Max McNown is an American singer and songwriter from the United States who works in country, bluegrass, folk and Americana. Born in 2001, he is Oregon-bred and based in Nashville.

McNown teaches himself guitar and, within a year of starting, records three EPs that focus on emotionally detailed songwriting. His breakout single, “A Lot More Free,” appears on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart and helps build his early following. The song also reaches a large audience through TikTok and contributes to his profile as an independent artist.

He develops part of his vocal style through busking on the beach in Southern California. Before that, he leaves Oregon and drives to Southern California, partly inspired by his brother, who is fighting cancer. Videos of him performing on a pier circulate online and draw a growing audience.

McNown attracts interest from major television talent shows, auditions for one of them, and then decides against continuing, choosing to follow his own path. His audience grows further online, and his music gains substantial streaming numbers.

Debut album

His debut album, Wandering, expands on the themes in his earlier songs and places more emphasis on purpose in his writing. His material is described as suiting moments of heartache, loss, upheaval and revelation, with singing presented as something he links to a “happy heart” through advice from his mother.