American Heartbreak Explained

American Heartbreak
Type:	studio
Artist:	Zach Bryan
Cover:	Zach Bryan - American Heartbreak.png
Genre:	Red dirt^[1] heartland rock
Length:	121:21
Label:	Belting Bronco Warner
Producer:	Eddie Spear Louie Nice Zach Bryan Colton Jean Ryan Hadlock
Prev Title:	Quiet, Heavy Dreams
Prev Year:	2020
Next Title:	Summertime Blues
Next Year:	2022

American Heartbreak is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Zach Bryan, released on May 20, 2022, through Belting Bronco and Warner Records. It is a triple album and Bryan's major-label debut.^[2] The album was preceded by six singles, including "Something in the Orange", which reached number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.^[3] Bryan toured the US until November 2022 in support of the record.^[4]

Background

Bryan explained that the album "explores the past five years" of his life, further calling it his "effort at trying to explain what being a 26-year-old man in America is like. There's love, loss, rivalry, resentment, and forgiveness all wrapped into one piece of work".^[5] The Tennessean wrote that the album ranges "from demo-like ruminations to full-fledged heartland rock anthems" as well as an "untamed restlessness and blurry-eyed angst".^[6]

Commercial performance

American Heartbreak debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 with 71,500 album-equivalent units, including 6,000 pure album sales, making it the biggest first week for a country album in 2022.^[7] On the day of its release, American Heartbreak achieved the most streams of any country album in 2022 on both Spotify and Apple Music.^[8] As of October 2022, the album has sold 702,000 album units in the U.S. alone.^[9]

Track listing

All tracks written by Zach Bryan except "You Are My Sunshine" (written by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell).

Personnel

Adapted from liner notes.^[10]

• Graham Bright – electric guitar (25), guitar solo (13, 14)
• Zach Bryan – lead vocals (all tracks), acoustic guitar (1–5, 7, 8, 10–18, 20–34), bass drum (6, 29), electric guitar (6, 9, 16, 19), harmonica (5–7, 13, 15, 24), slide guitar (11, 21, 29)
• Caleb Buchfink – background vocals (23)
• Dune Butler – Fender Jazz Bass (25), Juno synth (25), Moog synth (25), upright bass (25)
• J.R. Carroll – percussion (25), background vocals (3, 13–15, 25, 27)
• Taylor Carroll – percussion (25)
• Aksel Coe – drums (2–5, 7–12, 14–22, 24, 26–28, 30–33), percussion (3, 5, 7, 9, 13, 14, 16–19, 21, 24, 26), background vocals (13, 27, 30)
• Whitney Coleman – background vocals (11)
• Read Connolly – banjo (1), lap steel guitar (8), pedal steel guitar (3, 10, 19, 30), slide guitar (12)
• Billy Contreras – fiddle (4, 9, 10, 17, 18, 28, 30–32)
• Jeff Fielder – electric guitar (25), slide guitar (25)
• Ryan Hadlock – percussion (25)
• Calvin Knowles – bass guitar (4, 5, 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, 19–21, 24, 26, 30), synth bass (2, 11, 19), upright bass (2, 3, 10, 12, 13, 18, 22, 27, 28, 31–33), background vocals (13, 27)
• William Map – drums (25), percussion (25)
• Morgan Meinert – background vocals (7)
• Kimo Muraki – baritone horn (25), mellophone (25)
• Lucas Ruge-Jones – fiddle (15, 22, 23, 27), background vocals (22)
• Eddie Spear – piano (19, 29), background vocals (13, 27)
• Seth Taylor – acoustic guitar (3–5, 7–10, 13, 15, 17, 19–22, 24, 26, 27, 30, 31, 33), banjo (33), electric guitar (7–11, 14, 18–21, 26, 28, 31, 32), mandolin (12, 15, 27, 31, 32), background vocals (13, 22, 30)
• Brooke Waggoner – piano (2, 10, 18)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022–2024)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[11]	54
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)^[12]	5
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[13]	40

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"

Position
US Billboard 200^[14]	54
US Top Americana/Folk Albums (Billboard)^[15]	4
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[16]	8
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)^[17]	4

Chart (2023)! scope="col"

Position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)^[18]	9
US Billboard 200^[19]	8
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[20]	3
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)^[21]	1

Notes and References

1. Web site: American Heartbreak – Zach Bryan. AllMusic. Erlewine. Stephen Thomas. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. September 25, 2023.
2. Web site: Zach Bryan Announces Debut Studio Album, 'American Heartbreak,' Coming This Spring. Whiskey Riff. Young. Casey. January 25, 2022. May 29, 2022.
3. Taylor Swift's 'Anti-Hero' Becomes Her Sole Longest-Leading Hot 100 No. 1 With Eighth Week on Top. Billboard. Trust. Gary. January 17, 2023. January 18, 2023.
4. Web site: Zach Bryan Announces 'American Heartbreak' Tour on the Heels of Record-Breaking Album. Outsider. Edwards. Clayton. May 24, 2022. May 29, 2022.
5. Web site: Zach Bryan's long awaited new album 'American Heartbreak' available now via Warner Records. Amnplify. May 27, 2022 . May 29, 2022.
6. Web site: Zach Bryan makes waves with his 34-song label debut 'American Heartbreak'. The Tennessean. Leimkuehler. Matthew. May 24, 2022. May 29, 2022.
7. Harry Styles' 'Harry's House' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With Half-Million-Plus First Week in U.S.. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. May 29, 2022. May 30, 2022.
8. Web site: Zach Bryan's 'American Heartbreak' Smashes Record For "Most-Streamed Country Album In A Single Day" In 2022. Whiskey Riff. Cox. Brady. May 23, 2022. May 29, 2022.
9. Web site: Eminem — "Curtain Call 2" Sold over 700,000 Album Units in US | Eminem.Pro - the biggest and most trusted source of Eminem . October 26, 2022 .
10. American Heartbreak . Zach Bryan . 2022 . CD booklet . Warner Records . 093624867449.
11. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 18 December 2023. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1763. 6. December 18, 2023.
12. Web site: ARIA Top 40 Country Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. May 30, 2022. May 29, 2022.
13. Web site: NZ Top 40 Albums Chart. https://web.archive.org/web/20230812041415/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=5638. dead. August 12, 2023. Recorded Music NZ. August 14, 2023. August 12, 2023.
14. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022.
15. Top Americana/Folk Albums – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 30, 2022.
16. Top Country Albums – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022.
17. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022.
18. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023.
19. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023.
20. Top Country Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023.
21. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023.