‘So Much Better’ marks final single before Dean Johnson’s Saddle Creek debut album
Dean Johnson returns with the final single from his upcoming Saddle Creek debut, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, arriving this Friday, August 22, 2025. The track, ‘So Much Better,’ offers a tender yet bittersweet look at heartbreak and memory, framed through Johnson’s mix of wit and vulnerability.
Built on brushed drums and swelling piano chords, ‘So Much Better’ imagines a world where heartbreak can be erased completely, leaving its narrator to move through life without recognition of their former love. With its trembling tenor delivery and understated arrangement, the song captures both the humor and heaviness that defines Johnson’s writing and serves as a poignant glimpse into the full record.
On the single, Johnson shares:
“‘So Much Better’ is a song for those who’ve had it cross their mind to get electroshock therapy in hopes of utterly and completely wiping a heartbreaker out of their memory banks.
“So, as they take a stroll through town, they can no longer recognize the face of the one who broke things off. The little dog still runs out to greet them as they walk by the old beach house. The narrator watches people dive off the rocks jutting out into the sea making swimming look so easy. Did he ever learn to swim?”
‘So Much Better’ is out now. I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, follows on August 22, 2025.
Connect with Dean Johnson:
We’re an independent, ad-free music publication, and we rely on the support of readers like you to keep things running. If you enjoy what we do, consider buying us a beer—every contribution helps us stay focused on bringing you quality music news without the clutter.
Stay up to date with The Daily Music Report’s latest music news & releases. Check out the most exciting and important music news here.