Zach Top Takes Home His First-Ever GRAMMY Award: ‘This Is Insane’
“I’m so thankful,” he shared from the stage.
Zach Top accepts the Best Traditional Country Album award for “Ain’t In It For My Health” during the 68th GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony at Peacock Theater on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California; Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
The GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Country Album was presented to Zach Top for Ain’t In It For My Health at the 2026 GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony, held ahead of the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
Top was on hand to accept the honor and rushed up to the stage to accept his first-ever GRAMMY Award.
“I almost didn’t make it up here in time. I’m winded. I was sitting all the way back up there,” he began.
The Washington state native admitted this moment was a dream come true, having watched the GRAMMYs since he was a boy.
“This is insane. I feel like I watched the Grammys as a little kid and [they] looked like superheroes up on tv. So to be here and be a little part of the whole thing is insane,” he shared. “I want to thank my Lord and Savior and my family. Carson Chamberlain, my manager, Mike Doyle’s here with me. My girlfriend, Amelia [Taylor]; my label [Leo33]; everybody on my team; my road band. This is absolutely insane. I’m so thankful. Thanks for letting me be here. This is amazing. Have a great night.”
Top arrived to the red carpet earlier in the day alongside his girlfriend, Amelia Taylor.
Also nominated in the category were Dollar A Day by Charley Crockett, American Romance by Lukas Nelson, Oh What a Beautiful World by Willie Nelson, and Hard Headed Woman by Margo Price.
Ain’t In It For My Health is Top’s sophomore album and was released via Leo33 on August 29, 2025. The project raked in a whopping 30 million global streams in its first week. The album’s lead single is the feel-good “Good Times & Tan Lines” and also features his latest country radio single, “South of Sanity.” The 15-track collection received overwhelming praise from fans and critics alike. Ain’t In It For My Health was produced by Carson Chamberlain.
The GRAMMYs will feature performances by Addison Rae, Alex Warren, Andrew Watt, Brandy Clark, Chad Smith, Clipse, Duff McKagan, Justin Bieber, KATSEYE, Lady Gaga, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Lukas Nelson, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Olivia Dean, Pharrell Williams, Post Malone, Reba McEntire, Sabrina Carpenter, Slash, SOMBR, The Marías, and more.
Additionally, those confirmed to present during the star-studded ceremony include Carole King, Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, Doechii, Harry Styles, Jeff Goldblum, KAROL G, Lainey Wilson, Marcello Hernández, Nikki Glaser, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah, and Teyana Taylor. Plus, an additional surprise presenter will be revealed during the show.
According to the Recording Academy, the GRAMMY Awards stand alone as the only music honors voted on by peers, with winners selected by the Recording Academy’s voting members. This group is made up of music creators spanning every genre and discipline, from recording artists and songwriters to producers, mixers, and engineers.
Broadcast live from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, “Music’s Biggest Night” will be hosted by Trevor Noah and air Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on the CBS Television Network, with live and on-demand streaming available on Paramount+*.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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