The Showdown: Dan + Shay vs. Tara Thompson

Congratulations are in order for Kalie Shorr, who was won her way into the Showdown Hall of Fame with her new single, "Fight Like a Girl." We're starting fresh with a new contest between Dan + Shay and country newcomer Tara Thompson.

Dan + Shay's new single is "From the Ground Up," and it's a sweet, sweet ballad that's heavy on both the sentiment and the instrumental arrangements, in a way that's reminiscent of early Rascal Flatts. It's the kind of sentimental love song that could easily become a wedding standard as the years go by, and the rising duo already have a strong base of support, so it could be a real Showdown contender.

Thompson's debut single, "Someone To Take Your Place," is almost the direct antithesis, both musically and lyrically. The country singer comes out of the gate like a spitfire with the teasing, attitude-laden single, which throws equal parts sass and innuendo for a very refreshing change from what other women have been doing at country radio recently. Will fans grab onto the spunky country newcomer?

Listen to clips of both Dan + Shay and Thompson’s songs and vote for your favorite here. You can vote once every hour until this Showdown ends on Friday at 8AM ET, so come back and vote often to be sure your artist wins. The winner of this matchup will face a new challenger on Friday.

Listen to Dan + Shay, “From the Ground Up”

Listen to Tara Thompson, “Someone To Take Your Place”

Showdown Rules: The song with the most votes wins, and the winner goes on to face a new challenger in the next Showdown. Vote as much as once per hour online. If a song wins five Showdowns in a row, it will be retired into the Taste of Country Showdown Hall of Fame to allow for new songs to compete. Some songs will be considered for a second Showdown if voter turnout is healthy in a losing effort.