Last piece about the year 2022 on this blog, but not the less important : the artist of the year.
First, let me tell you that the choice wasn’t easy, due to the fantastic year that 2022 has been for country music. Several artists would have undoubtedly deserved to be named artist of the year. Some of them have been present on the rankings that you have maybe read on his blog. I particularly think about Kaitlin Butts, who was #3 on the Top country albums, #3 on the Top EP’s and #2 on the Top 30 songs with the beautiful “Blood“. I also think about 49 Winchester, rewarded here with the best album, for the awesome “Fortune favors the Bold“.
But, at the end of the trip, there’s only one winner, and in 2022, Zach Bryan is that one.
His year has been absolutely impressive. We thought that we had enjoyed the most important part of his work with the brilliant 34 songs LP “American Heartbreak“. But then was released another record, that Zach Bryan considered as an EP, “Summertime Blues“. This “EP” including 9 songs, and 28 minutes long, was on repeat for me all the summer and till now, with a lot of amazing songs. And it wasn’t the end: we were also able to celebrate Christmas with another Zach Bryan record: a live album named “All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live From The Redrocks)“.
I don’t live in the US and I wasn’t able to enjoy a gig of Zach Bryan, but I have no doubt that he’s also a fantastic performer.
Last year, Zach Bryan was a prolific songwriter, a man able to release three major records, but the most important, and the reason why he’s Country Music France 2022 artist of the year is not that he’s prolific but authentic. His success is here because his songs are deeply relatable among American people and far beyond. And that has been the goal of country music since this genre exists.
So, thank you so much, Zach Bryan, for having been a great part of this tremendous year for country music, and for let your songs be a very important part of our lives.
Nicolas Davelu
Photo by Samuel Elkins
Country Music France 