The record-shattering country phenomenon, Morgan Wallen, known for his three extensive albums and numerous hit singles, does not “stand alone” when it comes to the rights for his old music. Wallen caused a stir among his fans with a lengthy Instagram post in response to his old colleagues, who released a “10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition” of his purposely unreleased 2014 album: Stand Alone.
Explaining his reasons behind keeping the songs private, Wallen says “Some [songs] were ok, most were terrible as I was just learning how to write in general.” “Figuring it all out,” the country star made a management deal that he “deeply regret[s]” to create what was meant to essentially be a practice album as he tried his hand at creating music. However, collaborators from his early years (whom he has long since parted ways with), took advantage of rookie Wallen’s naive deal signing, recently making Stand Alone available to the public against his wishes. “It’s gross, greedy, and an example of how the dark side of the music business can suck the soul out of artists,” the passionate artist ridicules. Dejectedly, Wallen states that he has made numerous attempts to regain the rights to Stand Alone, but his efforts unfortunately proved fruitless.
In his post, the artist expresses concern that fans will mistake Stand Alone for a new release by him, as he feels the music does not “keep the quality of [his] catalog consistent.” Wallen followers attempt to support him by resisting the urge to listen to the album. Giving fans something to look forward to, Wallen reveals that he’s feeling inspired and creative, promising listeners of his current work on music he is proud of. “Trust me,” claims the country singer, “when new music is ready, you’ll hear it directly from me.”
In response to the fiasco, Wallen re-recorded “Spin You Around”—a fan-favorite from the album—and even created the cover art himself while on a duck hunting trip in the woods. Additionally, he donated $100k to the Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts (VPLA) Program. To close, the successful artist offers an important piece of advice for young aspiring musicians: “[you] should never have to give up [your] creative freedoms for an opportunity in this business.”