In the quiet ache of a winter morning, when the road feels longer than it should and doubt creeps in like fog over the plains, Zach Bryan‘s voice cuts through with that unflinching honesty that’s made him a beacon for the restless hearted. “Anyways” captures one of those pivotal moments—a late-night talk with a loved one urging you to push past the fear, to step on stage even when your knees shake. It’s the kind of track that resonates with anyone who’s ever stared down their own version of West Virginia, palms sweaty but guitar in hand, choosing to play through the storm. Fans diving into Anyways lyrics by Zach Bryan are finding not just words, but a mirror to their own quiet battles.
| Lead Vocals | Zach Bryan |
| Songwriter | Zach Bryan |
| Music Producer | Zach Bryan |
| Mastering Engineer | Pete Lyman |
| Mixing Engineer | Jacquire King |
| Label | Warner Records |
| Release Date | January 9, 2026 |
| Song Language | English |
| Copyright © | Belting Bronco Records & Warner Records |
| Phonographic Copyright ℗ | Belting Bronco Records & Warner Records |
Lyrics of Anyways by Zach Bryan
[Intro]
One, Two, Three, Four
You Looked Me In The Eyes Last Summer
Said You Hate All The Pain I’m Under
Told Me To Play Your Favorite Cover
Of “Between The Bars”
Been Feelin’ Fuckin’ Empty Lately
I Wanna Go And See The Sea
But I Don’t Got The Gasoline
To Get That Far [Chorus]
She Said, “Don’t Stop Now
Still Got That Dreamer In Your Eye
Saw You Back When You Played West Virginia
When You Were Too Scared To Go On Stage
But Played Anyway”
You Looked Me In The Eyes Last Summer
After Spendin’ All Of It Inside
Underneath The Covers Tryna Hide
From The World Outside
And I Ain’t Feelin’ Empty Lately
I’m Gonna Go And Make Them See
I’ll Always Have The Gasoline
To Get That Far [Chorus]
And She Said, “If You Quit Now
You’ll Let Those Greedy Bastards Win Somehow
How The Time, It Passes
How They Hate When You Feel Afraid
Then Play Anyway
So Don’t Stop Now
Still Got That Dreamer In Your Eye
Saw You Back When You Played West Virginia
When You Were Too Scared To Go On Stage
But Played Anyway
If You Quit Now
You’ll Let Those Greedy Bastards Win Somehow
How The Time, It Passes
How They Hate When You Feel Afraid
But Play Anyway
Anyway”
[Outro]
You Looked Me In The Eyes Last Summer
Said You Hate The Pain I’m Under
Told Me To Play Your Favorite Cover
Of “Between The Bars”
About “Anyways by Zach Bryan”
Zach Bryan turns the spotlight into a confessional booth with “Anyways,” a raw anthem of grit and grace that whispers, keep going—even when the crowd’s indifferent and the setlist feels like a gamble.
What makes “Anyways” hum is its unadorned folk-country pulse, built on fingerpicked acoustics and Bryan’s gravelly tenor that carries the weight of lived miles. The theme orbits perseverance, that stubborn spark of the dreamer who won’t let the “greedy bastards” cash in on surrender, laced with nods to Elliott Smith’s “Between the Bars” as a haunting callback to vulnerability. The mood swings from shadowed introspection in the verses—empty tanks, hidden hurts—to a defiant lift in the chorus, where encouragement from a summer gaze becomes fuel for the fire. Production stays true to Bryan’s ethos: sparse, intimate, no gloss, letting the emotion breathe like wind through Oklahoma dust.
Nestled as the 14th cut on With Heaven On Top, Bryan’s sprawling sixth studio album, “Anyways” threads into a tapestry of 25 tracks that wrestle with fame’s double edge, lost connections, and the grind of the touring life. The record’s vision? A no-holds-barred dive into the highs and hollows of chasing dreams, from podunk gigs to sold-out arenas, all while grappling with what success strips away. It’s Bryan at his most expansive yet personal, blending heartbreak ballads with rowdy anthems that feel like late-night bonfire confessions, proving his knack for turning autobiography into universal lore.
Dropped on January 9, 2026, via Warner Records, With Heaven On Top arrived with the surprise of a fresh snowfall—self-produced by Bryan himself, announced via social media back in July 2025, and immediately paired with a global tour rollout that’s already selling out dates from Nashville to London. No big-name collabs this round; it’s pure Bryan, recorded in the raw pockets of his relentless schedule, with early streams spiking on Spotify and pre-save buzz turning into instant playlist staples. Critics are calling it his boldest yet, a monument to the blue-collar poet who’s redefined modern country without chasing the charts.
At 29, fresh off Grammy nods and a self-titled juggernaut that topped Billboard for weeks, Bryan enters this phase swinging bigger—less the wide-eyed Navy vet, more the seasoned storyteller owning his scars. “Anyways” marks that evolution, a pivot from the melancholy marathons of American Heartbreak to something fiercer, more motivational, underscoring why his discography endures: it’s therapy in three minutes, a reminder that the real hits come from playing scared. In a sea of polished pop-country, tracks like this reaffirm his grip on the genre’s soul, pulling in fans who crave authenticity over Auto-Tune.
What elevates “Anyways” amid the album’s sprawl is its meta wink to Bryan’s own trajectory—the scared kid from Oklahoma who played that first shaky set and never looked back. As reviews pour in, from Rolling Stone praising its cynical tour tales to Taste of Country hailing it as a live-show scorcher, it’s clear this isn’t just filler; it’s the heartbeat of an artist who’s learned to weaponize his fears.
Frequently Asked Questions
