Country music breakout Zach Top got the surprise of a lifetime on Thursday night in Wilmington, North Carolina, just before hitting the stage for a sold-out stop on his Cold Beer & Country Music Tour. The rising star was named ACM New Male Artist of the Year, marking his first Academy of Country Music Award.
The news was delivered in true country fashion by none other than Brooks & Dunn, the most awarded duo in ACM history, via a special congratulatory video.
“I couldn’t be more honored, and I can’t say a big enough thank you to my fans for loving music and loving what we do on the road and listening to the songs every day,” Top said after receiving the award.
“It means the world to me, I’ve always wanted to just play and sing for a living, and I get to do that now and it’s cool to be able to get a little trophy every now and then to let us know that we’re doing good doing it. So thank you so much, this is beautiful.”
A Milestone Moment in a Breakout Year
Top’s win comes on the heels of his acclaimed debut album Cold Beer & Country Music, which racked up more than 3.5 million streams in its first week. His headlining tour of the same name has been selling out across the country, with standout stops at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium (two nights), New York’s Terminal 5, and Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway.
On top of his headline run, Top is hitting the road with Alan Jackson on select dates of Jackson’s Last Call Tour, and he’s gearing up to join Dierks Bentley’s Broken Branches Tour, which launches next month.
Honored at the 60th ACM Awards
Zach Top’s New Male Artist of the Year win will be celebrated during the 60th ACM Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire. The show will stream live for a global audience across Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT.
Broadcasting from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas—the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys—the show promises an unforgettable night of performances and honors. A limited number of tickets are available via SeatGeek, giving fans a chance to be closer to the action than ever before.
