We’re only one week into the new year, and Zach Bryan has already set the bar ridiculously high. Dropping a 25-track album, With Heaven on Top, this early on feels like a bold move, but I’m calling it now: this is going to be one of the standout albums of 2026.
Last year saw Zach head over to Europe for a run of outdoor shows, and seeing him live in Hyde Park completely changed the way I look at his music. Zach Bryan isn’t just a songwriter; he’s a proper storyteller. There’s no big theatrics or forced moments, just raw honesty, a band that knows exactly when to pull back and when to go all in, and a crowd hanging on every word. Watching them play as the London sun went down felt genuinely cinematic, and With Heaven on Top somehow manages to bottle that same feeling – big and open, but still incredibly intimate.
Before the album dropped, Zach mentioned that people would probably call it ‘overproduced.’ Honestly? I don’t hear that at all. If anything, the album feels really intentional. Every song feels like it belongs, every lyric has space to land, and somehow, there isn’t a single skip across all 25 tracks. It’s the Zach Bryan sound we already love, but with a bit more reflection and emotional depth. He touches on things that were all over the headlines last year – sobriety, public breakups, owning mistakes, before landing in a much calmer place, finding love with his now wife. It’s open and vulnerable without ever feeling self-indulgent, which is something Zach does better than most.
The album opens with the spoken-word track Down, Down, Stream, which immediately sets a reflective, almost diary-like tone, before easing into Runny Eggs. That song instantly took me back to Hyde Park – watching Zach and the band unfold under a London sunset is one of those core memories I don’t think I’ll ever shake. There’s also a subtle nod to how he met his wife, and it carries this quiet optimism that runs through so much of the record.
Three songs in, Appetite was already straight into my playlist, and it genuinely doesn’t slow down from there. Track after track, the album just keeps its momentum. At no point did I catch myself thinking about skipping ahead, which feels pretty rare, especially on an album this long.
Storytelling has always been Zach’s strength, and he really leans into that here. Say Why is a standout – it’s reflective, tender, and quietly heartbreaking in that very Zach Bryan way where it sneaks up on you rather than hits you all at once.
South and Pine is one of those songs you can already picture sounding unreal live. The brass section, which is already such a highlight in his shows, takes this track to another level, adding warmth and a real wow factor while still keeping that grounded, back-porch feel that defines his sound.
Slicked Back leans more into strings and feels like a genuine love letter in song form, a really fitting tribute to his wife, Samantha. It’s soft, sincere, and just really lovely.
With 25 tracks on one album, there’s always that worry that some songs might get lost or overshadowed, but with With Heaven on Top, that just doesn’t happen. Every song holds its own, tells its own story, and still sounds unmistakably like Zach Bryan.
This album feels like a major chapter in his discography. It’s like he’s opened up a diary and handed it straight to his fans. Honestly, it’s some of his best work yet.
Now all that’s left is to find a ticket to the Edinburgh show, because With Heaven on Top feels like an album that needs to be heard outdoors, under open skies – exactly where Zach Bryan’s music belongs.
Review by Lauren Page.
