Cloud 9 (Megan Moroney album)

Cloud 9
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 20, 2026 (2026-02-20)
GenreCountry
Length52:52
Label
Producer
Megan Moroney chronology
Am I Okay?
(2024)
Cloud 9
(2026)
Singles from Cloud 9
  1. "6 Months Later"
    Released: June 20, 2025
  2. "Beautiful Things"
    Released: October 24, 2025
  3. "Wish I Didn't"
    Released: January 16, 2026
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The A.V. ClubC[1]
Pitchfork6.7/10[2]
Riff9/10[3]
Rolling Stone[4]
Stereoboard[5]

Cloud 9 is the third studio album by American singer Megan Moroney, released by Columbia Records through Sony on February 20, 2026. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making it Moroney's first number-one album.

Release and promotion

Cloud 9' lead single was "6 Months Later", released on June 20, 2025.[6] On October 14, Moroney announced "Beautiful Things",[7][8] which was released as the second single on October 27.[9] On November 9, she took to social media to post a teaser trailer for the album, opening a window from a blue backdrop of the Am I Okay? album cover fading into a pink color, with the instrumental of the album's title track playing in the background.[10] On November 11, the album's release date and name were officially revealed and slated for a February 20, 2026.[11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Megan Moroney, with additional co-writers noted.

Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cloud 9"3:38
2."Medicine"
3:11
3."6 Months Later"
  • Ben Williams
  • Rob Hatch
  • David Mescon
3:03
4."Stupid"
  • Amy Allen
  • Mescon
3:25
5."Beautiful Things"
  • Harrington
  • Dillon
  • Alexander
3:56
6."Convincing"
  • Harrington
  • Dillon
  • Alexander
2:59
7."Liars & Tigers & Bears"
  • Laird
  • Dillon
3:49
8."I Only Miss You" (featuring Ed Sheeran)
4:09
9."Wedding Dress"
  • Williams
  • Colin Healy
3:51
10."Change of Heart"
  • Williams
  • Mackenzie Carpenter
  • Micah Carpenter
2:56
11."Bells & Whistles" (featuring Kacey Musgraves)
  • Williams
  • Mackenzie Carpenter
  • Micah Carpenter
2:58
12."Table for Two"
  • Williams
  • Mackenzie Carpenter
  • Micah Carpenter
4:08
13."Wish I Didn't"3:31
14."Who Hurt You?"
  • Laird
  • Dillon
3:55
15."Waiting on the Rain"
  • Laird
  • Dillon
3:25
Total length:52:52
Bonus track[12]
No.TitleLength
16."Sorry... I Meant Tonight"3:33

Commercial performance

Cloud 9 became her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200, debuting with 147,000 equivalent album units in the US for the week ending February 26, 2026.[13] Cloud 9 became Moroney's biggest debut week in terms of sales, and also recorded the highest first-week total consumption for a country artist this year.[14]

Personnel

Credits were adapted from Tidal.[15]

Musicians

  • Megan Moroney – lead vocals, background vocals (all tracks); whistles (11)
  • Kristian Bush – acoustic guitar (1–10, 13), chimes (1), synthesizer (3, 9, 13), mandolin (6), electric guitar (7, 11), programming (11, 15)
  • Brandon Bush – synthesizer (1–5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14), piano (1, 7), organ (2–4, 6, 14), percussion (2, 5), programming (3, 4, 7, 11, 14), electric piano (4, 6, 11, 13–15), Clavinet (4), strings (5, 15), Mellotron (7, 11, 13, 14), synth bass (13)
  • Benji Shanks – electric guitar (1–8, 11, 13–15), acoustic guitar (1, 3, 10, 11), baritone guitar (6, 7, 14), slide guitar (10)
  • Travis McNabb – drums (1–8, 10, 11, 13–15), percussion (1, 3, 4, 6)
  • Ted Pecchio – bass (1–8, 10, 11, 13, 14), upright bass (15)
  • Justin Schipper – steel guitar (1–6, 8–15), electric guitar (1, 4, 6, 10), slide guitar (3), acoustic guitar (14)
  • Justin Niebank – programming (1–5, 7, 8, 10–15), acoustic guitar (13)
  • Ed Sheeran – lead vocals (8)
  • Luke Laird – acoustic guitar (9, 12, 15); electric guitar, synthesizer (9, 12); bass (9), programming (12)
  • Shaun Richardson – acoustic guitar (9), mandolin (12)
  • Miles McPherson – drums, percussion (9, 12)
  • Eli Beaird – bass (9, 12)
  • Nathan Keeterle – electric guitar (9, 12)
  • Billy Justineau – synthesizer (9, 12)
  • Alex Harp – vocals (10)
  • Chip Beaver – vocals (10)
  • Cindy Beaver – vocals (10)
  • Mike "Frog" Griffith – vocals (10)
  • Juli Griffith – vocals (10)
  • Kelly Harkin – vocals (10)
  • Natalie King – vocals (10)
  • Kacey Musgraves – lead vocals (11)
  • Hillary Lindsey – background vocals (13)
  • Jamey Johnson – background vocals (15)
  • Kristin Wilkinson – viola (15)
  • Annaliese Kowert – violin (15)
  • David Angell – violin (15)

Technical

  • Kristian Bush – production (1–8, 10, 11, 13-15), additional production (9, 12)
  • Luke Laird – production (9, 12), additional engineering (9, 12, 13)
  • Megan Moroney – production (9, 12)
  • Drew Bollman – engineering (1–8, 10, 11, 13–15), mixing (1–3, 5–12, 14, 15), additional engineering (12), vocal engineering (15)
  • Mike Stankiewicz – engineering (9, 12)
  • Luke Camoplieta – vocal engineering, additional engineering, digital editing
  • Konrad Snyder – vocal engineering (11)
  • Buckley Miller – vocal engineering, additional engineering (12)
  • Chris Vanoverberghe – engineering assistance (1, 4, 6, 8–11)
  • Austin Brown – engineering assistance (2, 3, 5, 7, 13–15)
  • Justin Niebank – mixing (1–3, 5–12, 14, 15)
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (4)
  • Bryce Bordone – mixing (4)
  • Alex Ghenea – mixing (13)
  • Nathan Dantzlermastering (1–12, 14, 15)
  • Randy Merrill – mastering (13)
  • Harriston Tate – mastering assistance (1–12, 14, 15)
  • Brian David Willis – digital editing (5)
  • Brandon Bush – production management
  • Mike "Frog" Griffith – production management

Charts

Weekly chart performance
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[16] 20
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[17] 2
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[18] 4
Irish Albums (IRMA)[19] 100
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[20] 24
Scottish Albums (OCC)[21] 7
UK Albums (OCC)[22] 67
UK Country Albums (OCC)[23] 1
US Billboard 200[24] 1
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[25] 1

References

  1. ^ Beck, Ethan (February 20, 2026). "Megan Moroney gets stuck in a mid-tempo slog on Cloud 9". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  2. ^ Verma, Millan (February 24, 2026). "Megan Moriney: Cloud 9". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  3. ^ Westrom, Piper (February 19, 2026). "Album Review: Megan Moroney levels up on the assured Cloud 9". Riff. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  4. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (February 20, 2026). "Megan Moriney, Poet of Gen Z Heartbreak, Digs Deep on Cloud 9". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  5. ^ Brookman, Jacob (February 27, 2026). "Megan Moroney - Cloud 9 (Album Review)". Stereoboard. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  6. ^ "Megan Moroney's '6 Months Later' Turns Heartbreak Into Sweet Vindication". Taste of Country. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  7. ^ "Megan Moroney Confronts Heartbreak and Healing on Tender Ballad 'Beautiful Things'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  8. ^ "Megan Moroney Reveals New Single "Beautiful Things"". Country Central. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  9. ^ "Country Aircheck Weekly October 20, 2025, Issue 983" (PDF). Country Aircheck. October 20, 2025. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  10. ^ "Is Megan Moroney About to Announce Her Long-Rumoured New Album, 'Cloud 9'?". Holler Country. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  11. ^ "Megan Moroney Steps Into Her Most Confident Era Yet With New Album, 'Cloud 9'". Country Now. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  12. ^ "Megan Moroney Releases Surprise Song "Sorry... I Meant Tonight", Just A Week After Dropping Her New Album". Whiskey Riff. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  13. ^ "Megan Moroney Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With Cloud 9". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  14. ^ Hahnen, Madison (March 2, 2026). "Megan Moroney Debuts At No. 1 On Billboard 200". MusicRow. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  15. ^ "Cloud 9 / Megan Moroney". Tidal. Credits. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  16. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. March 2, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  17. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Country Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. March 2, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  18. ^ "Megan Moroney Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  19. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts (Week 9, 2026)". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  20. ^ "Official Top 40 Albums". Recorded Music NZ. February 27, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  21. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  22. ^ "Official Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  23. ^ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  24. ^ "Megan Moroney Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  25. ^ "Megan Moroney Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2026.