Legendary horror genre author Stephen King wrote in his classic book The Colorado Kid “Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” The sharp assertion notably brings forth the fact that nostalgia has a boomerang effect. There is an idea that fads only have a short lifespan and once gone, they are etched in history. However, contrary to that thought, something that was once popular is never lost. Trends come and go as people proceedthrough a natural cycle of exploring new feelings and interests. Old favorites are replaced with promising new alternatives. This phenomenon is especially prevalent in artistic endeavors as creativity is fueled by exploring untapped territories. Popular culture moves forward through discovery and artists are at the forefront of that transition. However, an audience’s innate affinity towards the previously loved never dies. Memories remain firmly affixed, and those recollections turn into an increasing desire to see a revival. All it takes is an artist with a distinct spin on the familiar to galvanize an eager fanbase and reinvigorate the industry’s attention. In doing so, those viewed as classics become the now as the circle completes itself.
Born and raised in Sunnyside, Washington, country artist Zach Top has established a career that is steeped in the identifiable sounds of honky-tonk and ‘90s country. As a youth, he was enamored with the sonic footprint of ‘90s country. The era defined cool swagger with its songs full of steel guitar and fiddle dominated melodies, fun lyrics, and plenty of energy. As he progressed through his musical journey, he noticed that the country music industry was pulling away from that beloved sound. More pop, rock, hip-hop, and EDM (electric dance music) elements were being infused into the genre. While these additions attracted a new base, the fans of ‘90s country were struggling to adapt to the shifting landscape. This group was longing to find a champion who would represent their interests within the genre. Enter Top who stepped up to fill the void. Instead of giving into the pressures of a contemporary sound, Top firmly selected a traditional route as it met not only the audience’s needs but his own. He described this motivation to publication Billboard as, “But my heart has always been in country. My goal has always been to play the kind of country music that made me fall in love with the format — fiddles, steel guitars and telecasters twanging.” Top’s latest entry within his distinguished lane of country music is the release of the live version of his single “Sounds Like the Radio”. The song was distributed on June 28th and is available on all major streaming platforms.
