It may seem a bit odd that Eric Church's new single and upcoming album are both called "The Outsiders" since he found mainstream country success with his last album, Chief. In spite of his platinum-selling status, Eric still feels in touch with those who don't color inside the lines.

He tells Billboard, "This song's for a 13- or 14-year-old kid who doesn't quite have it all together yet, and he's the outcast. It's a gladiator song. It's a locker-room song. It fires you up."

"The Outsiders" definitely pushes the boundaries of modern country radio with its aggressive rock sound, but that's exactly what Eric set out to do.

"It's important for the health of the format that we all don't follow the leader, that we branch out and we find our own path."

Eric's new album, The Outsiders, is due out February 11.