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Before Big Loud Records suspended Morgan Wallen last week for racial insult, the 27-year-old singer was on his way to becoming the next big country music superstar. Music executives say he ticked all of the Nashville boxes: a compelling voice, well-crafted songs about small towns, drink and relationships, commercial sound made for radio, and a bit of bluster in it. ‘Ancient. More importantly, it has become a streaming giant – a rarity in country music, which has always lagged behind hip-hop and other genres on streaming services.
Her rapid rise appeared to slow down last week after the East Tennessee star was caught on camera calling one of her group of friends the N word as he said goodnight to her. (The video began to circulate on Tuesday evening.) Mr. Wallen immediately apologized. But the reaction was just as quick: Country music radio stations kicked him off the airwaves on Wednesday, and streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music pulled him from important playlists, though he stayed. searchable. WME, his talent agency, let him down, according to a spokesperson. Many believed the distance would be a blow to its streaming prospects.
On Sunday, however, Mr. Wallen’s latest album, “Dangerous,” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s All Genre Albums chart for the fourth week in a row since its release – which hasn’t happened for a country album for about 18 years. Early indications suggest he could be No. 1 again next week. Music industry experts answered key questions about Mr Wallen and what the controversy means (and doesn’t mean) for country music:
Has the industry reprimand actually hurt Mr. Wallen’s sales and flows?
It’s still early. But Mr. Wallen’s sales are stable and even on the rise, but with some reservations.
The Billboard Albums chart tracks numbers Friday through Thursday. Mr. Wallen’s album “Dangerous” moved 149,000 “equivalent album units” in the past week ending Thursday, February 4, a metric that includes US sales and streaming. This is an increase of 14% from the previous week.
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