He’s BACK.
Simply put, there’s no one doing it quite as well as Zach Top these days. Though there are plenty of other stellar artists keeping the traditional scene alive, such as Jake Worthington, Charley Crockett and more, the Washington native has launched himself into the stratosphere as of late.
Of course, this was highlighted on a national scale the past year when he not only took home Best New Artist at the CMA Awards in November, which he accepted with a Coors Banquet in hand, but also when he scored his first-career Grammy back in February. In turn, Top became the first-ever winner of the brand-new Best Traditional Country Album category, winning it with his sophomore album, Ain’t In It For My Health.
Given the immense amount of buzz surrounding him over the past few years, the success of his last two albums and his fall extension of the Cold Beer & Country Music Tour, the question on everyone’s mind lately has been “When is new music coming?”
After promising he was going to drop a “couple songs” this summer during an appearance on the Mostly Sports With Mark Titus and Brandon Walker podcast, Top would officially confirm on July 23rd that not one but two songs, ““Good Girls & Cowgirls” and “Other Side Of Hurtin’,” were on their way. And that day is TODAY.
Right off the bat, it looks like Top has a big ‘ol radio hit on his hands with “Good Girls & Cowgirls,” which he wrote alongside producer Carson Chamberlain and Tim Nichols. After dropping some rock-solid, twangy riffs in the intro that once again showcase his stellar guitarwork, Top opens up with some rapid-fire lyrics that set the scene of a barroom meet-up with one of the titular cowgirls.
“Cotton Eyed Joe’s, Friday night
What you drinking? Baby, I’ll buy
She said, ‘Make it a double. Make it on ice’
You sound like the kinda woman I like
She just smiled and said, ‘You sure about that?
Are you sure you can handle what’s under this hat?
‘Cause there’s two kinda girls in the world
There’s good girls, then there’s cowgirls’”
Delivering his signature ’90s sound, complete with some touches of steel and a sawing fiddle, Top compares the difference between good girls and cowgirls, noting “Good girls are made of sugar and spice. Cowgirls are made of whiskey and ice” in the chorus’ hook.
“Good girls you can take home to Mama’s
Take ’em to church when they want you to
They’re everything nice and not much drama
If that’s your thing, that’s good for you
If you like ’em more on the wild side
The kind of rodeo that goes all night
Good girls are made of sugar and spice
And cowgirls are made of whiskey and ice”
As for “Other Side Of Hurtin’,” which was also written by the trio, it balances this two-pack incredibly well. Being a tried and true heartbreaker, filled to the brim with some gorgeous fiddle and steel throughout, Top grapples with a fresh breakup. Setting the scene at Losers in Nashville, he frames it as a conversation about how he’s doing with a random stranger.
After noting how it’s “almost always about a woman,” he centers the chorus around not wanting to talk about his former lover. In the incredibly relatable hook, he explains that he’s finally getting on the titular “other side of hurtin’,” asking not to ever bring her up.
“I’m just now getting to a place where things are fuzzy
90 proof’s got a way of dulling memories
There you go asking me another damn question
I told you I wasn’t gonna talk about it, friend
I’m just now getting on the other side of hurtin’
So don’t you go bringing her up again”
Ultimately, Top has proven once again why he’s one of the most exciting voices in the genre lately with the double drop. The honky tonk heater and a certified heartbreaker will most likely serve as the first two releases on his upcoming junior album, which he hinted is coming next spring.
“Good Girls & Cowgirls”
“Other Side Of Hurtin'”
Zach Top 2026 Tour Dates
August 21—Allentown, PA—PPL Center
August 22—Bangor, ME—Maine Savings Amphitheater∞
August 27—Dieppe, New Brunswick—YQM Countryfest 2026
August 28—Gilford, NH—BankNH Pavilion∞
September 1—Toronto, ON—Rogers Stadium~
September 11—Lake Tahoe, NV—Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre at Caesars Republic«
September 17—San Diego, CA—Pechanga Arena«
September 18—Anaheim, CA—Honda Center
September 19—Fresno, CA—Boots In The Park
September 25—Corpus Christi, TX—Hillard Center Arena«
September 26—San Antonio, TX—Frost Bank Center«
October 2—Jacksonville, FL—VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
October 3—West Palm Beach, FL—iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
October 8—Des Moines, IA—Casey’s Center≈
October 9—Rosemont, IL—Allstate Arena≈
October 10—St. Paul, MN—Grand Casino Arena≈
October 15—Sioux Falls, SD—Denny Sanford PREMIER Center≈
October 16—Milwaukee, WI—Fiserv Forum≈
October 17—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena≈
October 23—Lafayette, LA—CAJUNDOME∆
October 29—Duluth, GA—Gas South Arena∆
October 30—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena∆
≠with special guest Cole Goodwin
«with special guest Wyatt McCubbin
∆with special guest Lukas Nelson
~with Chris Stapleton
≈with special guest Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives
∞with special guest Marcus King Band
