Zach Top traded a steady engineering career for real country music. He did not come to Nashville to play it safe. He came to bring back the ‘Class of ’89’ sound that the radio forgot. This Washington farm boy is now the 2025 CMA New Artist of the Year, and his rise is the biggest wake up call the industry has seen in decades. You need to see this performance right now to understand why the critics are finally silenced.
He stands on that historic stage of the Ryman Auditorium with a grit that can not be manufactured in a studio. There is no pop music glitter here. But only the sharp sting of a fiddle and a voice that carries the weight of a thousand honky tonks. It is a bold, traditional strike against the polished sounds of today.
Watch below how he commands the Ryman Auditorium:
Zach Top Live at the Ryman Auditorium
The people in the seats are not just listening. They are joining in with everything they have. One viewer noted that they have not heard a voice this pure since the glory days of the nineties. Another fan mentioned that Zach makes them feel proud to be a country music lover again.
That same farm raised grit is what gave Zach the courage to take on the biggest stage in sports. He did not let the bright lights or the pressure of millions of viewers change who he is. Moving from the wooden floors of the Ryman to the green grass of a football stadium, he proved that his voice can fill any space. It is the kind of transition only a true professional can make.
Zach Top Sings the National Anthem at NFC Championship
Standing at mid field for the NFC Championship, Zach showed the world what he is made of. Even when a giant jet flyover roared above the stadium earlier than planned, he did not flinch. He stayed perfectly on pitch while representing his home state of Washington with total class.
Zach Top is a 2025 CMA winner and a 2026 Grammy nominee because he refused to sell out. He stayed true to the bluegrass roots he learned at age seven and it paid off. His story proves that a hard-working man with a dream can still win in America. Follow Zach Top on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.