Billboard Explains: Singer-Songwriter Zach Bryan’s Journey to Leading a Musical ‘Revival’

Even before “Something in the Orange” propelled genre-fluid singer-songwriter Zach Bryan into wider public awareness, he has been a consistent force on multiple Billboard charts.

With his latest album, The Great American Bar Scene, just released, Billboard dives into Bryan’s journey on the Billboard charts. Bryan was born in Okinawa, Japan, but was raised in Oklahoma. He began writing songs in his teens, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17; he made music in his spare time while serving in the Navy, and finished serving at age 25. He started in music by uploading videos to YouTube in 2017.

Bryan’s first appearance on a Billboard chart was in 2020, when his second album, Elisabeth, landed on the Heatseekers Albums chart, while the set’s “Heading South” became his first entry on Billboard‘s Hot Rock and Alternative Songs chart, peaking at No. 27.

In May 2022, the success of Bryan’s songs “From Austin” and “Highway Boys” aided him in earning the No. 1 spot on Billboard‘s Emerging Artists chart. Another of his potent songs, “Something in the Orange,” became his first Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 10 with 66 weeks on the chart. Since then, he’s amassed 42 Hot 100 entries, including a trio of top 10 hits on the chart, while his Kacey Musgraves collaboration “I Remember Everything” became both artists’ first Hot 100 chart-topper.

Bryan’s latest single, “Pink Skies,” peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100, while he’s earned 21 top 10 hits on the Hot Rock and Alternative Songs chart to date, including his collaboration with The War and Treaty, “Hey Driver,” and “Sarah’s Place” featuring Noah Kahan.

Bryan’s genre-fluid style has earned him hits in multiple genre charts, including a dozen top 10 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart, including “East Side of Sorrow” and “28.”

He’s released a string of albums and EPs over the past few years, and made his Billboard 200 debut in June 2022 with his album American Heartbreak. In 2023, his self-titled album debuted at No. 1. In July 2024, he released The Great American Bar Scene, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and took the top spot on the Top Country Albums chart, the Top Rock and Alternative Albums chart and the Folk/Americana Albums chart.

Given Bryan’s prolific nature thus far, it seems likely that he will soon add to these Billboard stats with more music.

Watch the Billboard Explains video about Zach Bryan above.