Zach Top Opens Up About the Pressure Behind Sophomore Album: ‘Gotta Keep the Pedal Down’
“I was nervous before the first one too,” he admits.
Zach Top; Photo by Citizen Kane Wayne
ACM New Male Artist of the Year, Zach Top is keeping the momentum going with the release of his highly anticipated sophomore album, Ain’t In It For My Health, out now via Leo33. The project follows his breakout debut, Cold Beer & Country Music, and arrives on the heels of his first No. 1 song at country radio, “I Never Lie.”
The new 15-track collection includes his feel-good lead single, “Good Times & Tan Lines,” and the fan-favorite “South of Sanity,” showing off Top’s blend of traditional country roots and storytelling.
Speaking with Cody Alan on SiriusXM’s The Highway, Top opened up about the mix of excitement and pressure that comes with releasing a second album after a breakout debut.
“I think there’s always a little bit of a, I was nervous before the first one too, but there’s kind of a, I don’t know, it went so well and it’s been such a crazy last year or two that it feels like, yeah, there’s like, dang, we gotta keep…keep the pedal down and keep it getting better,” he told Alan. “But we had a lot of these songs recorded already before we even put out the first project. And then a handful of them have been more recently written and recorded. But I don’t know, I believe in the songs, so it’s not like a nervousness that I think it’s bad or something. But I do hope that, you know, everybody loves it as much as I do.”
During the conversation, Top revealed that the album’s title came from a line in the opening track, “Guitar,” after a suggestion from his producer, Carson Chamberlain. He explained that the phrase carries a bit of a double meaning.”
“I had a few ideas on the title and then my producer, Carson Chamberlain, ended up, we were talking about it and he was like, ‘Man, let me throw something kind of weird at you. Because it’s not a title off the album,’ but it’s a line in the song, ‘Guitar,’… ‘Ain’t in it for my health,’” Top recalled. “And I just thought it was, I dunno, the line is kind of funny to me on its own, but it’s got kind of like a double meaning where it’s kind of like a, ‘Hey, I’m here to stay. It wasn’t a one hit wonder thing. I’m around for a while whether it’s good for me or not.’ So that’s kind of where we’re at.”
To celebrate the release of the new album, Top will embark on another leg of his Cold Beer & Country Music headlining tour, running through the fall. The extensive trek includes stops at major venues such as Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, two nights at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center, Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center, Charleston’s Credit One Stadium, and Vancouver’s Rogers Arena, among many others.
Before kicking off the headline run, Top will wrap up his summer dates performing as part of Dierks Bentley’s Broken Branches Tour.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
