A year and a half ago, hardly anyone outside a honky-tonk had heard of Zach Top. Now? He’s sitting on top of the country music world—literally. His breakout single “I Never Lie” just hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, beating out the likes of Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Kane Brown, and a whole list of country music royalty.
Let’s be honest: that’s not supposed to happen. Not when you’re a neotraditional artist in an era of bro country and backbeats. But Zach Top is making it happen—and doing it his way.
From TikTok to Prime Time
During my interview with Marty Raybon of Shenandoah, he put it perfectly:
“A year and a half ago, no one knew who Zach Top was. Then TikTok blew him up.”
He’s right. “I Never Lie” didn’t start on the big stage. It started online—on TikTok, to be exact—where it was featured in over 25,000 videos. From there, the song started popping up everywhere. It made its way onto the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 68, and even landed a spot at No. 26 on the Hot Country Songs chart. For a neotraditional ballad with George Strait vibes and a wink to “Ocean Front Property,” that’s no small feat.
Climbing the Charts—and the Late Night Stage
The song’s airplay has been steadily rising over the last few months, and as of May 2025, “I Never Lie” finally reached that coveted No. 1 spot on the Country Airplay chart. That’s against heavy hitters who’ve been topping charts for over a decade.
It didn’t hurt that Top delivered a buzzworthy performance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon back in April, helping launch him into a whole new tier of stardom. That kind of exposure introduced his sound to a national audience—and helped prove that there’s still a hunger for real-deal country.
Streaming, Awards, and a Gold Plaque
The numbers speak for themselves:
- 154 million+ streams for “I Never Lie”
- Over 573 million total streams across his catalog
- Gold-certified by the RIAA
- ACM New Male Artist of the Year
- CMA noms for both Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year
And he’s just getting warmed up.
Why It Matters
If you’ve listened to The WhatsaJosh Broadcast or my new whatsaJosh Podcast, you know I’m all about celebrating the artists who are out there making honest music with heart. Zach Top isn’t just reviving a sound that’s been missing from mainstream radio—he’s doing it with authenticity, charm, and a little bit of that outlaw grit.
In his own words:
“It’s as country as anything on the album and a ballad. So the fact that when we hit those first two little [guitar riffs], people just lose it…”
They’re losing it, all right—and for good reason.
