| The Joy of Music | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 11, 2022 | |||
| Recorded | 2020 | |||
| Length | 49:36 | |||
| Label | OK Kid | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Ben Rector chronology | ||||
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The Joy of Music is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ben Rector, released on March 11, 2022, through OK Kid Recordings. Rector co-produced the album with John Fields. The first draft of music was recorded in January 2020, but most of the album was scrapped and recorded throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and completed in December 2020. The pandemic cancelled his ongoing tour at the time and withheld other deadlines, leaving Rector to focus exclusively on the album's creation.
The album was designed to evoke joy in the listener; Rector also constructed the album around this philosophy, by writing music and collaborating with artists he would enjoy, and explore new ideas out of his comfort zone. He performed on various TV shows to promote the album and also issued a short film in December 2021 in the lead-up to its release. The Joy of Music was positively received by critics, who praised it for its diversity and lyrics. The album peaked at number 189 on the US Billboard 200, and appeared on multiple other Billboard charts.