He walked onto the Nissan Stadium stage during CMA Fest 2025 and basically changed the temperature of the room. Zach Top isn't just a singer. He’s a time machine. When he struck the first chord of Good Times and Tan Lines, the crowd didn't just cheer; they exhaled. It felt like 1994 again.
Honestly, the "90s country revival" has been talked to death. Every new artist with a cowboy hat claims they’re bringing "real" country back. But Zach Top is different. He actually grew up on a farm in Sunnyside, Washington, listening to Marty Robbins cassettes while feeding livestock. He isn't playing a character.
The Song That Split the Room
Good Times and Tan Lines dropped on June 9, 2025, as the lead single for his sophomore effort, Ain’t in It for My Health. It’s a breezy, uptempo track. Twangy guitars. A rhythmic "following a Chevy down a gravel road" vibe.
Some critics hated it.
Trigger over at Saving Country Music didn’t hold back, calling it a "shallow, formulaic summer song." He even joked about wanting Zach to meet a grizzly end for releasing something so "bro-country" in its lyrical content. It’s a fair point. If you strip away the steel guitar, the lyrics—cold beer, tan lines, lake days—are exactly what people complained about during the Luke Bryan era.
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But here is the thing: the production makes it work.
Produced by Carson Chamberlain, the song sounds expensive yet organic. It’s got that Alan Jackson "Chattahoochee" swing. It isn't trying to be deep. Zach himself called it a "goofy little fun summertime song" during a VIP soundcheck in Mississippi. Sometimes, you just want to hear a guy who can actually sing talk about skinny dipping when the moon comes out.
Why Everyone Is Comparing Him to Alan Jackson
The resemblance is spooky. It isn't just the mustache or the hat. It’s the phrasing. Zach has this way of sliding into notes that feels effortless.
- The Riff: The opening guitar lick in Good Times and Tan Lines is a direct nod to the neon-traditionalist era.
- The Video: Directed by Citizen Kane Wayne, the music video features Zach wake-surfing, hanging with his dog Otis, and his girlfriend Amelia Taylor. It’s pure, unadulterated summer nostalgia.
- The Voice: Unlike many modern artists who use pitch correction to sound "perfect," Zach’s voice has grit. It’s bluegrass-trained. He was fronting a family band called Topstring at age seven. You can't fake that kind of seasoning.
Chart Success vs. Critical Snobbery
Despite the "shallow" labels, the numbers don't lie. The song peaked at #12 on the US Country Airplay chart and even touched the Billboard Hot 100 at #75. For a guy signed to an independent label like Leo33, that’s massive.
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His debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music, was already a slow-burn hit, eventually reaching #4 on the Top Country Albums chart in early 2025. By the time Good Times and Tan Lines arrived, the momentum was unstoppable. He was setting attendance records at Rodeo Houston, outdrawing legends like Reba McEntire on a Tuesday night. 70,865 people showed up. That is insane for a "new" artist.
What Most People Get Wrong About Zach
People think he’s a gimmick. They see the throwback aesthetic and assume it’s a marketing ploy by Nashville.
It’s actually the opposite. Nashville didn't want this sound for twenty years. Zach Top (and his co-writers like Wyatt McCubbin) forced them to listen because the fans were starving. There is a whole generation of kids who grew up on their parents' 90s playlists and realized the "Snap Track" country on the radio felt hollow.
Does Good Times and Tan Lines have the emotional weight of a song like "Use Me" or "I Never Lie"? No. It’s a beach song. But in an era where country music often feels like it's trying too hard to be pop or too hard to be "outlaw," Zach Top just sounds like he’s having a blast.
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How to Actually Experience This Sound
If you're just getting into Zach Top because of the summer hits, you're missing the full picture. You need to hear the live versions. He’s spent 2025 on the road with Dierks Bentley and playing sold-out headline dates at places like Red Rocks.
- Listen to the Bluegrass Roots: Go find his old stuff with the band North Country. It explains why his guitar playing is so much better than his peers.
- Watch the CMA Fest Performance: The energy when he surprise-released the single at Nissan Stadium is the exact moment he became a superstar.
- Check the Credits: Notice Carson Chamberlain’s name. He was Keith Whitley’s bandleader. That's the secret sauce.
The reality is that country music needs "fun" songs as much as it needs heartbreak ballads. Good Times and Tan Lines might be simple, but it’s executed with a level of craftsmanship that’s been missing from the mainstream for a long time. It’s okay to just like a song because it makes you want to turn the FM up and pass a cooler around.
To get the most out of this new era of neotraditional country, start by comparing the studio version of Good Times and Tan Lines to a live acoustic recording. You'll notice he doesn't rely on the production to carry the tune; the "90s feel" is baked into his DNA, not just the mixing board. Keep an eye on his touring schedule for the late 2025 leg, as these smaller theater shows are where the nuances of his vocals really shine through.