Alright, This Zach Bryan Parody of Brantley Gilbert Is Pretty Hilarious
You almost hate to broach the subject of the ding dong Super Bowl Halftime Show(s) again because it’s such a culture war dog whistle. But something most all self-respecting country fans should be able to universally agree upon is the terribleness of Brantley Gilbert, and specifically the song “Dirt Road Anthem” that Brantley co-wrote with country rapper Colt Ford, and that became a massive hit for Jason Aldean in 2011.
How big was “Dirt Road Anthem” in 2011? It wasn’t just a #1 hit, it helped define country music in the era. It remains the most downloaded song in country music history by a solo male. It crossed over to pop, and was a Top 10 hit there too (#7). Aldean’s album My Kinda Party won the CMA Album of the Year in large part to the commercial strength of the song, and “Dirt Road Anthem” was even nominated for a Grammy.
All of this commercial success for “Dirt Road Anthem” is very much what seeded country music’s Bro-Country era. It created the avenue for the rise of Florida Georgia Line and others that synthesized country/rap/EDM/pop into the Bro-Country hybrid. In truth, most country fans didn’t like this crap. It was pop and hip-hop fans whose activity was logged on country charts that made it appear country was going hip-hop.
Brantley Gilbert performed the song on TPUSA’s alternative Super Bowl Halftime program, because it’s one of the few if any songs he can be tangentially tied to that a wide audience would in any way be able to recognize. Gilbert did record a version of the song himself as well. If you think the TPUSA lineup was weak, appreciate why they booked Brantley Gilbert as the opener for it. And of course, witnessing “Dirt Road Anthem” live was pretty nauseating.
Zach Bryan, who called the TPUSA presentation “the most cringe sh-t on the planet” recently took to social media to post a parody of “Dirt Road Anthe.” We’ll call “Chili on a Hot Dog,” and it’s pretty damn hilarious.
Brantley Gilbert has since responded in kind, getting his private chef to hit up the local Sonic and supply a couple of chili dogs for a response video. It shows Gilbert can take some criticism in stride, and can show a humerous side himself. The caption is pretty spot on too, with Gilbert saying, “Zach Bryan, you can climb all the fences you want, you’re not getting my chili dog,” making reference to another Zach Bryan country music fracas with Gavin Adcock.
Now this is how a country music “beef” should go down, frankly.
And damn, all of a sudden I’m hankering for a chili dog.
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February 12, 2026 @ 11:57 am
Honestly fun in jest with all sides involved.. except Aldean who couldn’t resist with commenting about how it was best song he’s heard from Zach.
February 12, 2026 @ 12:27 pm
Yeah but that’s a pretty funny quip too, though Jason Aldean definitely comes across like someone who can’t laugh at himself.
February 13, 2026 @ 12:30 pm
I think Jason was waiting on an opportunity to take a little shot at Zach haha. I remember like 2 years ago Zach went on one of his famous drunken twitter rants during the whole “Try That In A Small Town” controversy and took a shot at Jason for not writing most his music
February 15, 2026 @ 9:53 am
Aldean doesn’t need to laugh at himself. Everyone with an IQ over 1 has been laughing at him for 2 decades
February 12, 2026 @ 3:13 pm
Aldean was right. 😂
February 12, 2026 @ 4:26 pm
Jason Aldean is lucky on a good day if he can form coherent sentences. I’m not sure he should be “poking” other artists.
February 12, 2026 @ 11:59 am
Honestly, I’m done trying to figure Zach Bryan out. One minute, he’s pissing me off by being a total asshat, then this week, he’ll return to my good graces with his commentary on ToiletPaper USA’s show and this funny-ass parody.
I’m not the biggest fan of his music. He’s got some good songs, but I’m just gonna enjoy him for what he is and stop trying to figure out what the hell goes through this guy’s mind.
February 12, 2026 @ 12:24 pm
Give Zach Bryan credit for popping off on bad pop country. He’s no Hank3, but now on numerous occasions he’s taken some of the worst stuff to task.
February 12, 2026 @ 2:18 pm
Ive decided ZB is a 20 something that cant take anything in life seriously, reads and reacts to the world around him, and doesnt know what he wants to be when he grows up. He throws out lines about ICE because he either just throws out lines about whats going on, or he cant bring himself to be serious about what he believes in. Suffice it to say his maturity seems to be slower than others (namely someone like Tyler Childers) but I have high hopes for him. His music is good but all over the place. If he ever decides to hunker down his music could become more impactful and lasting in memory.
February 12, 2026 @ 2:32 pm
“Ive decided ZB is a 20 something that cant take anything in life seriously…”
“Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think.”
Sorry about your brain, Mike.
February 12, 2026 @ 2:48 pm
Good chance much of your 1st sentence is true, but it’s not too hard to figure out why. This is a guy who joined the Navy at 17 and there was a good chance he would stay the 20 years. He posts a video on you tube and just a few years later was one of the most popular music artists in the country. A few years later he sells his music for $350MM. Everything was a whirlwind and nothing from his life to date prepared him for any of it. Tyler Childers had to grind to get where he’s at, he always had to have a high degree of focus and maturity.
February 12, 2026 @ 4:12 pm
Oh for sure I understand why… Goes from a midshippman to a millionaire who is dating Brianna chickenbutt in a matter of minutes. Its just affects his music and moment of now
February 12, 2026 @ 6:20 pm
I agree with most of this, but Tyler wasn’t always an angel- he wasn’t a social media guy, but our boy (and savior) was a fucking drunk for a long time. He just didn’t do social media. And to be fair, Zach is of a generation that just grew up with the shit as part of their lives, and as “cringe” as a lot of his public presence has been it’s pretty much to be expected for them. I think a lot of us cage this shit from our own perspective and experience and we are mostly all a fair bit older than him. I don’t love it, but I do love a parody in good spirit, and a parody responded to in good spirit. I feel like those two dudes could have a beer and be alright.
February 14, 2026 @ 8:51 am
I’ve met him a couple times.
He’s just a nice kid, by Navy standards, who got too famous too quickly when he was 24.
Bit of an idiot, but he genuinely means well and there’s not a malicious bone in his body – never heard a bad word about him from serving staff, either.
February 12, 2026 @ 12:03 pm
This recalls the great Lonzo and Oscar plus Homer and Jethro parodies of my boyhood..goofy but dang clever..” She burnt my first page sport section and all .”
February 12, 2026 @ 12:37 pm
1. Bottoms Up is a guilty pleasure, so I hate BG only slightly less than you do
2. the fact that he can take a joke makes him a little more endearing
3. if this escalates into fisticuffs, my money is absolutely on Brantley Gilbert. He would stomp a mudhole in Zach Bryan and walk it dry. Lets hope we never find out tho. I’m not advocating for violence.
February 12, 2026 @ 1:08 pm
Bottoms Up is a weird song. It’s got this sinister foreboding minor chord progression juxtaposed with lyrics are all about cutting loose and partying
February 12, 2026 @ 1:31 pm
that’s a very good observation. Lyrically, it falls squarely into the bro-country mold of its era — pretty standard, surface-level stuff — but the music itself is undeniably effective. There’s something about the groove and that driving, minor key intensity that just hits. It gets me moving and fires me up in a way few songs can, even if I roll my eyes a bit at the lyrics
February 12, 2026 @ 2:54 pm
And that’s why I love it, it’s one of the songs that got me into country/southern rock in the first place in my early teens. Real nostalgic
February 12, 2026 @ 9:58 pm
“Make you wanna slide on in like girl wussssup”
February 14, 2026 @ 9:16 am
Because Gilbert’s 40, because he’s chunky, or because the job he had before “songwriter” was “wannabe songwriter,” haha?
February 12, 2026 @ 12:49 pm
Most cringe shit he’s ever heard? I mean yeah but has he heard ‘Revival’ off his own Live at Red Rocks album?
February 12, 2026 @ 1:07 pm
Maybe he’s just like the actors who claims that they never watch their own stuff?
Not that I doubt it, why else would he release all thst crap?
February 12, 2026 @ 1:40 pm
A film is often at the mercy of post-production and editing. Zach Bryan is responsible for all of his production.
February 12, 2026 @ 2:48 pm
The album “All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live From Red Rocks)” was recorded in a driving snowstorm, and was released on Christmas as sort of a gift to his fans, and as a middle finger to Ticketmaster. I agree the recordings are not good. I’ve always chastised Zach Bryan for his low production value. Zach Bryan was not behind the board, or responsible for the mixing and mastering of the project according to the credits. Not excusing the sloppy nature of the recording, but I just see that as low hanging fruit. Plenty of other more viable things to criticize Zach Bryan for.
February 12, 2026 @ 4:11 pm
Winter elements aside it’s still the most egregious track that he’s released. I’ve previously pointed out very amateur mistakes in his studio recording on ‘Nine Ball’. The demon that amateurs have to shake is thinking the things they are doing wrong is something that makes their music unique. That is something ZB seem unwilling to acknowledge because his fan base is so large – but it’s why he isn’t respected by people who are better at their craft. I’ve made many specific comments about why his songs and lyrics are sub par but if I had to point to any singular example of why I think ZB is an artist with glaring musical faults I would single out this track.
February 12, 2026 @ 7:16 pm
The whole reason he’s famous and one of the melt sucessful country artists and artists period of his generation is those lo fi bad recordings. I hate the dude seemingly has come out as woke, but he’s uber talented, and Grady and everyone else we’re going Gaga over him when it was just him sweating on his porch at night making iPhone videos. Those first two albums are lo fi as hell, and that’s the point. His entire rise is a middle finger to the country establishment, even country radio had zero to do with his success. It’s been totally grassroots built on word of mouth, Tiktok, and live shows and a hyper focus on detailed and well written song lyrics that many fans consider as much poetry as they do lyrics, which until recently I’ve had mad respect for, but if that means he’s going to be writing silly protest songs for viewers of MSDNC I’m done, tbh. Woke Zach Bryan isn’t for me.
February 12, 2026 @ 1:59 pm
Sorry didnt meam to reply to you.
February 12, 2026 @ 2:21 pm
Thanks for nothing, then…
February 12, 2026 @ 1:58 pm
Well kind of ironic that zach is popping off about “bad pop country when hes regularly portrayed as country which generally is an equally bad joke.
February 13, 2026 @ 8:26 am
naw, that song is awesome. 10,000 people people sharing some explosive energy and living in the moment.
February 14, 2026 @ 9:19 am
But won’t someone think of the audiophiles????
https://www.headphonesty.com/2026/01/audiophiles-fail-copper-banana-mud-blind-test/
February 12, 2026 @ 1:22 pm
It didn’t exactly “cross over to pop”. It was a Top 10 hit on the Hot 100, which is an all-genres chart, not specifically a pop chart. It did not get airplay on pop radio, or at least not enough to chart in the Top 50.
February 12, 2026 @ 3:10 pm
Zach still doesn’t want to talk about fried chicken just yet, I see…
February 12, 2026 @ 4:03 pm
Zach needs professional help.
February 12, 2026 @ 6:54 pm
I don’t get Zach Bryan in any way. I’ll skip him, thanks.
February 12, 2026 @ 7:01 pm
I’ve been let down by Zach Bryan, he’s so talented and clearly in the conversation for top 3 right now in terms of biggest country artists, I’d say he’s at number 2 behind Morgan Wallen. But what he’s been so expert at making music that’s apolitical, and even when he does call out things ala Heading South, even the most rah rah bleed red white and blue star spangled 24/7 dudes can understand having a commanding officer in the service who is tough on you. But with Bad News, and his increasingly piping up about politics, support of Bad Bunny, several times now calling out ICE, and bashing the TPUSA halftime show, it will be interesting to see how his conservative fans react. I’ve been turned off by it all tbh. Will his shows start to be less “everyone” and more tilted left wing? I had considered buying tickets for his new summer tour, but waited, and now I’m glad I didn’t buy tickets after all. I don’t want to financially support someone who’s anti ice and anti TPUSA. Will he go the way or Isbell and Childers who have big fanbases but it’s clear pretty much when you attend the show that this is partisan? Or will he continue to be a Luke Combs or Morgan Wallen figure in terms of somewhat similar popularity, and all 3 at the moment attract all political stripes and sides? The thing that ties them all together is none of them are overtly political in their music and rarely make political comments outside of music too. Will Zach be writing protests songs frequently now? How will that effect his popularity?
I don’t have an answer to any of it I just know I’m not down with what he’s been saying and doing lately and it’s made his music a turn off for me, despite me being an actual fan . This isn’t like someone who has never shopped at a store and then going “I’m boycotting”, I am an actual fan, and an actually turned off by what he’s said.
My hope though is he takes a page from his contemporaries and peers like Morgan and Luke Conbs and leaves politics at home and just makes great music. It would be a shame to see him turn into another partisan figure, i for one won’t be listening to Bad News or any other protest song he writes and I’m kinda pissed I gave the new album so many spins, I won’t be listening to it or his dischography for the foreseeable future. I support ICE and I support Trump and if he doesn’t, well I wish him well but I’ve got other stuff I’d rather listen to.
February 13, 2026 @ 7:35 am
The idea that Country music artists have to stay on the Republican side is a post-9/11 trend that has been reversed. You described ZB as ‘woke’ but he has middle-of-the-road Democrat views. If he was coming out hard for gender identity politics and calling to “dismantle the patriarchy” then I would agree with you.
As far as ZB making fun of the TPUSA show and calling out ICE – there are major populist right-wing figures in the alt-media sphere who are both doing the same thing. (Tucker Carlson, Theo Von, Jimmy Dore, Ian Carrol, Dave Smith) I do think a lot of the anti-ICE sentiment is a euphamism for open borders, but there is another element to it that is rightfully viewing ICE efforts as being anti 4th amendment by demanding people to “show their papers.” ‘Stop and Frisk’ was stopped because it violated 4th amendment. We are quickly nearing the point of risking arrest here in the US for speaking out against Isreal – and Republicans are pushing that.
TPUSA is funded by Isreal to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars to keep Republicans in office who will continue to lobby for war and Isreal. TPUSA makes millions by keeping the political debate in an area where nothing changes for the better and foreign wars and elite corruption can continue without disruption. I say this as someone who is futher right-wing and libertarian than Trump and most of the Republican party – and I no longer support Trump. Basically listen to music regardless of the political affiliation of the artist. I just draw the line on if they say something like “don’t listen to my music if you support…” because then I will stop listening.
February 13, 2026 @ 9:33 am
Strait, come on now, there is no room here for nuanced, level-headed takes!
February 13, 2026 @ 3:45 pm
I do listen to a lot of artists I disagree with you kind of have to as a conservative, being a fan of any art form it’s a given the majority of artists are going to be left wing. We all love Willie Nelson for example and he’s definitely not a trump fan! But just not a fan of him doing what he’s doing lately. As I said, if you had asked me a couple months ago are you a Zach Bryan Stan is of said most definitely. Now his music just doesn’t hit. Maybe that will change but for now, I’m not listening. That said, who are you supporting then in 2028 given you are off trump train? You aren’t a fan of Vance? I would agree in the unsaid part of your post that the new gen, next gen conservative, especially conservative young men are conservative to a degree that mainstream American and democrats aren’t completely ready for. I’m like you, to the right of trump, but these new guys are completely off the reservation right figures. I’ll let you fill in the blanks there, not a fan personally. One can be strong and principled right wing figures but what I see these young guys saying is disgusting and completely outrageous. To me Vance represents what I want in the party going forward and he’s made his stance on these extreme right figures known. Vance is more right wing than trump, but he’s not so far gone that he also is a normal guy, and can carry on a conversation in a public setting without saying extreme things like the others. I’d say, Vance/ Rubio is perfect.
February 12, 2026 @ 7:51 pm
Boys,boys……
February 12, 2026 @ 9:43 pm
Slam dunk, Gilbert.
February 12, 2026 @ 11:06 pm
I follow a few, what I thought were anyhow, legit Country Music pages on FB that I’ve had to unfollow this week after being inundated with ridiculous TPUSA praise (& over the top at that) which I can only liken to propaganda that included slamming Zach for criticizing it. I was like, yes, we’re on the same page but not knowing a ton about him outside of what I’ve read here, I had to listen to a couple songs before I commented. Affirmed, he is definitely more Country than the frauds on that show. My ire with it is less political than Country Music ethics. It was a garbage lineup feigning Country acts. I will not compromise music for politics, which is what those accounts were doing.
Had no clue Brantley Gilbert wrote Dirt Road Anthem (or that is was the name of that song…only Aldean song I unfortunately know), figures. Obviously it sucks, but I take extra exception to it for name dropping George. Like Will Smith his name out your damn song. Saying Hank’s name in repeat couldn’t make that song Country. Good for Zach (tiny bit of credit to BG for being a good sport….but not much)
February 13, 2026 @ 9:35 am
I saw a funny screenshot of a post that said “Imagine being a homeschool mom of the 90’s who has to pretend to like Kid Rock now”
February 13, 2026 @ 4:27 am
Hey guys, don’t let this distract you from the fact that JellyRoll said The “N” word.
February 13, 2026 @ 9:36 am
Don’t let this distract you from the fact Stephen Stills released a song called ‘White N*****”
February 13, 2026 @ 4:59 am
God i hope Zach does climb that fence. He wont, Brantley isnt a Chickenfry.
February 13, 2026 @ 6:39 pm
Why is coming out hard for gender identity politics and calling to “dismantle the patriarchy” a bad thing?
February 17, 2026 @ 12:31 pm
There is no such thing as the patriarchy.
February 15, 2026 @ 9:11 am
Both videos are quite amusing, and they make all involved seem more likeable. “Chili on a Hot Dog” is now my favorite country rap tune. I’ll be humming it in the shower.
If Sonic could work this into a commercial, they’d sell a ton of chili dogs. I want one right now, and it’s only 10:00 a.m.
February 15, 2026 @ 12:46 pm
I’m not a fan of his music, at all.
But then, if you worth a third of a Billion dollars and can pretty much do whatever tf you want… and decide to do this?
Huge fan of that 🤣