Zach Bryan seemed to have catapulted to success overnight. Of course, as any “overnight success” will tell you, there was certainly more time and effort put in behind the scenes that the rest of the world wasn’t aware of.
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When Bryan first started his music journey he was still a part of the U.S. Navy. Music started as a side project for Bryan, but quickly his talent demanded that he step into the spotlight. With just a few albums under his belt, Bryan has managed to position himself as one of the most in-demand performers in the country space.
For those that are a little late on the Bryan train, find a crash course on 10 of his best songs, below.
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10. “God Speed”
In “God Speed” Bryan mulls over the wants for his life: I wanna send a postcard from the edge of a place I’ve never been…I wanna love a girl who doesn’t worry about the pictures when we kiss. Despite his hopes and dreams, he claims that there is a grander plan unfolding outside of his control: Only God and my mama know what I need.
9. “Late July”
“Late July” feels just like that: a warm summer night in July around the blue hour. Far away from home, Bryan longs for the company of his girl overtop a soothing acoustic guitar trill. I heard life is what passes when you’re too busy living / And love is at its finest when times are hard, he poignantly sings in the opening verse.
8. “I Remember Everything” (with Kacey Musgraves)
Bryan and Kacey Musgraves deliver a classic country duet – with an added edge – in “I Remember Everything.” The pair sing from opposing sides of a relationship, mulling over what went right and what went wrong.
7. “November Air”
There is an emotional quality to Bryan’s work that helps listeners connect to him on a deeper level. In “November Air” he delivers a powerful address to his late mother, who died in 2016. He speaks to her as if she is still in the room with him, making it all the more somber. The lyrics read, Your dreams were too small to care / But I’m always reminded / If you look hard, you’ll find it / Memory gives warmth to right here.
6. “Sun to Me”
Bryan is also adept at placing his songs in a particular time and place. 5:34 a.m., I was about to start my day / But she layin’ there across me, so I stayed anyway, he sings in the opening verse of “Sun to Me.” The listener immediately paints a picture in their mind of a cozy morning with a loved one by their side.
5. “Flying or Crying”
Bryan has several songs about “the good ole’ days.” Who it was when we were younger / ‘Fore the world took our pride / We were walking in straight lines / Tryna find who’s good to drive, he sings in this wistful “Flying or Crying.”
4. “Half Grown”
In “Half Grown” Bryan delivers several staggering messages: Sometimes a woman is the sum of all the things her father ain’t and I’ll raise myself a family and right the wrong of some imperfect people who were only half grown. Despite only being in his 20s, Bryan sings with the wisdom of someone much older on “Half Grown.”
3. “Heading South”
Though it’s not specified in the track, “Heading South” can be interpreted as a retelling of Bryan’s rise to fame. In the lyrics, he talks about a boy with big dreams in a small town full of people who don’t understand. He eventually heads down south to make his dream a reality and out to make a name and a fool out of ‘em all.
2. “From Austin”
“From Austin” is a slow burner from American Heartbreak. Bryan’s voice is as powerful as ever while singing about a lost love: It’s ’bout time that I left Austin, ’bout time you settled down / With a man who doesn’t move as quick as the trains rollin’ through town.
1. “Something in the Orange”
The No. 1 spot had to go to Bryan’s breakout track, “Something in the Orange.” There is something atmospheric and smoky about this track. He looks to anything for a sign that his relationship isn’t over. The most glaring of them all is the orange glow around the sun. But I miss you in the mornings when I see the sun / Something in the orange tells me we’re not done, he sings in a somber tone.
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