Regardless of your feelings towards Morgan Wallen, there’s no denying that he is the biggest artist in the genre. Between his record-breaking year which featured an all-genre Billboard Hot 100 hit with “Last Night” last year, selling out stadiums across the United States and recently breaking the record for the most-attended country concert in the U.K., Wallen has proven that he is the hottest act in country music not just in the U.S. but also nationwide.
With all of this being said, it’s hard not to bring up some of Wallen’s past headlines while discussing the “You Proof” singer’s success over the past few years. From his chair-throwing incident at Eric Church’s bar, Chief’s, to his infamous use of a racial slur on camera in 2021, Wallen has had his fair share of bad press despite the overwhelming success both in the studio and on stage.
In a recent interview on the Rolling Stone’s podcast, Rolling Stone Music Now, fellow star, Darius Rucker, discussed a plethora of different topics. The “Come Back Song” singer opened up about his brand-new book, his own recent arrest and most notably, Morgan Wallen’s current place in the genre.
When asked about the current state of country music, most notably the balance between Beyoncé’s recent venture into the genre and other prominent black artists such as Shaboozey experiencing success, Rucker noted that he appreciates all the different subgenres and styles that are currently thriving:
“The best thing for me is I don’t have to balance it. Firstly, I just make my records. And when it comes to listening, I listen to all that stuff. I love Morgan’s records. I get why it’s so big. I love Beyoncé’s record. I love that new Shaboozey song. But then I also love Jason Aldean. I think his songs are great. I love Luke Bryan. I love Luke Combs. I think he’s amazing. And the one thing I’ve always realized is, you don’t have to like the people making the music to like the music.”
After mentioning Wallen’s record, Rucker was then asked if the “Whiskey Glasses” singer should be forgiven for his past. Rucker noted that he thinks Wallen should be while also highlighting that he doesn’t think he’s been by the likes of the CMA and ACM Awards, mentioning how he was absent from the award shows the past year:
“Yeah, I do. I do. I think Morgan’s become a better person since that. I’ve known Morgan a long time. Since all that happened, Morgan’s tried to really better himself and become a better person and see the world in a much better way.
And he’s not forgiven. He’s still not out for CMAs and ACMs. They can say what they want, but the fact that Morgan Wallen is not up for entertainer of the year and those things is crazy. Cause no one’s selling more tickets than Morgan. Maybe Luke Combs is right up there with him. They’re playing stadiums, man.“
It should be noted that Rucker has been seen with Wallen in the past, most notably being present while Wallen, Church and HARDY performed an acoustic version of Wallen’s hit, “Sand in My Boots,” all the way back in 2021.
Listen to the full podcast here: