Even if I try to avoid Morgan Wallen (and I do try SO HARD), he's ubiquitous. What really confuses me is that people who I think are nice work with him. Who doesn't he have a duet with? My cynical self can say that it's all about capitalism, and that people don't actually have to like him or agree with him to work with him, but still...they at least are wanting to be associated with him.
I think it's actually worse that Morgan Wallen does the whole "it's not a big deal" posture. I'd rather my enemy act like it's a big deal. It freaks me out that there are all these people who walk around pretending they are just average guys, cracking jokes, having a good time, when they are actually pretty powerful, mean-spirited, hate speech using dudes.
Thu you absolutely nailed why I wrote this essay. The danger of a Wallen (unlike, for instance, somebody like Andrew Tate) is that because the overall posture is "I'm not a bad guy, I'm just a guy who makes mistakes and come on aren't we all and also why you gotta talk politics" it's easier for folks to excuse the cultural impact and not realize the way it helps us all slide further into not giving a crap about each other. It would be so much easier if the only people who made us a less caring society were like "I'm a big obvious villain!"
Great point - because we do have big obvious villains out there and the "don't take things so seriously" crowd are padding their GoFundMes. It's like they're paying a salary to people who are what they wish they had the courage to be.
This part!!: “It freaks me out that there are all these people who walk around pretending they are just average guys, cracking jokes, having a good time, when they are actually pretty powerful, mean-spirited, hate speech using dudes.”
“God give me the confidence of a mediocre white dude” —Sarah Hagi
I must admit that I watch SNL most weeks, and while I fast-forwarded through Morgan Wallen's performances, I couldn't help but notice how he abruptly walked off the stage during the closing credits/thank you's. Then he posted on Instagram an image of his private jet (HIS PRIVATE JET!!!) with the caption, "Get me to God's country." Of course, this got him a TON of attention on social media, which he immediately followed up by releasing merch with the "Get me to God's country" slogan. Why, it's almost as if it were all planned in advance...
I think that's why I wanted to play with the question less of "what is Morgan Wallen's value as a musician" than "What is the Morgan Wallen branding exercise" bc the whole SNL fracas doesn't make any sense (dude, what's the big deal, stay for the goodbyes) outside of its ability for a multimillionaire to reify his outsider credibility.
As someone who tries to pay attention to music, I find it really interesting how a few years ago, everyone was hailing the return of honest, down to earth, old-fashioned country music in the vein of Chris Stapleton (who does have a ton of success), and then Morgan Wallen pops up and drags us back into bro country hell. To be fair, it seems that "alt country" (ironically, what we considered to be just... country some years back) is doing just fine in its own world, but country music has always been tightly controlled by Nashville, and I can't help thinking Morgan Wallen's success has something to do with their desire to keep a handle on the situation, especially in this moment where there are SO many conversations about what country is and who it's for (see: Cowboy Carter, Shaboozey, etc).
I think there's likely a couple things going on at once-- one of which (as you very effectively hypothesize) is direct industry machinations (there are a lot of reasons why Wallen would be exactly the kind of product that Music Row would want to showcase in an era where, as you note, the question of "what is country" is being contested anew). I also think that he happened to hit at the right cultural time-- there was a particular market not just for generic bro-y country, but for the implicit message that progressivism (defined either as cancel culture or wokeism or whatever) lost the power. Wallen appears simultaneously as non-threatening to power and capital but with a veneer of being anti (progressive) elite. Pretty good product for a specific cultural time, as it turns out.
Agreed! And to build on my earlier note about the return of "good old fashioned country," I think everybody was okay with that as long as it meant good old white dudes, but when that wave turned out to contain a lot of progressive white dudes and people who are not white dudes, that was not as well received.
Omg, I used to work in trucking/logistics and my coworkers had "Toby Keith Thursdays." I have heard "I Wanna Talk About Me" more than anyone should. Funny thing is, coworkers got a little uncomfortable when I pointed out he was technically rapping and combining country and with rap. Country is SO white coded in some ways.
I appreciate that this essay a) defined Morgan Wallen at exactly the moment I was going to go google him and then adequately 'splained why I've never heard of him; b) reads like It Knows at least one of its readers is a giant rule-following dork, sitting at home in her KN95 while the cleaning crew is here (day 9 since a positive covid test but recovering just fine, as is my family, whew) and c) with nary a mention has somehow gotten Margo Price stuck in my head (a sincere thank you).
I'm basically at 100%, along with my kids and spouse, thanks! Grateful that we are keeping up with boosters annually, which I strongly suspect kept us from infecting anyone Sunday/Monday last week. So far zero (0) close contacts got sick!
As a POC, the Nashville country juggernaut is so fascinating to me. Like it's ubiquitous, but I do not think I or any of my POC friends/family could name a Morgan Wallen song if you asked us to. I remember seeing part of the CMAs like "Who are all these people?" And granted, that is intentional on the choice of the Nashville machine. And if you asked me, I would say I hate country, but that is more a reaction to the Morgan Wallen bro country. Maybe because the bro country is so openly hostile to anyone who is not a conservative white dude (or subscribes to that culture). I definitely like country that isn't that (most definitely put on white cowboy boots to go to Cowboy Carter and am listening to Tanner Adell right now).
First off I love that I replied to your other comment before reading this one and was like "lol the issue of race and country is so fascinating so of course Tressie McMillan Cottom has written about it so well" and here she is again! Great minds!
But yes to all this-- and I'm sure there are execs in Nashville that are just like "well communities of color don't buy country records, so that's why we market to the people who do" when the reason why so many people don't see themselves in mainstream country is bc the industry works so hard to say THIS IS ONLY FOR WHITE GUYS WHO LIKE TRUCKS AND BOATS AND NOT APOLOGIZING.
I knew of him before I ever heard his music - and to date really only know one song by him. I heard it before knowing it was him, loved it, was driving and (very unsafely!!!) tapped on my phone to save it to my "listening now" playlist. Loved when it popped up but I was always driving so didn't look to see who it was. Eventually looked and OH NO IT'S MORGAN WALLEN WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!!! I was so sad. It's a beautiful song, a sad dreamy ballad. I listened to it with guilt for a while before I finally removed it from the playlist because I was ashamed.
"Should we enjoy the art created by terrible people?" is a forever argument in my mind. I can point to people whose great work I refuse to consume because I just can't go there . . . and others who I give a pass to because I'm weak and really want the thing and maybe their particular sin isn't as painful to me (ugh, who am I). Back and forth, back and forth on that one and I doubt I'll ever have it figured out. I go through phases where I feel that I have progressed and feel good about eliminating the work of people whose ethics and actions I can't stomach and then other times I feel I've progressed because I've decided to chill out a little and just enjoy my life, man. EMOJI SHRUG FOREVER.
To hear that he is the best selling male artist is just . . . ugh.
Side note for the Sturgill and/or internet culture fans, a couple Instagram accounts to enjoy:
@wherethefuckissturgillsimpson - run by one of his staff, I think, tidbits from the road and lots of promotion of up-and-coming + local favorite artists
@thinkilljuststayhereandmeme - WEIRD AND HILARIOUS memes which often takes shots at racism, White culture and sometimes features Sturgill's face memeified using MS Paint level skills
(I love country music and will gladly trade playlists with folks)
Not sure if this answers the "art vs artist" question (I mean, of course it doesn't, it's one of the core confounding question of our time), but I think that's why I've become interested in the question of neither art nor artist being good or bad, but wondering "what is the core project here? Is it searching and true and, for flawed individuals (all of us), interested in growth and reconciliation? Or is it more cynical than that? Is there money to be made, or a justification to not grow, etc.?" What I took from you and Nathaniel's comment is that there are glimpses in early career Wallen of a potentially different project-- one more interested in songwriting craft and emotionality, but that there was the choice (both by artist and corporation) to lean into a more cynical project.
Yes to the take from my comment. It seems like a conscious decision between a slowly built career crafting songs with connection and emotionality or hitch my wagon to this sprinting train and get immediately rich and famous. That then begs the question; At what cost?
Once again, Garrett, you nailed it. I love the way you pull together our desire for community and our love of music and the campsite neighbors and your persistent thought of them. Thought-provoking, solid stuff. Thanks.
Side note on Morgan. I liked his early stuff. “Seven Summers” is actually an objectively solid song. It feels to me like that was the true Morgan. What is coming out now is rivers of Corporate Nashville. For some reason (the parallel is not even close, so I don’t know why) he always reminds me of the dude that they bring in during the movie “Pure Country” to take George Strait’s place when he disappears. Like this hungry, I’ll do whatever you say to get famous, good looking kid. I don’t know. Just what pops into my head.
7 Summers is the song I mentioned in my comment! Also, kudos on the Pure Country mention. Used to watch it over and over and the soundtrack is GREAT. I think your comparison fits - maybe not in "how it happened" but character vibes.
That’s funny that we both referenced the same song (at almost the same time!).
I too struggle with the “separate artist from art” question. Especially as it comes to music. I’m totally with you on the refusing to consume some but being ok with others conundrum. Like you so succinctly stated, “Who am I?”
There are still bro country elements in the song but it's got a 90s country/Eagles vibe that I love. Wish someone else had written and recorded it so I could enjoy it in peace.
I was waiting for you to talk about live music as the paradigmatic being-together, the experience of purposeful intersubjectivity that everyone recognizes as such, and you nailed it right at the end! Signature Bucks move. I’m endlessly fascinated by how much my students and other folks want to believe that hearing live music together, in itself, has (probably positive) effects in the world. Does Wallen throw a wrench in that, or shore it up, with the “don’t ruin this with politics” vibe? I will have to think about that more. Thanks for this!
Oh my God I would be so fascinated for an analysis/taxonomy of artists who have most effectively channeled that human experience of crowd energy into something that's not just effervescent and isolated to the single singalong moment in the arena. I'm trying to think of what I might put in that off the top of my head. Maybe the Soundsystem clashes and dance hall scenes in Jamaica (or for that matter the Bronx block parties that birthed hip hop? Fugazi's Revolution Summer in DC (and other very specific community-oriented hardcore scenes), maybe something like the Kuduro scene in Angola? It's curiosities like this that make me so happy that I know an actual Professional Music Scholar lol... what do you think here?
this takes up so much energy within ethnomusicology that I felt overwhelmed by replying for a minute! The most concise way I can think of to put this: today, it’s axiomatic within music scholarship that groups of people sharing musical experience, especially live, is a political act. Whether that translates into actions beyond the experience depends entirely on the culture and the event. I personally think the performer in an event like Morgan Wallen’s, on a stage facing hundreds of people, is one of the least important factors in whether temporary feelings of collectivity contribute to actions we recognize as more formally political. In other words, feeling collective during musical participation may not have anything to do with feelings of solidarity or obligation, unless other conditions are present. Thomas Turino made a basic distinction between presentational or participatory musical practice. Participatory musical practice, canonically, refers to musical structures where you need multiple parts and there are lots of ways to contribute for even the least musically proficient person, so that everyone present is actively contributing. Often that structure is both expressive and reflective of cultures with a greater awareness of and commitment to webs of mutual obligation in other aspects of their lives.
And/but, while there are many examples of people’s political movements being fostered in/reinforced by their musical practice (e.g. Thomas mapfumo, the US civil rights movement, antiracist punks in DC, riot grrrrl…), there also lots of examples where it seems like a musical collectivity is taking place with a similar set of conditions and yet that doesn’t translate to concrete community or political movement that we can perceive. There’s no universal theory for this (we don’t go in for that sort of thing).
Thank you. I finally understand why hearing my daughter sing along to Wallen bugs me. She’s actively learning to reject this kind of strategic indifference in interpersonal relationship (all this minimizing can add up to gaslighting). The cognitive dissonance of celebrating about her clapbacks to boys who sound like Wallen, while hearing her sing along to Wallen himself, is…ugh.
Oh that is fascinating (and a bummer). What do you think it is about Wallen that works for her, even if the same kind of messages from actual life boys (thankfully) don't?
IRL, she understands herself as the “listener” when a boy is talking down to her. Singing along to Wallen, she understands herself as the “speaker.”
She’s a budding songwriter and holds his vulnerability and transparency in high esteem, likes his emotionally-driven stories and excellent wordplay, and feels like he makes his personal experience available for her to inhabit.
It’s exactly how and why she sings along to Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo.
Super super interesting (and it'll be really interesting, as she continues to evolve as a songwriter, which influences she ends up gravitating to over time). Her response reminded me of these two paragraphs from Ann Powers' piece about Wallen, which I thought were super smart both as to trying to empathetically understand his appeal with women fans and the potential dangers of that appeal. There's something to how messy everybody in his songs comes off (himself, his romantic partners, his buddies) that does present as vulnerability, but one that can veer into unaccountability.
Powers writes:
"These outpourings of jumbled feeling operate a lot like the poison-pen power ballads of '90s rock bands like Wallen fave Nickelback. They self-immolate, melting into a mess of accusations and regret implicating everyone involved. It's possible to see the seed of Wallen's latest opus in Chad Kroeger's roaring, sobbing performance of Nickelback's signature ballad, "How You Remind Me." The rage is there, undeniable; so is the regret.
I've long suspected that this is what makes Wallen appealing to so many women fans. In his songs, women are not confined to pedestals. They're human, with the same desires and limitations men have. He and Post Malone achieved a light-hearted balance on that previous chart-topper "I Had Some Help," a playful takedown of a woman who won't accept her part in a high-proof, high-maintenance affair. "Teamwork makes the dream work," the chorus declares with a wink. Wallen takes this line of thought into uglier places throughout I'm the Problem, painting a complicated portrait of grievance culture. The relationships his songs describe are rife with misunderstandings and careless treachery, and can turn violent. There's a ton of empty sex.
Even if I try to avoid Morgan Wallen (and I do try SO HARD), he's ubiquitous. What really confuses me is that people who I think are nice work with him. Who doesn't he have a duet with? My cynical self can say that it's all about capitalism, and that people don't actually have to like him or agree with him to work with him, but still...they at least are wanting to be associated with him.
I think it's actually worse that Morgan Wallen does the whole "it's not a big deal" posture. I'd rather my enemy act like it's a big deal. It freaks me out that there are all these people who walk around pretending they are just average guys, cracking jokes, having a good time, when they are actually pretty powerful, mean-spirited, hate speech using dudes.
Thu you absolutely nailed why I wrote this essay. The danger of a Wallen (unlike, for instance, somebody like Andrew Tate) is that because the overall posture is "I'm not a bad guy, I'm just a guy who makes mistakes and come on aren't we all and also why you gotta talk politics" it's easier for folks to excuse the cultural impact and not realize the way it helps us all slide further into not giving a crap about each other. It would be so much easier if the only people who made us a less caring society were like "I'm a big obvious villain!"
Great point - because we do have big obvious villains out there and the "don't take things so seriously" crowd are padding their GoFundMes. It's like they're paying a salary to people who are what they wish they had the courage to be.
oh that's an interesting point!
Your second paragraph - yes!!
This part!!: “It freaks me out that there are all these people who walk around pretending they are just average guys, cracking jokes, having a good time, when they are actually pretty powerful, mean-spirited, hate speech using dudes.”
Nailed it
“God give me the confidence of a mediocre white dude” —Sarah Hagi
I must admit that I watch SNL most weeks, and while I fast-forwarded through Morgan Wallen's performances, I couldn't help but notice how he abruptly walked off the stage during the closing credits/thank you's. Then he posted on Instagram an image of his private jet (HIS PRIVATE JET!!!) with the caption, "Get me to God's country." Of course, this got him a TON of attention on social media, which he immediately followed up by releasing merch with the "Get me to God's country" slogan. Why, it's almost as if it were all planned in advance...
I think that's why I wanted to play with the question less of "what is Morgan Wallen's value as a musician" than "What is the Morgan Wallen branding exercise" bc the whole SNL fracas doesn't make any sense (dude, what's the big deal, stay for the goodbyes) outside of its ability for a multimillionaire to reify his outsider credibility.
As someone who tries to pay attention to music, I find it really interesting how a few years ago, everyone was hailing the return of honest, down to earth, old-fashioned country music in the vein of Chris Stapleton (who does have a ton of success), and then Morgan Wallen pops up and drags us back into bro country hell. To be fair, it seems that "alt country" (ironically, what we considered to be just... country some years back) is doing just fine in its own world, but country music has always been tightly controlled by Nashville, and I can't help thinking Morgan Wallen's success has something to do with their desire to keep a handle on the situation, especially in this moment where there are SO many conversations about what country is and who it's for (see: Cowboy Carter, Shaboozey, etc).
I think there's likely a couple things going on at once-- one of which (as you very effectively hypothesize) is direct industry machinations (there are a lot of reasons why Wallen would be exactly the kind of product that Music Row would want to showcase in an era where, as you note, the question of "what is country" is being contested anew). I also think that he happened to hit at the right cultural time-- there was a particular market not just for generic bro-y country, but for the implicit message that progressivism (defined either as cancel culture or wokeism or whatever) lost the power. Wallen appears simultaneously as non-threatening to power and capital but with a veneer of being anti (progressive) elite. Pretty good product for a specific cultural time, as it turns out.
Agreed! And to build on my earlier note about the return of "good old fashioned country," I think everybody was okay with that as long as it meant good old white dudes, but when that wave turned out to contain a lot of progressive white dudes and people who are not white dudes, that was not as well received.
LMAO at "bro country hell."
"Bro Country Hell: Opening Spring 2026 on Broadway in Nashville, next door to Toby Keith's 'I love this bar and grill'"
Omg, I used to work in trucking/logistics and my coworkers had "Toby Keith Thursdays." I have heard "I Wanna Talk About Me" more than anyone should. Funny thing is, coworkers got a little uncomfortable when I pointed out he was technically rapping and combining country and with rap. Country is SO white coded in some ways.
I appreciate that this essay a) defined Morgan Wallen at exactly the moment I was going to go google him and then adequately 'splained why I've never heard of him; b) reads like It Knows at least one of its readers is a giant rule-following dork, sitting at home in her KN95 while the cleaning crew is here (day 9 since a positive covid test but recovering just fine, as is my family, whew) and c) with nary a mention has somehow gotten Margo Price stuck in my head (a sincere thank you).
Thank you for being a rule following dork and more importantly how are you feeling on day nine?
Also, the power of Margo Price is I don't even have to mention her explicitly to make you want to listen to her! Not bad, Margo!
I'm basically at 100%, along with my kids and spouse, thanks! Grateful that we are keeping up with boosters annually, which I strongly suspect kept us from infecting anyone Sunday/Monday last week. So far zero (0) close contacts got sick!
As a POC, the Nashville country juggernaut is so fascinating to me. Like it's ubiquitous, but I do not think I or any of my POC friends/family could name a Morgan Wallen song if you asked us to. I remember seeing part of the CMAs like "Who are all these people?" And granted, that is intentional on the choice of the Nashville machine. And if you asked me, I would say I hate country, but that is more a reaction to the Morgan Wallen bro country. Maybe because the bro country is so openly hostile to anyone who is not a conservative white dude (or subscribes to that culture). I definitely like country that isn't that (most definitely put on white cowboy boots to go to Cowboy Carter and am listening to Tanner Adell right now).
Also, I have to share this Tressie Cottom NYT column: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/opinion/country-music-beyonce-lana.html
First off I love that I replied to your other comment before reading this one and was like "lol the issue of race and country is so fascinating so of course Tressie McMillan Cottom has written about it so well" and here she is again! Great minds!
But yes to all this-- and I'm sure there are execs in Nashville that are just like "well communities of color don't buy country records, so that's why we market to the people who do" when the reason why so many people don't see themselves in mainstream country is bc the industry works so hard to say THIS IS ONLY FOR WHITE GUYS WHO LIKE TRUCKS AND BOATS AND NOT APOLOGIZING.
Sooooo well written. I can dance to this.
Thanks you Susan!
Oh brother. Morgan Wallen.
I knew of him before I ever heard his music - and to date really only know one song by him. I heard it before knowing it was him, loved it, was driving and (very unsafely!!!) tapped on my phone to save it to my "listening now" playlist. Loved when it popped up but I was always driving so didn't look to see who it was. Eventually looked and OH NO IT'S MORGAN WALLEN WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!!! I was so sad. It's a beautiful song, a sad dreamy ballad. I listened to it with guilt for a while before I finally removed it from the playlist because I was ashamed.
"Should we enjoy the art created by terrible people?" is a forever argument in my mind. I can point to people whose great work I refuse to consume because I just can't go there . . . and others who I give a pass to because I'm weak and really want the thing and maybe their particular sin isn't as painful to me (ugh, who am I). Back and forth, back and forth on that one and I doubt I'll ever have it figured out. I go through phases where I feel that I have progressed and feel good about eliminating the work of people whose ethics and actions I can't stomach and then other times I feel I've progressed because I've decided to chill out a little and just enjoy my life, man. EMOJI SHRUG FOREVER.
To hear that he is the best selling male artist is just . . . ugh.
Side note for the Sturgill and/or internet culture fans, a couple Instagram accounts to enjoy:
@wherethefuckissturgillsimpson - run by one of his staff, I think, tidbits from the road and lots of promotion of up-and-coming + local favorite artists
@thinkilljuststayhereandmeme - WEIRD AND HILARIOUS memes which often takes shots at racism, White culture and sometimes features Sturgill's face memeified using MS Paint level skills
(I love country music and will gladly trade playlists with folks)
Not sure if this answers the "art vs artist" question (I mean, of course it doesn't, it's one of the core confounding question of our time), but I think that's why I've become interested in the question of neither art nor artist being good or bad, but wondering "what is the core project here? Is it searching and true and, for flawed individuals (all of us), interested in growth and reconciliation? Or is it more cynical than that? Is there money to be made, or a justification to not grow, etc.?" What I took from you and Nathaniel's comment is that there are glimpses in early career Wallen of a potentially different project-- one more interested in songwriting craft and emotionality, but that there was the choice (both by artist and corporation) to lean into a more cynical project.
Yes to the take from my comment. It seems like a conscious decision between a slowly built career crafting songs with connection and emotionality or hitch my wagon to this sprinting train and get immediately rich and famous. That then begs the question; At what cost?
Once again, Garrett, you nailed it. I love the way you pull together our desire for community and our love of music and the campsite neighbors and your persistent thought of them. Thought-provoking, solid stuff. Thanks.
Side note on Morgan. I liked his early stuff. “Seven Summers” is actually an objectively solid song. It feels to me like that was the true Morgan. What is coming out now is rivers of Corporate Nashville. For some reason (the parallel is not even close, so I don’t know why) he always reminds me of the dude that they bring in during the movie “Pure Country” to take George Strait’s place when he disappears. Like this hungry, I’ll do whatever you say to get famous, good looking kid. I don’t know. Just what pops into my head.
Ooh that makes me want to watch Pure Country
I can’t believe you’ve never seen it! It’s a great movie and, like Ashley said, amazing soundtrack.
7 Summers is the song I mentioned in my comment! Also, kudos on the Pure Country mention. Used to watch it over and over and the soundtrack is GREAT. I think your comparison fits - maybe not in "how it happened" but character vibes.
That’s funny that we both referenced the same song (at almost the same time!).
I too struggle with the “separate artist from art” question. Especially as it comes to music. I’m totally with you on the refusing to consume some but being ok with others conundrum. Like you so succinctly stated, “Who am I?”
Gonna check out 7 Summers and report back!
Report back: That's a pretty record. It's wistful, which means that it's actually vulnerable. Really highlights his voice.
There are still bro country elements in the song but it's got a 90s country/Eagles vibe that I love. Wish someone else had written and recorded it so I could enjoy it in peace.
I was waiting for you to talk about live music as the paradigmatic being-together, the experience of purposeful intersubjectivity that everyone recognizes as such, and you nailed it right at the end! Signature Bucks move. I’m endlessly fascinated by how much my students and other folks want to believe that hearing live music together, in itself, has (probably positive) effects in the world. Does Wallen throw a wrench in that, or shore it up, with the “don’t ruin this with politics” vibe? I will have to think about that more. Thanks for this!
Oh my God I would be so fascinated for an analysis/taxonomy of artists who have most effectively channeled that human experience of crowd energy into something that's not just effervescent and isolated to the single singalong moment in the arena. I'm trying to think of what I might put in that off the top of my head. Maybe the Soundsystem clashes and dance hall scenes in Jamaica (or for that matter the Bronx block parties that birthed hip hop? Fugazi's Revolution Summer in DC (and other very specific community-oriented hardcore scenes), maybe something like the Kuduro scene in Angola? It's curiosities like this that make me so happy that I know an actual Professional Music Scholar lol... what do you think here?
this takes up so much energy within ethnomusicology that I felt overwhelmed by replying for a minute! The most concise way I can think of to put this: today, it’s axiomatic within music scholarship that groups of people sharing musical experience, especially live, is a political act. Whether that translates into actions beyond the experience depends entirely on the culture and the event. I personally think the performer in an event like Morgan Wallen’s, on a stage facing hundreds of people, is one of the least important factors in whether temporary feelings of collectivity contribute to actions we recognize as more formally political. In other words, feeling collective during musical participation may not have anything to do with feelings of solidarity or obligation, unless other conditions are present. Thomas Turino made a basic distinction between presentational or participatory musical practice. Participatory musical practice, canonically, refers to musical structures where you need multiple parts and there are lots of ways to contribute for even the least musically proficient person, so that everyone present is actively contributing. Often that structure is both expressive and reflective of cultures with a greater awareness of and commitment to webs of mutual obligation in other aspects of their lives.
And/but, while there are many examples of people’s political movements being fostered in/reinforced by their musical practice (e.g. Thomas mapfumo, the US civil rights movement, antiracist punks in DC, riot grrrrl…), there also lots of examples where it seems like a musical collectivity is taking place with a similar set of conditions and yet that doesn’t translate to concrete community or political movement that we can perceive. There’s no universal theory for this (we don’t go in for that sort of thing).
References: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo5867463.html
https://www.dukeupress.edu/the-political-force-of-musical-beauty
Let me know if you want research from other genres or communities!
Fantastically well written, and helps me understand why I have felt unsettled by my younger cousins’ adoration of this guy.
Come on, younger cousins! So many other fun musicians to be into!
Thank you. I finally understand why hearing my daughter sing along to Wallen bugs me. She’s actively learning to reject this kind of strategic indifference in interpersonal relationship (all this minimizing can add up to gaslighting). The cognitive dissonance of celebrating about her clapbacks to boys who sound like Wallen, while hearing her sing along to Wallen himself, is…ugh.
Oh that is fascinating (and a bummer). What do you think it is about Wallen that works for her, even if the same kind of messages from actual life boys (thankfully) don't?
I asked; she gave a fascinating reply.
IRL, she understands herself as the “listener” when a boy is talking down to her. Singing along to Wallen, she understands herself as the “speaker.”
She’s a budding songwriter and holds his vulnerability and transparency in high esteem, likes his emotionally-driven stories and excellent wordplay, and feels like he makes his personal experience available for her to inhabit.
It’s exactly how and why she sings along to Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo.
Super super interesting (and it'll be really interesting, as she continues to evolve as a songwriter, which influences she ends up gravitating to over time). Her response reminded me of these two paragraphs from Ann Powers' piece about Wallen, which I thought were super smart both as to trying to empathetically understand his appeal with women fans and the potential dangers of that appeal. There's something to how messy everybody in his songs comes off (himself, his romantic partners, his buddies) that does present as vulnerability, but one that can veer into unaccountability.
Powers writes:
"These outpourings of jumbled feeling operate a lot like the poison-pen power ballads of '90s rock bands like Wallen fave Nickelback. They self-immolate, melting into a mess of accusations and regret implicating everyone involved. It's possible to see the seed of Wallen's latest opus in Chad Kroeger's roaring, sobbing performance of Nickelback's signature ballad, "How You Remind Me." The rage is there, undeniable; so is the regret.
I've long suspected that this is what makes Wallen appealing to so many women fans. In his songs, women are not confined to pedestals. They're human, with the same desires and limitations men have. He and Post Malone achieved a light-hearted balance on that previous chart-topper "I Had Some Help," a playful takedown of a woman who won't accept her part in a high-proof, high-maintenance affair. "Teamwork makes the dream work," the chorus declares with a wink. Wallen takes this line of thought into uglier places throughout I'm the Problem, painting a complicated portrait of grievance culture. The relationships his songs describe are rife with misunderstandings and careless treachery, and can turn violent. There's a ton of empty sex.
Ooo, thank you. I read this to her and she said (horrified): “Mom, you calling me a NICKELBACK fan?!?”🤣
I can feel the betrayal in her voice from here lol
Yet another stunning essay, Garrett. Thank you.