Zach Top Reveals What He Really Thinks About Post Malone Going Country

Ushering in what some are calling a new era of country music, the genre opened its doors to artists outside Nashville’s traditional roots. While singers have offered their own version of country classics in the past, for Post Malone, he didn’t honor country music – he embraced it. Starting with his debut country album F-1 Trillion, the singer leaned in fully, collaborating with stars like Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Dolly Parton, and more. But recently, Zach Top decided to give his honest opinion on Malone going country. 

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Speaking with Absolute Radio Country about his own career, Top eventually turned his attention to Malone. Watching his transition to the genre over the last few years, he admitted that Malone’s love for country music started way before F-1 Trillion. “He’s been super nice. He’s cool. Obviously, he made most of his career far, far away from country music, but he’s been such a fan for his career. You can find videos of him ten years ago, already being a fan of when Sturgill Simpson first got big [and] always loving Merle Haggard songs and stuff like that.”

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Zach Top Urges Country Music Hopefuls To Embrace The Culture Of Nashville

While some artists are able to sing hits from multiple genres, country music was more about legacy than simply changing sounds. For Top, what made Malone’s transition stand out was his deep knowledge. “He’s got a lot of reverence and respect for the genre, like where country music came from to get it to today. And, yeah, he’s putting his own stamp on it now.”

For those looking to follow in the footsteps of Malone and dabble in the history of Nashville, Top advised them to use the hitmaker as a blueprint. “The way Post did it is the way I would hope any artist coming to make a country record would do it. Come baptize yourself in the culture of Nashville and get to know the heartbeat of Nashville and the songwriters and producers and make friends with the artists.”

Aside from Malone, Beyoncé also ventured into country music with Cowboy Carter. Although not receiving the same amount of praise as Malone, Cowboy Carter won big at the 67th Grammy Awards, taking home Album of the Year and Best Country Album. 

As more artists experiment with country music, Malone’s approach has become a rare example of how to do it the right way. And if Top’s comments are any indication, his country chapter isn’t just a passing trend.

(Photo by Tibrina Hobson/FilmMagic)