Zach Bryan has become one of the most popular country singers of our time after releasing his new self-titled album on August 25th. This is his fourth studio album so far. He has reached a total of 1 billion global streams and broke the 2022 record for the most streamed country album in a single day on his debut album, “American Heartbreak,” according to Music Row.
His newest album, “Zach Bryan,” has reached a total of 233 million streams and opens at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. Several of his songs on the album have received lots of attention from fans after hearing them from social media, specifically TikTok. His new album is filled with heartfelt songs, including meaningful lyrics, along with collaborations featuring Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers and The War and Treaty.
Although each song on this album is different, there is at least one thing to love about them individually. Here are some of his most stunning songs.
The opening track, called “Overtime,” is about Bryan’s exposure to many challenges and hardships growing up, such as losing a family member to a disease. It’s about his determination to succeed while struggling to live up to people’s expectations. Many people can relate to the lyrics and enjoy the message because of that. Zach Bryan is known for writing songs with beautiful lyrics because he tells a story through simple metaphors to reveal a deeper meaning.
The most popular song on the album that reached the most attention is, “I Remember Everything” feat. Kacey Musgraves. There are so many things about it that make it unique. The way Bryan’s and Musgraves’ voices harmonize together brings the song to life, as it’s about ex-partners who are looking back at the relationship they once had. They look back at what went wrong and how they are feeling now: empty, but at peace. When Bryan and Musgraves sing the line “Pictures and passin’ time you only smile like that when you’re drinking, I wish I didn’t, but I do, remember every moment on the nights with you,” Bryan is portraying that couple and showing that they still remember what happened in that relationship, no matter their final result. This song had a slower melody, creating a melancholy tone that people can listen to when they need a good cry.
Number seven on the track list is Bryan’s song, “Ticking.” It has some of the most beautiful lyrics with the soft harmony of guitar strings and the violin. This song is about a trip for a sense of belonging and finding yourself. Bryan sings, “Philly by the morning and Ohio by the night” and “Wheels running down the interstate,” creating a metaphor of traveling on the highway to reveal that he is on a journey to find something new, after cutting ties with something else. This song feels extremely relatable because it reminds listeners of finding new friends after drifting from the ones they cared about the most. The repetitive chorus of “Ticking” is extremely emotional in a sense for the listener to relate to in a more personal way.
If I had to give an ultimate ranking of this album, I would give it a solid 9/10. The only thing that I would have liked to see more from Bryan would be to make the songs a bit more diverse, such as making a song with a quicker beat and a happier tone. However, I would definitely recommend this album for people who want to listen to some sad music that they can listen to on a personal level.
Zach Bryan’s new self-titled album is one of my favorites because the lyrics written within are beautiful if you really listen to the message he is trying to convey. Bryan’s use of metaphors and comparisons is what makes his lyrics stand out from those of other popular country singers today. His genre of music isn’t the stereotypical country that people often think of, such as trucks, hunting or the summer. His music is more folk, with strong messages people can relate to. Give this album a listen to experience all of Bryan’s emotions through music.
