“I want to be a songwriter”

Despite numerous Grammys Country nominations and a win in Best Country Duo/Group Performance with Kacey Musgraves for “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan says he doesn't want to be defined as a country artist.

In exclusive Rolling Stone Interview between Bryan and Bruce Springsteen Great American bar scene The New Jersey songwriter and working-class hero spoke at length about how country music has influenced her work. Springsteen cited Hank Williams and Johnny Cash as influences, while Bryan praised Jason Isbell and further pointed out his inherent country vibe Born in the USA songwriter catalog.

“When I hear your music, I think, 'If you produce this any other way, it's a country song,'” Bryan told him.

“Right. There's a lot of country in it,” Springsteen replied.

“That’s why I don’t want to be a country musician,” replied Bryan, who sees his music — like Springsteen’s — as more in line with rock, country, folk and more.

“I don’t want to be a country musician. Everyone calls me that. I want to be a songwriter, and you’re a songwriter through and through,” he said. “Nobody calls Bruce Springsteen — I hate using your name around you — but nobody calls Bruce Springsteen a fucking rock musician, and you are one, but you're also an indie musician, you're also a country musician. You are all these things combined in one man. And that’s what songwriting is.”

Springsteen acknowledged the similarity between his music and Bryan's, particularly on the live stage.

“When you watch the show, there’s so much – and I don’t want to call it rock – just energy in your performance. “You’re pushing all these different genre boundaries,” he told Bryan.

“That’s why you’re a hero to me,” Bryan replied, “because no one has ever come up to you and said you’re on any trail.”

In addition to receiving Grammy recognition in the Recording Academy's country music categories, Bryan was also nominated by the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music for their respective awards shows. He was named the ACM's New Male Artist of the Year in 2023. At this year's CMA Awards, Bryan and Musgraves are nominated for Music Event of the Year for “I Remember Everything.”

Bryan and Springsteen appear on the cover of Rolling Stoneis the November edition, the annual Musicians on Musicians package that brings like-minded artists together in conversation.