Zach Bryan - Zach Bryan (August 25th, 2023) Album • Page 7

I just threw on “The A Team”. I get what Zach is saying. Zach is a better songwriter singing about things in a way that is more appealing to me. But they both write heartfelt songs with pretty modest production (at least early Sheeran).

 

The only ES song that doesn’t make me change the FM frequency is the Irish one, with the fiddle. I know it’s a corny song, but that fiddle goes.

 

Just kept the Sheeran record on. “U.N.I” is terrrrrrrible.

 

I’d also recommend Adeem the Artist to anyone that’s into the country adjacent scene.

 

The fiddle does go hard

 

I actually think Zach has way more in common with Dashboard, oddly.

 

For sure. “Bend and Not Break” has those big waves of what I call: strums and drums. Totally a sound Zach Bryan has utilized, one that really suits him.

 

If Zach goes #1 wouldn't he share that aspect with Ed Sheeran?

 

If you listen to his live album, he even gets those Dashboard-style sing-alongs.

 

For sure. The live album is a monster and honestly my go to album of his.

I’m also pretty sure “Jake’s Piano - Long Island” might be his best ever song. Stunner.

very excited to see him next year assuming I get tickets for Chicago and hear these new songs live. I imagine “Hey Driver” is going to be a beast live (just like Sodomsky pointed out).

 

Pitchfork: ''Listening to Bryan’s songs, it’s clear why he’s thriving on country radio.''
Reality: Zach Bryan is not thriving on country radio. He only has one modest hit there (Something in the Orange barely scraped the Top 20 despite being a streaming phenomenon).

 

Also highly recommend checking Tyler Childer’s tiny desk out. Especially the last song lady may.

 

I’m pretty sure “Something in the Orange” went #1 on country radio and “I Remember Everything” is poised to top some other charts (not sure which ones), but your point remains. His following is disproportionately large compared to his success on country radio, which says more about how piss poor country radio is and what they’re trying to achieve. They’ll throw their weight behind reactionary trash like Aldean and yet an upstart like Zach Bryan who has proven to be more outspoken in regards to the antiquated bullshit Nashville Country panders to gets seemingly far less support from the powers that be, which is sadly expected.

Zach Bryan doesn’t care though and I don’t think anyone else that enjoys his music does either.

 

Going to be wild if he sells out that tour next year. Can't recall the last time I saw anyone doing back-to-back nights at our local arena here. I had no idea he's not been successful on country radio, but then again, I despise country radio is for all the reasons you mentioned above. It left such a bad taste in my mouth from having Toby Keith and similar garbage bro country shoved into my ears as a teenager, I abandoned the genre completely and didn't start listening to country again until 2017 or so. Even now, my exposure is fairly limited. Artists like Tyler Childers, Zach, Kacey, Chris Stapleton, and others have renewed my faith in the genre.

 

Try some Joshua Ray Walker. Glad You Made It is a good record.

 

I used to be someone who disregarded country because of the type of country that gets played on the radio. Lots of great recommendations from Chorus have changed my opinion, so here are some of my favorite albums that I'd recommend for those who aren't typically into country:

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Weathervanes (really any of his albums)
Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Tyler Childers - Purgatory
Chris Stapleton - Traveller
Eric Church - Mr. Misunderstood
Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour

 

I also like pop country if it’s good (or if I think it’s good)

 

It went #1 on Hot Country Songs, but that's thanks to strong sales and streams. On standalone radio chart, it only reached #20.

 

I mean hip-hop is another genre where people are going to say they don't like the mainstream stuff but enjoy artists just below that level.

 

This album is a goddamn masterpiece.

 

Rock fan here. Recent Country convert. LOVE the bands I love in this genre (finding new ones daily) and in general hate country RADIO or BRO country bands.

i think the Zach, Turnpike, Childers, Isbell, Whiskey Myers, Stapleton (and 100 others) fit a whole different category honestly. More rock/americana/folk/country. Needs a new name. Calling them “country” like Luke Combs or whoever is reductive and almost inaccurate

 

See, I don’t like this reasoning. I’m glad you’re finding your way to this music! But you’re trying to justify liking these artists by separating them from a genre tradition to which they absolutely belong. You don’t need to do that! It’s ok to just like them as country artists!

 

“Americana” is a term that’s being misused by people feverishly denying that they like country

 

Exactly! Country is like any other genre. There’s good, there’s bad. There’s some other outside forces that may have a hand in stagnating certain segments of country music, in turn pushing it in reactionary directions. But that is surely not representative of all country music. Country music is great! Except when it’s not. Insert any genre ever.

“What kind of music do you like?”

“Great music”

that’s really the best answer.

 

This song is relevant to the conversation.