Zach Top Graces Cover Of 2025 MusicRow Awards Issue

MusicRow, Nashville’s leading music industry publication, has released its 2025 MusicRow Awards print issue, with Leo33 breakout star Zach Top gracing its cover.

Hailed as “the future of country music” (Billboard), Zach Top will release his highly-anticipated new album, Ain’t In It For My Health, on August 29 (Leo33). The project features Top’s acclaimed new single, “Good Times & Tan Lines,” which the Los Angeles Times recently selected as one of the “Best Songs of 2025 so far” calling it, “as crisp as country music gets.”

The release adds to an already breakout year for Top, who recently earned his first No. 1 at country radio with “I Never Lie” and was named New Male Artist of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards. These accomplishments follow the release of Top’s breakthrough 2024 debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music, which garnered over 3.5 million streams in just its first week and landed on several “Best of” lists, including Rolling Stone, Billboard and The New York Times, who praised, “the music is airtight and fluent—a demonstration of vivid coloring within hard lines.”

The MusicRow Awards print issue highlights the 2025 MusicRow Awards nominees in a range of categories, including Producer of the Year, Studio of the Year, Label Group of the Year, Talent Agency of the Year, Publishing Company of the Year, Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year, Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year, Male Songwriter of the Year, Female Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year, Discovery Artist of the Year, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Group/Duo Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.

“What makes the MusicRow Awards special is that they are chosen by the very people who live and breathe this industry every day: our subscribers. These awards reflect the insight and respect of Nashville’s music decision-makers—an authentic peer-to-peer recognition of excellence over the past year,” shares MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson. “It’s our privilege to shine this well-deserved spotlight on all of these outstanding talents.”

The winners of the 37th annual MusicRow Awards will be announced virtually among all MusicRow platforms on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Presenting Sponsor of the 2025 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank. This print issue also honors the Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians Award winners, recognizing the studio players who played on the most albums reaching the Top 10 of Billboard’s Country Albums Chart during the eligibility period.

The 2025 MusicRow Awards print issue also looks into the new country category at the Grammy Awards, as well as the success and ethos of The Core Entertainment, helmed by Kevin “Chief” Zaruk and Simon Tikhman. The issue also contains an informative roundup of all the awards applicable to the Nashville music industry.

Single copies of the 2025 MusicRow Awards print issue are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $25, and are included with yearly MusicRow subscriptions.