What Morgan Wallen Ban? He’s #1 for 6 weeks, on an ‘official’ Spotify playlist and just 18% of fans know about takedowns
After Morgan Wallen was caught yelling racial epitaphs by a security cam, Spotify, Apple Music, virtually every broadcast radio chain and others were quick to drop his music.
But despite publically promising to end all support, Spotify has kept Wallen remains on its official Country Music Coffeehouse playlist (below) which has almost 600,000 followers and produced a special enhanced version of his recently-released “Dangerous: The Double Album. “
In fact, despite the supposed “industry-wide ban”, Morgan Wallen is still the best-selling artist of 2021 with both the most Spotify streams and the biggest album sales.
Who knew? Not Country Music fans
After Wallen’s racism went public, Media Group conducted a survey of 18-54-year-old Country radio listeners in major markets.
100% of the sample were familiar with Morgan Wallen, but just 18% were aware of the music industry ban removing Morgan Wallen’s music from country radio stations, Spotify and other streaming services, CMT and Sirius XM.
More on the survey via Radio Ink
- 18-24s are more aware of Morgan Wallen’s comments and negative publicity than 25-54s.
- 18-24s find Morgan Wallen and his music less appealing than older Country listeners, which is likely driven by the higher awareness of his controversial outburst among 18-24s.
- 18-24s are much more likely to say their opinion of him has changed for “the worse” over the past few months
- 18-24s are as likely as other age groups to say the banning of his music is “too severe” of a punishment.
- Country radio listeners are split on the Ban. 26% of the Total Sample said Country Radio should “discontinue the ban of Wallen Morgan’s music immediately” vs 16% who say the ban should “continue indefinitely.”
- The sample does agree on the course of action Morgan Wallen should take: 66% say “he should make a public apology, take steps to understand how his words were hurtful and change his behavior.”
“It’s remarkable how few Country radio listeners were aware of Morgan Wallen’s music being removed from Country radio one full week after the ban began, signifying Country radio has not communicated its position on Morgan Wallen with its listeners” said Ken Benson, co-Founder and Partner, P1 Media Group. “The sample overwhelmingly agreed on the course of action Morgan Wallen should take, but what role can radio actively play in leading the national conversation on racism?”
