Rascal Flatts likes the sound of hit song

June 23, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

There are some things in life that never get old.

For regular folks, the list includes opening a gift, licking an ice cream cone or laughing at a funny joke.

When you’re a platinum-selling band like Rascal Flatts, there’s a timeless sense of excitement associated with watching a song go to No. 1 on the country charts.

That’s exactly what happened recently to the best-selling country vocal group of the past decade with its latest single “I Like the Sound of That,” which appears on Rascal Flatts’ 2014 album “Rewind.”

Granted, this is the 16th chart topper for the Nashville act with Columbus ties, but still something felt different.

“Yeah, that was awesome, man,” said singer Gary LeVox, calling from Charlotte, N.C. “That one really felt good. After you’ve been in the game for this long of a time, it’s great to remain viable and current. You can kind of feel those things. When the song first comes out and you start doing it live, you feel the momentum building.

“Sometimes it doesn’t show that on the charts when you’re doing it live, but this one went all the way through. It’s a great feeling to have a No. 1.”

Something else unique about “I Like the Sound of That” is the tune was penned by Jesse Frasure with pop star Meghan Trainor (“All About That Bass”) and Shay Mooney of country duo Dan + Shay. The first time Rascal Flatts heard the tune they knew it was special.

Specifically, LeVox said the band often finds itself in a rut going through song pitches from Music Row songwriters. They all want to write the next “Fast Cars and Freedom,” “My Wish,” “Broken Road” or “Banjo” without tapping into a new sound or style.

“When we heard ‘I Like the Sound of That,’ it was really fresh, really new,” LeVox said. “Dan actually sings the demo so we could kind of hear what he was doing and where he was going with it.

“And Meghan, that’s her first cut ever as a songwriter. She had just moved to town. When we met her, she was bawling her eyes out listening to it the first time.”

The notion of feeling validated comes in different ways for different people. LeVox relates to the magic of the moment being overwhelming like it was for Trainor.

The singer said for him that instance took place more than a decade ago when he returned to Central Ohio for a Rascal Flatts show at the old Polaris Amphitheater, which was located near his boyhood home.

“I’ll never forget the first time we played Polaris, I came into town early and was laying on my mom’s couch,” LeVox said. “I heard someone doing soundcheck. I heard ‘Check, check, Gary’s mic. Gary’s mic.’ It was like a dream come true.”

Apparently a lot of dreams keep coming true for LeVox and his Rascal Flatts’ bandmates Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney. Since the turn of the century, the trio has sold more than 23 million albums. Currently the outfit is on the road, which includes a Saturday date at Blossom Music Center. This marks the band’s sixth straight year at the Northeast venue.

Looking ahead, LeVox said a holiday album is due out later this year with a new studio release to follow. The band has already started working on new material.

“The thing about country music now is that there’s no seatbelt and nothing in a box anymore,” LeVox said. “Musically and stylistically, you kind of do whatever you want. We have people rapping in country music now. So it’s freeing, I guess.”

Does that mean Rascal Flatts will be adding hip-hop into its mix?

“No, we’re safe from that,” laughed LeVox. “We probably won’t be having any of that going on.”