King of Country George Strait just released his new album, 'Love Is Everything,' with the same goal in mind that he's always had -- to top himself.

"Every time I go into the studio, I wanna make the best album I've ever done in my life," Strait says. "So you're always looking for those songs to make that happen."

"I’ve been doing this a long time and 40 is a lot of records!" he adds. "It's always fun putting together songs for a new record. It can also be difficult at times. This one was both for sure, but worth every minute. I think it's my best release in a while. I hope people enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it.”

The icon worked on the new album with many of the same collaborators he's used in the past, including three songs he co-wrote with his son, Bubba Strait, and Dean Dillon, one of Nashville's leading songwriters. "The only difference now is that I'm writing more than I used to," Strait observes. "I don't want an album to go by now that I don't have at least one song on it that I've written, and hopefully more than that."

The lead single from Strait's 40th studio album is 'Give It All We Got Tonight,' which is currently in the Top 10 and poised to be his 60th No. 1 hit. Fans can show their support via Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #60for60.

Strait is currently embarked on his farewell tour, appropriately dubbed the Cowboy Rides Away Tour. The final run has drawn record attendance, selling out all of its 20 dates so far in 2013. It is slated to continue through 2014 before Strait officially calls it a day on his touring career.

"It's been one of the most fun tours that I've ever done, I have to say," he reveals. "It's a little bittersweet knowing that some of these places I'll never go back to and play again, and I've been doing them for over 30 years. But I'm taking it all in, I'm soaking it up, man. And the crowd, they're giving it to me. They've been great."

Love Is Everything' is on shelves today, May 14. Strait's final date of his 2013 tour schedule will take place in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas on June 1.

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