Rising Country Star Zach Top Just Said Modern Country Has Lost Its “Soul” — and Fans Are Paying Attention

Zach Top is pushing back against the polished sound of much of today’s country music, arguing it has sacrificed authenticity.

In a Rolling Stone interview, the 28-year-old singer said a long period of production made everything “really perfect and everything’s tuned. Everything’s pocketed just right. I think some of the soul got left behind in that.”

He believes listeners are now searching for music that is “a little more raw and real again.” Bluegrass, the genre he started in, offers exactly that because “there’s nothing covering you up.” Performing it requires genuine skill: “You better be a bada– on your instrument and a bada– singer.”

Top cited artists like Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan as examples of stars succeeding with a rawer approach. “You’re not trying to chase perfection,” he said. “You’re trying to just play good music and put your heart and soul into it. People enjoy that.”

Known for traditional honky-tonk, Top has been part of a broader resurgence of classic country sounds. He won CMA New Artist of the Year in 2025 and continues releasing new music, including the upcoming “Good Girls & Cowgirls.” His comments reflect a growing audience appetite for less-produced, more heartfelt country and bluegrass.