“Some of Us Prefer to Write Our Own Records”: Zach Bryan Shares Update on New Album and Confirms Eight Songs That Will Feature

After revealing he'll be dropping two brand new songs, ‘River Washed Hair’ and ’Streets of London’, today (Tuesday, July 1st), Zach Bryan has offered fans an update on his next album.

The long-awaited project, which serves as the follow-up to 2024's lauded The Great American Bar Scene, is expected to be titled Motorbreath. In January, Bryan shared a Matthew McConaughey-voiced intro to an accompanying film of the same name following him and his band as they travel across the US completing the project.

Taking to Instagram, Zach Bryan begins by apologising to fans for not dropping ‘Streets of London’ - which he debuted at BST Hyde Park on Saturday - on Monday as promised.

The ‘Dawns’ hitmaker has explained, “yoooo decided to put two songs out instead of just one so it's gonna take an extra day!! Songs'll be out Tuesday sorry sorry sorry”.

He went on to shed light on why he's releasing these two tracks now, “they are kind of just tunes that didn't belong on the record, and they didn't fit on an EP either, so I'm just releasing them to get them out into the world cause I love them. Hope you guys enjoy them. I love each one of ya!! even the folks who talked mad shit all year”.

Elsewhere on his Instagram Stories, the country-folk titan reflected on the experience of selling out two nights back-to-back at London's BST Hyde Park, with Zach Bryan heartwarmingly gushing, “also only five people ever have sold out Hyde Park two nights in a row. I have you guys to thank for it. I love you so much for showing out London. I will love your beautiful city and country forever! See you next time!”

He goes on to pay tribute to his team, “and to my best friends, my crew, and my band. What you do I'll forever be indebted for. I am so lucky to know each and every one of you and you'll be my family forever. God speed boys and girls get back home safe !!!”

Bryan then confirms that some of the much-loved unreleased tracks he's been teasing in recent months will be making their way onto his new studio album, “songs like In Dreams, Madeline, Plastic Cigarette, Bowery and Rockaway will all be on the record. I'm working on making it special so everyone just fuckn chill for a sec”.

He goes on to name-check a trio of other songs he's previously shared clips of, “Runny Eggs, Skin, Savior Complex and a shit load more than no one's ever heard are on it!”

The ‘I Remember Everything’ chart-topper revealed in his October 2024 Rolling Stone conversation with one of his musical icons, Bruce Springsteen, that he's been trying to take more time and be a little more patient with the creation of his next project.

It seems this is still his approach, with Bryan offering fans an insight into his process via his latest Instagram Stories, “just been living well and writing often. it'll be here when it's here!”, before concluding with what many have interpreted as a dig at the Nashvillian songwriting style, “some of us prefer to write our own records”.

Many contemporary country albums feature a plethora of songwriting teams, with the lead artist often not involved in the writing of the majority of songs on their album. Zach Bryan, meanwhile, takes pride in the fact that he is regularly the sole songwriter of his music. We think there's room for both strategies, with many fantastic country songs being penned by five or more songwriters - but either way, we're eagerly looking forward to hearing what Bryan has in store for his next era.

Zach Bryan's confirmed tracklist so far for his new album (expected to be called Motorbreath) below:

• In Dreams
• Madeline
• Plastic Cigarettes
• Bowery
• Rockaway
• Runny Eggs
• Skin
• Savior Complex

For more on Zach Bryan, see below: