Zach Top Reveals Details of New Album “Ain’t In It For My Health”
Saving Country Music’s reigning Artist of the Year revealed the title and release date for his new album Ain’t In It For My Health back in early June. To be released on upstart label Leo33 on August 29th, the album comes highly anticipated after Zach Top’s 2024 album Cold Beer & Country Music became his big breakout, and saw neotraditional country return to the top of the charts, including Zach’s #1 radio song “I Never Lie.”
Now Zach Top has revealed the 15-song track list (see below) along with pre-orders for the album that come with a twist. Those ordering the double LP vinyl version in either the standard black or the blood moon red will also receive a bonus track. Just like Zach Top’s music, he’s going old school offering a vinyl-only track.
Along with the Alan Jackson-inspired summer anthem “Good Times & Tan Lines,” Zach Top has also released the song “South of Sanity” from the new record. Once again Zach Top is caught revitalizing sounds and modes of ’90s country, but unlike the saccharine “Good Times & Tan Lines,” “South of Sanity” evokes memories of all those good old rodeo heartbreak songs made famous by George Strait and others.
Just like his last album, Ain’t In It For My Health will be produced by Carson Chamberlain, who’s Zach Top’s ace in the hole. Chamberlain is a Kentucky native that played steel guitar and was the bandleader for Keith Whitley all the way up to Whitley’s death in 1989. Carson was also the tour manager for Alan Jackson and Clint Black. He knows how to evoke that neotraditional sound because he helped create it.
Carson Chamberlain also co-writes many of Zach Top’s songs with Zach, including “Good Times & Tan Lines” and “South of Sanity.” Though we don’t have the full slate of co-writers for the album just yet, we do know that Mark Nesler and Wyatt McCubbin also appear in the song credits.
Zach Top’s popularity definitely speaks to the swelling appetite for country music that sounds country, in both old and young listeners. Ahead of the album, Zach Top has had to start booking arenas in certain markets to meet demand.
Ain’t In It For My Health is available for pre-order in black vinyl, in blood moon vinyl, and on CD.
TRACK LIST:
1. Guitar
2. Good Times & Tan Lines
3. When You See Me
4. Splitsville
5. Between The Ditches
6. Flip-Flop
7. Livin’ A Lie
8. Tightrope
9. I Know A Place
10. She Makes
11. South Of Sanity
12. Like I Want You
13. Country Boy Blues
14. Lovin’ The Wrong Things
15. Honky Tonk Till It Hurts
16. Bonus Track (Vinyl Exclusive)
August 5, 2025 @ 7:43 am
I enjoyed Good Times and Tanlines as a song for what it is, but South of Sanity restored my faith that this album will be another banger.
August 5, 2025 @ 8:11 am
I’ve been trying to figure out what it is that Zach Top does differently from other modern artists re-doing the sound of 90s country, and I think it’s all in the quality of his singing. As a vocalist, he stands out from other artists making music like this in the last 10-15 years.
I’m also loving the 80s and 90s covers all over his setlists. Seeing a young kid playing songs by artists like Dan Seals is refreshing. He should absolutely cover “Meet Me in Montana” if he has any female openers.
August 5, 2025 @ 8:28 am
He’s a great singer. He gets all the subtle inflections right. He’s a GREAT guitar player. He’s a top caliber musician all the way around. And the ladies seem to think he’s cute. That never hurts.
August 5, 2025 @ 9:02 am
I think sometimes it is just the breaks you get, along with the right label and management. I think other guys had this potential and it just didn’t work out. You look at a guy like William Michael Morgan and it seems like he has kind of been passed aside, with no real chance at a major push any more.
August 6, 2025 @ 8:55 am
“Blessed or damned.”
August 6, 2025 @ 6:15 am
I wondered this same thing when his last album took off. We’ve all know artists who play similar music over the years who have never been able to break out beyond maybe getting play in the Texas Country scene. Maybe Zach just has some appeal, whether singing ability or other trait, that previous artists didn’t have. Or maybe it’s just luck of right time right place.
I wonder if the success of Cody Johnson, who was like 5 albums in before he broke through, maybe opened the eyes of the industry that fans still wanted to hear country music that sounded like country music?
For me personally, I don’t find Zach Top to be extraordinarily better than the artists playing this type of music that came before him, but I like his music and I’m happy he’s having the success he’s getting. Hope he opens the door for more country music that sounds like country music getting recognition.
August 6, 2025 @ 8:54 am
Cody Johnson is another example of a guy who can flat out sing that eventually made it. Next in line behind Johnson and Top is Randall King, and it’s crazy to me that he’s not a major radio artist with that voice and sound.
August 5, 2025 @ 8:27 am
Dan Seals” Everything that Glitters is the saddest song EVER. That would be the ultimate cover by Zach
August 5, 2025 @ 8:45 am
That’s on youtube.
August 5, 2025 @ 9:45 am
An official release I mean
August 5, 2025 @ 11:01 am
I 100% agree with this. Dan Seals live acoustic version on TNN is amazing
August 5, 2025 @ 4:32 pm
I agree. Somewhere on my computer I have Bob Mcdill’s guitar/vocal demo on that song. Pretty cool.
August 6, 2025 @ 7:55 am
I was actually listening to that on the way to work this morning. Def the saddest song ever.
August 6, 2025 @ 10:09 am
I wouldn’t say the definite sad song but it is a contender.
McDill’s discography blew TWZ and other critical darling writers out of the water.
August 7, 2025 @ 6:39 am
I think it’s the perfect example of a sad song because it focuses on topics everyone can relate to and they aren’t overstated, but rather understated and that makes it hit more (animals dying, feelings of inadequacy when trying to care for others you love) Also there are no obvious flaws of the character singing the song like there are in some of the most famous sad Country songs: ‘Sing Me Back Home’, ‘Long Black Veil’, ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’. In those songs I view the person in the song as having deserved, or partially deserved the sad outcome. That’s not the case with ‘Everything That Glitters (Is not gold).’ And ironically the song is an indictment on singers who are absent and always on the road.
August 5, 2025 @ 8:49 am
I like these titles. Looking forward to this.
I’ll be happier when the general habit of near-rhyming goes away.
And I’m waiting for someone to start writing good trucking songs again. Getting a CDL is no walk in the park.
August 5, 2025 @ 5:23 pm
Long Haul Paul on YouTube has some good ones, but probably not as many as he might have if he weren’t so busy driving.
August 6, 2025 @ 2:42 pm
YAY someone finally mentions Long Haul Paul. Dudes. Hes amazing. It’s super dark at times too.
August 5, 2025 @ 7:42 pm
Check out Franklin County Trucking Company
August 6, 2025 @ 1:40 pm
Thanks for the tips y’all. I’m having fun hearing this new stuff.
August 5, 2025 @ 9:55 am
This is a highly anticipated one for me. Not just because I like him, but I’m really intrigued to hear how his sound has developed. .
August 5, 2025 @ 10:09 am
I would love to see him eventually release an album that lands in that wonderful space between country and bluegrass. A little less pedal steel and little more dobro. Keep the fiddle but add mandolin here and there. It would make a lot of sense given his bluegrass background.
August 6, 2025 @ 8:54 am
This is country music, son. Less pedal steel shouldn’t be an option.
August 6, 2025 @ 5:52 am
same, I am late on joining the following he has but really enjoying “South of Sanity”. I think at first, I didn’t want someone to sound like that, I wanted my childhood memories of 90’s country to be left alone but now I am really excited and want to see him in concert.
August 5, 2025 @ 10:21 am
Looking forward to this album. South of Sanity is a great song. I thought about pre-ordering the album but the shipping charges are insane. Hopefully i can find it at Walmart once it is released.
August 5, 2025 @ 12:12 pm
Um,NEVER LESS PEDAL STEEL,whaaaa,North? 🙂
August 5, 2025 @ 10:37 am
I’ve listened to South of Sanity 3 times now and I think it’s starting to remind me of a Tracy Lawrence song. It has that 90s vibe, but it’s more of the Tracy Lawrence, Blackhawk vibe over some of the more popular singers. I’m looking forward to this album and seeing what else he has to offer.
August 5, 2025 @ 11:51 am
I enjoyed his last album and am looking forward to this one. He is good!
August 5, 2025 @ 3:41 pm
We went to see Big Sandy and His Fly Rite Boys recently, he brought Wayne Hancock on stage for a few guest numbers.
It was a nice trip back to the 1950’s. Excellent.
August 6, 2025 @ 2:44 pm
Go check out Vaden Landers if you liked that. Hoooo-eeeee he does the 1950’s sound flawlessly and is a super entertaining live show.
August 5, 2025 @ 4:32 pm
First part of the guitar riff of “South of Sanity” sounded like “Almost Goodbye” by Mark Chesnutt, probably one of my top favorite songs of Chesnutt’s. I’ve listened to South of Sanity on repeat for 3 days now. Looking forward to the rest of the album.
August 6, 2025 @ 7:56 am
I came here to post this!
August 7, 2025 @ 8:53 pm
Agreed. Here’s the strange thing-when I typed in “Almost Goodbye” earlier to confirm this exact thought, do you know which song popped up next on the list? Yeah, that second song was “Somewhere south of sanity”. Either Spotify is listening to me or lots of other people are searching the same thing!
August 6, 2025 @ 4:36 am
…love it like watching bob ross for a while every now and then. but it ain’t art – it’s merely technique (so far).
August 6, 2025 @ 8:18 am
Flip Flop is a fun song. Heard him play it at the Bluebird a few years ago.
August 9, 2025 @ 11:30 am
I’m coal-black.Imagine my tanlines !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!