Florida Georgia Line officially split, fully embarking on solo careers: A retrospective

Wednesday evening officially marked the end of a commercially and socially dynamic era in country music history.

Florida Georgia Line -- the pairing of Monroe, Georgia native Tyler Hubbard and Ormond Beach, Florida-born Brian Kelley -- played their final show together at the Minnesota State Fair on Wednesday night. Before playing their set finale, "Cruise," they thanked the crowd for their constant support during their partnership.

In February 2022, rumors swirled that the duo was potentially parting ways.

"I think 'taking a break' is the proper term, as opposed to breaking up," said Hubbard to People. "We're not going our separate ways," Kelley added. "We're taking a break from recording our music. We're being artists. We love creating. And so a couple years back, we started writing without each other and trying different writers, and now we're both doing that with our music."

Hubbard added that he was "excited" for what became their final run of concerts together "as a time to celebrate FGL, celebrate the fans, celebrate each other, and then support each other on the next chapter of our musical and creative journey, which is gonna be individually for a while."

2020 saw the renowned act engage in social media dust-ups, including Hubbard unfollowing Kelley during the US presidential election cycle. To radio host Storme Warren, he noted, “ I even called him and told him, I said, ‘Hey buddy, I love you. And I love you a lot more in real life than on your stories right now. So I’m just going to, so that’s why I’m unfollowing you. Nothing personal. I still love you. You’re still my brother.’ I just didn’t want to see it every time I opened Instagram. And so it wasn’t a big deal.”

This followed Hubbard admitting that he and Kelley had previously attended therapy but eventually "[hugged] it out because we’re brothers and that’s what brothers do.”

On a July 2022 appearance on Bobby Bobes' podcast, Hubbard noted that the breakup occurred because Kelley initiated them going solo, though there is "no bad blood between the two of them." Hubbard did add that they "might revisit getting the duo back together 10 to 15 years down the line." He then joked that they would not reunite before then, "even if they were offered $1 million to play a wedding."

Over 12 years in Music City, the duo's blend of country, hip-hop, and rock elements achieved unprecedented commercial popularity. Their 2012 debut single "Cruise" was eventually remixed by rap superstar Nelly (who later partnered again with the tandem for their last hit, 2021's "Little Bit") and became the first country song ever to receive the Diamond (10 million sales) certification, spending 24 weeks at number one on Billboard's Country sales chart.

"When we did the remix of 'Cruise' with Nelly, that was a really big moment for us," Kelley told The Tennessean at the February 2022 opening of their Country Music Hall of Fame exhibition, "Florida Georgia Line: Mix It Up Strong."

"The remix opened up many doors for us and expanded our minds as to what was possible in our careers. It's inspired so much from touring with the Backstreet Boys to working with artists and songwriters in Los Angeles."

The tandem emerged as teenage faith and worship leaders who met at Nashville's Belmont University, where Kelley arrived as a twice-transferred baseball pitcher and Hubbard as a student eager to be educated in the behind-the-scenes machinations of the music business.

Upon pairing as a cover band ("We're out-of-the-box thinkers, and if you can lead a crowd to worship, you can lead a crowd to party," Hubbard told the Tennessean), by December 2011, the duo signed to Big Loud's Mountain label. After releasing their second EP," It'z Just What We Do," via that deal, on July 16, 2012, they signed with Republic Nashville, part of the Big Machine Label Group.

Over the next decade, they released five albums that accrued over five million sales. However, as a significant leader in country music's adaption to a singles-heavy marketplace dominated by digital downloads and streaming, the artists truly made their mark.

Between 2012-2020, Florida Georgia Line achieved 13 No. 1 singles. As an example of how their singles-driven dominance predated modern country's commercial expectations, the five singles from their Republic debut album "Here's to the Good Times" achieved downloads, streams, and physical purchases, equalling roughly 15 million units.

Five years later, "Meant To Be" -- their duet with pop vocalist Bebe Rexha -- was a Billboard country sales charts leader for roughly three-quarters of 2018. Impressively, the song spent its entire run at No. 1. Also, in that chart's history, Hubbard and Kelley occupy the first, third, and fifth longest-charting singles: debut hit “Cruise” is at No. 3 with a 24-week chart-topping run in 2012-13 and “H.O.L.Y.” achieved similar acclaim in 2016 for 18 weeks.

Big Machine Label Group executive vice president Jimmy Harnen stated regarding the success, “For Florida Georgia Line to have three in the top five is absolutely nuclear. We send out a big thank you to all of the believers.”

Western Canada native and producer Joey Moi -- has a three-decade-long history of mainstream pop success including everyone from Nickelback to Morgan Wallen. Among the names for which he is most renowned include Florida Georgia Line.

In regards to what made his partnership with Florida Georgia Line work so well, another Moi devotee, HARDY, told Forbes in 2020, "[Moi] is never afraid to push boundaries and is very meticulous about getting that vocal. If you listen to all the songs that Joey has produced, the vocal sounds so good, and there's so much confidence in the singer’s vocal. That's because he spends so much time on making sure that that's a believable and true, good vocal. [In] country music, telling your story is everything. He really makes sure that you're getting your point across in the studio."

If looking for remnants of the group's partnership, there are no plans as yet to shutter Lower Broadway's four-story, 22,000-square-foot F.G.L. House bar and restaurant at 122 Third Ave. S. In 2017, Hubbard told The Tennessean that the space was "a cool opportunity in our hometown here in Nashville that we love — a place we could call our own and gather with our friends, our family and our fans and create a cool environment where people can make great memories."

The two artists plan to pursue careers independently, per their press and label teams. Kelley has already released a stage musical entitled "May We All," inspired by the Florida Georgia Line song of the same name, plus a 2021 E.P. "Sunshine State of Mind," and singles worth of solo material. Hubbard has just released "Dancin' In The Country," a six-track EP, plus will be touring as support for Keith Urban through November.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Florida Georgia Line officially split, fully embarking on solo careers: A retrospective