As the first notes of "Forever" ripple out, a gentle acoustic guitar sets the scene. Noah Kahan and his sweetheart embark on a drive under a rainy sky, the soft patter echoing a melancholic rhythm. It's a journey not just through physical space, but also through memory, as the raindrops trigger a cascade of nostalgia. He's transported back to younger days when he was hungry for any connection that could offer warmth and belonging. School parking lot kisses fade in and out, tinged with the joy of first love and the ache of what could have been. The chorus bursts like a beacon of hope amidst the darkness. "I won't be alone for the rest of my life," Kahan declares, his voice both vulnerable and resolute. Honesty peeks through the lyrics: "I'm broke," a confession of present reality balanced by the defiant "real rich in my head." Then, a sudden "Woo!" explodes, and the song kicks into gear. The rhythm echoes the rumble of your beat-up truck, carrying you forward. More memories surface in the second verse, immersing us in the nostalgia of carefree youth, even the cops holding back on a ticket or two. As the journey winds down, the focus shifts from reminiscing to something grander. "Forever" isn't just a destination, Kahan muses, but an ongoing exploration of connection. Knowing someone's soul takes time, a journey just as vast and mysterious as the highway stretching before you.

"Forever" is the sole original solo track on Noah Kahan's Stick Season (Forever), the final installment of his globally successful third album. Also included are eight collaborative songs, six of which he'd previously released.

Kahan wrote "Forever" with his regular collaborator, Gabe Simon, but didn't plan it as the grand finale of the "Stick Season" journey. "I thought it might just be a nice standalone single, but as I listened to the story, I realized I was writing about perspective," Kahan said. "The idea that a place can remain the exact same physically but becomes totally different as our lives and our experiences change. The word 'forever' used to terrify me. I hate finality, there is too much uncertainty and boredom affiliated with 'the rest of time.' Now though, I've found forever to mean there is limitless possibility. There is so much joy in the world, waiting to be found."