When the 2011 reboot of Footloose hit the scene, it stirred up plenty of nostalgia—and a bit of skepticism. Fans of the 1984 classic were unsure how they’d feel about a modern take on the beloved film, especially with Blake Shelton stepping in to reimagine Kenny Loggins’ iconic soundtrack hit. But leave it to Shelton to turn doubt into toe-tapping approval.
The country star debuted his version of “Footloose” on October 8, 2011, with a music video directed by Shaun Silva. It was also included as a bonus track on his sixth studio album, Red River Blue, and made its way to No. 63 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Blake didn’t just cover the song—he gave it a Nashville makeover. With a smooth drawl and that signature twang, he transformed the 80s pop anthem into a feel-good country jam. Speaking about the remake, Shelton said, “You have to step into the role of what’s best for the movie. There’s really only one way to approach it: a fun, uptempo, catchy version—just like Kenny Loggins did.”
Reactions were mixed at first, and Shelton had a little fun with that. “Ha! I can’t sleep, so I’m reading comments and reviews on my version of ‘Footloose’… Man, it’s so polarizing… I love it!! I hate it!! Well, either way, it was SO fun to sing it,” he posted on Twitter (now X) back in 2011.
But perhaps the biggest stamp of approval came from Kenny Loggins himself. “I always thought of ‘Footloose’ as a country song. Blake makes it even more so,” Loggins said. “His production updates the sound… If anything, it’s maybe a bit too perfect. But no matter—it’s still a fun tune, and I wish them much luck.”
The two legends even shared the stage at the 45th Annual CMA Awards, bringing the crowd to life with an energetic performance backed by a team of dancers. It was a perfect mix of old-school fun and modern flair—just like the song itself.
Love it or hate it, Shelton’s Footloose cover showed one thing loud and clear: country can make anything danceable.
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