Mark’s Thoughts on Morgan Wallen’s Career

Morgan Wallen, if you don't know, was a rising star in the country music business. I say "was" because of what one of his neighbors recorded him saying one night after he had reportedly been on a seventy-two-hour "bender."

He has since taken full responsibility and gone as far as to ask people to not defend him.

Country radio, including us, have quit playing any of his songs. He won't be winning any awards from the various country music awards shows.

Even though his label suspended his contract, his sales and streams went up (thanks to the controversy). Now, Morgan Wallen is the best-selling artist in America this year.

If you're thinking about the Dixie Chicks being banished for a much smaller offense, I'd tell you the difference. Streaming.

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Artists don't really need radio anymore. We certainly don't hurt them by playing their music. But, in this day and time, you can stream any song that you want.

I don't completely understand everything about streaming. But I know that if Paul and I are talking about any piece of music, I can Google it and play it in seconds.

Let me say upfront that what he said was not alright. But I've been around plenty of entertainers through the years when they weren't on stage who have said things equal or worse to what Mr. Wallen did.

I'm sure that the record company doesn't know what to do with him. But for right now, they will keep cashing those checks.

Is this the end of a promising musical career? I really don't know which way it will end up going.