Morgan Wallen (center) flanked by Big Loud Records CEO Seth England (l) and Ronnie Dunn (r) at the Big Loud offices in Nashville (photo: Instagram)
After a multi-month suspension, Morgan Wallen has suddenly received a ringing endorsement from Big Loud CEO Seth England.
Instead of getting dropped, Morgan Wallen now looks ready to resume working with Big Loud Records, which is partnered with Universal Music Group division Republic Records. Whether Wallen is officially getting reinstated is unclear, though Big Loud CEO Seth England has now opted to publicly support his label’s biggest artist.
In reality, it wasn’t clear if the label ever stopped working with Wallen behind the scenes, though Big Loud publicly ‘suspended’ the artist after he was filmed uttering a racial slur outside of his home in February.
“In the wake of recent events, Big Loud Records has made the decision to suspend Morgan Wallen’s recording contract indefinitely,” the label stated after the incident. “Republic Records fully supports Big Loud’s decision and agrees such behavior will not be tolerated.”
Now, England has changed his label’s tune. In an Instagram pic posted ahead of the weekend, England heralded Wallen as one of country music’s most talented singers. Posing next to Wallen and country legend Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, England captioned: “Two of the very best singers to ever walk music row. A bucket list picture I never knew I needed until now. The voice that got me into country music… and the voice that’s keeping me going.”
That ringing endorsement sounds like the beginning of a reinstatement for Wallen, something England hammered home in the comments section. One fan remarked: “Love how you have been by Morgan Wallen’s side this whole time. Big Loud seems like one big family,” to which England replied,
“We are. Family sticks by family. Accountability is powerful. Cancelling is a slippery slope. Never even crossed our mind because we know his true self.”
That’s not exactly how things went down between Big Loud and Wallen, however.
Big Loud dropped the suspension bomb pretty quickly, then went quiet on the matter for months. England only reemerged this month — nearly three-and-one-half months later — to publicly support Wallen. Calling that “family sticks by family” sounds like a stretch, though it’s entirely possible that England was taking orders from both Republic and Universal Music Group on the suspension.
Either way, it doesn’t appear that Wallen is going anywhere, though the reentry plan remains unclear. At present, Wallen remains scrubbed from the Big Loud Records website, and it doesn’t appear that Big Loud is advocating for their artist before major broadcast radio conglomerates, major touring agents, or streaming services. But they’re certainly not dumping Wallen, and might be quietly renewing or expanding their contract with the artist.
Indeed, it appeared that Big Loud was working some promotional channels during the ‘suspension,’ and the label group may be angling for a piece of Wallen’s future concert career. In the wake of the Wallen controversy, touring heavy-hitter Willam Morris Endeavor (WME) dropped Wallen, and the artist has since canceled all of his summer tour dates.
But that doesn’t mean a massive tour isn’t being plotted for 2022. Indeed, Wallen’s career has been surging for months following the fallout, despite — or because of — a mass boycott by broadcast, online, and satellite radio stations, not to mention playlist removals by streaming platforms Spotify and Apple Music. Even awards shows have banned Wallen, though the coordinated cancellation appears to have spurred a record-setting sales surge and stirred demand for future concert dates.
As for the summer touring schedule, Morgan Wallen was originally slated to open for Luke Bryan. But now, a headlining arena tour seems like a very real possibility.
Wallen was supposed to open for Luke Bryan.
Now I think Luke Bryan will be opening for Wallen.
???
Thank you Ronnie Dunn
Be a simple kind of Man, Morgan you known what this is all about, it’s about your music, not the game, sharing what’s inside you, what you love, with the world Amen!
Yep for sure
That’s is exactly what needs to happen. I quit watching C M T because Morgan could not be on there and I was I’ll not watch again til he I as back on there.i love to da hell out him cause we have a lot in common.
Think Billboard made a huge mistake banning him from their awards show esp. since Wallen was setting so many BB records. Look I don’t support what the guy did but this is really alienating the audience and you can see Big Loud’s CEO really trying to cut against that.
Of course they come out now, they see how many fans Morgan has. But the damage is done, too little to late.
Bieber & Cardi B are 2 of the most disgusting singers ever & they are on the Billboard nominations.
WAP is a disgrace to music
I couldn’t agree more. They are disgusting. And here Morgan gets slammed for one word which was taken way outta context. I don’t see Cardi being banned from any tours or award shows but there are 10 year old kids running around singing about WAP…??♀️ I still say shame on this label. My how the tables have turned…
People will debate the crime. But does it make sense to ban him for life?
Definitely not ! This word has been in existence since forever. He did not use it maliciously. Get over it , move on. We get it !!! Don’t use the word ! This should be for all races black as well as white. Don’t be racist but being human is ok . Learn from mistakes and move on
Amen!
Money over ethics. Wallen is the racist that people love to defend Just watch. More idiot comments coming to this thread soon.
Herman, we’re still waiting on your definition of “racist”.
Why would you be waiting for something you never asked for? Jeez. You’re an idiot.
I don’t see ant ignorant comments except for the first!!
And yours.
One word doesn’t make someone a racist. Yes he was wrong but he has went above and beyond to rectify his mistake. No one is perfect
Most Ignorant comment on this topic.
Herman, winner for the most ingnorant comment on the subject at hand.
Tammy, winner for the most ignorant reply to a brilliant comment.
This is pure Bullshit!
I agree. Why do so many people support a racist like Wallen? His sales were slumping until he uttered the N word, then they shot up. He didn’t change. The music was the same. The only difference was that he now used the N word and people reacted in support of him.
He should cancel everyone who cancelled him..just start over with his music and his fans
Wallon is not a rasist u moron, get over urself
Yes he is.
The N word is not skin color but behavior. He’s not racist. He treats everyone with respect. I can’t say that for the BLM.
Are you perfect?
Why is DMN so obsessed with guy? Anyways, thanks for contributing to his exploding sales.
He doesn’t need DMN’s help with sales. His fans have his back and his talent speaks for itself ❤❤
Exactly well said..
His racist fans have his back.
Because it’s news! What Morgan accomplished both before and after the incident for sales has not been done in country music since Swift. And then this incident and the followed-up cancellation makes his continued success even more improbable and more newsworthy. This whole saga would always be covered by many more media outlets in a free country with a free press; and actually Morgan is hurt far more by the lack of coverage by most media that would always happen in a country with a free press that covers news. Swift’s coming out was made bigger with free publicity. So was Twain and Brooks and Jackson. Of course they did; it’s normal; it’s news! Morgan’s had DMN, Country Today, and Music Meyham telling the news from the public’s perspective. That’s it. The rest is subverted, censured, or told on behalf of corporations.
This has been the most overblown situation I’ve ever seen in my 58 years. I’m not a kid and I’ve seen much worse written off as someone abusing their celebrity status, got too drunk, etc. I’m just glad to see an end in site. Morgan is incredibly talented and their was no malice involved. His fans have stood by him sadly watching him be cancelled from one event after another. Not getting awards that were certainly his. His punishment has been harsh and he has paid his dues so let’s get back to good country music and see what he has next.
Don’t you just know every winner in a category he would have been nominated in must just KNOW that those aren’t *really* their awards!
Very well said! I am 58 as well. That young man is the best that I have seen or heard for decades. He was blessed with talent!
Tina, no offense..Country music is dead when the radio stations stopped playing the likes of Alan Jackson, George Strait..Loretta Lynn said it, the genre”is dead”
This is long overdue! Cancel culture is a joke and everyone with a brain knows Morgan isn’t racist. I hope this hurts the radio stations, award shows, concert area’s and anyone else responsible for this cruelty in their pockets big time. His fans will ALWAYS SUPPORT HIM ! And to to greedy neighbor who videotaped him that fat check you received from TMZ I hope brings you nothing but bad karma. Morgan Wallen is the most talented musician country music has seen in a very very long time. #GHAT
Well said!!
Cancel culture is for the weak.. they need to grow up
Yeah, don’t anyone express your opinions or feelings about anything anymore.
Yup. If you don’t follow like a sheep, you’re goin’ DOWN ? ?
Morgan Wallen is really only guilty of being a bad neighbor. I’d hate him if I had to live nearby. Being drunk and loud in the middle of the night is a stupid and selfish thing to do.
That said, the overreaction to Wallen using the n-word as a term of endearment to a white friend is absolutely insane. If you think that’s “racist” then you’re beyond dumb. Enough people seem to think this way that it’s constantly news. I don’t get it. These are the same morons who also believe the lies of Bubba Wallace, Jussie Smollett, Colin Kaepernick, Oprah Winfrey, Al Sharpton, and all the other race hustlers looking to feed their ego or their wallet.
I don’t like that word, but merely saying it does not make a non-black person an automatic “racist”. Professors are being fired for simply reading the text of old court cases where the word was used in the transcripts. “Woke” people are insane. There is very little “racism” in modern society except the phony BS being ginned up by the media and con artists.
Just a reminder, the Democrat Party is the party of racism. Democrats fought a war to try to keep blacks as slaves. The Democrat Party formed the KKK to terrorize free blacks and Republicans. The Democrats implemented Jim Crow. The Democrats made “separate but equal” legal. The Democrats installed separate drinking fountains. Democrats segregated baseball and the military. Democrat Senator Robert Byrd was a KKK kleagle, and Resident Joe Biden eulogized Byrd after he died in 2010. Joe Biden also got an award from segregationist George Wallace, which Biden bragged about for years. Democrats want segregated dorms and graduations on college campuses. Yes, the majority of blacks in Congress are Democrat, but these are some of the dumbest, most incendiary, do-nothing “house negros” around. If you woke morons don’t know what a “house negro” is, look it up. I bet most of you don’t. Malcolm X talked about the difference between the “house negro” and the “field negro” all the time. Malcolm X hated the “house negro”.
If you identify as a Democrat, maybe you look at the history of it. You’re likely a dumb ass racist.
Lots of typing just to prove that you’re a biased fool and an idiot.
Hey Ken,
Everything BAC wrote is actually true. So tuck your ignorant head back up your ass and GTFO! Stupid, idiotic person! ?
BAC,
VERY WELL SPOKEN
Considering he is a troll, a liar and a fool. Hey, you’re two peas in a pod.
Well said
Cancel culture is a joke. Look what us fans did. ACM AWARDS TANKED, WE BOYCOTTED, PUT UP6 BILLBOARDS FOR A WEEK, IN AND AROUND WHERE AWARD SHOW WAS BEING HELD. STREAMED 24/ TO MAKE DANGEROUS #1 FOR 11 WEEKS STRAIGHT ON ALL GONDRAS, SMASHING EVERY RECORD EVER HELD BY ANY ARTIST. AND WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED. WE WILLVYELL LOUD AND PROUD TIL OUR BOY FROM EAST TENNESSEE IS HEADLINING. COMPANIES WILL ONLY BE WOKE TIL THEY GO BROKE. AND WE WILL BREAK THEM. #GHAT….
Sure, “Rita”, whatever you say. There is no such thing as cancel culture. It’s a term that idiots use to try and generalize, then minimize.
Hey bitch, your caps lock key is as busted as your opinion.
With some of these ignorant comments accusing people of being racist surprise me that they can do the math questions in order to be able to comment. But, they’re probably smart enough to use a calculator.
Did you get help with your math question?
Freedom of speech.
DEFINE RACISM! Man! I’m getting so tired of this. Yes, it’s not a freedom of speech issue. That’s stupid, but DUDE! HOW. WAS. HE. RACIST?! HOW?! He said a flipping WORD (not even the racist version of it) TO A WHITE FRIEND about a WHITE FRIEND! He has done a million kind and good things according to all accounts. A WORD does not make you racist. YOUR ACTIONS coupled WITH the word DOES. He’s shown literally no actions of racism. His BLACK FRIENDS don’t find him racist. Shouldn’t they be the ones to decide?
Way to try and justify hate speech and racism. You’re a mess.
Friendsville tn, FAN WE LOVE YOU MORGAN? Do what you need to do for now, b c we’re rite here waiting for you, no matter how long you need, IM A FAN FOR LIFE, AND NOBODY CAN EVER TAKE YOUR TRUE FANS??
Wallon is not a rasist u moron, get over urself
Yes he is.
YESSSSSSSSSSSS!! OMG!! Somebody that finally GETS IT!! ? Morgan plays 365/7 in my car as I drive…Thank you! ?
He for sure, is not the first singer to use this word. For God’s sake get a life.
Being the first or not being the first isn’t the questions. He should have known better, but he persisted…not once, but twice – two separate occasions. Really?
He’s too big for them to ignore