Country star Scotty McCreery will release his sophomore album, "See You Tonight," on Oct. 15. The album marks a "big step" forward for the former "American Idol" winner, who co-wrote five of the 13 new songs.

"I have been writing for a long time now, since I was a kid, but these are the first songs Ive had a chance to record and release to the public and Im excited," he said in the album announcement.

"See You Tonight" was produced by Frank Rogers and follows up 2011s platinum-selling "Clear as Day," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in October 2011. He also released a Christmas collection a year later.

McCreery promises the new album strikes a balance between new and classic country.

"I grew up loving old-school country, and youll hear those things come out on this record," he continues. "You will hear the contemporary country, but you will always hear the steel guitar and fiddle and those little nuances that make the older country what it was. I definitely am trying to stay true to my tastes as an artist on this album."