Songfacts®:

• "Friends Like That" is a breakup song released by John Morgan on September 30, 2022. Morgan sings about feeling lonely and heartbroken as he stares at the key his ex left on the table. Rather than drowning his sorrows at some honky-tonk, Morgan finds solace in a different kind of company: his Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings records spinning on the turntable, and a trusty bottle of Jack Daniel's by his side.
• "Friends Like That" was born in a Nashville writing session during September 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Morgan teamed up with a seasoned crew – Will Bundy ("Half Of Me," "Brown Eyes Baby"), Lydia Vaughan ("If I Didn't Love You," "Out Of That Truck") and Brent Anderson ("Lonely Tonight," "Last Time for Everything"). They tossed ideas around until a haunting guitar riff emerged, leading them down a familiar path: heartbreak. But with a twist.
  
  "When something like that happens to you, a lot of people write about the bar," said Morgan to Billboard. Instead, staying home "was more real to me, because when I get pissed off, or whenever something happens, I just don't want to talk to anybody."
  
  Sometimes, the best company you can keep after a heartbreak is the quiet comfort of old friends, both musical and liquid.
• Morgan and Jason Aldean are buddies: not only has Morgan co-written several of the country star's hits, but he is also signed to Aldean's record label, Night Train. Aldean and two of his band members, guitarist Kurt Allison and bassist Tully Kennedy, produced "Friends like That" at Sound Emporium in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Recognizing the song's potential, Aldean suggested adding his vocals to the radio version, offering an extra reason for radio programmers to play it.
  
  Aldean was just going to sing a verse, but Morgan convinced him to do more. The final cut boasts Aldean's signature vocals not just in the second verse, but also harmonizing on the bridge and adding depth with backing vocals in the closing moments.
  
  This strategic move turned out to be a major win. The Aldean version of "Friends Like That" was the most-added song on country radio the week it was released (April 22, 2024).