Zach Top Drops a Massive 80's Legacy Country Album 'Ain't in It for My Health'

Zach Top has experienced a remarkable year of achievements, including receiving an ACM Award for new male artist of the year.

His debut album Cold Beer & Country Music made history as the first inaugural release to receive an ACM album of the year nomination since 2016, while I Never Lie marked his first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ain’t in It for My Health continues Top’s exploration of neo-traditional country influences, drawing inspiration from artists like Alan Jackson and Keith Whitley while maintaining his distinctive style.

“You always hear about the sophomore slump,” Top tells Billboard. “But I just keep making music that feels like me. When people connected with the first record, it was a sigh of relief — I realized I could keep doing what I love.”

The 15-track collection includes ten songs penned prior to his debut’s release, with five additional compositions from this year. Good Times and Tan Lines, the lead single, has climbed into Country Airplay’s top 20, with the ballad South of Sanity following.

Top’s guitar prowess and bluegrass roots are prominently featured across diverse tracks — from upbeat numbers like Honky Tonk 'Til It Hurts to introspective pieces such as I Know a Place and lighthearted entries like Flip-Flop. The album’s title derives from the opening song Guitar, which serves as an artistic manifesto: “Ain’t in it for the money… Ain’t in it for the fame.”

Top’s trajectory has been swift and impressive. He’s shared stages with Alan Jackson, participated in Dierks Bentley’s Broken Branches Tour, and expanded his own Cold Beer & Country Music Tour to arena venues, including two consecutive Red Rocks performances.

His aesthetic — characterized by his signature black hat, denim attire, and casual cigarette — evokes country music’s classic period, complemented by his relaxed performance style and instrumental abilities.

Top honed his skills performing bluegrass with his family band Top String before relocating to Nashville in 2021. Following a self-released bluegrass project in 2022, he partnered with Leo33, achieving country radio success with tracks like Sounds Like The Radio and I Never Lie. This year also saw the release of Me & Billy, a bluegrass collaboration with Billy Strings.

Though Top maintains privacy regarding his personal affairs, he takes a measured view of public attention.

“Seeing what people are having to say, most of it’s a lot of praise and a lot of good things, and then some nasty things too,” he says. “And none of it means that much — because at the end of the day, none of those people really know you. They know the portion of me that I choose to share with them, which is my professional life and my career."

With a busy tour schedule and new songs already in the works, Top isn’t slowing down. “I don’t take it for granted,” he says. “It’s going about as well as I could’ve hoped.”