- - Luke Combs Celebrates New Song That's 5 Years in the Making

Madz DizonJanuary 14, 2026 at 12:41 PM

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Luke Combs is taking fans back to where it all started. The country hitmaker recently shared a video of himself performing his new song, “Sleepless in a Hotel Room,” from a hotel room in Los Angeles, the same city where the idea for the song was born five years ago.

“Back in LA where it all started for this song 5 years ago,” Combs wrote in the caption. “Only felt right to do a full video of ‘Sleepless’ this go round from my hotel room.”

“Sleepless in a Hotel Room” was officially released on Jan. 7 as part of the rollout for Combs’ upcoming album, The Way I Am, due out March 20.

Luke Wilson performs at the 2025 CMA Awards.Photo by Frank Micelotta/The Walt Disney Company via Getty Images

While the track is brand new to streaming platforms, the story behind it dates back to around 2020, when Combs was traveling and struggling to sleep, missing his then-girlfriend, now wife, Nicole Hocking.

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Luke Combs’ Song Finally Comes Full Circle

The song began as a quiet, late-night idea during a lonely stretch on the road. Combs first teased an acoustic version years ago, and fans never forgot it. Over time, “Sleepless in a Hotel Room” became one of his most requested unreleased tracks, with listeners frequently asking when it would finally see the light of day.

That long wait helped turn the song into something special. Co-written by Combs alongside Randy Montana and Jonathan Singleton, the track captures the quiet ache of being away from home. The lyrics paint a clear picture: a hotel room, the TV on, sleep refusing to come and thoughts drifting back to the person waiting at home.

The emotional pull also translated into strong early numbers, with “Sleepless in a Hotel Room” debuting at No. 4 on Pandora’s Top Spins chart, the highest debut of the week.

“Sleepless in a Hotel Room” is track 13 on The Way I Am, Combs’ sixth studio album and his first full-length project since 2024’s Fathers & Sons. That album reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, continuing Combs’ streak of all his studio albums landing in the top two.

The Way I Am features 22 songs and was produced by Combs with longtime collaborators Chip Matthews and Jonathan Singleton. Several tracks have already made waves, including “Back in the Saddle,” which became his 19th No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.

The album’s release also coincides with a major U.S. stadium tour, which kicks off on March 21 in Las Vegas. From there, Combs will travel across the country, head into Canada and Europe, and wrap up with three nights at London’s Wembley Stadium. It’s a packed schedule, but one that makes the theme of “Sleepless in a Hotel Room” feel even more real.

Adding another personal layer to the moment, Combs and his wife are expecting their third child this winter, making the song’s message about distance, love and home hit even closer.

By returning to the same LA setting where the song first came to life, Combs isn’t just looking back, he’s showing fans how far both he and the music have come. Five years later, the sleepless nights finally have a soundtrack.

Related: Luke Combs Shares Adorable Throwback to the Christmas Morning He Got His First Guitar

This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pop Culture section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”