Broken Halos - wikipedia Broken Halos `` Broken Halos '' Single by Chris Stapleton from the album From A Room : Volume 1 Released July 17, 2017 ( 2017 - 07 - 17 ) Format Digital download Studio RCA Studio A Genre Country rock folk rock Southern gospel Length 3 : 00 Label Mercury Nashville Songwriter ( s ) Chris Stapleton Mike Henderson Producer ( s ) Dave Cobb Chris Stapleton Chris Stapleton singles chronology `` Either Way '' ( 2017 ) `` Broken Halos '' ( 2017 ) `` Either Way '' ( 2017 ) `` Broken Halos '' ( 2017 ) `` Broken Halos '' is a song recorded by American singer - songwriter Chris Stapleton. It was released on April 14, 2017 as a promotional single from his second studio album From A Room : Volume 1. Written by Stapleton and Mike Henderson, it is the lead track on the album. It was serviced to country radio on July 17 as the second single from the album. Contents 1 Composition and lyrical interpretation 2 Critical reception 3 Commercial performance 4 Live performances 5 Charts 6 References 7 External links Composition and lyrical interpretation Musically, it was defined by critics as a multi-genre song. Stapleton said the song was inspired by `` people who have passed away before their time. '' The singer recorded the song a day after a longtime friend passed away. `` Broken Halos '' is a mid-tempo country rock number in which Stapleton `` meditates on the wounds people suffer and the road toward healing that they travel, '' as noted by a Los Angeles Times ' reviewer. An NPR editor described it as Southern gospel, and a Rolling Stone reviewer, as folk rock. Another Rolling Stone writer, Chris Parton, named it country gospel after listenting to a live performance of the song, and interpreted it as :... ( The track ) offers a tender, lump - in - your - throat reminder to keep the faith, even in the midst of tragedy. Angels appear to help us on our way, Stapleton sings, but when their job is done they leave... and we 're not meant to understand why. Critical reception Writing for Billboard, Spotify editors opined the song `` helps build a strong argument that ( Stapleton ) is one of the most refreshing and consistent country artists to emerge in recent memory. '' Laura McClellan of Taste of Country wrote `` the stripped - down tune is a commentary on, essentially, stumbling along this life together as human beings, and its lyrics are poignant enough to affect even the most cynical of us. '' She commented its mid-tempo, `` laid - back '' feel with only guitar and vocals featuring prominently `` makes it easy listening, but its core is significant. '' In Paste, Ben Salmon described it a `` a perfectly paced song that lyrically spans the spiritual and the earthbound. '' In Rolling Stone, Robert Crawford commented, `` Equal parts folk - rock anthem and Sunday - morning spiritual, ( the song ) begins with five seconds of Stapleton in solo mode, howling over an acoustic guitar. When the band joins him halfway through the first verse, it 's an understated entrance, stripped free of radio - friendly gloss... ( The song ) is a straightforward, uncluttered opener, designed to welcome -- not overwhelm -- the listener. '' Commercial performance The song has sold 127,000 copies in the United States as of July 2017. Live Performances Stapleton premiered the song during Dolly Parton 's Tennessee wildfires telethon in December 2016. The song is featured on the setlist of his All - American Road Show Tour. On July 18, 2017 the singer performed it on The Today Show, along with `` Tennessee Whiskey '' and `` Second One to Know ''. Charts Chart ( 2017 ) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100 93 US Country Airplay ( Billboard ) 33 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) 13 References ^ Jump up to : `` Country > Future Releases ''. All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Hear Chris Stapleton 's Redemptive ' Broken Halos ' Off Upcoming New Album ''. Rolling Stone. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017. Jump up ^ Whitaker, Sterling ( July 5, 2017 ). `` Chris Stapleton, ' Broken Halos ' ( Listen ) ''. Taste of Country. Retrieved July 20, 2017. Jump up ^ Lewis, Randy ( April 13, 2017 ). `` Chris Stapleton premieres ' Broken Halos, ' first track from ' From a Room : Volume 1 ' ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 15, 2017. Jump up ^ Powers, Ann ( April 14, 2017 ). `` Hear Chris Stapleton 's First Single From His Forthcoming Album ''. NPR. Retrieved April 25, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Crawford, Robert ( May 4, 2017 ). `` Chris Stapleton 's ' From A Room : Volume 1 ' : Track - by - Track Guide ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 5, 2017. Jump up ^ Parton, Chris ( December 14, 2016 ). `` Hear Chris Stapleton Perform Powerful New Song ' Broken Halos ' ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 26, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Kendrick Lamar, Chris Stapleton, PWR BTTM & More Are Spotify Editors ' Picks for April 14 ''. Billboard. April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Chris Stapleton Releases Powerful New Song, ' Broken Halos ' ''. Taste of Country. April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017. Jump up ^ Salmon, Ben ( May 4, 2017 ). `` Chris Stapleton : From A Room, Vol. 1 Review ''. Paste. Retrieved May 5, 2017. Jump up ^ Bjorke, Matt ( July 25, 2017 ). `` Top 30 Digital Country Singles Sales Chart : July 24, 2017 ''. Roughstock. Jump up ^ `` Chris Stapleton Ships ' Broken Halos ' to Radio, Opens for Tom Petty ''. Rolling Stone. July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017. Jump up ^ Crawford, Robert ( July 18, 2017 ). `` See Chris Stapleton 's Mesmerizing ' Today Show ' Performances ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Chris Stapleton -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot 100 for Chris Stapleton. Jump up ^ `` Chris Stapleton -- Chart history '' Billboard Country Airplay for Chris Stapleton. Retrieved September 26, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Chris Stapleton -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot Country Songs for Chris Stapleton. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics `` Broken Halos '' ( Audio ) on YouTube Chris Stapleton Awards and nominations Discography Studio albums and songs Traveller `` Traveller '' `` Fire Away '' `` Tennessee Whiskey '' `` Parachute '' `` Nobody to Blame '' From A Room : Volume 1 `` Broken Halos '' `` Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning '' `` Either Way '' Related articles The SteelDrivers The Jompson Brothers Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Broken_Halos&oldid=802475360 '' Categories : 2017 songs 2017 singles Chris Stapleton songs Mercury Nashville singles Songs written by Chris Stapleton Song recordings produced by Dave Cobb American folk rock songs Country rock songs Southern gospel songs Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardcountryairplay Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 26 September 2017, at 11 : 22. About Wikipedia

Question: what is the meaning behind the song broken halos
Answer: Stapleton "meditates on the wounds people suffer and the road toward healing that they travel,"