Hear Zac Brown Band Rap, Roll on New Party Jam ‘Need This’

Zac Brown Band have made some head-scratching creative decisions in years past (“Beautiful Drug,” anyone?), but new song “Need This,” while a risk, isn’t one of them. Rather, it’s an undeniable banger, a well-plotted mash-up of pop, hip-hop, and rock, with Brown rapping “wake up, sun’s out, shoes off, my goodness/sippin’ seaside, I call it fitness.” As he boasts later, it’s “too much fun to quit this.” That said, fans of the group’s more country-leaning material (like “Colder Weather” and “Highway 20 Ride”) may cry foul.

Produced by Brown with Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Andrew DeRoberts, and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, “Need This” is the latest release from ZBB’s upcoming album The Owl and follows their military anthem “Warrior” and the piano ballad “Leaving Love Behind.” Along with releasing “Need This,” the group also announced the track list for the LP, an 11-song collection that includes a guest appearance by Brandi Carlile. The Grammy-winning Americana vocalist is featured on the track “Finish What We Started.”

The Owl, Zac Brown Band’s sixth album, will be released on September 20th.

1. “The Woods”
2.  “Need This”
3.  “OMW”
4.  “Someone I Used to Know”
5.  “Me and the Boys in the Band”
6.  “Finish What We Started” (feat. Brandi Carlile)
7.  “God Given”
8.  “Warrior”
9. “Shoofly Pie”
10. “Already on Fire”
11. “Leaving Love Behind”