart.

Having earned a solid fanbase on the road with Sara Bareilles, Kelly Clarkson and more, Jon heads out again on his own and with Delta Goodrem (dates to follow). Jon was recently chosen to headline a series of shows in September-October at the Hard Rock Café in five U.S. cities – Chicago, St. Louis, Denver, Cleveland, and Indianapolis – as part of this fall’s Pinktober campaign, in support of the fight against breast cancer.

 

[2026]
Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec.

[2025]
Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec.

[2001 - Present]
Visit our complete MUSIC NEWS ARCHIVE