Zach Top Says Fans Want One Simple Thing From Country Music

The last year has been a great time to be Zach Top. After releasing his debut album, “Cold Beer & Country Music,” in April 2024, Top has steadily amassed a loyal fan base. In early 2025, Alan Jackson tapped him to open for some of his farewell tour, and in April, the year came full circle with an ACM New Male Artist of the Year award.

Naturally, the country music star’s success has led people to be interested in how he’s come so far, so fast. Recently, the singer sat down with Taste of Country to explain what he sees as the key to his growing fame: a more traditional country sound without all the bells and whistles.

The Singer Says the Key to His Success is Focusing on the Basics

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For Top, country music doesn’t need any extra frills. As he explained in his Taste of Country interview, he’s willing to bet that his fans agree: “I think that people are starving for stuff that’s real, that isn’t filtered and prettied up.” Top’s musical style is definitely a departure from some other recently emerged artists, who have embraced a decidedly more modern sound with a higher production level.

However, it’s no accident that Top reminds many fans of 90s country. As he told CMT in 2024, mega-star George Strait was a major early influence, and he has also listed touring partner Jackson as one of his musical heroes. Listening to those songs growing up undoubtedly helped shape the music he makes today.

Top Thinks There’s a Time and a Place For TikTok

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TikTok has become a common venue for musicians to build a following for their music, but it’s also an easy way to create and distribute overproduced songs. Instead, Top believes in keeping things simple on this platform and sticking to straightforward country music.

In talking to Taste of Country, Top shared that his use of the app is limited to more genuine performances. “The only thing I’ve ever done on TikTok is sit there with my acoustic guitar and play and sing for ’em,” Top said. “And there’s no lip-synching and no hanky-panky with it all.” Based on the current trajectory of his career, Top may be onto something.