Aaron Lines' debut album, Love Changes Everything, was released in Canada in 2001 by independent record label Combustion Music. The first two singles, "Love Changes Everything" and "I Can Read Your Heart," both found success on Canadian country radio. Lines was nominated for Best New Country Artist/Group at the 2002 Juno Awards, and Best New Artist at the 2002 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards.

As Lines' career was taking off in Canada, he set his sights on an American record deal. He performed a showcase for RCA Records in May 2001. The next day, the label phoned to offer Lines a record deal. He immediately began work on his second album, Living Out Loud, released on January 7, 2003. The album debuted at #9 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, while the first single, "You Can't Hide Beautiful," reached #4 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The album was a success in Canada as well, and at the 2003 CCMA Awards, Lines received 6 nominations, including t