Some songs hit you because they sound good. Others stick with you because they feel true … Sean Michael Ryan’s latest single, “I Need A Highway,” hits both categories.
At its core, this song is about holding two things at once. The pull to chase something bigger, and the equally strong pull to stay connected to the people who make that chase possible.
If you’ve ever felt torn between ambition and responsibility, this one is going to land.
When the Road Isn’t About Leaving
For a long time, the highway represented distance for Ryan. Time away. Missed moments. The cost of chasing a dream. But somewhere along the way, that meaning changed.
“I Need A Highway” was born out of the realization that the road doesn’t just take you away from home. It can also be the very thing that brings you back …
Back to love … Back to support … Back to the people who believe in you, even when you are not there every day.
That perspective shift gives the song its emotional heartbeat. It is not about choosing between family and ambition. It is about learning how both can exist together.
A Song for Dreamers and the People Who Support Them
Ryan is a father, a provider, and someone who has spent much of his life working hard just to show up. That lived experience is woven into every part of “I Need A Highway.”
This is a song for the dreamers, sure …
RELATED: Catch our coverage of his previous single “Beer Ain’t One” …
But it is also for the families, partners, and loved ones back home who carry just as much weight in the journey. Ryan has said his hope is that people feel seen when they hear the song, whether they are the ones on the road or the ones waiting at the end of it.
That sense of reciprocal love is what makes this track feel so relatable. It understands that chasing more out of life does not mean loving what you already have any less.
Grit, Heart, and a Voice That Believes Every Word
Recorded in Nashville and produced by Grady Saxman, known for his work with Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, and Tenille Arts, “I Need A Highway” blends modern country grit with honest storytelling. The production is clean but grounded, leaving plenty of room for Ryan’s vocals to do what they do best.
There is no over-singing here. No unnecessary polish. Just a voice that sounds like it believes every word it is delivering.
That authenticity is what gives the song its staying power.
Built From Real Life, Not a Shortcut
Sean Michael Ryan’s path to music was not a straight line.
Raised in a blue-collar, working-class environment, he spent years working with his hands before fully committing to a life on stage. That background still shapes everything he does.
A former Top 40 finalist on Canadian Idol, Ryan has logged more than 400 shows across Canada and the United States. Along the way, he has performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s CMA Stage in Nashville and earned recognition as one of the Top 8 Emerging Country Artists at the 2025 Boots & Hearts Country Music Festival.
Those milestones matter, but what really stands out is how grounded he remains. His music is not trendy or manufactured. It is built on responsibility, resilience, and the belief that family comes first.
A Highway That Knows Where It’s Going
“I Need A Highway” is not about running away … It is about knowing exactly where you are headed, and why.
It is a reminder that love can be strong enough to handle distance, and that sometimes the road you take to follow your dreams is the same one that leads you right back home.
Now streaming on all major platforms, “I Need A Highway” feels like an important chapter in Sean Michael Ryan’s story. And for anyone trying to balance big dreams with real life, it feels like a song worth sitting with for a while.
Logan Miller
As the founder of Front Porch Music, I believe that music has the ability to connect people. I love country music, and I love the country music industry as a whole. My goal is to help music fans find new artists to fall in love with.
