“I Was In The Throes For A Long Time” – Zach Bryan Says Writing & Recording ‘With Heaven on Top’ “Freed” Him
The highly-anticipated album is finally here.
This week, Zach Bryan released his lengthy 25-song album With Heaven on Top, which is right in his wheelhouse in terms of his Springsteen-inspired, horn-instrument-heavy sonic style as of late, coupled with the type of heart-wrenching gut-punches fans know and love for him… there’s something for everyone here.
Of course, it’s been a long time coming, as he announced the album in July of 2025, marking another milestone in what has been a very impressive last 12 months, where Bryan has seen some of the highest highs of his career, primarily selling his catalog for a staggering $350 million dollars, becoming the eighth highest-selling country artist of all time according to the RIAA and, most notably, setting the record for highest-attended concert in U.S. history when he performed to a crowd of 112,408 at Michigan Stadium.
That incredible success has also come with dome drama in his personal life, which you have no doubt heard about, and he remains one of the most polarizing figures at the forefront of country music, though I can’t imagine this record won’t be hugely successful and well-received by fans nonetheless.
And in a lengthy post on Instagram, Bryan detailed everything that went into making the album, which was recorded at three different houses in Oklahoma this winter.
He explained that these songs “freed” him, and got him through a lot. Bryan explained that he isn’t trying to “sell music” (though he did sell his aforementioned catalog for a ton of money in 2025), and wants it to be about the art, saying making With Heaven On Top felt like a return to the authenticity of his early music and making it with his best friends:
“‘With Heaven on Top’ is a collection of songs my band and me recorded across three different houses in Oklahoma this winter. The cool air kept us all inside staggering around each live take.
I pray these all end up meaning as much to others as they mean to me. Songs are living things, they want to be free and these free’d me. I was in the throes for a long time and the simple statement of heaven being above me got me through a lot. Not my job to convince anyone of anything. I’m not trying to sell music.
Music to me is God’s gift and it needs no competition or commentary. The last ten years I’ve tried my best to share the human experience. I feel like I’ve lived all my 20’s out on a very large, very lucky and very unfair stage but this one felt different. This one felt like recording music with my best friends again.
I’ll always give my best and I’ll always be willin’. Thanks for listening and I will see everyone on the road.”
Obviously no one is perfect, and his imperfections have been on fully display for all to see in the public eye, and that’s not an excuse for anything, though if you’re able to set that aside and just enjoy the music for what it is, this is a great album that’s very reminiscent of the Zach Bryan music many of us fell in love with years ago:
You can check out some of the new music below… and if you’re a big ZB fan, you’re in luck, because he has a fully acoustic version of With Heaven On Top coming out early next week:
“Plastic Cigarette”
“DeAnn’s Denim”
“Runny Eggs”
Zach Bryan Tour Dates
March 7 – St. Louis, Missouri – The Dome at America’s Super Center – Caamp & J.R. Carroll
March 14 – Tampa, Florida – Raymond James Stadium – Caamp & J.R. Carroll
March 21 – San Antonio, Texas – The Alamodome – Caamp & J.R. Carroll
March 28 – Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Tiger Stadium – Caamp & J.R. Carroll
April 3 – Tulsa, Oklahoma – H.A. Chapman Stadium – Trampled By Turtles & J.R. Carroll
April 4 – Tulsa, Oklahoma – H.A. Chapman Stadium – Trampled By Turtles & J.R. Carroll
April 11 – Louisville, Kentucky – L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium – Kings of Leon & J.R. Carroll
April 18 – Charlotte, North Carolina – Bank of America Stadium – Caamp & J.R. Carroll
April 25 – Lincoln, Nebraska – Memorial Stadium – Kings of Leon & J.R. Carroll
May 2 – Starkville, Mississippi – Davis Wade Stadium – Dijon & J.R. Carroll
May 9 – Cleveland, Ohio – Huntington Bank Field – Dijon & J.R. Carroll
May 27 – San Sebastian, Spain – Donostia Arena- Ben Howard & Keenan O’Meara
May 31 – Berlin, Germany – Waldbühne – Ben Howard & Keenan O’Meara
June 3 – Oslo, Norway – Unity Arena – Ben Howard & Keenan O’Meara
June 6 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Parken – Ben Howard & Keenan O’Meara
June 9 – Eindhoven, Netherlands – Philips Stadium – Ben Howard & Keenan O’Meara
June 12 – Liverpool, United Kingdom – Anfield Stadium – Dijon & Fey Fili
June 14 – Edinburgh, United Kingdom – Scottish Gas Murrayfield – Dijon & Fey Fili
June 16 – London, United Kingdom – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Dijon & Fey Fili
June 17 – London, United Kingdom – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Dijon & Fey Fili
June 20 – Cork, Ireland – Páirc Úi Chaoimh – Dijon & Fey Fili
June 21 – Cork, Ireland – Páirc Úi Chaoimh – Dijon & Fey Fili
June 23 – Belfast, Northern Ireland – Boucher Playing Fields – Dijon & Fey Fili
June 24 – Belfast, Northern Ireland – Boucher Playing Fields – Dijon & Fey Fili
July 24 – Eugene, Oregon – Autzen Stadium – MJ Lenderman & Fey Fili
July 31 – San Diego, California – Snapdragon Stadium – MJ Lenderman & Fey Fili
August 1 – San Diego, California – Snapdragon Stadium – MJ Lenderman & Fey Fili
August 7 – Salt Lake City, Utah – Rice-Eccles Stadium – MJ Lenderman & Fey Fili
August 13 – Denver, Colorado – Empower Field at Mile High – MJ Lenderman & Fey Fili
August 14 – Denver, Colorado – Empower Field at Mile High – MJ Lenderman & Fey Fili
August 22 – Arlington, Texas – AT&T Stadium – MJ Lenderman & Fey Fili
September 5 – Glendale, Arizona – State Farm Stadium – MJ Lenderman & Fey Fili
September 18 – Dover, Delaware – The Woodlands – Kings of Leon, Fey Fili & Gabriella Rose
September 19 – Dover, Delaware – The Woodlands – Alabama Shakes, Fey Fili & Gabriella Rose
September 21 – Toronto, Ontario – Rogers Center – Trampled By Turtles & Gabriella Rose
September 22 – Toronto, Ontario – Rogers Center – Trampled By Turtles & Gabriella Rose
October 2 – Foxborough, Massachusetts – Gillette Stadium – Gregory Alan Isakov & Gabriella Rose
October 3 – Foxborough, Massachusetts – Gillette Stadium – Gregory Alan Isakov & Gabriella Rose
October 10 – Auburn, Alabama – Jordan-Hare Stadium – Gregory Alan Iskov & Gabriella Rose
The post “I Was In The Throes For A Long Time” – Zach Bryan Says Writing & Recording ‘With Heaven on Top’ “Freed” Him first appeared on Whiskey Riff.