Morgan Wallen | |
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 Wallen performing in 2025 | |
| Born | Morgan Cole Wallen (1993-05-13)May 13, 1993 (age 32) Sneedville, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2014–present |
| Works | Discography |
| Children | 1 |
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Musical artist | |
| Website | morganwallen |
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Morgan Cole Wallen (born May 13, 1993) is an Americancountry singer fromSneedville, Tennessee. In 2014, he competed in thesixth season ofThe Voice. After being eliminated in the playoffs, he signed toPanacea Records and released his debut extended playStand Alone (2015). Later in 2016, Wallen signed toBig Loud to release his second extended playThe Way I Talk (2016). His debut studio albumIf I Know Me (2018) included four singles: "The Way I Talk", "Up Down" (featuringFlorida Georgia Line), "Whiskey Glasses", and "Chasin' You".If I Know Me, after a record-breaking 114 weeks on theBillboard Top Country Albums chart, reached No. 1.[4]
Wallen's second studio albumDangerous: The Double Album (2021) was an immediate commercial success, becoming the first country album to spend its first seven weeks atop theBillboard 200 chart.[5] The album spent the three following weeks at number one, thus spending its first ten weeks atop the chart.[6]Dangerous: The Double Album included four singles: "More Than My Hometown", "7 Summers", "Sand in My Boots", and "Wasted on You", as well as various promotional singles.[7]
Wallen's third studio albumOne Thing at a Time (2023) spent its first 12 weeks atop theBillboard 200, and topped theBillboard 200 for seven more non-consecutive weeks throughout 2023 and 2024, thus spending 19 non-consecutive weeks atop the chart. All 36 tracks from the album charted on theBillboard Hot 100 simultaneously, breaking the record set byDrake (27),[8] Wallen additionally charted five tracks in the top-ten of the chart. The album spawned eight singles: "You Proof", "Thought You Should Know", "Last Night",the title track, "Everything I Love", "Thinkin' Bout Me", "Man Made a Bar" (featuringEric Church), and "Cowgirls" (featuringErnest). The single "Last Night" peaked atop theBillboard Hot 100, marking Wallen's first number-one single on this chart, spent sixteen non-consecutive weeks atop the chart throughout 2023, and topped the 2023 year-end chart.
Wallen's fourth studio albumI'm the Problem was released on May 16, 2025. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, where it remained for its first 8 weeks. After a two-week absence from the top position, it returned to number one for an additional 4 consecutive weeks, accumulating a total of 12 non-consecutive weeks atop the chart.[9] It spawned theBillboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles "Love Somebody" and "What I Want" (featuringTate McRae).[10] 36 of the 37 tracks from the album charted on theBillboard Hot 100, and six charted in the top 10, which gave Wallen the record as the first country artist to do so.
Wallen has been praised for his cross-genre appeal and cultural impact. He is the best selling country artist of the 21st century. He has also received several accolades, including anAcademy of Country Music Award, fourteenBillboard Music Awards, and wonEntertainer of the Year at the58th Annual Country Music Association Awards.[11] Aside from his various accolades, Wallen holds multipleBillboard chart records: Wallen is the only artist to have two albums spend at least 100 weeks in the top ten of theBillboard 200,[5] the only artist to have two albums spend at least 10 first-weeks atop theBillboard 200, the artist with the most weeks at number-one on theTop Country Albums chart (187), and his single "You Proof" is the longest-runningBillboard Country Airplay number-one of all time, with ten non-consecutive weeks atop the chart. He also holds the record for being the modern country artist with the mostBillboard Hot 100 number-one hits, with four.
Morgan Cole Wallen[12] was born on May 13, 1993, inSneedville, Tennessee, to Tommy and Lesli Wallen.[13] Tommy served for a time as a local church pastor,[14] while Lesli worked as a teacher. In his teens, the family moved south toKnox County, where he graduated fromGibbs High School.[15] He was apitcher andshortstop for the school'sbaseball team, and hoped to continue in college, but tore hisulnar collateral ligament his senior year.[16]
As a child, Wallen took piano and violin lessons. He was raised on a diverse musical playlist, with his father exposing him toclassic rock mainstays. In his teens, he gravitated towards bands likeBreaking Benjamin andNickelback, as well as rappers likeLil Wayne.[17] Wallen has characterized his early adulthood as adrift; he worked inlandscaping after high school and was disappointed by his inability to continue his baseball career.[14] He re-approached his interest in music and began learning guitar.[17] He had grown to love country music, especially artists likeKeith Whitley andEric Church, and he modeled his sound after that lineage.[17]
In 2014, Wallen competed onseason 6 of the music competition programThe Voice. He auditioned with the song "Collide" byHowie Day. JudgesShakira andUsher complimented his stylings, and Wallen joined Usher's team. He was later taken byAdam Levine's team after his second round, and later eliminated during the playoffs.[16] Wallen later said of his experience on the show, "Some things in life are out of your control. Being the best you can be isn't. I didn't feel like I was the best I could have been. So I practiced harder".[17]The Voice was instrumental in raising Wallen's profile, and he began to establish connections in the music industry.[15]
While in California to appear onThe Voice, Wallen began working with Sergio Sanchez ofAtom Smash, a vocal coach on the program. Wallen relocated toNashville to further his career, and he and Sanchez started a temporary band: Morgan Wallen & Them Shadows.[15] Sanchez introduced Wallen to Bill Ray andPaul Trust ofPanacea Records.[18] In 2015, Wallen signed toPanacea Records where he was joined by Dominic Frost on guitar and released theStand Alone (EP) on August 24, 2015. "Spin You Around" was Wallen's debut single under Panacea Records; it was later certified double platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2021.[19]
In 2015, Wallen's manager, Dirk Hemsath of Working Group Artist Management, sent a demo of Wallen to record executive Seth England, who had Wallen audition forBig Loud, an independent record label. They signed Wallen to the label and the publishing company,[18] who began pairing his songs with other artists. That year, he released his debut single "The Way I Talk";[20] his firstmusic video for the song followed in 2017.[21] Wallen co-wroteA Thousand Horses' single "Preachin' to the Choir",[16]Dallas Smith's "The Fall",[22] as well asJason Aldean's "You Make It Easy" withFlorida Georgia Line'sTyler Hubbard,Brian Kelley, andJordan Schmidt.[23] He joined Florida Georgia Line on theirDig Your Roots Tour.[16] He collaborated with the group on the single "Up Down", his first song to reach the top five ofBillboard'sHot Country Songs chart.[24]
At the outset of his career, Wallen underwent a personal stylistic shift, adopting a distinctivemullet and a look thatKelefa Sanneh, profiling Wallen's rise in a piece forThe New Yorker, described as "Everyman rock star" and "not just a singer but a character".[14] Wallen had decided to adopt the retro hairdo after seeing a younger photo of his father with the cut.[17] Wallen's debut studio album,If I Know Me, was released on April 27, 2018,[25] with its third single, "Whiskey Glasses", becoming his biggest success yet.[26]
The song reached the top spot on both the Hot Country Songs andCountry Airplay charts; it also marked his first top 40 appearance on the all-genreHot 100 ranking, where it placed at number 17. It wasBillboard's 2019 top Hot Country song and Top Country Airplay song.[27] Sanneh characterized "Whiskey Glasses" as hissignature song and a "perfectly constructed ode to a woman and a drink, lost and found, respectively".[14] In 2019, Wallen joined Florida Georgia Line on their Can't Say I Ain't Country Tour.[28] His next single, "Chasin' You", was serviced to radio in July 2019 and peaked at number two on the Hot Country Songs chart;[29][7] like its predecessor, it captured the top spot on the overall year-end tally for 2020.[17] In August 2020,If I Know Me reached No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart after a record-breaking 114 weeks.
Wallen's profile continued to rise, with a growing following on platforms such asTikTok, and he developed into an unwittingsex symbol.[14] Wallen appeared on the cover ofBillboard, whose headline read: "Is Morgan Wallen Country's Next Global Star?"[17] In October 2020, during theCOVID-19 pandemic, multiple videos were posted on TikTok showing Wallen ignoringCDC guidelines in bars and other locations in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, area after attending aUniversity of Alabama football game. As a result of this, Wallen's appearance as the musical guest on that week's episode ofSaturday Night Live was cancelled; he ultimately performed in an episode two months later hosted by actorJason Bateman, in which Bateman, Wallen, and several cast members parody the incident and resulting fallout.[30][31][32][33]
At the start of the pandemic, Wallen had more time to write and record material, which developed into his sophomore album, the double-discDangerous: The Double Album (2021),[34] which showcases a mix of country andR&B/popballadry.[15]Dangerous was an immediate blockbuster: it debuted atop the USBillboard 200 and theCanadian Albums Chart;[35][36] it would remain atop the Canadian chart for four consecutive weeks, and the US chart for six consecutive weeks, marking the first new album from a country artist to do that sinceGarth Brooks'The Chase in 1992.[37][38][39][40] The album also would become just the third album to spend its first ten weeks at number one on theBillboard 200 and the first in over 30 years sinceWhitney byWhitney Houston.[41][42][43][44][45] Its singles—"More Than My Hometown", "7 Summers", "Sand in My Boots" and "Wasted on You"—were record-breakinghit songs that pushed Wallen farther into the national conversation. "7 Summers" earned him his first top 10 on the Hot 100, debuting and peaking at number six,[46] and was also chosen byTime as one of the best songs of the year.[47] Wallen soon became the first artist to ever chart six songs within the top 10 of Hot Country Songs chart at the same time in the week after his album's release;[48] likewise, the album charted 23 tracks on theCanadian Hot 100,[49] and 19 tracks on the Hot 100 in the US.[50]
On February 2, 2021,TMZ released a video recorded on January 31 showing Wallen saying the racial slur "nigger" to one of his friends after a night out.[51][52] He issued a statement shortly after and apologized.[53] Several radio stations temporarily removed Wallen's music from airplay on their stations, and his songs were removed fromApple Music,Pandora andSpotify featured playlists.[54][55]CMT and theCountry Music Association removed Wallen's appearances from their platforms, and his record labelBig Loud (and partnerRepublic Records) suspended its recording contract with him indefinitely.[56][57] TheAcademy of Country Music announced that Wallen and the albumDangerous: The Double Album would be ineligible for the56th AnnualAcademy of Country Music Awards.[58][59] On February 10, Wallen shot an apology video in which he asked his fans not to defend him.[60]
In April 2021, Wallen donated $300,000 to theBlack Music Action Coalition in the names of 20 people who had counseled him following the incident. Those individuals were given the option to funnel their respective $15,000 donations to a charity of their choice, or keep the money within the BMAC.[61] Wallen publicly spoke of his comments onGood Morning America on July 23, where he said that "he was around some of his friends, and they say dumb stuff together" and said that "he was wrong" to use those words.[62] Wallen's songs returned to country radio in August when his single "Sand in My Boots" was released.[63] He was nominated for Favorite Male Country Artist and Favorite Country Album for the 2021American Music Awards, but was not invited to attend the ceremony, and was consequently unable to accept any awards if he won, which he did not.[64]
In the week following the controversy, album sales ofDangerous surged. In some cases, the physical as well as digital album sales went up over 100% in the week following the controversy.[65][66] He remained atop theBillboard charts for seven more weeks;If I Know Me even entered the top 10 for the first time.[67] Over the ensuing years,Dangerous remained a juggernaut; Ben Sisario, writing inThe New York Times, dubbed it "an unusually enduring hit".[68] It has continued to break chart records:[37] it was the best-performing album of 2021,[69] and in 2022, the album broke the record for the most weeks in the top 10 on theBillboard 200 chart among albums by a solo artist, surpassing a record set a half-century before.[70]Dangerous was awarded Album of the Year by the Academy of Country Music;[71] Wallen also won Favorite Male Artist and Favorite Album at the inaugural Country Now Awards.[72]
Wallen surged in popularity in 2022, continued to release new music, and broke various chart records.[73][74] The Dangerous Tour that consisted of various arenas and amphitheaters sold-out entirely.[69][75] After previously teasing new music, Wallen released his first song of 2022 on April 15, being "Don't Think Jesus".[76][77] The respective song was released as a promotional single and would serve as the lead single from his at-the-time not revealedthird studio album. On May 13, the promotional single "You Proof" was released. becoming Wallen's third top ten entry on theBillboard Hot 100 and first to reach the top five; both "You Proof" and "Thought You Should Know" topped the country charts. Wallen also collaborated with rapperLil Durk on the song "Broadway Girls", a top-fifteen hit on the Hot 100; he also performed the song live with Durk at MLK Freedom Fest in Nashville, Tennessee.[78] Wallen was a co-writer on theTyler Joe Miller single "Wild as Her", released in February 2022, and theKeith Urban single "Brown Eyes Baby, released in July 2022.[79][80] In December 2022, Wallen released a sampler EP titledOne Thing at a Time (Sampler), featuring three songs he had been working on up until this point, titled "One Thing at a Time", "Tennessee Fan" and "Days That End in Why".[81] In 2023, Wallen expanded to stadiums with his One Night at a Time World Tour,[82] and would release his third studio albumOne Thing at a Time on March 3, 2023.[83]One Thing at a Time would debut atop theBillboard 200 and spend its first 12 weeks at number-one, blocking numerous albums from the top-spot and ending as the most-popular album on theBillboard 200 in 2023.[84]
On April 23, 2023, atVaught–Hemingway Stadium inOxford, Mississippi, just minutes before Wallen was set to perform, Wallen announced that he wouldn't be able to perform due to losing his voice. Fans were directed to receive refunds at their points of purchase.[85] In May 2023, Wallen was featured on the song "Stand by Me" fromLil Durk's eighth studio albumAlmost Healed, marking their second collaboration. Wallen was a co-writer on the 2023 single "Fixer Upper" byDallas Smith.[86][87] Throughout 2023, Wallen released various singles, those being "Last Night", "One Thing at a Time", "Everything I Love", "Thinkin' Bout Me", and "Man Made a Bar".
On January 26, 2024,Panacea Records released a deluxe 10th anniversary edition of Wallen's 2015's extended play (EP),Stand Alone that includes eight previously unreleased songs. These songs were recorded in the same sessions as the original songs onStand Alone. Before the release of the 10th anniversary album, Wallen released a statement on his Instagram page, saying that the release of this album was happening "against his wishes".[88] Wallen released a song, called "Spin You Around (1/24)", an acoustic re-recording of the original, in response to the album's release.[89]
On March 3, he shared performances as part of his Abbey Road Sessions and performed a new song, titled "Lies Lies Lies".[90] On May 2, Wallen announced his next single, titled "I Had Some Help" (withPost Malone), to which was released on May 10, and debuted atop theBillboard Hot 100 chart.[91] Wallen was featured on theMoneybagg Yo single, "Whiskey Whiskey". In September 2024, Wallen announced that his second single for his-then upcoming and untitled fourth studio album, called "Love Somebody", to which was released on October 18.[92] The song debuted at number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart, becoming his third number-one and second debut.[93] Wallen was nominated for seven awards at the58th Annual Country Music Association Awards, with his only win being the prestigious Entertainer of the Year award. Wallen was not in attendance to accept and the presenter, Jeff Bridges, jokingly accepted on his behalf.[11] On November 15, Wallen would feature on an enhanced version of "Neon Moon" byBrooks & Dunn.[94][95][96] On December 31, Wallensurprise released a single that he had previously teased on his Instagram account, titled "Smile."[97][98]
On January 24, 2025, Wallen announced his fourth studio album, titledI'm the Problem, alongside a tour of the same name, and the release ofthe title track, which was previously teased on his Instagram account as "I Guess". The title track released on January 31, while the album has been announced with a release date of May 16, and will include 37 songs.[99][100] In March 2025, Wallen released two promotional singles, "Just in Case" and "I'm a Little Crazy".[101] On March 29, Wallen was the musical guest onSaturday Night Live, and performed the title track, along with "Just in Case".[102] During his performance, there was a television in the background that displayed several titles for unreleased songs on the album, along with their track number.[103] Any features were blurred out, including the artist featured on "Come Back as a Redneck", which was previously teased on Wallen's Instagram.[104] In April 2025, Wallen teased an upcoming song seemingly titled, "I Ain't Comin' Back" to his Instagram story with the caption "Might put this one out next but gotta check with the other artist on it first", confirming that it is a collaboration.[105]
On April 15, 2025, Wallen announced his next single "I Ain't Comin' Back" featuring Post Malone which released on April 18, 2025.[106] This will be their second collaboration in less than a year following "I Had Some Help". Wallen also confirmed through aX reply that "What I Want", an upcoming song on the album, will be a female duet, a first for Wallen.[107] Rumors flew about who would be the female collaboration, leading Wallen to take to his Instagram story to announce that he had not seen anyone guess the collaborator correctly. However, on April 15, 2025, Canadian pop singerTate McRae posted an Instagram story of a jersey withTennessee Volunteers colors, with "T8" across the front and "MW", Morgan Wallen's logo, where the Tennessee logo would normally be.[108] This led to speculation that the collaboration would be with McRae.[109] On April 16, Wallen revealed the full tracklist forI'm the Problem, confirming that Tate McRae will be featured, alongsideEric Church,Hardy, Post Malone, andErnest.[110]
On May 1,Sirius XM would announce that Wallen would have his own limited run channel on their radio, entitled Morgan Wallen Radio.[111] The channel being limited run, would begin at May 1 and conclude on May 31, 2025.[112] Curated by Wallen himself, Morgan Wallen Radio features some of Wallen's most popular songs, his at-the-time most recently released songs, some of his personal favorites by other artists, and after May 16, every track fromI'm the Problem.[111][113] On May 5, Wallen announced the final single, "Superman", to be released on May 9.[114] The song was written about Wallen's son, Indigo, and was previously teased on Wallen's social media to a positive response.[115] On May 16, Wallen would release his highly-anticipated fourth studio albumI'm the Problem.[116] The fourth track from the album, theTate McRae duet "What I Want", was released as a single alongside the album's release.[117]
I'm the Problem would debut atop the USBillboard 200 chart dated May 25, 2025, moving 493,000 album-equivalent units (including 133,000 from pure album sales).[118] This became Wallen's third consecutive number one album on the respective chart and extended his record as the country artist with the most debuts atop the USBillboard 200.[119] On the USBillboard Hot 100 dated May 31, 2025, Wallen had 37 simultaneous entries on the respective chart—36 being fromI'm the Problem while the additional charting track was "I Had Some Help", his duet with Post Malone.[120] The only track from the respective album to not chart was "Lies Lies Lies", being unable to chart due toBillboard's recurrent rule.[121][122] 29 of the 37 tracks debuted on the USBillboard Hot 100 that week, causing Wallen to expand his total career chart entries on the respective chart from 76 to 105.[120] This caused Wallen to become the first country-music artist to earn at least 100 entries on the respective chart, and the first to simultaneously chart six songs within the top-ten of the respective chart.[123] The six songs were "What I Want" (debut at No. 1; becoming Wallen's fourth number one),[124] "Just in Case" (at No. 2), "I'm the Problem" (at No. 3), "I Got Better" (debut at No. 7), "Superman" (at No. 8), and "Love Somebody" (at No. 10).[123][125]
On June 1, 2024, Wallen would openMorgan Wallen's This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen.[126] The bar and live-music venue was supposed to open on Memorial Day weekend but was delayed due to final health inspections being needed.[127][126] His first bar, which has six-stories, serves as a restaurant and music venue, is located at 107 Fourth Avenue North in downtownNashville, Tennessee.[128]Billboard noted that Wallen's bar is located adjacent to theRyman Auditorium building, and would reveal that the bar is a partnership between Wallen and the TC Restaurant Group—the latter of which would license Wallen's name for the project.[126][129] Wallen partnered with Chef Tomasz Wosiak to help curate the restaurant menu, of which consists of various southern staples, bar food, and some of Wallen's mother's personal recipes.[130][131]
Predating the finished bar,Nashville Post would reveal on February 15, 2024, that the bar would be 30,000 square-feet, will consist of six bar areas, three live music areas, a gift shop, and a rooftop deck.[132]Nashville Post would additionally reveal that the bar sits behindDierks Bentley's Whiskey Row bar, and that TCRG properties would pay 10.2 million dollars for the property in May 2022, in preparation for the bar.[133]
In 2022, Wallen would partner with beverage executive Blodin Ukella to createThe Ryl Company, a flavored iced tea company.[134]
In 2016, Wallen began a relationship with influencer KT Smith, and the couple got engaged several months later.[135] They separated in 2019, which she said was due to Wallen's infidelity. Their son (b. 2020), was born several months after their breakup.[136] Wallen has also been romantically involved with influencerPaige Lorenze,[137] country singerMegan Moroney,[138][139] and television personalityKristin Cavallari.[140][141]
In May 2020, Wallen was arrested and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct after leavingKid Rock's bar inNashville after reportedly kicking glass items inside the bar when he was told to leave, as well as getting into multiple verbal altercations with passersby outside.[142] The case was later dismissed.[143]
On April 7, 2024, Wallen was arrested after allegedly throwing a chair off the roof ofEric Church's newly-opened bar onBroadway in Nashville, Chief's. He was charged with three counts offelony reckless endangerment and one count ofmisdemeanor disorderly conduct after the projectile landed near two police officers on the ground.[144] In December 2024, Wallen pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, with the other two charges being dismissed, and was sentenced to serve seven days in a DUI education center, and two consecutive years of supervised probation.[145]
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Media related toMorgan Wallen at Wikimedia Commons
Morgan Wallen songs | |
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| Stand Alone | |
| If I Know Me | |
| Dangerous: The Double Album | |
| One Thing at a Time | |
| I'm the Problem | |
| Other singles | |
| Featured singles | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
