On February 20, 2026, country artist Megan Moroney released her junior album Cloud 9. Complete with 16 songs, Cloud 9 tells the story of Moroney’s newfound confidence leaving a relationship, touching on themes of love, heartbreak, comparison, and unfair industry standards. The album followed Moroney’s sophomore album, Am I Okay?, and debut album Lucky.
“Her new album title feels appropriate, as in the span of the past 18 months, Moroney’s ascending career has only continued gaining rapid momentum,” writes Billboard Magazine. Moroney’s Cloud 9 was her first album to rank number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums chart, making it a standout in her ever-growing career. But was this success deserved?
Starting with the first song on the album, “Cloud 9” bears the album’s name and tells the story of a sweet, wholesome romance changing her pessimistic views. The lyrics are strong, and it serves as a callback to her single on her debut album, “Sad Songs For Sad People,” a track where Moroney laments on her glass-half-empty tendencies. The clear growth was satisfying and a theme throughout the album. However, the vocals felt lacking, like Moroney was holding back. For a title track, it fell flat for me.
“Medicine” is a pop-leaning country song, where Moroney chooses to mess with her man as payback for his inadequacies. It’s definitely a party song designed to be blasted on a car ride with the windows down. If you’re in the mood for a simple, fun track, “Medicine” is for you, but I couldn’t help but compare it to Moroney’s “Indifferent,” a track from Am I Okay? with a nearly identical message, and to me, it felt more authentic. Regardless, “Medicine” is an enjoyable listen.
“6 Months Later” was a single released June 20, 2025, and garnered massive success. It reached the top 30 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 2 on the Country Airplay chart. “6 Months Later” is a peppy story of leaving behind an ex, only for them to crawl back to you six months later. Its witty lyrics and exciting track make it a standout.
“Stupid” continues the trend of pop-leaning confident songs, where Moroney rationalizes why a man would ghost her when she’s the whole package. This is one of my personal favorites off the album, and there’s only one flaw I could find in it: Moroney’s pronunciation of the word “valedictorian.” In the chorus, Moroney sings, “He’s a lot bit of pretty and a little of dumb, he probably couldn’t spell valedictorian,” but instead of an “un” sound to rhyme with “dumb,” she sings “an.” It’s a tiny nitpick for an otherwise perfect song. The irony and “delulu” make this one of my favorites.
“Beautiful Things” is one of the more emotionally honest songs on the album, where Moroney offers wisdom to the listener, comforting them that “You’re pretty and you’re smart, God made a work of art, girl don’t pick yourself apart.” Initially written for her niece, the song feels like a warm hug. “Beautiful Things” was first teased on Moroney’s Instagram, where it was just her and her guitar, and I can’t help but compare the final version to the teased excerpt. The final product is fantastic, but it feels too polished for the message the song conveys.
“Convincing” is another one of my favorites. Another love song, but in my opinion, stronger than “Cloud 9.” It’s soft and genuine as it recounts dancing on the beach with someone Moroney isn’t in love with, but they’re pretty convincing. While the guitar and mandolin track feels simpler than the other pop-country tracks, it’s understatedly beautiful.
“Liars & Tigers & Bears” is the most unique song thematically on Cloud 9. It confronts unfair industry standards in a cautionary tale, warning the listener to “speak your mind, but never too loud.”
“It’s about expectations that people have, like: ‘Stay in your lane, but evolve and get better,’” Moroney says. “It’s like, unfortunately, I am a human, and I’m trying really hard to make everybody happy. But that’s impossible.”
In “I Only Miss You,” Moroney got Ed Sheeran to try out country music. According to Vanity Fair, Moroney and Sheeran first met during a songwriter session at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe in March 2025. Since then, they emailed back and forth in hopes of collaborating. “A month before the album was due, I just sent him the super-traditional country song, and I was like, ‘Whatever—I’ve already sent him five songs that didn’t work before, so what’s a sixth going to hurt?’” Moroney shares. And a super-traditional country song it was. While their voices blended together nicely, the song felt like every other country heartbreak song, lacking Moroney’s usual wittiness. “I Only Miss You” was the weakest song on the album, in my opinion.
“Wedding Dress,” however, contains enough vulnerability to cover both heartbreak songs. The soft ballad explores the fears of falling in love, but never getting over an ex. “I don’t want to sing a verse that isn’t true,” Moroney says. “It is not going to heal me if I’m just lying about it.” The song is also the strongest vocally on the album.
“Change of Heart” continues Moroney’s raw honesty and artistic creativity. It delves into not being able to decide if you love or hate someone, and the track is a rollercoaster to listen to. The verses are slow and contemplative, before switching into a loud and demanding chorus, reflecting Moroney’s inner turmoil. Its switch-up keeps listeners engaged and continues Moroney’s balance of confidence and vulnerability.
“Bells & Whistles” is another collaborative song Moroney did with Kacey Musgraves. Moroney shared that Musgraves was a massive inspiration for her music career, and working with her on a song was a dream come true. Moroney initially requested vocal backtracks from Musgraves, but received more. “I guess she loved the song. She sent it back and said, ‘Hope it’s okay, I just sang the second verse. Please don’t feel like you have to use it,’” Moroney says. “And I was like, girl.” Their voices mesh perfectly together in a soft ballad comparing a “sweet and simple” girl to their two firecracker personalities. “I’m not me without the bells and the whistles,” they sing.
“Table for Two” is a standout top-three song. In a soft, gentle track, Moroney sings of the messiness of wanting to return to an ex. “Is now a bad time to let you know I kind of still love you?” she asks as she imagines meeting at a table for two for a picture-perfect dinner and a return to the relationship she misses so much. It plays into Moroney’s talent to translate real, complex feelings into clear and enjoyable songs.
“Wish I Didn’t” combines all of Moroney’s strengths: honesty, witty lyrics, messy experiences, and a peppy track to boot. Released as a single on January 16, “Wish I Didn’t” has caught speculation for possibly being about fellow country singer, Riley Green, for the line, “but I can also make it rain,” as a possible nod to Green’s “I Can Make it Rain.” Speculation aside, it’s the best track on the album to me.
“Who Hurt You?” continues the streak of the best songs on Cloud 9. It lays the backstory for the album, recalling the pain of someone manipulating you through progressively intensifying lyrics and grand vocals. The bridge makes it a standout for a great “crashout” song. “To know you hurt a girl like me, do you feel more like a man?” Moroney demands. Fans also speculate this was written about Riley Green, with one source saying a billboard with its lyrics was purposefully placed outside of Green’s apartment, reading, “You said you needed less flashy, more fun, oh of course she’s 21!” These speculations remain unconfirmed.
“Sorry… I Meant Tonight” was a bonus track released on February 27, telling the story of Moroney fantasizing about spending the rest of her life with a man she just met. It again plays to Moroney’s strengths of witty lyrics and self-awareness, and perfectly captures the happy, peppy side of Cloud 9, making it a full package song. “Cloud 9 is not complete without a dance party ending,” Moroney shared on her Instagram. Next to “Wish I Didn’t,” it’s the best song on the album.
The final track is a stark contrast to her dance party song. Opening with a thunder sound effect, “Waiting on the Rain” closes Moroney’s Cloud 9 with heartbreak, not euphoria. Instead of a traditional breakup song, Moroney sings of feeling heartbreak while you’re in the relationship. “It’s lovely and sad and wistful all at the same time, emotions that Moroney deftly incorporates seamlessly,” writes Billboard magazine.
Overall, Cloud 9 is a new era for Moroney, temporarily leaving behind her “Emo Cowgirl” title for pink and sparkles. While this makes it her most fun album so far, it can come across as lacking authenticity in some songs and touching on fewer themes than Am I Okay?, but it continues to solidify Moroney as a country powerhouse. I’ll be listening to it again; overall, Cloud 9 is a 7.5/10 album.
