ALBUM REVIEW: DIFFERENT NIGHT SAME RODEO

Brennen French, Staff Writer |

ALBUM – Different Night Same Rodeo

ARTIST – Bailey Zimmerman

LABEL – Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville

GRADE – B

On Aug. 8, Bailey Zimmerman released his newest album, Different Night Same Rodeo. His tour began on Aug. 22 and is anticipated to carry on through the entirety of 2025’s summer.

Zimmerman has done an excellent job of creating an album with many themes that feels like it has progression as the listener makes their way through the songs. Some of these themes include heartbreak, resilience, vulnerability, and nostalgia. 

My favourite song from the album, “When It Was,” draws the reader into a love story that had gotten lost in simpler times. This is a very powerful song that touches on the pain that comes with heartbreak, the resilience required to push through hardship, to acknowledge what went wrong and find the difference between time spent and time wasted, and looking back and being grateful for the opportunity to have these memories.

Zimmerman effectively finds a way to keep everyone entertained through his storytelling and by incorporating modern country style with some exciting features, such as Diplo, The Kid LAROI, and Luke Combs.

Although this album has a lot of potential, I think Zimmerman has tried to do too much with it–almost adopting a playlist mentality with solid songs but a scattered direction. While good, much of the content can feel recycled and tired. 

Overall, Different Night Same Rodeo by Bailey Zimmerman does a great job at providing songs that bring forward some great lyrical work, however, this is not the best we have seen from him.