Tim McGraw is a Blake Shelton fan, but he doesn't subscribe to the "God's Country" singer's theory about what albums are worth in 2019.

McGraw — who's just wrapping up his 15th solo studio album — says he loves the process of the album and how an album allows you to settle into an artist and listen to their story. Previously Shelton had said he might not make another album because he loves the flexibility of being able to release songs as they come to him, and because he wasn't sure there was an audience for them.

“I get that, and I understand that as well ‚ and boy I love Blake’s music — but for me an album tells a story. I’ve always tried to do that with all my records," McGraw says. "The way the I developed musically and the way I learned to listen to music is through albums.”

The 52-year-old talked to Taste of Country prior to his set at Hometown Rising in Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 14.

"This project is really a tapestry of life, I can’t wait for everybody to hear it," he adds, flashing a smile that lets you know he's not just hyping a project out of habit.

McGraw's enthusiasm was palpable on this night — in fact, he dang near spilled a secret about a surprise performance he has coming up, quite possibly (wink, wink) during his gig at the 2019 iHeart Music Festival this weekend. This isn't the standard "this is my best album ever" line every artist offers. It's patient praise from a man who's made a few really good albums during his 25-year career.

“Music is what drives everything that we do,” he says. “Sometimes in this mad process that we get in now and this sort of short attention span that we have where people only listen to two minutes of songs and stuff like that, I think we lose what it’s all about. And it’s all about the music. It’s all about how it moves you and makes you feel.”

He says to expect it in 2020 and to expect songs about the beginning of love, youth, passing through life and reflectiveness. "Thought About You" is his current single, sitting at Top 20 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

During his interview with Taste of Country McGraw also talked about becoming empty-nesters once his third daughter leaves for school or life and driving his older daughter to L.A. to begin her acting career. You can watch the full interview below.

Tim McGraw On Empty Nesting: It's Complicated

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