Morgan Wallen’s Music Back on Radio in Wake of Recent Ban

Morgan Wallen’s music has been added back to radio four months after it was removed. While the singer was banned from country music radio after he was caught using the N-word on tape, his music was quietly added back to the airwaves recently, per Variety. Wallen came under fire earlier this year after he was seen on tape saying the N-word while on a night out with his friends in Nashville. He later apologized for using such language.

Variety reported that Wallen’s songs have been played on stations owned by iHeartMedia, Cumulus Media, Cox Media, TownSquare Media, and other major chains across the country. The publication reported that it is believed that the executives at these companies have allowed the respective stations to choose whether to play Wallen’s music. Their view on the matter is reportedly along the lines of “make your own decision. If you’re comfortable with putting his music on the radio and think the guy has been on the sidelines long enough, that’s your call.” Variety did reach out to all of those aforementioned radio companies for a comment on their report. Although, they either did not hear back or shared that they had no update about the status of Wallen’s music on their stations.

These radio stations have been introducing Wallen’s music back to their airwaves quietly. So, you may have missed that the controversial musician’s tunes were even back on the radio in the first place. A high-level studio executive told Variety about the matter, “There was no fanfare at all when people started adding it back in. It’s been completely subdued and unnoticed. It’s like a soft opening.” Back in February, radio chains first started to remove Wallen’s music after the footage of him saying the N-word went public. Cumulus Media, the second-largest radio chain in the United States, sent out a directive to their stations in which they informed them to remove Wallen’s music from the air.

“MORGAN WALLEN — EXTREMELY IMPORTANT,” the directive, signed by Brian Philips, EVP of programming for the chain, and John Dimick, the company’s head of programming operations, read. “Team, unfortunately country music star Morgan Wallen was captured on video Sunday evening using a racial slur. Effective immediately we request that all of Morgan Wallen’s music be removed from our playlists without exception. More to follow.” At the time, they did not share whether this ban would be a permanent or temporary one. But, apparently, it’s the latter.