Zach Bryan American Heartbreak 3LP

Rolling Stone 100 Best Albums of 2022 - Rated 33/100!
Consequence Top 50 Albums of 2022 - Rated 5/50!
BrooklynVegan Top 50 Albums of 2022 - Rated 34/50!

Zach Bryan is a singer/songwriter from Oologah, Oklahoma, proud of his small-town roots and whose music is fueled by a desire to stay true to himself. He served seven years in the Navy before being honorably discharged. His success is found in his raspy voice, a mix of classic folk melody and outlaw country with a raw edge that cuts to the bone.

His breakthrough moment makes all that clear as day. In the video for "Heading South", shot by phone outside of his Navy barracks in humid 95 degree heat, Zach's passion echoes off the strings of his trusted Guild. Drenched in sweat and belting words that he had written minutes earlier, the moment is authentic, brutal, and real. Millions of fans have now seen that video without any sort of industry assist, and millions more have connected to the tender, sincere songs found on Zach's 2019 debut album DeAnn. A man of simple words, Zach's ability to create depth in his work is rivaled by few artists. He believes that who you are only extends to the person you are today, an ideology reflected in everything he creates.

Zach Bryan's major label debut album, American Heartbreak, broke the 2022 record for the most streamed country album in a single day on both Spotify and Apple Music, and contains the singles "Oklahoma City", "From Austin", "Highway Boys", "Late July", "Something in the Orange", and "Open the Gate".

Ranging from demo-like ruminations to full-fledged heartland rock anthems, American Heartbreak captures an untamed restlessness and blurry-eyed angst.

It's no secret that Zach Bryan's debut studio album American Heartbreak was the most anticipated country album of 2022, and needless to say, the 34-song behemoth of a project lived up to the hype.

American Heartbreak has all the right moves. From establishing a new 2 a.m. anthem in 'Poems and Closing Time' to the loving tune of 'Sun to Me,' Bryan does it all in this triple album. Listeners won't have to waste a skip on American Heartbreak because there isn't one.

As an artist who can compete in the mainstream but also values indie music, Zach has a little something for everyone. American Heartbreak ranges from somber country folk to amplified heartland rock to line-dance-inducing fiddle songs, and Zach's personal, emotional storytelling is nearly impossible to ignore, regardless of your preference in subgenre.

[Bryan] writes directly but not plainly; his words are unfussy and melodies unadorned. On an individual basis, the songs are striking. Collectively, American Heartbreak can be a little hard to digest, especially in one sitting...Parse the songs out into user-constructed playlists, though - or take it as a series of 20-minute EPs - and it's hard not to be impressed with the sturdiness of Bryan's music, how he keeps the dusty literary traditions of Red Dirt troubadours alive without affectation.