In an unexpected turn of events, country superstar Morgan Wallen recently took to his social media platforms to urge his fans not to stream eight newly released tracks that were recorded during his pre-Big Loud days. Wallen expressed his disappointment in the fact that these decade-old songs were being released against his wishes, as he does not feel particularly proud of them. To address this situation, he decided to re-record one of the songs he does like, titled 'Spin You Around,' and release it as a way for his fans to have something new to listen to while avoiding the older material.
Wallen shared his frustration on Instagram, stating, 'I want you to know this is NOT my new music, and I don't want to see this happen to anyone else.' He went on to explain that listening to these older songs makes him cringe, and he is concerned that his fans may mistakenly believe that this is a new release by him. He also expressed his disdain for the way the music industry sometimes operates, referring to this situation as 'gross, greedy,' and an example of how the dark side of the business can remove the essence of an artist.
After Wallen made his statement, Variety reached out to William Ray, the head of the label responsible for releasing the new material, Panacea Records. Ray defended the decision to release the eight previously unheard tracks, stating that they love the songs and believe that some of Wallen's fans will appreciate them as well. He expressed excitement about finally sharing these songs with the world.
It's worth noting that five of the songs included in this release were originally part of Wallen's 2015 EP, 'Stand Alone.' Wallen had been satisfied with that release initially. However, Panacea Records re-released it as a '10th anniversary' deluxe project, adding the eight additional tracks that were originally recorded during that same time period.
Wallen described most of the previously unreleased material as 'terrible,' emphasizing his lack of enthusiasm for its release. He admitted that he learned about this old music surfacing while on a duck-hunting trip and even managed to create artwork for the new single, 'Spin You Around,' during that time. Additionally, he revealed his plans to begin working on a new album in February, following the success of his previous highly-commercial albums.
To address the situation and give his fans something to enjoy, Wallen re-recorded 'Spin You Around (1/24)' in Nashville, which was released simultaneously with his social media statement. He expressed his gratitude to those who helped with the recording process and humorously shared that he created the artwork for the single while out in the woods hunting ducks.
In a show of generosity and good faith, Wallen announced that he would be donating $100,000 from the Morgan Wallen Foundation to the Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts (VLPA) program. He hopes that his story will encourage young aspiring musicians to hold on to their creative freedoms and never sacrifice them for opportunities in the music industry.
Wallen concluded his statement by assuring his fans that when he is ready to release new music, they will hear it directly from him. With his next project set to begin at the end of February, Wallen conveyed his excitement and inspiration to create more music that he can be truly proud of.
So, despite the unexpected turn of events involving the release of his old, unwanted material, Morgan Wallen has managed to turn things around by re-recording a favorite song, addressing the situation with transparency, and focusing on creating music that aligns with his artistic vision. Fans can look forward to new music from Wallen in the near future, and hopefully, his experience will serve as a cautionary tale for other aspiring musicians in the industry.
