Singer-Songwriter Brian Mackey offers pop-infused American folk-rock with a voice uniquely his own. He's often been told, that he has a sound that is considered “alternative new folk”.
Brian Mackey creates songs that don’t just tell stories—they invite listeners to feel seen inside them.
Brian Mackey is an American singer-songwriter crafting emotionally resonant, cinematic indie pop rooted in folk storytelling and modern production. Blending warm guitars, atmospheric synths, and a voice that carries equal parts ache and hope, his music lives in the quiet spaces between memory, love, and self-reflection.
Originally from New Jersey, Mackey’s career has taken him across the U.S. and Europe, touring with artists like Marc Broussard, Howie Day, Kate Voegele, Tyler Hilton, John McLaughlin, David Bromberg, and Taylor Hicks. His music has charted on U.S. Adult Contemporary radio, as well as iTunes and Amazon in both the U.S. and Germany.
His breakout single, “Are You Listening,” became an international success after being featured by Gronkh in gameplay content for Until Dawn. The song went on to peak at #8 on U.S. A/C radio charts, chart on German iTunes, land on Amazon Germany’s “100 Most Sold” list, and surpass one million streams on Spotify—marking a pivotal moment in Mackey’s global reach.
Beyond streaming and radio, Mackey’s music has been featured across television, film, and major international campaigns, including placements with CMT, A&E, Lifetime, Travel Channel, Arla Foods, Bravo, UNICEF UK, and Rebel One Pictures.
“Sublimely Gorgeous Music ”
In 2024, Brian released his long-awaited album Good Morning Ireland, a deeply personal body of work shaped by profound loss and transformation. The album reflects on the tragic passing of his son, Brian, in 2018, alongside the life-altering experience of welcoming his daughter in 2022. Its title stems from a month-long European tour Mackey embarked on in the immediate aftermath of his son’s death, during which he carried his son’s ashes with him to Ireland—an experience that became central to the album’s emotional core.
Created in collaboration with longtime friend Jeff King (Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn), the album features standout tracks including “Saturday Night Sleeping,” “Even Though I Try,” “Count The Stars,” “You Are Amazing,” “My Only Friend,” and “Six Strings.” The record also includes contributions from Steve Brewster (drums, Jewel), Mark Hill (bass, Brooks & Dunn), Jason Webb (piano), and Tammy King (violin, SteelDrivers), and was co-produced by Mackey and Jim Kimball (Reba McEntire).
Mackey partnered with MusiCares®, the Recording Academy’s charity, donating 100% of the proceeds from “Saturday Night Sleeping,” underscoring the project’s purpose beyond music.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he released “Keep the World Alive,” written and recorded remotely as a response to a rapidly changing world and the personal loss of his brother. The song was featured in American Songwriter Magazine, with its video amassing over 2 Million Views on Facebook and drawing widespread media attention.
Mackey’s recent releases, including “Wasn’t I Good” and “Milk,” continue to expand his sound into a more cinematic, alt-pop space—intimate yet expansive, like a late-night drive through everything left unsaid. With a career defined by vulnerability, resilience, and reinvention, Brian Mackey creates music that doesn’t just tell stories—it allows listeners to find themselves inside them.
“Dust On The Wall’ is one of the most poignant songs I’ve ever heard.”