Zach Top recently expressed his views on contemporary country music, emphasizing its “perfect” sound while lamenting the loss of its “soul.” In an interview with Rolling Stone, the 28-year-old country artist discussed his latest song titled “Good Girls & Cowgirls,” and reflected on the increasing popularity of bluegrass music. From my perspective, it’s pretty parallel to the reason that my music is as popular as it is right now, he stated. We had a long time, at least in the country world… everything is really perfect and everything’s tuned. Everything’s pocketed just right. I think some of the soul got left behind in that.

Top believes that audiences now seek music that is “a little more raw and real again,” a quality inherent to bluegrass music. This genre requires musicians to perform without any technical enhancements. He noted, You’re not trying to chase perfection. You’re trying to just play good music and put your heart and soul into it. People enjoy that. And that’s what bluegrass has always been to me. He cited Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan as prominent country artists who have successfully embraced this “real and raw” style.

Renowned for his traditional honky-tonk music, Top is considered one of the younger artists contributing to the revival of traditional country music. He released his first EP in 2022, making his debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry the same year. His notable breakthrough came in 2024 with his debut album “Cold Beer & Country Music.” The following year, he achieved further success with his album “Ain’t In It for My Health,” subsequently winning the ACM New Male Artist of the Year and CMA New Artist of the Year in 2025.

Top’s latest songs, “Good Girls & Cowgirls” and “Other Side of Hurtin’” are set for official release on August 21. Although he has yet to confirm a release date for his third album, Top hinted to Rolling Stone that it might be available by April. He described “Good Girls & Cowgirls” as a goofy, fun song exploring the contrast between a “good girl” and the wilder side of women. He anticipates that this song, along with others, will be part of his upcoming record next spring.

Lori A. Bashian contributes as an entertainment news writer at Fox News Digital.