In 2025, it’s undeniable that country music has undergone a complete revival. It’s less common than ever to hear the phrase “I like all genres of music… except country, of course,” an attitude born from the bro-country era that drained the genre of emotion and integrity.
Songs were buried under hollow stereotypes and a radio-ready wall of sound, giving listeners good reason to turn away. With his new album, Zach Top highlights a recent shift, further proving today’s country music is far from stale.
You may know Top from songs like “I Never Lie” or “Sounds Like the Radio,” two standouts from his debut country album, Cold Beer & Country Music. That record quickly positioned him among the genre’s rising A-listers, precisely capturing the late ‘80s and ‘90s sound of icons like Alan Jackson, Keith Whitley, and Tracy Lawrence. On Ain’t In It For My Health, he shows that his familiar sound goes far beyond replication, carrying forward as if the legends had only paused to take a breath before handing the mic to him.
With an extensive background in bluegrass, Top showcases his instrumental skill on the opening track “Guitar,” the song that also provides the album’s title. Throughout, he weaves in rapid-fire runs and intricate licks that highlight his technical chops. However, it feels as if he gets much of that complexity out of his system early, leaving the following songs with more room for melodies and lyrics to shine. Choices like this make the album feel intentional and carefully structured, designed to avoid fatigue over the course of a full listen.
Produced by Carson Chamberlain, known for his work with Billy Currington, Keith Whitley, and other legendary acts, Top’s recordings naturally carry some of the same sonic qualities that defined classic country music across multiple decades. Beyond the production, Top’s resonant voice equally sets the tone, effortlessly floating over tracks like “I Know a Place” with a smooth falsetto that makes you feel as if you’ve already arrived at the secret oceanfront hideaway he describes.
Where much of Cold Beer & Country Music leaned on twang and classic stylings, Ain’t In It For My Health relies on pure, emotionally charged writing. “When You See Me” is about becoming the version of yourself you hope to be after recovering from the harsh end of a relationship. Top’s written desire to become totally unrecognizable to his ex-lover is intense, though he admits it will take time—and whiskey—to become the man in his perfect picture of moving on.
However, songs like “Flip Flop” showcase the lighter side of the spectrum, offering a cleverly written, playful take on being carefree and unattached after a heartbreak at the waterfront. Claiming “I don’t give a flip flop if I never see that beach again,” he demonstrates that country music is far from running out of playful twists.
While Ain’t In It For My Health isn’t overly drenched in twang, leaning more toward smooth, easy-flowing country than boot-stomping flash, it still offers plenty for fans of Top’s honky-tonk side, most notably on “Country Boy Blues,” a track that aims at the ironic shortage of actual country music in Broadway bars in Nashville. If you’ve ever been to the bars he’s calling out, you likely already wondered why you heard so much Flo Rida and so little Merle Haggard. Zach even mentions taking his twenty-dollar donation back from a band’s tip jar after the guitarist didn’t know “Ramblin’ Fever.” While Top isn’t one to flaunt his country credibility, his reaction seems perfectly justified given the surprising scarcity of genuine country acts performing in Nashville’s so-called “honky-tonks.”
The writing found in “Splitsville” serves as a testament to Zach’s unfailing ability to create a genuinely moving song without depending on cowboy and beer references to make it feel authentically “country.” Yes, it’s written around a bar, but the setting is used to convey the emotional weight of heartbreak, portraying the bar as a place where hearts end up after rolling “straight downhill.” “Between The Ditches” is another standout track, using a long drive as a metaphor for life, sometimes swerving left or “a little too far right,” while ultimately trying to stay on the road, a relatable struggle for many.
With a track list full of songs that feel thought out and complete, it’s hard to find any honest criticism. In many cases, after an artist finds a sound that works, they will spend so much time and effort trying to fill the box created by their previous music. Still, this project feels like a fresh injection, offering enough new ideas and evolution to his sound to keep fans engaged without exhausting them, leaving listeners eager for what comes next. In the future, it would be interesting to hear Zach Top tackle a song with rich storytelling in the vein of a “Whiskey Lullaby” or “Three Wooden Crosses.” Even if he never releases anything like that, it wouldn’t be a dealbreaker, but done right, it could become just as memorable as those classics.
With a sheer timeless quality, Ain’t In It For My Health shows Zach Top as more than just a neo-traditional revivalist. The album honors the roots of country music while adding fresh perspectives, blending heartfelt storytelling, clever wit, and masterful musicianship into a project that feels both familiar and entirely alive. There are still numerous other artists out there chasing the same sound, but this feels like the greatest modern attempt. Evolving without losing the signature sound that first made him stand out, Top continues to build on a solid foundation, leaving fans new and old with high hopes and plenty to enjoy for years to come.
