On Friday, Jan. 9, country music artist Zach Bryan released his sixth studio album titled ‘With Heaven On Top’, his first album drop since July 2024. Filled with 25 songs, Bryan’s newest release provides listeners with great songwriting and instrumentals that fill the play time of all tracks, and is his second largest album following his 34 song ‘American Heartbreak’ album in 2022.
Bryan majorly scaled back his tour schedule in 2025 after his 2024 ‘Quittin’ Time’ tour, only performing in a handful of US stadiums and overseas venues. Throughout his break from touring, Bryan traveled in Europe and married his fiancé, all of which is documented in this album.
The album begins with a spoken poem titled “Down, Down, Stream”, a common sight in Bryan’s past albums, where his songwriting skills are showcased to the max. In a current music world where authenticity is in question, Bryan once again took matters into his own hands, writing and producing all 25 tracks on the project.
Along with his storytelling skills, Bryan’s decision to include a full band on certain songs in the album makes listeners feel as if they are front row in a concert setting, seeing Bryan perform with his lively band. On songs such as “Appetite” and “Santa Fe”, the use of the band allows for a booming sound filled with a variety of instruments.
Multiple songs released in ‘With Heaven On Top’ were consistently teased by Bryan leading up to the drop of the album including ‘Dry Desserts’ and ‘Plastic Cigarettes’, as both of which were performed at his Metlife Stadium shows in July. The song ‘Bad News’ was also previewed by Bryan on his social media channels, which caused controversy due to lyrics such as “and ICE is gonna come bust down your door.”
A Navy veteran, Bryan spoke out after the controversy over these lyrics, citing he is attacking both sides of the aisle, and fans were able to understand the full context of the lyrics after the song was released. A common theme in this album, Bryan reflects on the constantly changing world around us, and specifically in this song how we are currently divided as a country.
Overall, ‘With Heaven On Top’ highlights Bryan in a new light, as a matured man who sings about his past shortcomings, and how he has evolved living his life. From dealing with alcohol use to depression to breakups, Bryan shows his evolution from a young guitar playing kid from Oklahoma to a seasoned tourman who has performed all over the world.
Bryan additionally released an acoustic version of the album on Monday, Jan. 12, allowing fans to hear their new favorite songs in a stripped down and raw manner.
